missile-monkey

Joseph, I saw a copy in my local library on Wednesday afternoon. I'm currently swotting up on D Day and the battle to break out of Normandy for my impending trip next week. I might get round to reading a Drop too many in the summer before my trip to Arnhem. Let me know what you think of it. Regards MM

Hi Jonny, You haven't ruffled my feathers. Like you I'm not a military expert, and also like you I do most of my learning from books, increasingly the internet and by speaking to other people. I'll add Beevor's book to my list to read before my trip in September. As a side note I have just started reading 'The Glider Soldiers' by Alan Wood. I'm at the part where he is describing the various units which made up the infantry element and how the Glider Pilot Regiment was formed and it's organisation. Absolutely fascinating. All the best. MM

Hi Tony, I didn't know any of this thanks for the info. I totally get what you are saying about airborne soldiers being just that...soldiers and how the glider (in the case of D Day) was just an instrument in getting the soldiers to the fighting. I heard much the same from Royal Marines about my Wessex and Sea King helicopters during the Falklands and in Northern Ireland. However I still can't help thinking it was a waste. It's akin to spending thousands and thousands of pounds and years and years training a heart or brain surgeon then asking him/her to look after a 1st aid tent at a village fete. It would seem that by the time of Market garden the hierarchy in the British military had forgotten everything they had learned whilst planning and executing during D Day. I also heard that the decision to jump during daylight was made by Lieutenant General Brereton (Commander of the allied airborne army) as a result of the American experiences when jumping at night on D day. I'm starting to get into the war in North West Europe and have begun to research and read about the campaign especially in the battle for Normandy. Thanks again for your info. Regards MM

Nice one............Can I ask where the decal sheets come from? MM

Jonny, You didn't interrupt my thread. You added to it. The more information we share about those times with each other the less likely it will happen again.....One hopes... As a side note in preparation for my visit to Normandy in June I have just read Pegasus Bridge by Stephen Ambrose. What a job D Coy Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry did. A marvelous piece of flying by the Glider pilots and then some very brave soldiers taking and holding the bridge. It was almost criminal IMHO to put them back in the line as ordinary line infantry after the battle instead of returning them home for future airborne operations. I do understand that manpower was a particular problem for the British Army in Normandy but still? Ambrose does make a very good point in the book. What if the likes of D Coy and other glider troops had gone in first to take and hold the bridges at Eindhoven and Nijmegen like they did in Normandy instead of paratroops which landed all over the place and took time to organize. Would Market Garden had ended differently? I don't know. Like I said at the beginning I don't know enough about WW2 history to make a determination. Regards MM

Gentlemen, Thank you for the information. Tony, I bet jumping into Arnhem must have been awesome. We plan on following the route taken by 30 Corps up to Arnhem and of course stopping off at Oosterbeek cremetery to pay our respects. Overhaulin, thank you for the links. Very informative. How do you guys find this information? Regards MM

A very good friend and I are off to Normandy in early June and Arnhem in September this year for the 75th anniversaries. He is mad on all things British airborne, paratroops, Glider Pilot Regiment and air landing troops with a particular interest in the Pegasus Bridge job and Operation Market. What he is not so hot on is modelling. He says he as two left hands with four thumbs and one finger on each ! ! I would like to build for him a Dakota and Horsa combo in 1/72 scale. I know very little about WW2 aviation other than recognition of the most common and prolific types. I am also aware of the flaws in the Italeri Horsa, however I could do with some help and advice. My queries at the moment and in no particular order are: Did British Dakotas ever tow the Horsa? or were they towed by the likes of the Stirling and Halifax. I know for the Pegasus bridge Op the three gliders were towed by Halifax which went on to bomb (not very successfully) a target in Caen. Was there ever a time either during D Day or Operation Market when British Dakotas towed the Horsa. Would it be historically accurate to build a British Dakota towing a Horsa. Am I right in saying that the majority of British paras that were dropped at Arnhem jumped from US aircraft and that British Dakotas dropped only supplies? If so why was this? Am I right is saying that the majority of British Dakotas were delivered in and flew in US colour schemes? What is the best as in most accurate 1/ 72nd scale kits for the Dakota, Stirling and Halifax. Any information would be really appreciated. Regards MM.......

..........wunderbar................................... Regards MM

What's the boxy thingys on each side just above the sponsons? Regards MM

Most of the time the flight was treated like lepers......until it was time for the mail run !! then we were everyone's friend.........Although I do remember on one occasion when a very popular member of the ships company became ill. Appendicitis I think it was. Our cab was in bits in the hanger, 25 hourlies I think. Put her back together PDQ and flew him off to hospital. The PO MA said if we hadn't got him to hospital he would have died. We dined out on that one for weeks !!!! MM

My late Father-in-Law served on HMS Vanguard. He was particularly fond of telling me during our many verbal spats about Fishheads/Dabbers/Skimmers v WAFUs/Airy Faireys that she was his favorite ship. When I asked him why? He he would reply "cause there were no ****** Airy Faireys on her" ! ! RIP Dad. MM

Thank you for the info. Good build by the by...…. Regards MM

Can I ask, where did you get the replacement 1/700 scale aircraft from? Regards MM

Your model. Paint it whatever scheme you want too. You could even paint it pink with purple spots ! ! Regards MM

Matthew, She really is a beauty. I'm sure your dad will be delighted. Inspiration for me for when I can finally start modelling. (when the cottage has been finished, hopefully later this year) Thank you for letting me come along. learned a lot. Regards MM