ColFord

See the announcement on the WNW website regarding the TEMPORARY closure due to Covid-19 control measures. Impact of Covid-19 control measures internationally has been at multiple layers, production in China, global shipping delays and shut down of NZ end of the business as part of NZ Government quarantine and social distancing measures. Only so much you can do online when it is largely a hands-on business dependent on international supply lines. http://www.wingnutwings.com/ww/news

The Spitfire Mk.IIa at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australia, also has the reinforcing strips fitted, along with a couple of other modifications from its wartime service. Details of the aircraft taken from description on AWM website: Description Spitfire Mark IIa all-metal single engined, single seat low wing monoplane fighter aircraft, registration number P7973. It is fitted with a Mk V spinner and Rotol RS5/24 variable pitch propellor. The propellor appears to be a Jablo type (fabric covered wood). History / Summary The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries including the RAAf during and after the Second World War. The Spitfire was built in many variants, using several wing configurations, and was produced in greater numbers than any other British aircraft. It was also the only British fighter to be in continuous production throughout the war. This particular machine saw service with 222 (Natal) Squadron RAF, 452 Squadron RAAF in mid 1941, and 313 (Czech) Squadron , as well as with a number of operational training units and the Central Gunnery school. During its service with 452 Squadron it was flown by one of Australia's greatest air aces, 'Bluey' Truscott. He gained his first 'kill' in this aircraft. Whilst being flown by a Czech pilot Sgt Mrtvy over France in September 1941 it hit a telegraph pole, with half a meter of the pole embedding itself in the aircraft's port wing. It was selected for the AWM in 1944, and shipped to Australia in 1945. It is unique in retaining its original Second World War paint scheme.

No.IV(AC) Squadron RAF certainly operated Westland Lysanders. As an Army Co-operation Squadron they had been equipped with Lysanders pre-War, then took them to France in September 1939. They operated them throughout the Battle of France suffering major losses in aircraft, aircrew and groundcrew (around 60% of the Squadron's ground crew were lost - killed, missing, PoW). Reforming in the UK after the fall of France in 1940, still on Lysanders, they conducted anti invasion patrols along the English coast, participated in exercises with Army units, and also undertook air sea rescue patrols off the English coast. That was common with the experience and what is recorded in the Operational Record Books and pilot's log books for most of the RAF Army Cooperation Command Lysander squadrons for that time period. Even when No.IV(AC) Squadron started to re-equip with Tomahawks in mid 1941 they retained a flight of Lysanders to conduct some of the Army Cooperation requirements that the Tomahawk could not conduct. Similarly, by the time No.IV(AC) Squadron started to re-equip with N.A. Mustang Mk.I aircraft in mid-1942, they still retained a couple of Lysanders for use in a number of activities such as general liaison work, aerial photography and target towing duties for a number of months. No.IV(AC) Squadron Lysanders, Tomahawks and Mustangs all carried the Squadron TV identification codes. Given the apparent timeframe for the photograph of the Lysander alongside the two Hurricanes, this would be around the same timeframe No.IV(AC) Squadron was re-equipping with Tomahawks and so Lysanders surplus to their new authorised aircraft establishment would have been released for realocation to other units, such as the dedicated ASR Squadrons being formed.

The early RAF Mustang Mk.I came with a ST-1A gunsight which was an export version of the N-2 gunsight produced by the Service Tool and Engineering Company. During the initial type acceptance and armament trials the RAF found the original style reflector glass was not producing an acceptable sight 'picture' for the pilot. As a result RAF arranged for a redesigned reflector glass and reflector glass holder section for the gunsight that overcame the shortcomings of the original. For details of the N-2, see this website: http://www.aircraft-gunsights.com/ Check out the pages 'US Gunsights' and 'Aircrafts and Gunsights'. On the 'Aircrafts and Gunsights' page under the photos for P-51; first photo is the ST-1A in Mustang Mk.I cockpit at NAA; second photo close up of ST-1A; third photo later type gunsight fitted to Mustang Mk.II; ST-1A with RAF modified head; ST-1A with another later form of RAF modified head in Mustang Mk.I late 1943; ST-1Ain Mustang Mk.I late 1943; from then on photos show later US gunsights in USAAF P-51B/C/Ds and RAF Mustang Mk.IIIs. The last photo in the photos of the N-2 gunsight shows the ST-1A in original form in the incomplete cockpit section of a Mustang Mk.I. The RAF modified top section introduced a slightly larger reflector glass and a more slim line top section, similar in many aspects to the reflector glass top section of other UK made reflector gun sights in RAF service in single seat fighters at the time.

The A-36 has what has been commonly nicknamed a 'spear' pitot probe, out on the leading edge of the starboard/right wing. I think I see the mounting hole on the wing leading edge for it on your model. There should be an appropriate part on the sprues, although the original AM instructions still show the placement of the incorrect underwing 'L' pitot head, whilst the AM markings/decal instructions show it with the correct type of pitot head.

Like how that radiator intake is looking, looks much better than the kit supplied item.

When the Mustangs were repainted in the transition from the US equivalent Temperate Land Scheme colours as delivered, to the then applicable RAF Day Fighter Scheme, part of the repaint was of the undersides to Medium Sea Grey, and depending on paint stocks either Ocean Grey or a mixed grey. Normally in that instance, given the extent of the repaint RAF Dark Green would replace the original equivalent green. The latest research is pointing towards NAA not using DuPont paints on the Mustangs - the different US aircraft manufacturers had various paint suppliers so the DuPont colours are only at best an approximation of colours that NAA was actually using - but that NAA was actually using paints produced by Fullers, which including a range of very closely matched to RAF standards paint that had already been sourced and used by NAA for their production of Harvards for the RAF and supplied by Fuller to other US aircraft manufacturers on aircraft ordered by the UK and other Commonwealth nation governments eg Canada, Australia, New Zealand. The original underside colour for the Mustangs as delivered in the TLS equivalent scheme, was a very close approximation to RAF Sky, that appears slightly darker, more saturated in hue, with just the merest hint of a pale grey tone. It is not by any stretch of the imagination a light grey as that misses the green tones evident in the original colour.

A short history of FD535 'X' (extracted from No.268 Squadron History) FD535 41-37437 was delivered at North American Aviation, California on September 9, 1942. It departed the USA on September 29, 1942 and arrived in the UK on November 26, 1942. It arrived for reassembly by Lockheed AC at Abbotsinch on January 26, 1943, before being issued to 19MU on March 24, 1943. On August 24, 1943 it was issued to 405ARF before being issued to No.170 Squadron on September 30, 1943 as one of their original NA Mustang Mk.IA aircraft on conversion from the NA Mustang Mk.I. FD535 flew a number of operational sorties with No.170 Squadron and with that Squadron’s disbandment in early 1944 was passed to No.268 Squadron. The first recorded sortie for FD535 with No.268 Squadron was on February 3, 1944. F/O Fraser (an ex-170 Sqdn pilot) flew FD535 on a photographic reconnaissance sortie of NOBALL targets near Rouen that was aborted due to bad weather over the French Coast. FD535 was modified at unit level with the installation of a vertical camera installation in the rear fuselage, to compliment the F.24 oblique camera installed behind the cockpit. FD535 flew 139 operational sorties between February 1944 and the end of December 1944. On November 18, 1944 FD535 was damaged Cat AC and was passed to 412RSU for repairs, being returned to Squadron service a week later. About December 11, 1944 FD535 was temporarily withdrawn from service for major servicing and was returned to Squadron service on December 24, 1944. From the beginning of January 1945 until April 13, 1945, FD535 flew a further 40 operational sorties. In this timeframe, consistent with camouflage and markings policy in effect for 2TAF, FD535 had the propeller spinner painted black, the rear fuselage sky recognition band was over painted and the upper wing and under wing roundels were modified to Type C1. On April 13, 1945 F/L Mayne in FD535 X took off at 18.32 hrs to conduct a contact car co-operation sortie in the Papenberg area, the sortie having to be abandoned due to bad weather. This was the last recorded operational sortie for FD535 X, one of No.268 Squadron’s longest serving aircraft and one of the Squadron aircraft to be modified with the vertical camera installation. It would soon be passed to 412RSU with Cat B damage and shortly afterwards be re- categorised as Cat E and Struck Off Charge on May 3, 1945. During its time with No.268 Squadron between February 1944 and mid-April 1945, FD535 ‘X’ had flown 179 operational sorties, a remarkable achievement.

Tony, If you want to do a Mustang Mk.IA, WW2, RCAF pilot, standard canopy, then there are a few aircraft/pilot combinations that are open covering from mid-1943 until November 1944 when RCAF pilots were with No.268 Squadron RAF flying Mustang Mk.IA aircraft. Last of the RCAF pilots attached to the Squadron was 'tour expired' mid November 1944, and like most of the others before him then did a short stint as an instructor at an OTU before being repatriated home. The basic c&m scheme remained the same over that period, with the main variation being the application of the 'distinctive markings' for D-Day and the period afterwards as they were eventually reduced up to the end of 1944 and some of the detail items on the aircraft eg external rear vision mirror, antenna fit, and for specific aircraft if they had just the single oblique, dual oblique or oblique and vertical camera installations. If you look at the Mustang Mk.I thread referenced in my earlier reply you will find some information there, as well, have a look at the Mustang Group build running currently, both in the chat and references, plus the build threads for some of the RAF Allison Mustangs in the GB for some of the finer detail stuff. That will also point to references in terms of IWM photos that can be viewed online for camera installations and other detail stuff. There is also a few other threads on RAF Allison Mustangs I have responded to here at various times covering sub-type specifics. HTH.

And as I have pointed out multiple times both here and other modelling websites, FD465 / N is spurious, a number of researchers have looked into history of this particular airframe and it never saw RAF Squadron service and certainly never got a Malcolm Hood. We don't know where AM came up with this one. Back when it first came out, it was queried with AM and they never gave an answer.

Ah, been there, done that before. With benefit of a further three and a bit years of research and digging, basic reply is, Mustang Mk.I - NO; Mustang Mk.IA - limited, trials aircraft and possibly a couple still in service that had been through major overhauls late 1944 to early 1945; Mk.II - varies depending on aircraft and when. Initial Mk.IIs issued to No.II(AC) Sqdn in May-June 1944 still had original canopy, those issued later July 1944 onwards would likely have Malcolm Hood, those with original canopy going back in for major servicing or repairs would likely get Malcolm Hood added at that time. By early 1945, the Mustang Mk.IAs serving with No.268 Sqdn - sole remaining user, more likely to have original style canopy, except for a couple of possibles that had been back for major overhaul/repairs, the Mustang Mk.IIs; greatest majority would have Malcolm Hoods, odd one or two still had original canopy. Photos in 2TAF came from me and were used by authors with my permission. There are other photos and profiles of Mustang Mk.IIs with Malcolm Hoods in vols 3 & 4 of 2TAF series.

Ragnar, have a look at the previous page to that discussion/thread I linked to here on Britmodeller in my last reply, in particular post #106 by Troy which shows some top down views of the intake trunking on early Mustangs. Further down on that page are some technical diagrams from the Erection and Maintenance Manuals of the intake arrangements. Your Type 35 camera control unit looks good!!

Looking good Ragnar, but one little thing to add before you close it up. The Air Ministry Type 35 camera control box on the cockpit floor just to the left of the base of the control column. (If you google Type 35 camera control, it will bring up photos of the unit.) See location #37 on the cockpit photo from the pilot's manual here: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/44133-a-few-mustang-mki-questions/page/6/ Regards.

Ragnarec, That is looking very good. Like how the Falcon Clear Vax canopy includes the fuselage section, always one of the fiddly bits when building the AM kit using the kit tansparencies. FYI, Imperial War Museum has recently added some more early Mustang photos, this time aircraft of No.170 Squadron RAF, during a visit by a senior Army officer in November 1942, and a couple include reasonable close ups of the early 'funnel' style camera mount as featured on your subject aircraft. Have a look at CH.25229 and CH.25230. Also good as they show some of the areas of wear and tear on the paintwork around the cockpit.

Lovely work on that camera installation. Toryu, no panels to hinge. Access to the oblique camera installation was via the open cockpit canopy for minor stuff, otherwise removal of the rear perspex quarter windows (or sheet metal equivalent on one side in this case) to access the camera and lens and associated radio gear tucked further behind them in the fuselage.

I will be in for a couple of these as well. I know that they have engaged with the "Typhoon & Tempest Guru" who has assisted them so ably on their early Typhoon and Tempest V releases for this and the future Tempest VI release, so expect good accuracy, detail and a good choice of c&m options, and maybe a special edition boxing with another good reference book included. The long wait now begins.

At that stage, January 1943, most of the ACC Mustang squadrons located in the forward operational areas and flying operations over the continent, were "affiliated" with the local Fighter Command Sector station for the Sector they were based within, or the sector station that had coverage for the area that they would be operating into. In this instance, No.II(AC) Squadron was based at Sawbridgeworth, within the North Weald Sector and so utilised that Sector's controllers. So certainly would have been using VHF, and most likely TR1143 which was what was being used by FC Squadrons at the time. In that timeframe the 'norm' would be Day Fighter Scheme camouflage with later national markings with reduced white and yellow segments, sky propeller spinner and rear fuselage id band, yellow leading edge id strip from armament position outwards, no squadron codes, only individual aircraft id letter in sky usually aft of the fuselage roundel. May have had, under the nose of the aircraft, between the nose 0.50 muzzles and below the gun camera window if a NA-83 Mustang Mk.I, small black circle with aircraft id letter in white. So pretty much as it appearred in the photos from July 1942, without the Squadron codes, may have been looking a little scruffy by that time, especially wear around wing roots forward and aft of the cockpit and around the rear quarter window areas from where ground crew would be accessing the oblique camera equipment and radio equipment.

The Russians received, reportedly, ten North American Mustang Mk.I aircraft - these pre-date the P-51 designation, which came in with the subsequent 4 x 20mm cannon armed P-51, which was the Mustang Mk.IA in RAF service. The P-51A, was two variants after the Mustang Mk.I : Mustang Mk.I - no US designation, P-51/Mustang Mk.IA, A-36, then P-51A/Mustang Mk.II in order of production by NAA. No record of the Russians officially being given any further examples of the early Allison engined Mustangs, other than the ten Mustang Mk.I from British orders. However, returning to the planned Arkmodels LA-9 I think that I'll be keeping my options open to purchase one when it is released, having seen the Breitling Fighters example flying at Wanaka in NZ during 2004 and it was a most impressive performer. Hope someone does an aftermarket decal sheet to model the Breitling Fighters example. LA-9 Wanaka 2004 by Colin Ford, on Flickr

Under the Lend Lease contract for the purchase of the P-51/Mustang MkIA, as supplied to the RAF, the aircraft came with, in a box within the bigger shipping crate containing the airframe in major components, four Oldsmobile manufactured, US supplied 20mm Hispano cannons. In the original configuration as designed by NAA to accommodation the US manufactured Hispano cannon, they had 'flat' external recoil springs forward of the stubs. There are a couple of photos around of one of the first Mustang Mk.IA received by RAF, the standard all angles view photos taken of a new type before testing commenced at A&AEE that show Mustang Mk.IA in RAF markings with the US cannon installed. Early testing by A&AEE, plus early Squadron trials during work up, identified numerous issues with the NAA designed mounts and the US manufactured cannon. As a result, RAF redesigned the cannon mounts, beefing the mounts up signifcantly and making changes to the spent shell and link ejection chutes, plus changes to the cannon feeds. They also replaced the US manufactured cannon with UK manufactured Hispano Mk.II cannon. Key visual identification of this change is the lack of external recoil spring forward of the stub - basically presenting a smooth barrel forward of the stub except for the locking nut at the end of the barrel, and the large metal locking collar on the forward edge of the stub. Problems then largely resolved. The US manufactured Oldsmobile 20mm Hispano cannon were passd to the RAF Regiment for use as ground based AA weapons or on light armoured vehicles used by the RAF Regiment. Same as for the Mustang Mk.I, armament was supplied, but was shipped in a separate crate in the larger aircraft shipping crate, then degreased, serviced and installed once aircraft re-erected after arrival in the UK. And I'll stomp on the notion now, Mustang Mk.I armament was 4 x US manufactured 0.50in Browning HMGs and 4 x US manufactured 0.30 Browning MGs, RAF did NOT replace the 0.30in MGs with 0.303in MGs.

In the timeframe up until the end of 1942, more likely a TR9D, with some aircraft with a VHF unit, particularly those when engaged upon sorties over the Continent and not participating in joint exercises with the Army. Early 1943 onwards more likely a VHF unit. Cockpit colour is described as variously a "yellow-green" to a shade of medium green, which is consistent within variation for Interior Green. Coaming over the instrument panel finished in either a dull dark green or matt/flat black.

Yes, Wireless Set No.19, one of a number of different HF sets that were fitted to the RAF Mustang Mk.Is of Army Co-operation Command in 1942. Set would likely have been fitted up until late second half of 1942, a hangover of the rado equipment they had been using in the Lysanders and then Tomahawks. Given much of the activity in those early days was exercises with various Army commands and units, the provision of the No.19 set was one of the options at the time. There was also a set similar to the No.19 that was of Canadian manufacture that was trialled, but didn't provide any clear advantage over the No.19 set. For those units that started operations over occupied Europe, then communication within the RAF control and command structure was more important, so that's when the TR.9D set went in, and then later the equivalent VHR set as being used by the mainstream Fighter Command units at the time. It was an evolutionary thing. In the various ACC Mustang Squadron records, from arrival of the Mustangs until late 1942, there are lots of notations regarding various radio sets being swapped in and out depending on what the aircraft were being tasked to do. There was on occasions a tone of exasperation about the changing back and forth of radio equipment and the additional work this was putting on Squadron ground crew - particularly where certain gear would be put in, then the Exercise would be called off at the last minute and the work of putting the previous radio gear back in would start anew. By the end of 1942 the RAF command was taking a harder line and trying to standardise the equipment being fitted and used, and making sure that the ACC Mustang units could clearly communicate with other RAF aircraft and ground control in the sectors where they were based.

Okay, Go to the Imperial War Museum website and search for the following photos, "right click and save" CH17401 CH17402 CH17406 CH17407 CH17411 CH17415 - shows right hand side view of fuselage near cockpit, rear side of early camera installation and the HF radio installation - No.II(AC) Sqdn Mustang Mk.I same photo session as timeframe you are interested in. CH17416 FRE14837 - has HF radio installation showing through quarter window FRE14835 - cockpit, camera installation, No.II(AC) Sqdn aircraft for timeframe you are interested in. FRE11499 FRE14880 FRE14909 FRE14840 Those photos are typical for the early Mustangs with No.II(AC) Sqdn from mid to late 1942, especially the early style oblique camera installation with the port quarter window replaced with a sheet metal version with the 'funnel' cut out to accommodate and support the camera lens. One of the photos is a close up of the carburettor intake trunking, you can see from that it is not as 'fat' as that on the A-36 or P-51A. It is not as straight sided as the initial trunking on the AG serialled Mustang Mk.Is, but not as obviously 'swollen' as the A-36 and P-51A trunking - somewhere between the two. The camera and radio installations developed over time, so by about mid 1943 the 'standard' had pretty well been set, with the installation on the Mustang Mk.I being pretty much standardised to the oblique camera with the lens pointing out through a cutout in the port quarter window and the VHF set. That arrangement/installation then largely carried over - well over 90% the same to the oblique installation for the Mustang Mk.IA and then the Mk.II. In the timeframe of the Mustang Mk.IA they started to do some variants and refinements on the oblique camera installation to make it more versatile and also to add the ability for the camera to point out either port or starboard, again carried over from Mk.IA to Mk.II and could be retrofitted to Mk.I - that's geting to late 1943 to early 1944 timeframe.

Great work and attention to detail as always Jim. Now you've done all the hard graft and research to create a stunning 1/48th Spitfire PR.XI, it should guarantee Mr Eduard finally makes up his mind to give us a mainstream model of the Spitfire PR.XI so the rest of us can build one. Looking forward to your next project. (Is this the point where I mention that Ventura Decals in NZ do sheets of 8inch letters and numbers in RAF, RAAF, RNZAF styles and fonts in black, white, dull red and .............light grey for both 1/48th and 1/72nd.)

RAF Army Co-operation Command Squadrons operating the N.A. Mustang Mk.I, the direction to remove the Squadron identification code letters and only to retain aircraft individual identification letter, came into effect in November 1942. It was introduced fairly quickly and uniformly. The majority of the photos of the Mustang Mk.Is of No.II(AC) Squadron that are shown with the Squadron XV code letters in place were taken just after the Squadron took delivery of their Mustangs and the Squadron was visisted by Air Ministry/RAF Offical Photographers, newsreel crews and representatives of the press including Flight Magazine - article published in Flight Magazine in July 1942 issue was available as a download which includes additional photos. That visit produced the great majority of the photos still in circulation today, as well as a newsreel "introducing" the Mustang, that is on the IWM website and that has been included in a number of documentaries made about the Mustang.

Hi Pappy, My understanding is that flaps would be selected to the down position after the aircraft had been taxiied back in after landing and as a part of the shut down and parking process. Putting flaps to the down position is to prevent ground crew and others stepping on the trailing edge of the flaps and using it as a step up to the cockpit area - why there is 'No Step' markings on inner edge of flap top surfaces. By putting the flaps down, also on engine start up it is supposed to reduce hydraulic shock as the hydraulic system rebuilds pressure. The term 'fairing door' does refer to the inner main undercarriage doors, just one of those lovely period pieces of naming nomenclature for which in an appendix to the pilots notes there is a US-UK glossary of terms. So flaps down, main inner gear doors down is the normal arrangement, by the procedures in the Pilots Notes from 1945 with specific reference to the P-51K/Mustang Mk.IVa. I was actually looking for some other operating procedure differences between the P-51D and P-51K when I came across this part of the Pilots Notes, always a topic which gets the discussion going.