RussG

Thank you everyone for your answers. I am interested in doing a model of a Vengeance from the battle of Imphal, March to June 1944 and consequently was looking for a photo from that time. Those you mentioned Seahawk seem intriguing and I would very much like to see them but wouldn't they have been painted in SEAC markings for squadron use in action? The book is not too expensive from Amazon and worth getting I think, is there much narrative on 110 Squadron? The Operations Record Book from April 1944 however doesn't mention either Richie or Lambert and there is no EZ804 on strength, there is however an AN804. Many thanks again, Russ

Hi, Does anyone know of the existance of any photographs of 110 Squadron Vengeances? Many thanks in advance, Russ

A great reply Nick, thanks very much. Russ

I would like to ask a quick question regarding the colour scheme, According to F/Lt. Peart the upper surfaces are chocolate brown, not dark earth and dark green and the undersurfaces are light blue. I am assuming this is not azure blue, but a light blue? Cheers, Russ

Nick, I have sent you a PM, thanks again. Kallisti, I too have Alan Pearts autobiography, and as you say it doesn't have many photos but it is well worth a read. As for the decals, I have bought a set of 81 Squadron decals from Ventura, ref V4822, Spitfires- Australian, New Zealand and Israeli, Alan Pearts aircraft is there with the 'Ace of Spades' Russ

Hi, I am currently building the ICM Spitfire mk VIII and intend to represent Alan Pearts 81 Squadron FL-D in SEAC colours. The problem I have is with the starboard side positioning of the codes. There are plenty of photographs showing the port side of the Spitfire but none of the starboard. My question is do the codes run as we look at the right hand side 'FL-D' or 'D-FL'? I have only found one photo of an 81 Squadron Spitfire which shows the starboard side which was taken probably in Italy just before they left for the far east and this shows the coding as 'FL-D' (although you can only see the FL and then the roundel, I have just used 'D' as an example). Any help would be very much appreciated. Russ

Hi, Nothing is mentioned of any action on 20th in the ORB by 184 Squadron. Russ

Hi Brad, Yes that is what has happened, I have rubbed it down with my finger and intend to give it thin spray coat with humbrol gloss and then one final matt coat with Tamaya acrylic flat clear. Leaving the humbrol a couple of days to dry that is. Thanks, Russ

Thanks Woody, I don't have Kleer, I couldn't get it anywhere but I have got some 'Quick Shine' from Lakeland. I might try an are to see if that works although I may just try a light coat of gloss. Cheers, Russ

Hi, I'm sure you know this but 184 Squadron have an excellent website, certainly worth a peruse and I have a logbook to an airman who served and eventually was killed with 184 (by then flying Typhoons). He only ever flew the MkIV Hurricane, and I certainly intend to build an example so I will be watching with keen interest. Regards, Russ

Thanks again Work in Progress and Graham, I'm glad you have confirmed the acrylic over the enamel because thats what I was going to try next. As for the spraying, thats my real weak point, I am using a Badger spray with the glass bottle which hangs underneath and its a right faff plus it seems to use up alot of unneccessary paint. I also seem to get alot of blockages, even when taking alot of care with mixing etc. Although I bought it 15 odd years ago its hardly been used (I used to use it with the cans) so I am reticent about buying a new one. Thanks for the spraying tip though, I probably have it turned up far to high, it is at about 25 psi at the moment. Plus, I am thinning the paint to much I think...with the bottles you seem to use up most of the paint just messing about with the consistency. Thanks again, Russ

Thanks Miggers, My model shops advice, and he is a modeller too by the way, is to use an acrylic matt varnish, even though the model has been painted with humbrol enamels. Apparently this works very well and reduces the unreliable nature of the humbrol varnish. That was the route I was intending to try next. Russ

Thanks Tom, That helps a lot and great advice..... however, living in the UK, it much depends on which day summer falls this year and will I be in, last year it was all damp, wet and cold. Strangely though, it seems to be getting a little better as the days go on, but I don't know if this is just wishful thinking. Thanks again, Russ

Thanks vedran, Yes, 'milky' may be the term. My model shop thinks it may have happened due to the paint drying before it hit the model. This is my fourth model and the others have turned out reasonably good. What I am finding out is making decent models is a massive learning curve!! Thanks again, Russ

Hi, This is actually a general problem and has probably been covered many times but I am having problems with how to search for it, so sorry if this is repiticious. After 4/5 months work on the Stirling I have finished decalling/cammo etc and have applied the matt lacquer finish, this was the humbrol lacquer. The room was normal, possibly on the cool side and I used my old badger spray with the fine tip. The result was a 'dusty like' finish which spoils the effect, the black appearing like a mid grey. I phoned my local model shop and all he could suggest was to re spray it with an acrylic lacquer and finish off with heavy weathering. Either that or strip it back and start again. Can anyone offer me any advice.... as you can probably gather I am new to this modelling game after a 20 odd year lay off. Many thanks in advance, Russ

Thanks for your tuppence worth Tom, Much appreciated, Russ

Thanks for your replies Johnnyboy and Graham, I think you have answered my question Graham, the problem was I have seen many models and drawings with the dark grey/dark green over white camo. The window I have is late 1943 to the end of the war so the EDSG is the way to go. The model I am using is the 1/72 Academy PBY-5. Thanks again, Russ

Hi, I am hoping someone may be able to clarify the camouflage of a late war (from late 1943 to 1945) on 210 or 202 Squadron Catalinas. I can't seem to find any photographs which definitavely show any camo scheme and various kit builders seem to apply alternative schemes, ie the regulation Extra Dark Sea Grey over white with the mainplane undersides glossed or Extra Dark Sea Grey/ Dark Slate Grey or Dark Green over White. I am tempted to use the Extra Dark Sea Grey over white with the mainplane undersides glossed and the aircraft id codes in red, would this be accurate. Many thanks in advance, Russ

Thanks very much for your reply, that is exactly what I wanted to know! Russ

Hi, I am interested in building a Catalina IV (1/72 scale) based on a 210 Squadron aircraft in 1944. The only marks I can find is the V so can anyone tell me what the difference is between a mark IV and a mark V? Also, being very new to modelling, could anyone recommend a good kit. Basically I want to build it out of the box. Many thanks in advance, Russ

Bruce, It would certainly be possible to tell you which machines both Jenkins and McMillan flew, at least the codes as they are in the ORBs. Which serial you put to which code is up to you, for eg Jenkins flew Hurricane IID 'Z' on a number of occasions and you could use Nicks site to choose a serial. He also flew 'B' and 'P' (as did Lee)..... Russ

Hi Bruce, He flew with both Jenkins and McMillan, an Australian, although they are not mentioned in the logbook. They are all in the operations Record Book however. F/Lt. P. L. McMillan appears to have left after January 1945. Russ

Thanks for that Nick, Of course pilots have been known to get the serials wrong and logbooks are anything but infallible, but he flies LF435 almost exclusively during April and May and I have just noticed he very faintly annotes it as aircraft code 'Y'. Other than that I have no other official confirmation as to whether it is a IID or IV. Apart from converting to Spitfire VIII's later in the year there is only mention of IIDs. If it is of any interest I will happily forward copies of the relevent pages for your research. Russ

Hi Doug, Its funny but after a some 15 year break I have taken up the hobby again and after completing a 1/48 Tempest V and Spitfire XII, I plan to build a 20 Squadron SEAC Hurricane as I have a copy of a 20 Squadron logbook. W/O. Lee actually flies Hurricane LF435 in combat in March 1945 and logs it as a IID and not a mark IV. In fact he flies nothing else but IID's. Unfortunately W/O Lee never notes the serial which is a shame. However, comparing his logbook and the ORB for that day the code for LF435 is very likely to be 'Y'. Regards, Russ