rossm

Further information courtesy of Henk Welter: F/O MOULD (not MOLD) was on Hudson AE563 escorting a US convoy and shot down by friendly fire from US F4F's over the Mediterranean off Casablanca. I only have three names of the crew, commemorated on the Malta Air Forces Memorial: F/O Peter MOULD - 124668 - Panel 3, Column 1; F/O Roy M. QUARENDON - 80200 - Panel 3, Column 1, and Sgt Ernest STOTT - 1026334 - Panel 4, Column 2. Number four of the crew may have been Sgt B.N. CALLAGHAN, but couldn't find him on the CWGC website.

Checked Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF - the squadron was 233 (232 did not fly Hudsons) and they lost 6 aircraft in November 1942. Then scanned all the Hudson histories in Andrew Hendrie's book Lockheed Hudson in WWII so might have missed one or two ! The possibilities are : T9458 - failed to return (FTR) 9/11/42 V8985 - FTR from escorting US task force off Casablanc 8/11/42, presumed shot down by USN F4Fs V9095 - Ditched with AA damage off Oran 9/11/42 (the unit for this one is not clear) AE563 - FTR off Casablanca 9/11/42, presumed shot down by USN AE591 - FTR from patrol 1/11/42 FH453 - FTR from Casablanca sortie 8/11/42, presumed shot down by USN F4Fs So the likely ones are Hudson III V8985 and Hudson IIIA FH453. Squadron codes were ZS, colours at this time most likely to have been Dark Slate Grey, Extra Dark Sea Grey and White with a high demarcation line but the photo of a 233 Hudson in the Hendrie book (undated but in the chapter on North Africa) seems to have the older scheme with Sky undersides and a low demarcation line. You need a reference on Operation Torch to confirm this I think. As to which kit - the MPM Hudson Mk.I/II but use the exhausts for the III (I think parts E6 & E7) in place of those for the Mk.I/II (parts E5 & E10) and intakes E8 & E14 in place of E12. I think that's right anyway but no guarantee. I think the only way to get more info is to go to the National Archives in Kew and look up the Squadron Operational Record Book, Cheers, Ross

A bit more searching hasn't turned up much new except that FK223 seems to have been a lucky aircraft, also sinking U-954 on 19/5/43, U-643 jointly with FL954 on 8/10/43 and U-361 on 17/7/44. Ross

That's one of the photos I wanted to check when I get home - if FK223 had the Yagi aerials they are available in etched brass from Paragon or Aeroclub, Ross

A few links for you...... RAF Liberator squadrons RAF Coastal Liberator standards B-24D interior photos - the GR.III was similar to the B-24D My Coastal Command camouflage page - can't guarantee it's right but it's a "best guess". I'm building a GR.V (again B-24D based) in 1/72 using the Academy kit and a mate is doing the same in 1/48th so feel free to ask any questions you like. The best reference I've found is the Aerodata booklet Link to abebooks search results which has detailed plans for RAF Liberators and gives lots of useful detail that I didn't know. Also a Link to a copy on fleabay. The big change is the Boulton-Paul rear turret, identical to the Halifax rear turret. There's one in this Pavla conversion but I don't know if you need the other bits for a GR.III - almost certainly not the radar and I'm vague on the Leigh light as I'm at work at the moment. I'm using radar and Leigh light for my GR.V. Sudden thought is you may not need a rear turret at all if it was a VLR (Very Long Range) aircraft - mid uppers could also be left off depending on spec. The aircraft used over Biscay (based Beaulieu, Predannack, St.Eval) where they might meet Ju88C's kept all their guns but aircraft operating in mid-Atlantic (based Aldergrove, Limavady) such an encounter was unlikely so guns (and turrets) were often removed. I don't know if my references will give the answer but I'll see if I can glean anything about the configuration of FK223. The crew list with 3x WOP/AGs suggests not all guns were removed but maybe not all (mid-upper, beam and tail) were carried. Carefully reading the report reveals the rear gunner fired at the sub so a rear turret must have been fitted (although earlier Libs had open rear gun positions I don't think this was an option for the III). As for the kit I went for the Academy (now Minicraft and also released by Italeri) because I felt the nose assembly of the Hasegawa one gave me too much room to get it misaligned. However you do get more detail in the Hasegawa one and the engines & cowling of the Academy/Minicraft/Italeri one are not quite right (but who's going to notice when looking at a beast that size?). I only gave the Hasegawa kit a brief inspection but I'm not sure if it had the RAF style entry door under the rear fuselage or the USAAF gun hatch - I seem to remember whichever it was had a joint line through it as it was part of the fuselage mouldings whereas Academy give separate and optional parts for either. As you're going to want to use an entry ladder to stop it tailsitting that's a useful point. Good luck, Ross

I'm going to guess that with the limited number of Whirlwinds made some trials aircraft may have been used as replacements and not got yellow leading edges when they got their squadron codes. Also maybe the Whirlibomber conversion (I think it involved some physical modifications) meant some repainting. Who was responsible for applying the yellow leading edges (manufacturer, MU, squadron) I've no idea. So I'll go with photographic evidence either way - I've seen both possibilities as well as photos which weren't clear enough to tell. Time for the old adage - do what you think is most likely for your particular subject (in the absence of a definitive photo - and that's only valid for the day it was taken) and challenge people to prove you wrong! I better check if I've a photo for my Airfix build because I've put the yellow and MSG on (years ago), just need to mask it off, and you've certainly made me question my assumption! And another good adage - beware of artists work on colour profiles and decal sheets! Ross

Thanks for the heads up on the kit - I may have to get one even though I have a 90% complete Airfix one and the Pavla one (with separate flap). The book "Whirlwind" subtitled "The Westland Whirlwind Fighter" - and I mean book, hardback, over 150 pages - by Victor Bingham, published by Airlife is the best source I have for information and photos. I also have the Profile, Kookaburra and Allied Wings (No.4) booklets but not the 4+. I have to agree Yellow leading edges are hard to see on many Whirlwind photos but they are clearly present in some e.g. the colour photo on p34 of Allied Wings and the head on shot of a 263 Sqdn machine in July 1943 on p23. Remember the yellow leading edges came in with the Type C1 (or whatever we call it these days) roundels. Also think about whether you are looking at a photo of a machine in squadron service or a trials aircraft (as on p49 of Allied Wings) or one before delivery to a squadron in which case the full operational markings may not have been applied. So I'd go for Yellow leading edges unless proven otherwise - and I don't think that's impossible but I do think it's probably not the norm. Ross

Have you seen the book "Whirlwind" subtitled "The Westland Whirlwind Fighter" - and I mean book, hardback, over 150 pages - by Victor Bingham, published by Airlife ? This has a lot of the sort of information you want with text and diagrams and photos. Looking on Amazon/Abebooks there are secondhand copies around but quite expensive - maybe you can get one via your local library ? Might also be worth trying Westland themselves ? Ross

It's on a Begemot decal sheet - details HERE

MR models had a Mk21 on their stand at Weston-super-Mud yesterday - £22 from memory. One of the displays had a made up TT10 - envy,envy even though I can convert one of the TF.X I have in stock it's going to be tricky to make a neat job of the wire guard for the tailplane which seemed to be supplied in the kit. At least the wind driven winch is an Aeroclub item. As for the Buckingham, one stand had some Brigands and a Buckingham for £32 each. Coincidentally I took along a Brigand to start building it and spent most of the morning refining the trailing edge on one wing. The other wing only took an hour or so. I think the rest of the build will be easier but I may be in for a "learning experience". I'm also looking forward to the Buckmaster, Ross

This link states "Photos of MB794 show it with a fixed tail wheel, which was not standard for MB serialed aircraft; MB794 was shot down by American flak while covering the invasion beaches near Normandy. F/L Jack Refshauge RAAF bailed out wounded and was picked up by American troops" None of the other MB series are noted as having a fixed tailwheel. Ross

Mine was based on the Matchbox NF Meteor with tail from a gash Airfix III and the fuselage decking, canopy and camera nose from an Aeroclub FR9 conversion. They did a PR10 conversion as well but they are not cheap on fleabay.

There was a series in Model Aircraft Monthly of colour side view drawings showing all VC winners aircraft. Joe Barton's is shown as LK.E LK797 in standard camouflage and markings so it can be made up from generic sheets of roundels and code/serial letters & numbers such as Modeldecal or Xtradecal or Aviaeology. Try the Decal Bank (decalbank@googlemail.com I think). If you've no luck there I'll see what I can find in my spares, Ross

Thanks Cliff, that's good enough for me, Ross

Regarding the Su-15TM Photos here in the Ukrainian museum featured on the 1/72 Begemot sheet with the legends "Maestro" and "Leonid Bykov" in memory of the film actor/producer. Did it ever fly in this scheme ? The decals give a date of 2000 but the Ukraine retired its Su-15s in 1996. Thanks in advance for any information, Ross

Model Alliance do Hurricane IV armoured radiators in 1/72 scale - a bit expensive at £5 though. As far as I can make out from the Mason book the armoured radiator was only fitted to the Mk.IV, having been developed for that version. The wings of the Mk.IV were similar to the later Mk.II with strongpoints for rocket rails - it's not clear if they were identical. No reference is made to fuselage changes, the other differences seem to be the mark of engine, "tropicalisation" and extra internal armour. Ross

The Magna conversion fits a treat to the Airfix Hurricane I but you will probably want to use an Aeroclub propeller as the Magna one in my kit was a bit weedy so I replaced it.

I want to build a Westpoint Dragon Rapide as used between St.Just and the Isles of Scilly. They were ex BEA aircraft and as the exterior scheme stayed the same apart from the titles I guess the interior didn't change. Does anyone know the colours ? Thanks in advance, Ross

For the F-16 I think you need a Block 52 airframe - so in 1/72 it's the Academy kit (I'm not sure they're imported now 'cos of the horrendous price) or the Hasegawa F-16CJ or DJ using the small intake but the big u/c wheels and bulged doors. Maybe they had some earlier variants but I'm really not sure - doubtless the Icarus decals will tell you.

There is a Special Hobby Tempest II but I haven't seen it so can't say what it is like, Ross

There is a photo of this aircraft in the Mason book on the Hurricane, unfortunately it's dead side on so hard to tell but my guess would be fabric. Most of the airframe is silver dope but the engine cowlings are highly polished metal. There also seems to be some polished metal around the tailplane root. The book has a couple of paragraphs on this a/c - it was damaged by 56 Sqdn and returned to Hawkers where it was repaired, reskinned in silver doped fabric and modified with the spin fairing (ventral fin) then flown on 24th January 1939. As far as I can tell from the same book metal wings were first flown (on L1877) on 28th April 1939, Ross

The Flight Magazine Archive has many photos - just put Fairey Hendon into the search box and work your way through the results - not all pages found have photos but there are some closeups of the engine/propeller/radiator Ross

You don't have to look just at 48th scale decals, although 30" is a tricky one as it becomes 45" in 72nd scale or 20" in 32nd scale. If you could live with slightly oversize lettering then 48" codes in 1/72nd might exist ? Ross

This Site states "The only known aircraft arrival at Stow during World War Two was on September 7, 1940, when P/O Dennis Crowley-Milling of 242 Squadron force-landed his Hurricane P3715 'LE-M' on the field after sustaining a damaged radiator in combat. The aircraft's undercarriage was damaged and it was dismantled for recovery by road." Air Britain confirms P3715 did serve with 242 Sqdn. So if Colin S-K has decals for Bader's LE-D all you need to do is change the serial and the code letter and leave off the rank pennant and I guess you're there. The code letter for Bader's Spitfire P9443 continues to elude me, Ross

In 'The Battle For Britain' - Scale Aircraft Monograph No.2 by Paul Lucas is a colour side view drawing of Hurricane LE.H P25?? at Coltishall in September 1940 "reputed to have been the regular mount of F/O Dennis Crowley-Milling". This doesn't show the 242 Sqdn. 'emblem' on the lower cowling of Hitler being kicked by an RAF flying boot which is shown in other drawings and photos of other aircraft of the squadron around this period. Whether this omission is deliberate and/or correct I have no idea! Looking further the Air Britain series on RAF serials reveals only one Hurricane in the P25xx serial range served with 242 Sqdn and that was shot down in France in May 1940 so the accuracy of the drawing could be said to be questionable! Ross