Michael51 Posted September 2, 2017 Share Posted September 2, 2017 A Halifax Mk2 srs1a, LW336, during its time at 10 Squadron, Melbourne, 1943, probably September – October. Not my finest build and I am glad it is completed. I really should have painted the fuselage black where the nose cone is fitted and found some better 'L'decals for the u/c. Never mind. The background to the accompanying period photograph is L London. The people in front of her were of greater interest. This is the Paddy Clarke crew with their new bomb aimer, Geoffrey Fenton at right. He is the only officer in the crew and his sudden arrival at Melbourne was made all the more challenging as he was immediately in separate quarters and dining areas. Fenton was originally with 77 Squadron. He had been grounded with a head cold at Elvington and awoke the next day to learn that his crew, along with a replacement bomb aimer, had been lost on operations. Standing at left is Denis ‘Gerry’ Girardau, an Australian rear gunner. He is the source of this poor quality but atmospheric image of a crew with a new bomb aimer. The original bomb aimer’s fate is seen in the entry from Gerry’s log book. I had the privilege of many conversations with Gerry in our home town of Melbourne, Australia in the early nineties. I was fortunate enough to meet Geoffrey near Sudbury on Boxing Day, 1996. Their stories of a crew overly fatigued, certainly stressed beyond reasonable limits, often missing one member or another due to injuries or illness, makes for interesting counterpoise to the notion of the compact, close knit wartime bomber crew. Michael 18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted September 2, 2017 Share Posted September 2, 2017 Nice Halibag Michael and interesting background. Good to see another one finished! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicarage Vee Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Always nice to see a good Halifax and read stories of their crews. The Australian contribution to Bomber Command was a very significant one, their presence was greatly appreciated on the squadrons, even if some at home didn't realise just how hard a time they were going through. Which correction set did you use? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael51 Posted September 3, 2017 Author Share Posted September 3, 2017 8 hours ago, CedB said: Nice Halibag Michael and interesting background. Good to see another one finished! Thanks Ced, Michael 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael51 Posted September 3, 2017 Author Share Posted September 3, 2017 (edited) 30 minutes ago, Vicarage Vee said: Always nice to see a good Halifax and read stories of their crews. The Australian contribution to Bomber Command was a very significant one, their presence was greatly appreciated on the squadrons, even if some at home didn't realise just how hard a time they were going through. Which correction set did you use? Hi, The props are from the Freightdog resin set as are the main and tail wheels. The Revell wheels are quite too small, including the tailwheel. Apart from that, it is nearly all Revell. I know there is talk of the engines being inaccurate but against the two sets of drawings I have for the Merlin-engined variety, I could not see sufficient a problem to warrant challenging my limited skills. The dropped flaps were cut from the original with the resulting openings sealed with circular plastic rod. After much searching for the right sized rod for this, I located it some days later - sitting in front of me as Revell sprue from the kit...... The rear nacelle sections for the numbers two and three engines were salvaged from a redundant Matchbox kit, the bomb-aimer of which is now housed in Ced's Halifax. You are quite correct in your observations about Australian aircrew who served in the ETO, in all Commands, not necessarily having their efforts appreciated back home. Three of the aircrew I interviewed spoke openly of receiving white feathers in letters, anonymous of course. By the way, that lost original bomb-aimer, understandably terrified and convinced the Halifax was out of control, bailed out prematurely and spent the duration as a POW. Michael Edited September 3, 2017 by Michael Enright Alzheimer remembers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristow95 Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 I really like this build and it's backed up by a poignant story from the war. All aircrew from all sides really were very brave and inspiring, and the odds against bomber crews, amazingly brave. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Good looking Halifax 👍 ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeR Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Nicely done! Mike. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Gordon Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 The logbook extract is worth a thread on it's own.Sobering reading.Thanks for that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael51 Posted September 3, 2017 Author Share Posted September 3, 2017 8 hours ago, Bristow95 said: I really like this build and it's backed up by a poignant story from the war. All aircrew from all sides really were very brave and inspiring, and the odds against bomber crews, amazingly brave. Thanks Bristow95, There is some inverse relationship with my builds. The more I pay attention to detail, the more I mess it up. As a recovery build I am currently throwing an Airfix Blenheim Mk.1 together with no pressure and it's going great! Your comments on aircrew, especially bomber crews are well taken. After many years of looking at the matter, I am yet to formulate in my mind just how these people, especially those in Bomber Command, managed their fears, absorbed the terror and took the war to the enemy when no other service was able. For those who survived and for the ones near to those who perished, the post-war official silence (if I may put it that way) must have been deafening. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael51 Posted September 3, 2017 Author Share Posted September 3, 2017 15 minutes ago, Alex Gordon said: The logbook extract is worth a thread on it's own.Sobering reading.Thanks for that. Gordon, Yes, it is quite a book of horrors: Hamburg, Peenemunde, the Battle of Berlin and the disastrous Leipzig raid of 19/20 February 1944. He completed his tour, occasionally with different crews, by surviving his last operation, the Nuremburg raid of 30/31 March 1944. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmouredSprue Posted September 4, 2017 Share Posted September 4, 2017 Well done mate 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanfrandragon Posted September 4, 2017 Share Posted September 4, 2017 Thats a fitting tribute to all aircrew. What they went through I can only imagine; to go back again and again when you've already reached your limit moves me deeply. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watcher Posted September 4, 2017 Share Posted September 4, 2017 Always love to see a good Halifax model and one with a proper 'back story' will always be a bit special. Thank you for posting. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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