rossm

I'm sure that must be it. There's a bit more narrative in the other part of the ORB, the Summary of Events. PM me an email address and I'll send that and a scan from the book "Beaufort Special" showing the nose art for W "Wreck". (you now have a photo!) You can also get a load of Beaufort photos from the IWM website https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/search?query=beaufort&pageSize=30&media-records=all-records&style=list&filters[webCategory][Photographs]=on&filters[periodString][Second+World+War]=on One of the more intertesting is https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205191334 probably from the same photo session referred to by mhaselden posted while I was typing this.

It would have asked you to sign in to get it for free and you can create an account for free so that's the route for the future - although they may go back to charging when we're allowed back in person. When I've more time I'll do some more digging.

JDR Rawlings gives L9939 as AW.W

In the 42 Squadron ORB the date is 12th June and the aircraft is L9939. It was a torpedo attack. PM me for a copy of the ORB for June or get it direct (free) from the national Archives https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8411899 For camouflage I don't remember details but my page http://hrmtech.com/SIG/coastal_cam.asp should help

I would go with standard scheme with Sky undersides. The black/white undersides were not a nightfighter scheme but for fast identification of all fighters, being found on Spitfires and Hurricanes as well, If that Camouflage and markings book is the old Ducimus one it will repay careful reading as it should give the chronology of changes from B/W to Sky and then Sky with a Black port wing for a short period at the end of 1940. The Ducimus book (a compilation of the original booklets) is still pretty much the gold standard for RAF Fighter Command camouflage although Paul Lucas has revealed some extra details such as the various colours used during the transition to Sky undersides - see https://www.amazon.co.uk/Camouflage-Markings-Battle-Britain-May-Dec/dp/0953904008/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=paul+lucas+battle&qid=1620628410&sr=8-6 and https://www.amazon.co.uk/Britain-Alone-December-Target-Special/dp/190464306X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=paul+lucas+britain+alone&qid=1620628492&sr=8-1 but they repay careful attention to the text to see where he sometimes starts to extrapolate from facts into speculation. Perhaps not much in the above books but there have been occasional extensive and controversial threads on BM regarding some of his magazine articles - the use of PRU Mauve being one (in)famous one. I would also suggest that the one in your last photo with the black aileron has Sky undersides, just the aileron hasn't been repainted as additional paint on moving control surfaces isn't a good thing and might have ben left for a specialist painter and not a general 'erk' who could do the less critical areas. The other one being still in black/white undersides suggests repainting was very much 'in progress'. That's me speculating

A quick look in the National Archives https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/h/C2504463 reveals that, at least for June 1944, aircraft were only listed as "Mosquito VI" with no serial or code letter. You can see what missions were flown by each crew but not the aircraft id. Even the combat reports https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_q=seid+418+squadron&_sd=&_ed=&_hb= don't seem to identify specific aircraft. Aviaeology is a Canadian company specialising in RCAF research and decals https://www.aviaeology.com/#/ and maybe BM member @Terry @ Aviaeology will pop up with some help?

Some help for Mac users https://superuser.com/questions/91608/how-can-i-convert-a-ttf-font-for-use-on-a-mac

It seems possible that Windows .ttf files won't work on a Mac although TrueType is an Apple format - see https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/typography/truetype/ Maybe there are some that will work with both Mac and PC and some that are platform specific?

Also try https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php?topic=52672.0

Would a Swordfish one be close? I don't have one to check what it looks like.

Hi Juanita, My web page http://hrmtech.com/SIG/coastal_cam.asp may not be much help as Air Sea Rescue (ASR) aircraft did carry dedicated schemes at times. I can hopefully dig more at the weekend but my immediate thought is the codes on BV411 were either red (specified in 1942) or yellow (seen in some photos of ASR aircraft) and the camouflage was the Temperate Sea Scheme of Extra Dark Sea Grey, Dark Slate Grey and Sky, Best, Ross

Have a look at my web page http://hrmtech.com/SIG/coastal_cam.asp From memory Temperate Sea Scheme - Extra Dark Sea Grey, Dark Slate Grey and Sky

If you search the National Archives for Clostermann you will find some of his later combat reports which are downloadable for free at the moment if you have an account (also free). If you search for Mouchotte you will find some downloadable combat reports including one for the day he was lost which gives a brief description of the circumstances with less detail than quoted above.

If you are prepared to replace enough of it ! I'm just buiding a Mew Gull where the only kit parts used will be the canopy, the forward 3/4 of the fuselage and the horizontal tail parts.

I believe the appearance of a lighter blue is down to early film being more sensitive to blue light.

You've got me looking at the ORB now, mostly because I want to build an XVIII from the detachment at Predannack/Portreath before or after it was absorbed into 248 Squadron. I've the Tamiya kit and Paragon conversion set so just need to decide code/serial and source the decal for the code - if I do the well known 'O' then a red letter with a white outline is needed. I assume the same red/white would be needed for other aircraft. I fancy "L" or "I" as they were involved in attacks on U-boats and I think the serials are MM425 and HX903? As an aside there is a Dominie (X.7383) mentioned in the ORB for 17/8/43.

I hope they look at the Dash 7 first

You're probably aware of this pic of DZ700 https://www.airhistory.net/photo/136604/DZ700 which looks like it could be at a Coastal OTU. It's mentioned in Curtis' book near the back in the copy of a page from a logbook - sorry, don't have the book to hand at the mo to be more exact.

It is simple and some way from perfect - I'm currently well on the way with one but a kit to modern standards would be welcome. There's also the Matchbox/Revell Twin Otter, the Airfix Islander/Defender, Airfix Skyvan, Airfix Heron, Frog/Maquette Herald and Heller/Airfix Dragon Rapide, all on my list for airliners associated with Devon & Cornwall and all elderly to ancient mouldings. A 1/72 DHC-7 would be a nice addition.

Did you get DZ700 ? A MkII which shows up in Des Curtis book "A Most Secret Squadron" in April 1944 - but I suspect you are looking at an earlier period. There's no obvious mention of a T.III though.

If you read the French language edition of the book Blair is not mentioned in the description of the incident, the name of the other pilot is given as Jacques Remlinger, another Frenchman on the squadron. Back then, after capitulation and occupation, France was in need of heroes which may explain some of the "artistic licence". I've started reading his autobiography, "Une Vie pas Comme les Autres" but I don't read French that fast and I'm a long way from any description of that incident. In later life Clostermann was very clear that "The Big Show / Le Grand Cirque" was not 100% accurate but was intended to give a flavour of events. He was also very clear that other criticisms - e.g of his victory claims - were incorrect, including writing a letter to Scale Aircraft Modelling on the subject.

The Blenheim photo shows some evidence of retouching, possibly colorisation - just look at the serial, no-one would paint it that badly on a full size aircraft. So you really need to find the black and white original to have a better idea of what the aircraft looked like. The Lysanders look more real, if colorised then subtly done, and the roundels look as if they have been converted from larger ones, probably with a yellow outer ring. If that has been done then non-standard proportions are possible and there are references and examples - I just can't immediately think of one online, sorry.

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205364817 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205367406 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205371245 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205367409 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205367079 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205303222 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205441807 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205126940 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205370311 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205383442 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205364815 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205210730 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205432007

I think they are in any Tamiya 1/72 Mosquito - I may be able to spare some but they would be posted at cost from the UK.

There is a Wallace coming (one day) from Dora Wings @dora . I have it on back order from Hannants but with no release date listed. I also have the Frog kit which represents the PV6/Wallace prototype as modified with a pressure cabin for the observer for the Everest flights. It's a fiddle to make a standard Wallace out of it - I don't have any idea how to create the complex curves of the Townend ring for example. It also lacks the wheel spats and the forward firing gun trough and I think the exhausts are wrong. If you want to have a go at the conversion I have a number of photos of the target tug version.