No 12129, Thursday 05 Oct 2017, Incognito

ACROSS
8   In brief, rank of military aviator who recently departed — finally took-off ... missing in action at first (1,1,1,1) M I A F {MIA}{ofF}

9   Storms Canberra parked amongst rushes (10) HURRICANES {HURRI{CANE}S} Didn't get the connection between Cane and Canberra (Correction - {HURRI{CAN}ES} - See comments)

10 Washington crater has one elk (6) WAPITI {WA}{PIT}{1}

11 I held capital (3,5) NEW DELHI {I+HELD}* [RA]
12 A model entices and goes (8) ATTEMPTS {A}{T}{TEMPTS}
14 Sir, teg is slaughtered for animals (6) TIGERS*
16 Moxie's fearlessness (necessary to get a DFC, perhaps?) (4) GUTS [CD]
17 Myanmar's defective siren jettisoned from submarine at sea (5) BURMA sUBMARine* Extra letter in the fodder :-)
18 Sabre took a rocket initially and became a large ball of plasma (4) STAR Acrostic
19 Author's left side cloaks, ... (6) SHAWLS {SHAW{L}S}
21 ... for example, Don Quixote's cross with invaluable and resplendent diamonds, for starters (8) SPANIARD {SPAN}{In...e}{And}{Re...t}{Di...s}
23 Perhaps, bark, "C'mon Nina" excitedly (8) CINNAMON*

26 About a Yankee found around centre of Lyallpur, indeed (6) REALLY {RE}{A}{lyaLLpur}{Y}
27 No, Andrew, he dances at this place and time (4,3,3) HERE AND NOW*
28 Setter met, on return, two people having a romantic relationship (4) ITEM {I}{MET<=} Never new this meaning

DOWN
1   Mao is Dutch? That's wrong! You will get a golden handshake! (5,5)  MIDAS TOUCH*
2   If forces go wild, they control them (8) OFFICERS* &lit
3   Way of addressing Indian gentleman, member of parliament or dwarf (6) SHRIMP {SHRI}{MP}
4   There's no water source in Cranwell — just a lot of herrings (4) CRAN CRANwell
5   Warrior in a poem written by Longfellow, HW, about a leader of Americans, at his abode, initially (8) HIAWATHA {H{1}{Am...s}W}{AT}{His}{Ab..e}
6   Wrongdoer from Faisalabad, eg: gangster (3,3) BAD EGG [T]
7   Just after the middle of September, she is thrown in net (4) MESH {s...eMb.r}
13 Arranges types (5) SORTS [DD]
15 Mad Lord or Earl gets a heavy vehicle (4,6) ROAD ROLLER*
17 Centre of Ambala has south-eastern soldiers with temperature in underground room (8) BASEMENT {amBAla}[SE}{MEN}{T]
18 Wandering Sikhs have a right: Independence to become hunters (8) SHIKARIS {A}{R}{I} in {SIKHS}*
20 Flew with Indian, German and English detachments in the beginning (6) WINGED {W}{IN}{Ge...n}{En...h}{De...s}
22 Pointers to leaders of airborne rescue/recovery operations over Western sector (6) ARROWS Acrostic
24 Freezes communications — not missing! (4) ICES notICES
25 Horrible suntan! No thanks, sisters (4) NUNS SUNtaN*

GRID