Grizly

Given the current turn of events, the following is the making of an interesting model if someone is aware of the complete markings. The following is an extract from "This Day in Aviation Important Dates in Aviation History" In May of 1944, a B-17G, #42-102547, was assigned to the 367th Bombardment Squadron of the 306th Bombardment Group, housed at Thurleigh Airfield, just north of Bedford. Of all the planes assigned to the 306th, this aircraft became the most famous because of its association with Great Britain’s royal family! Named for Princess Elizabeth Windsor (now, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II), 42-102547 was originally named Princess Elizabeth but that did not meet with any official approval. (There were concerns about the propaganda value to the enemy, and the effect on civilian morale, should the bomber named for a member of the Royal Family be lost in combat.) The aircraft was renamed Rose of York instead and was christened by the Princess on her royal visit to the airfield. Comments????

Just wondering if anyone has heard when the Spit IXc will be released. I know the Airfix site indicates Autumn 2022. Hopefully Airfix isn't going to wait until Telford 2022. To do so would make it difficult for Santa at Christmas time for us folks overseas.

Foeth, Thank you for responding. Now all I have to do is digest all that you have provided and translate it into rigging for my model. I also found "Anatomy of the Ship The Battlecruiser Hood" on line and, surprisingly, I was able to download it. Based on a quick scan thru the text, it would appear that the Hood had four HF antenna spans on the upper spreader unlike the six depicted on the drawings below. While I have added these six lines, should four be more appropriate, removal of two can be done easily. Again, thank you for replying. Grizly (aka Iain)

First let me state that while I spent 41 years in the airforce, I never had the opportunity to step foot on a warship. Hence my lack of naval terminology. That aside, I'm currently in the final stages of rigging my 1/200 Trumpeter/Pontos HMS Hood and have encountered one area of uncertainty. The fore mast area has ten (five on each side) pulleys (don't know the correct term) which I presume are for signal flags. These I have added. The rear mast has up to six similar such pulleys (see below schematic) but I have been unable to determine the attachment point for the bottom of them. Assistance in addressing my problem would be greatly appreciated. The photo below is a slightly earlier shot of the rigging. Material used include black and white lycra thread and invisible sewing thread blackened with a marker pen.

Does anyone have photographic confirmation of the below depicted P-40 scheme?

Peter Roberts, I think you will find that those in the above 1/32 Xtradecal sheet all have the 'e' wing and include Mk.XVI Spits.

Space Ranger, I too read Steve Sauve's article in IPMS Canada's RT magazine. An excellent analysis.

Unfortunately, the Spitfire cockpit isn't camera friendly. I tried and this is as good as it gets. The parachute in the seat was a copy based on that provided with the Series 77 RAF pilot figure.

With so many possible IXc subjects that one could want, I'm surprised that the after market decals have included a number of IXe (XVIe???) options.

If doing JE*J, the million dollar (pound/euro??) question is, was that a green maple leaf or a red maple leaf? I know, most depict it as green but I think recent analysis would tend to point towards it being red which would be in keeping with the actual decal distributed by the RCAF at that time for application on RCAF squadron aircraft.

You are quite correct. Hence to make a Mk.XVIe, you would need a Packard Merlin and the associated changes to the engine compartment. Photos of unrestored Mk.XVIe once displayed in the Western Canada Aviation Museum.

Unfortunately, it would take more than providing an 'e' wing to make a Mk.XVIe. What I was attempting to discover, given the kit includes a broad chord rudder, was a Spit IXc (preferably Canadaian given that is my area of interest) that had that feature.

EagleCal have also announced three decal sheets for the kit (see 24 - Eagle Editions Ltd. (eagle-editions.com) ). Having converted the Airfix Mk.1a to a IXc as 403 Sqn's KH*F, (see below and also posted in Ready for Inspection) building the new kit as the companion KH*B as flown by Beurling is of interest to me. Since the new kit also includes the option of using a broad chord rudder, I also placed an entry in "Aircdraft Modelling/Aircraft WW II" seeking IXc subjects that had that particular item. Xtradecal have markings for a IXe with the broad chord rudder but I can't find anything for a IXc.

Keith/Troy, No conversion sets were used in my conversion back in the early '90s. I instead used parts from a second Spitfire kit and the Hurricane, Mustang, Stuka and Tamiya Hummer kits plus the Waldron cockpit set and a bunch of scratch building. The conversion was a two part feature in the Nov & Dec 1996 issues of Scale Models International. While I still have the model, I'm looking forward to having the new Airfix kit join the display perhaps as KH*B, an aircraft that Beurling flew while with 403 Squadron. Shots of the aircraft and engine...

The soon to be released 1/24 Airfix Spit IXc kit includes the broad chord rudder as an option. I can find pictures of razor back XVIe Spits with it but no IXc Spits. Did they exist or were they simply produced in limited numbers?

And, no, I don't have an advanced copy of the soon to be released Airfix 1/24 Spit IXc. I do, however, have one on pre-order. Years ago, I converted the Airfix Mk.1a and thought you might be interested in seeing what the new kit will look like beside their Typhoon. The pilot figure is that offered by Imrie Risley

Further to my last above. First let me say, I was wrong in my comment regarding painting instructions as the instructions do provide a paint guide with the build process in addition to the colour profile. I should also reiterate, the level of detail is outstanding but the degree of difficulty in the build is very high in many areas due to sprue attachment points, small/delicate parts which, while in scale, are consequently difficult remove from the sprues and to work with, unclear instructions and miniscule gluing attachment points. Had this model been in a larger scale, many of the issues encountered would not exist but at this point, I'm just short of relegating the project to that famous shelf of doom. For those who may question my ability, one of my more recent builds was the Trumpeter/Pontos 1/200 HMS Hood with which I had no issues. Again as mentioned, maybe it is me but I'd love to hear from others who are attempting the build.

I have the Fore Hobby S-38 Schnellboot and have started the build. Those who have the kit will undoubtedly agree the level of detail is high with optional photo etch sheets and two brass gun barrels. Great stuff. That having been said, I do have some issues with the kit. My first revelation was the badly warped hull halves which I was able to overcome using lots of elastic bands and tape to hold everything in place. You will also find that the attachment points for the parts are larger than most kits and that combined with some really fine/delicate parts can cause problems removing them from the sprues. I broke one gun barrel (fortunately there is a brass replacement) and one railing so far. The kit instructions are also so-so and can have you wondering how best to approach some assemblies. Also lacking is a detailed paint guide which is limited to a colour profile and a partial (the bow) plan view. Actually, given the level of detail offered in the kit, greater appreciation of what Fore Hobby has produced could have been had were it in a larger scale, perhaps 1/48. Many of the parts would be more robust and some assemblies would also have been easier in a larger scale. Then again, maybe my 75 year old thumbs and fading eye sight may be a contributing factor.

My vote is for a 1/48 .......

Britman, Did anyone take pictures? I know there have already been some posted on line but a new look at the model would be appreciated.

I'd suggest that it is a replacement panel and is olive drab and neutral grey.

Unfortunately, our local libraries don't have "Kittyhawks Over the Sands: the Canadians and the RCAF Americans" by Stocky Edwards and those that I see for sale on line are quite expensive.

While I accept that the rear fuselage band and vertical stab and rudder could be Dark Earth, the spinner red and the area aft of the canopy the original European colour exposed by wear around the handhold, I still feel there is a high probability that the entire underside was yellow. An example of such a scheme is depicted on the USAAC captured 109 and the underside shade of 260 Squadron's captured He-111 is no different than the fuselage band by the roundel which I would argue was yellow nor is there any indication of painting over the underwing German cross - the underwing is one uniform colour (yellow?). Conversely the aft tail band is unlike the aft tail band of the 260 Sqn 109 and is not dark but similar to the forward band. As an aside, that some major exhaust stain on the 111 or was it simply painted black???

I'm trying to find other pictures and/or these pictures with a higher resolution. The aircraft was apparently flown by Stocky Edwards while he served with 260 Squadron in North Africa. Specifically, I'd like to see if a more definitive colour interpretation can be determined so that a reasonably accurate model can be built. All colour references I have found to date have the mid fuselage band surrounding the roundel being akin to Dark Earth which I doubt was the case. Steve Eisenman had the following interpretation in a recent exchange, "The bottom picture of HS*!, in my opinion, was taken with Ortho film. The red is near black and the yellow is a muddy gray. I’d say both HS*? and HS*! have two yellow bands, one under the roundel and the other at the rear of the fuselage. For both aircraft, I believe the yellow band goes completely around the aircraft. The question is whether the rudder of HS*! was also painted yellow or a dark color, or is it turned slightly so that it looks darker than the fin. Given the poor quality of the picture, and finding no similar yellow rudder or even a reason to repent it, I’d go with just lighting making it seem darker." I personally have doubts about the band adjacent to the "!", which undoubtedly covered the Luftwaffe's white tail band, was yellow as it appears to be dark in both photos. I also feel that the vertical stab and the rudder were likely painted that same dark colour as the rear fuselage band. I, like Steve, also believe the complete underside of the aircraft was likely painted yellow as was the practice for other captured aircraft in North Africa. So readers, does anyone have additional information and/or photos on the subject that would allow a reasonably accurate model to be completed?????

Me again. I just found the answer to part of the above question - he flew the P-40E with 94 Squadron prior to his transfer to 260 Squadron.