rossm

The Aviation Workshop book on PR Spitfires shows a drawing of a PRIc with the fuel tank under the port wing and the camera pod under the starboard wing. The camera pod is smaller than the fuel tank. They also show the PRIf with a fuel tank under each wing and the deep chin, cameras in the rear fuselage. My main computer is in for an upgrade just now and I'm a bit pushed for time but if you haven't got sufficient detail from anyone else by the start of next week send me a PM with your email address as I've loads of stuff on PR Spitfires, it just needs finding and scanning which I should be able to do then, Ross

I used the Magna wings on the Airfix Hurricane. Not as hi-tech perhaps but it worked and fitted well. I used an Aeroclub prop in preference to the rather poor Magna one.

The Air Britain Halifax file gives NR169 as below: 466 Sqdn, To G.N.Wickner as G-AGXA, 2.11.45, then to Air Carriers Ltd., as VH-BDT Thers a lot more detail and a photo (in camouflage, with tail stripes) under the G-AGXA entry. No photo of it as VH-BDT though. Only made one commercial flight as VH-BDT and was scrapped in 1948.

If I remember Airfix did release the later Heller K in their 'Aces' series with Hartmann's markings (? - memory may be letting me down) Ross

In the 3 photos I can find of DSG Lancasters at St.Mawgan, including RF325, the area under the canopy looks the same shade as the rest of the airframe. I can try a scan if you like ?

The kit has appeared on Hannants website. The box art is shown and the fin looks wrong. As soon as anyone gets their hands on a kit please let us know what the plastic is like - I'd like to know whether to splash the cash at Yeovilton show next weekend.

The Crowood Hunter book has pictures on p68 of 111 sqdn F6s in all-black BUT with no white outline to the national markings AND no leading edge extension. There's another picture in my edition of the Air-Britain Squadrons of the RAF. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF shows the 22-aircraft roll - some with black and some with silver undersides but it's not clear enough to read any serials from the silver ones and I think this may have been a mix of 111 & 43 Sqdns in spite of the photo caption ! The middle photo on p73 of Robert Jacksons Hawker hunter - The Operational Record COULD show camouflaged aircraft as the undersides look much lighter that the tops. It's credited to BAe so if you have a contact there it could be worth asking if there are other, clearer photos.

XK142 ff 08/04/57 Delivered 11/9/57 No5MU Kemble, 74 Sqdn 'L' Coltishall Returned to HSA 28/11/60 and converted to FGA9....... Source The Hawker Hunter by Tim McLelland (Crecy) Couldn't find any photos (XK141 but not XK142)

Based on eyeballing the two kits I've decided to go with the Academy/Minicraft version. It doesn't have quite the detail (cockpit, engines) but it looked the easier to build and it's cheaper. I only started it yesterday so don't have definitive news on how it's going together.

The best Manchester engines I've seen were made by DB resins who also did a set of propellers - both long out of production but very occasionally turn up on evilbay. I've got some Aviation News plans but they're bigger than A4 so I'll have to see if I can copy them for you. Other references include the aforementioned Midland Counties book, The Avro Lancaster by Francis K. Mason which has a couple of chapters on the Manchester, a Profile (a late and good one) and the Airfix/PSL Classic Aircraft and how to model them No6 on the Lancaster which includes a feature on how to convert it to a Manchester. Model Aircraft Monthly had a build using the Paragon conversion in the December 2007 issue. I have the Contrail complete kit and I'm part way through a stalled attempt to marry that, and Airfix Lanc and the DB parts. Also got a resin set of tail surfaces recently, probably from the source of your kit, in an attempt to overcome a nasty attack of vacformitis. Other things to watch out for - the tail turret is different from just about any other aircraft except (I think) some marks of Sunderland. Strangely the Matchbox Halifax turret, which is nothing like a Halifax turret, approaches the right shape although the panel lines are ridiculously heavy. I've tried to use one as the basis for vacforming a new turret but I don't think I'm quite there yet. The mainwheels are smaller than the Lanc but haven't I heard one of the new lanc kits has undersize wheels ?

Sorry, couldn't get any pictures of the model BUT....... I'm a bit frustrated that what started as a request for information has turned into a parade of models - my fault for putting mine at the start I guess but I wanted to show I was serious about how I would use the information. So I'll repeat the request with a further request that only direct replies (or PMs) are posted..... At Telford I had a look at the new Dalrymple & Verdun Sea Fury book. What caught my eye were the pictures of the Griffon engined Fury prototype which covered angles I have not previously seen in print. Not wishing to pay £25 to get three pictures (I have little interest in the Sea Fury) I wonder if anyone could scan them for me please ?

I've found Squadron/Signal In Action books for MC202 and SM79 on my shelf, also Osprey aircraft of the Aces 34 - Italian Aces of WWII. The Air Research book was Combat Units of the Regia Aeronautica Italian Air Force 1940-43 by Chris Dunning.

Some books I bought probably 15-20 years ago.... Camouflage and Markings Italian Air Forces 1935-1945 by Richard Caruana published by Modelaid in 1988 (mine came from Midland Counties) and The Aviazione Nazionale Repubblicana 1943-45 by the same author & publisher. Squadron/Signal also did two volumes on the Regia Aeronautica (not specifically camouflage and markings but some information given) and AirResearch did a volume on Combat Units of the RA which had a camouflage and markings chapter.

More investigation reveals the Hasegawa turret is an entirely appropriate and reasonably accurate FN82 - to the same spec as the Type D. Also the Flightpath Lincoln conversion has quite a nice (but vacform) Type D which I might persuade myself to use - still might try to tweak Hasegawas FN82 to a type D though.

The Warpaint and the Halifax Special both show the same aircraft, albeit different photos, and yes, it does have Type D roundels. Difficult to tell the type of turret fitted but it should be a Boulton Paul Type D as used also on the Lincoln and Shackleton MR.1. Having recently seen a Type D at Cosford it looked remarkably like one of the turrets included in the 'Postwar Lancaster' boxing of the Hasegawa kit. Closer inspection alongside R Wallace Clarke's book on RAF Gun Turrets shows the Hasegawa turret is not quite a type D (very close though) but it is much closer to one than it is to the Rose-Rice turret I thought would be appropriate. I believe, although I don't have one, the new Revell Lancaster kit has a two gun rear turret - wonder what that looks like ? So if you want a Boulton Paul Type D in 1/72 that's an option and certainly one I'll use for my Lincoln conversion.

The Air Enthusiast article doesn't show in my card index so it must be after I gave up on the subscription (No.67), but it's the photos in that new Dalrymple & Verdun book that would set me up. I have some Shackleton bits waiting and one or two photos but the angles in the book were just what I need to get everything to 'gel'. I nearly paid the £25 for the book but that would have been daft (wouldn't it ??!?!?!?). 'Twas a Frog Sea Fury, Heller Tempest and LF resin Tempest I conversion. The link gives all the gory details - cobbled covers it quite nicely !

At Telford I had a look at the new Dalrymple & Verdun Sea Fury book. What caught my eye were the pictures of the Griffon engined Fury prototype which covered angles I have not previously seen in print. Not wishing to pay £25 to get three pictures (I have little interest in the Sea Fury) I wonder if anyone could scan them for me please ? My interest is in completing my set of Fury prototypes - see http://www.hrmtech.com/SIG/articles/sabre_fury.asp for the first one. Ross

Sorry, me neither, Ross

I was about to suggest airliners.net. According to the photo captions on there WV322 is operated by The Hunter Flying Club. Their contact details are here:- http://www.aviationmuseum.eu/World/Europe/...Flying_Club.htm - no harm in asking !

Found some doors up parts ! PM me your address and they're in the post, Cheers, Ross

It's the cover photo on 'Spitfire Special' by Ted Hooton and in that rendition it's green and grey to my eyes. In the book of Charles Brown's photos - Camera Above the Clouds Vol2 - it's on p96 and there seems to be a colour cast sending the green towards brown. On p97 there is a photo of another aircraft from the same squadron on the ground and if you were paranoid you could interpret it as grey, green and brown. Another point is that there are signs of liquid (rain I assume) in the second photo which could confirm my suspicion that there is some evidence of 'shine' in the first photo suggesting part of the reason for the patchwork appearance is rain - the cowling would presumably dry faster, being hotter. Ross

There have been several histories of 1 Squadron, e.g. '1 Squadron' by Mike Shaw and 'Twice Vertical' which should have pictures. Not so sure about 4 Squadron, there's a picture of their Lysanders in Coastal, Support and Special Squdrons of the RAF by JDR Rawlings but not much else that I can find.

Scale Aircraft Modelling Volume 1 No.7 - if you send me a PM with your email address I'm scanning them now, Also Aviation News Vol5 No2 but I don't have that, Ross

The final all grey RF325 scheme is featured in the Hasegawa Post War Lancaster boxing of their kit. I think I've a spare set of decals if you want them, Ross

The SAM parts would have been mastered by Paul Lucas, who originally produced a similar set under his Airkit label.... Airkit Enterprise AIR058 1/72 Hawker Hunter F Mk1/4 to fit the Airfix FGA 9 kit - 2 straight edged wings, fuselage extension (to correct the kit) and small bore tailpipe. As far as I know it never appeared under the Airwaves label, Ross