I would not claim to be a legal expert but my understanding is that under UK law design right protection lasts for 25 years, but if we are talking about copyrighted material, it varies depending on the medium involved (being longest for books at author’s lifetime + 70 years) but is generally 50 years. So I would have thought that the Mosquito drawings would be out of copyright. Hopefully one of the lawyers on the forum can correct me if I am wrong – my wife is no use as she has only ever specialised in employment law and criminal law!

Sea Hawk… but wouldn’t that mean that all these people making 70% 80% & 90% replicas go all the way and build 100% size replicas? i can’t recall but i think there are some other issues especially with replica spits.

Japanese designed and built planes for range & maneuverability.

Below 300mph the Zero would have come out a winner in a dogfight but given poor protection (armour) it might have been close. Above 310 mph the Zero suffered from heavy alierons & elevators (the same alierons & elevators that gave it soo much maneuverability at low speeds).

Historically, there is alot of misconception about the Spit vs Zero. much of it can be found here http://boards.historychannel.com/thread.jspa?threadID=700005072&tstart=30&mod=1163270666582
including the myth that 17 Spits were taken out by Zeros in one encounter.

REQ: please post pictures of the RAF in the far east if you have any 🙂

R.I.P Master! you ruled the skies!

🙁

Halifax.. i’ll see if i can dig up the links for what you are looking for.. meantime a nice (picture 56k intensive) site about the Halifax restoration going on in Canada. http://ipmslondon.tripod.com/referencearticles/id42.html

Dave.. the P-40 is a replica (Code named 77 i believe) I’m looking for a pic now