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Airfix USAAF 8th Air Force Bomber re-supply Set


Uncle Dick

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Looking at the sprues from the latest Airfix work bench, it appears the kit will only have 4 x 500lb bombs and 2 x 1,000lb bombs, only one M5 bomb trailer and the M6 Chevi tow vehicle + the other vehicles...

I really would like to see Airfix come out with a separate set with only the bombs & M5 trailer - say 2 or 3 sprues of each in the set as a Series 2 or 3

Currently, If you want say 4 or more M5 trailers loaded you will have to fork out at least 48 quid minimum for 4 kits... needless to say having only one M5 trailer loaded for a diorama is not very realistic...

ImageJ4.jpg

Edited by Uncle Dick
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I second the 1/72 Cletrac and would like to see a Clark as well . The bomb carts sold as a separate set would be a great idea . The ground support equipment is one untapped area of modelling . The CCKW and and the fuel truck variants would be a great idea as well . They seem to have dried up . The CCKW was a valuable piece of equipment at any airfield during WWII . I can't wait for the US resupply set to hit the US market ...even the Cushman .

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Very light on the accessories too - some figures (drivers at the very least), a bomb lift trolly (to replace the one in their ancient USAAF personnel set) see below

pp-2000bomb.jpg

some 250lb bombs, maintenance accessories... would also have rounded out the kit

Edited by Uncle Dick
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  • 4 weeks later...

Just noticed that Academy has the bomb lift trolley with a WC-54 dodge ambulance and what appears to be a Clarktor variant aircraft tug in 1/72

marc-ac_1-72_13403.jpg

I read from the following forum http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=12055 that over 1,500 Clarktor type tractors (though may not be the version Academy provides) were also produced for the British Ministry of War Transport so may not be out of place at a British Bomber field as well !

scan0085.jpg

Edit: just found this image of a RAF "Heavy" Clarktor with six wheels

5964-3.jpg

Edited by Uncle Dick
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Outstanding build you have with the Liberator diorama!

Nice photos too!

Thanks for the link re the Clarktor Heavy model, was not aware it existed, very nice, but my resin modelling skills are not what they used to be - I seem to break all the fiddly bits when taking them off the runners (even with some of the plastic kits...)

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Looking at the sprues from the latest Airfix work bench, it appears the kit will only have 4 x 500lb bombs and 2 x 1,000lb bombs.

[font=arial, helvetica, needless to say having only one M5 trailer loaded for a diorama is not very realistic...

ImageJ4.jpg

i

Isn't that all the bombs you'd need for a B-17? (Dives bravely for cover.)

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Interesting photo of the bowser and the Typhoon Uncle Dick!

Would I be right in thinking this one is being used for 100 octane fuel and not oil (as in the Airfix variant)?

Andrew

Resolution is a touch low but believe it says 100 inside of the circle marking so presume 100 octane, another thread I read also says that some were used for water!

Anyway heres another image presume fuelling up - but interesting to note simultaneous fuelling of 2 (possibly 3 aircraft at the same time) what a tempting target that would make!

RAFREFUELING.jpg

and some of the better circulated images

CH_001357-2.jpg

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The Albion bowser was designed to refuel three aircraft at once, in the interest of more rapid refuelling of a complete section. A more tempting target, but also one available for a shorter time. However, it was judged too awkward in practice, and of course three aircraft that came back might well not be the same three that were readied as a single section for the next mission.

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