airjiml2

You going to complete the trio (or the quartet) with its civilian scheme (or post war RCAF?) Jim

Welcome from a fellow Taco-man...sorry, Tacoman. Jim

They were Mitchell II, not Mitchell III. https://www.silverhawkauthor.com/post/canadian-warplanes-3-north-american-b-25-mitchell

Hi Enzo, I have to retract my last message. I was wrong. I got a message from Mr. Kendall and it was Hill that took the Sparrow shot in 741. Sorry. Jim

Looking good. Have you received the Kitsworld Malta sheet? Mine appears to be a prototype for their decal seatbelts, as I can feel the decals on the paper. Not really usable for codes and roundels, and I was quite disappointed as the sheet has some useful stuff on it. Is yours the same? Thank you, Jim

Hi Ed, Indeed. I'm unclear if the photo has any relation to 413 Squadron's ops for the Double Sunrise Flights, or if it just is a coincidence. The only serial I find in the 413 ORB is FP244, but I've not read the whole diary. Jim

It appears that 413 Squadron, RCAF, was involved in the early stages of this operation and flew the first Sunrise flight in FP244 on May 3, 1943. I don't know if this photo helps or confuses, but it is from the RCAF archives and depicts GIE with the BOAC flash on the nose. Photo is RCAF PL-18412 and I cropped the photo to focus on the Catalina. Jim

Hi Enzo, It is a CF-188 or CF-18. I thought it was Kendall took the Sparrow shot and Hill only strafed the boat. (The aircraft Kendall used, 798, certainly carried a kill marking post war.) I am considering doing Kendall's bird this year, but probably won't do it as part of the GB. (Too much pressure.) Jim

I am pulling this topic up from the past. Did anyone save the memo Edgar posted? If the aircraft was indeed R5727, it went to Canada as a standard Bomber Command Lanc, got converted to a transport and stripped of paint in Canada. Then returned to the UK for more work and was re-camouflaged while in the UK. It became CF-CMS with TCA. Jim

Oh and I so rudely never responded to your comment about Flight Chops. I feel the same way, he has inspired me to get flying again. (I'm also quite jealous he has access to a Harvard and Chipmunk. I've only been able to fly the former a little bit!) Jim

Not Spitfire related, but the Top Gun kits were available in my local hobby shop in Seattle long before the UK. Usually it is the other way around. I kinda hoped the Spitfire would be the same, but no such luck... Jim

No spin strakes on the DHC-1B2. Otherwise it is look good. Jim

Nice job Tony. The Matchbox Lizzie is still one of my favorite kits. I have one in the Drawer of Doom I should finish. Jim

R7193 was never in Canada. My guess it is was a clerical error in assembling the book, as R7143 certainly was in Canada. Jim

EwenS, Thank you so much. Pat Martin suggested this the other day and I borrowed a copy and you are 100% correct. Thank you so much. Serials are a great start. Jim

Yep, and I was there as well. Great weekend! The Reynolds Museum Hurricane has had some work done on it since they finished the Calgary Hurricane. It looks so much better these days. Jim

Just to clarify, two different spinners are being discussed. The colour photo is of course a still from the Battle of Britain and features a restoration of RCAF Hurricane 5377. This was one of the "Prairie Hurricanes" that escapes scrapping and then was restored in Canada by Bob Diemert. It was shipped to the UK for the Battle of Britain movie and certainly was fitted with a "Canadian" spinner and Hamilton Standard prop. It passed along to Strathallen where it was fitted with a Rotol prop and spinner. Upon returning to Canada it was involved in a nose over incident and the Rotol blades were replaced with a Hamilton Standard prop but retaining the Rotol spinner. It was then destroyed in a fire. At least two RCAF Hurricanes fly in the US with the Ham Standard prop and spinner combination. I believe 5477 will do the same when it flys in 2021 in Canada...though masquerading as a Hurricane I. Luckily, two static Hurricanes have been restored in Canada without the spinner. One in Calgary and one in Wetaskiwin. (Which was just updated and looks so much better these days.) Btw, there was another mod made to Canadian Hurricanes when the spinner was fitted. Many of the OTU aircraft, especially the RT equipped aircraft have had the centerline carburetor intake removed. No idea why...but attached is a portion of my IPMS Canada/RT article that illustrates both the Canadian spinner and the missing carb intake. The other blunt spinner is on Hurricane P5206/GN-L pictured in the Wingleader book. It sure looks to me like that is a Rotol prop and the spinner is similar, but not exactly like the 1943 Canadian spinner. Sure is a fascinating photo. I feel like the more I learn about the CCF and RCAF Hurricanes, the less I know! Jim

Hi Tony, Anything is possible, but as far as I can tell the only CCF Hurricane flown in Canada out of the first 40 was P5170. (As best I can tell, the next CCF Hurri to fly in Canada was AF964.) It flew with a DH prop and spinner. All the remaining aircraft were completed without engines, props, and spinners, so it is most likely this outfit was done in the UK. But it is odd, that this isn't a normal spinner. That sure doesn't look like a Hamilton Standard prop and I've never seen anything about them being applied to Hurricanes before the RCAF order of the Hurricane XII. (And the RCAF was requesting spinners for the Hurris pretty much from the day they got the XII.) Remember that the RCAF Sea Hurricanes used DH props and spinners and the 13XX serial RCAF aircraft used Battle Merlins and props with no spinners. That is a fascinating photo, that raises more questions than it answers for sure. Jim

Yes, of course I have seen that. There is a great report from 832's time on Saratoga, but I'm looking for additional images. Jim

Wow, that is very interesting. Thank you for posting. Any take on what prop that is fitted to P5206? I'm also intrigued by YO-R on the same page. I didn't know any of the Canadian built Hurricanes were with 1 Squadron RCAF. The odd thing is that I don't think CCF had invented the "Canadian' spinner this early. Another mystery! Jim

Are you aware that the landing gear was also different on the Chipmunks built for the RCAF. The bad news, it is is even spindlier then the UK built aircraft, so probably impossible to 3d print. Jim

Does anyone have any suggestions for photos and other information regarding the US TBF Avengers operated by 832 Squadron off of HMS Victorious (Robin) and USS Saratoga? I've had no luck with the USN Aviation Museum, a few authors, and this is a final hail merry pass. ( I reached out to the FAA Museum but it appears their archives are closed due to a move and COVID.) Strikes me as odd that a FAA Squadron was operating off a US carrier and the story isn't well known and I've only seen a couple of distant photos of the Avengers. Thanks, Jim

I have been schooled by the master again! Thank you so much @Carl V for the further input. You have intrigued me with the TT Bermudas, my friend. Maybe something to search for next time I'm in Ottawa. Jim

The RCAF had three Bermudas that were used for "special" testing (aka chemicals and gas) at Suffield, Alberta. Attached are a photo from Facebook and the US Navy archives. Jim

Sorry, not sure why the image is so small. If anyone wants a larger copy, please PM me with an email and I'll send it along. Jim