Ossington 2

As with the Harrier, it was simple white household emulsion. Stuck reasonably well on clean areas, less so where hydraulic oil etc present. Roundels, squadron identifier and serials not overpainted. Most, if not all, stencilling was painted over to save time as groundcrew were never enthusiastic when given this job. After a few days, 500 mph rain cleaned most of it off but for stubborn areas a bass broom and copious water was needed, especially around screw heads and between panels.

I don't think I have ever seen a UK bomb with that USN fireproof/resistant ablative layer, come to think of it. Am I wrong?

A-5A Vigilante. And it's not even a fighter. No bout adout it!

Donkey pee-pee!

I copied and pasted a page or two from the military pages of this forum years back but can't put my hands on them ATM. Try the "ground targets" pages. There is a lot of tanky stuff but the colours will be the same and very well covered. From the top of my head, SCC. 1 (Special Camouflage Colour) was a little darker than RAF Dark Earth aircraft paint, just needs a dab or two of chocolate. As someone once wrote, refering to the buildings at RAF Worksop but still a valid guide to camouflage paints in general: " The RAF only had three colours, S***t, Dark S***t and Light S***t.

SCC. 1 (a muddy dark earth) or green.

Just thinkin' Wasn't there a Spitfire called Fochinhell? A Scots battlecry apparently.

I've always wondered who "Gith" was. And his spurting yellow protuberance.

The steady red obstruction lights could be turned on at any time, but usualy only in darkness. The steady white light came on automatically only when power was supplied to the connected aircraft.

Ta Da! https://ibb.co/FWLHXj8 I used to know how to post direct, but seem to have lost my 'puter mojo lately. Sorry guys, hope this opens.

If you want UK aerial coverage pre GE and Bing, try here: https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/archive/collections/aerial-photos/ Lots of airfields and lots of everything actually.

I have just checked my copy of "The Mosquito Manual" Alas it doesn't give a size but describes the main tyre as 'Dunlop 1.G.11' and the tail as a 'Dunlop Marstrand' Does anyone have better info?

Once the danger of air attack lessened the need for great dispersal diminished. The straight rows of square temporary parking spots display this. Throw down some hardcore or maybe blitz rubble then net it with PSP of SMT or Somerfeld track. Job done.

It looks like a WW2 fighter pen design to me. I'm familiar with the brick ones at say, Wellingore but these might be later, less elaborate patterns. Ask the guys on Airfield information exchange. Someone on there will know and might even provide a production drawing. Meantime, I found this image of Leiston here: https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/archive/collections/aerial-photos/record/raf_106g_uk_1673_rs_4254 Beware, this site is a wormhole. You have been warned! I hate waiting staff who say 'enjoy' but Enjoy!

I have this: Crowood Britannia, p.121

Hannah Fry...

It's been a few years ago now, but it used to be reasonably common on a Thursday for two Hercs (one RAF one US) in loose formation, overfly Ossington in Nottinghamshire. (closed about 1948) most would drop down even lower for a good shufti. You can imagine the crews saying " bet we could land on that"

Gasp! I've been censored! Oh well!

28 Sqn was also smeared in this way. Apparently dong a good job for decades with Venoms/Hunters/Wessex isn't good enough for some people. This 'yellow in the badge denotes cowardice' is just end-of-night-in-the-Naafi man-vegetables.

I've just had a quick shufti through the SAM Datafile 6 on the Beau. Everything points to clear covers and painted bulbs. ISTR that there was a stores reference for a translucent bulb paint. It would seem to be the lowest cost option, as it would enable only one kind of transparent cover to be manufactured rather than L/R models.

There was a monograph on the Magister years ago, about 1968-70 or so. I remember it being on sale at Newark Air Museum at 2/6 and not being able to afford it.

Just checked my copy of Air-Britain's N File. Alas it runs from N1227 to N1240. Could it be another number?

I'm just guessing here, I don't actually know, but maybe that 'primer nose' is actually brick red tautening dope? Isn't that used to adhere the fabric to the wood before camouflaging? From where I'm typing, it looks a reasonable match to the centre roundel.

There is a 1/32 Defiant model available, a Tigger Models vacform. I have one that I intent to make a N1617, a 255 Sqn machine if I can find its code. YP-something. I hope this book has it recorded.