Skunkworks Secrets

Shortly after touching down at Paphos airport, recently and feeling the blast of luxuriant warm air flood the cabin of the airliner, I forgot all about the cares of the real world and settled down for ten days in the Med.

Cyprus is a beautiful island, with lush vegetation, blue seas, snow capped mountains and swathes of scorching scrub. On my first visit about fifteen years ago, I stayed on the British air base at Akrotiri, which is a bit of a desolate spot with an almost Area 51 feel to it. Pegeia, where we stayed is a beautiful area near the coast, full of white stone villas and fruit plantations, so between the great scenery, wonderful food and a large swimming pool, we were pretty much in paradise.

Never the less, I had a weather eye out for toys and the gift shops were stoacked with lots of goodies, most notably, knock off and fake Lego sets! But it was a trip to the local supermarket to stock up the villa which revealed the best surprise, a small Zylemex die cast Stealth Fighter!

Whereas most incarnations of the fabled F19 Stealth Fighter, which appeared in model stores everywhere before the real F117 Nightwing was realeased, this version was flatter, wider and much more like a Space Glider than before!

Naturally, I grabbed it (unfortunately, there was only one!) and shoved it in the trolley under the household shopping! Its a simple affair, two metal clamshell halves and a simple canopy, but very nice and the perfect accompaniment to the Blackbird that Woodsy found in Whitby!