ColFord

This one was a 'palate cleanser' build of the Trumpeter 1/48 scale Hawker Sea Fury FB.II in RAN colours, circa 1950s at RAN FAA Nowra. Included the Barracuda cast wheels and 90 gal drop tanks, and Aussie Decals for the markings. Used up the last of my WEM RAF Sky for the undersides. Did it with one wing folded to add some visual interest and also take up less space in my display cabinet. Built and finished relatively quickly over Christmas/New Year period, and interesting how the flash and camera lens brings out aspects of the finish not readily evident to the normal human eye. Now back in the mood for some more interesting and challenging builds. Enjoy.

Posted on Hyperscale on 22 January 2016, the answer to your request 'elderly': QUOTE: We thought we had sold out of the 'How To Build the Airfix 1:24 Hawker Typhoon Mk.Ib' book, but this week Marcus Nicholls found a few more boxes in ADH Publishing's store room. If you missed out on the print edition of this book, place your order now before they really run out! As it is in very limited supply, the book is not on the ADH Publishing website, so please phone on UK +44 (0)1525 222573 to order with a credit card, or email to; enquiries@adhpublishing.com END QUOTE. So if you want one, you will need to get in contact asap. Question is, can we expect a revised edition sometime after the car door variant of the Airfix 1/24th Typhoon is released?

I'll just keep plugging away asking for an accurate and up to current Airfix standards 1/48th Spitfire XIV in both high and low back configurations, followed by a Spitfire FR.XVIII. Surviving examples that can be lidared, good factory drawings and reference material available, able to be completed in a number of interesting schemes, and plenty of interest expressed by modellers to replace the woeful Academy examples. Then after the 1/48th examples, scale down and simplify for 1/72nd. Keeps filling the gaps in the Airfix Spitfire line. The queue can start here.................................

That's all fine if you want a high back XIV, but if you want a low back it has been the Aeroclub FR.XIVe/XVIII conversion with various wings, or the Academy (shudder) kit. I await Airfix bringing us the definitive models of the Spitfire XIV in 1/48th in both high and low back variants. There are enough surviving low back Spitfire XIVes for Airfix to scan, photograph, measure and be inspired by to get us an accurate model. Regards,

Hi Steve, The OC 35 (Recce) Wing GF/C PL Donkin DSO had made a case that the Wing's Mustangs operating outside the two designated reconnaissance zones and the zone for suppression of enemy air activity around the beach head to receive special dispensation for the aircraft not to carry the distinctive identification markings on the upper surfaces. Donkin had been 'Bigoted' early on and was heavily involved in the reconnaissance planning for the invasion and the reconnaissance required in the immediate invasion and post invasion periods. He had obviously impressed on his senior command the dangers to the low flying Mustangs operating pairs as far out to the east as the outskirts of Paris covering the railway marshalling yards and other key routes through which German reinforcements were expected to travel in response to the invasion, if their upper camouflage were compromised by the distinctive markings. Operating in those areas they were more likely to be more subject to interception by Luftwaffe fighters and therefore the choice was comply fully with the distinctive markings and risk the required intelligence not getting back or get a dispensation and operate the aircraft to and from those areas via routes well to the north of the beach head and via defined routes in and out of the UK. It was only for a limited number of aircraft for the first few days on those specific sorties. The rest, operating within the invasion zones, were fully marked. By about the third or fourth day, the long ranging sorties outside the invasion zone were ceased - the first of the trains carrying the German reinforcements were photographed going through the marshalling yards and other key routes near Paris, and all the aircraft were marked for use in the beach head and surrounding areas. Even then carrying full distinctive markings was not a cure for 'friendly fire' as multiple attempted intercepts and being fired upon by USAAF fighters, particularly Thunderbolts and Lightings are recorded throughout June and July. The above was confirmed from multiple sources, including pilot's diaries and pilot's recollections from that period who were serving on the Squadron and the Wing HQ staff. Donkin also made a note of it in his own personal diaries and in the manuscript of his biography (never published). There are also indications that some of the Squadron's Mustangs may have also carried the distinctive markings toned down by mid to late June, particularly the white areas 'dirtied down' to make them less evident on the upper surfaces and less visible to Luftwaffe fighters. By this stage they had had a number of their sorties intercepted by Luftwaffe fighters that were particularly targeting the low level reconnaissance aircraft and a number of aircraft and pilots were lost, along with the intelligence they were gathering. Odds of two low flying Mustangs versus eight to twelve Fw-190s or Bf-109s diving in from height were a regularly reported event. Even having friendly fighters patrolling near where the Mustangs were operating was no guarantee of protection, as they were often distracted by some other target and forgot their supposed role or they were too far away when the Mustangs were 'bounced'. As soon as the orders came through for the removal of the distinctive markings on the upper surfaces, the Recce Wings operating the low level Tac/R sorties were amongst the quickest to comply. The operation of the low level RAF Tac/R units is not generally well known or documented in print, except by a few who specialise in the field. Regards,

A few threads are here on the Britmodeller site which give details on a range of Allison engined Mustangs in RAF service. Included in those are a few where I have included details of Mustang Mk.IAs serving with No.268 Squadron RAF in the period of June 1944 to May 1945 - 268 being the sole remaining large scale user in that period, No.II(AC) Sqdn being in the process of introducing the Mk.II at the time of D-Day and so having to borrow Mk.IAs back from 268 for use in the D-Day period. Some of the threads include period photos, photos of model builds and extracts from technical documents of interest. Searches using "Allison Mustang RAF" and "Mustang RAF 268" should bring up most of those threads. And my responses to earlier inquiries on other boards feature in those threads Jerry linked to. Realistically, for a Mustang Mk.IA on D-Day or the immediate D-Day period, you cannot go wrong modelling one with the 'coupe' top - that is the framed canopy and not the Malcolm Hood, with full D-Day distinctive markings. The few Mk.IAs that records and pilot recollections indicate MAY, underline MAY have been fitted with a Malcolm hood and received as replacements in mid to late June are very few. Also the limited number of specific Mustang Mk.IAs used by 268 on D-Day and the next few days for the long ranging low level sorties well outside the beach head that operated under the special dispensation and strict operating rules in terms of area of operations and routes to and from the UK avoiding the beachhead area that only had the distinctive markings on the lower surfaces, again a handful. If you are looking at a Mustang Mk.IA with the distinctive markings only on the lower surfaces, then the timeframe for aircraft marked that way then shift to July 1944 onwards. Photos on the IWM website, CH.13455 shows Mk.IAs in background where you can see on enlarged image both fuselage and wing marking configuration; CH.20403 shows fuselage band configuration and position of fuselage roundel and individual aircraft id letter B = FD476. Regards.

Certainly, yes. Some inspiration and photos here: http://www.thescale.info/news/publish/Mosquito-photos-487.shtml Retained with RAF on the continent into 1946, then some airframes, as per the examples shown here, sold overseas post war. Those to NZ, certainly a source of parts and identity to rebuild to airworthy status completed or underway. Regards,

To add more on the story of Flight Lieutenant F R 'Frank Normoyle RAAF, extracted from "ADJIDAUMO - 'Tail in Air' - the History of No.268 Squadron Royal Air Force, 1940-1946". F/L FR Normoyle RAAF (attached to HQ 35 (Recce) Wing) in FD546 A and F/L Szyszko PAF in FD481 C took off at 11.41 hrs to conduct a Tac/R covering the area Arnhem – Borculo – Bocholt – Kranenburg. The No.2, F/L Szyszko PAF, lost contact with the No.1, F/L Normoyle RAAF, in bad weather, visibility down to one mile at times and the cloud base varying between 400 and 600 feet. F/L Szyszko PAF broke through the cloud and proceeded on for a short while and found himself over an area where hundreds of shell bursts were observed. He re-established radio contact with F/L Normoyle RAAF who said “I don’t think we can find each other, return to base”. F/L Szyszko PAF turned for base and making contact with Flying Control advised them that F/L Normoyle RAAF was carrying on the sortie alone. Flying Control made repeated attempts to contact F/L Normoyle RAAF but he did not reply and was not heard from again. He was posted first ‘overdue’ and then listed as ‘missing’. F/L Szyszko PAF tendered the following report at the time on the sortie: “On 8th February at approximately 12.30 hours I was ordered to fly as No.2 to F/Lt F.R. NORMOYLE on a Tac/R sortie in the battle area at ‘0’ feet in a Mustang Mk.IA. After we took off we climbed to 4000’ flying over the clouds which were about 10/10 below 2000’. After approximately 25 minutes flying I recognised that we were flying off our course and 5 minutes later F/Lt NORMOYLE changed the course to NORTH EASTERLY which led us towards our area. Flying on the course for about 5 minutes I noticed that F/Lt NORMOYLE was descending towards the clouds. He did not give any warning that he was going to break the clouds and I opened my throttle trying to close my No.1. In the meantime I called him on R/T asking him to slow down. When I finished my message he was just in the cloud. Suddenly he started to change direction of flying, crossing my course in front of me at a distance of approximately 20 yards. My reaction was that I pulled out and changed my course sharply to the left, maintaining another course until I found myself under the clouds. Immediately after I saw the ground I called again on R/T telling him that I could not see him. After a while F/Lt NORMOYLE answered “Maintain the same as I do”, which I did, looking around for F/Lt NORMOYLE flying approximately 300’. The weather was very poor, visibility 1 mile, base of clouds varying from 400 to 600’. I was flying for some time in the battle area looking for my No.1 calling him very often, but he did not answer. Then I made another call suggesting that he climb over the clouds and make a rendezvous. He answered “O.K. I am going up”. Flying for about 5 minutes over the clouds I could not see my No.1, so I broke through the clouds again and I found myself just right over the area where hundreds of shells were bursting at this moment. I heard F/Lt NORMOYLE giving me these instructions “I don’t think we can find each other, return to base”. I climbed again through the clouds, took a homing from Flying Control after which I did not hear F/Lt NORMOYLE again on R/T. Flying Control asked me if my No.1 was with me. I said “No”, then Flying Control started to call my No.1. He did not answer. Next I tried to contact F/Lt NORMOYLE again whilst flying home at 6000’, but I did not get a reply”. (Sgd) J SZYSZKO Flight Lieutenant No.268 Squadron. R.A.F. The Squadron suffered the second loss of an Australian member and its final casualty for the war, 420905 Flight Lieutenant FR Normoyle, RAAF, 268 Sqdn RAF attached to HQ 35 (Recce) Wing, went missing on a reconnaissance flight to Bocholt. It is believed that his aircraft was either struck by flak or shot down by a Luftwaffe fighter whilst flying at low level and crashed, F/L Normoyle RAAF being killed in the crash. His body was later recovered by troops of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division that moved into that area shortly afterwards and was identified by an identification bracelet around his wrist. F/L Normoyle RAAF was originally buried at his crash site which was described as being “between NIJMEGEN and CLEVE at a place called DONSBRUGGEN.” His body was later exhumed by 20 MRES (Ruhr) Area RAF Kefeld in July 1948 and re-interred in the Reichswald Forest Cemetery in Germany as a part of the post-War consolidation of War graves. The report submitted by 20 MRES noted of the crash site: “Wreckage was scattered over a wide area and what appear to have been shot down by fighter action blowing up on impact. A complete tail-unit was discovered some distance from the scene of the crash bearing the numbers FD 546. Excavation of the airscrew assembling which was buried in the ground revealed the following Ser. Nr.:- SER.NR. 89301 – 6 SER 85664 Angle high 58 Angle low 53 ” The crash site near Donnsbruggen is about two and a half kilometres to the north west of Kleve in Germany and was near a road and rail junction, with open farmland to the north and forest to the south of the site. It is interesting to note that in the course of researching and writing the Squadron history, nearly some 60 years after the event, there was still great sadness, tinged with a hint of bitterness over the loss of F/L Frank Normoyle RAAF reflected by surviving Squadron members. He was a popular and experienced member of the Squadron and the Wing. He was ‘on rest’ at the time of his loss, had not flown operationally for some several weeks and it was felt that his participation in this sortie was something he should not have been doing. The degree to which F/L Normoyle RAAF was held in regard can be judged by the effort put into locating his crash site made by the more senior members of the Squadron in the following days in order to ascertain his fate. A photograph of F/t Frank Normoyle RAAF is held in the collection of the Australian War Memorial, negative reference AWM UK1958 Regards,

I received my copy of this publication yesterday, ordering it in company with their new Westland Whirlwind publication. As someone who has done a significant amount of original research into the early Allison engined Mustangs in RAF service I came away after my own review of this publication somewhat disappointed and concerned about the number of errors and more importantly omissions in the content. As an example, before even starting into the main body of the book the author provides notes on Designation and Nickname. In this he states that "The use of the 'A' sub-classification for the Mk.IA should really be shown as 'Mk.Ia', however in writing a title like this...." This statement ignores the fact that in all the official period documentation, including the issued AP pilots notes for the RAF, the Mustang Mk.IA is referred to as the Mustang Mk.IA, not the Mustang Mk.Ia. Even pilots who flew the type, in entering details in their pilot's log books identify the type as a Mustang Mk.IA, whereas if they flew other aircraft types with subtypes, such as say the Spitfire Mk.Vc, they show the subtype of those with the lower case used. I found the narrative description of the sub-types of the early Mustangs disjointed at times and containing a number of statements that are incorrect. An example of this type of error appears in the sample page of the review shown above. The caption of Mustang AM148 having its gun camera lens in the leading edge of the port wing is incorrect - only the AG series Mustang Mk.1s, the initial batch had the gun camera in the port wing. In the subsequent Mustang Mk.I production batches, AL, AM and AP serials, the gun camera was moved to the nose of the aircraft, just behind and below the spinner, between the 'cheek' 0.50 HMG Brownings. This error carries over to the section of line illustrations displayed the supposed differences and distinguishing features of the various marks of early Mustang. Also noting the failure to identify this aircraft coded RM-G as being with No.26 Squadron RAF at the time the photo was taken. The differentiation between factory supplied equipment and service modifications and installation of equipment into aircraft after delivery to the UK is greatly understated and in some instances incorrectly attributed as present as being incorporated into the production line for the type. I found the lack of information on the RAF units that operated the early Mustangs a major gap. Whereas the list of users of the Mustang Mk.I is incomplete, no listing or details of any of the RAF Squadrons that were equipped with the Mustang Mk.IA or Mk.II is given. Or any indication of the types of operational use and roles they were employed upon is given. The section with the line drawings explaining the differences between the various prototypes and sub-types of the early Mustangs also presented many errors. Included in these is the continued reference to the aircraft being fitted with a K.24 camera - the primary camera type fitted to RAF Mustangs was a F.24 camera manufactured by Williamsons. Also the insistence to the camera mounted aft of the cockpit as being described as solely pointing out the port side of the aircraft, whereas the mounting could also be made for the camera to point out the starboard side of the aircraft. It also fails to cover the multitude of other camera installations that were trialled and progressively introduced into the Mustang Mk.IA and Mk.II aircraft with the RAF. No real mention is made of the differences in profiles, shapes, configurations and operation of the radiator intake ramps in the early Mustangs. The mention of three downward identification lights fitted under the starboard wing on the Mustang Mk.IA - incorrect deleted from RAF aircraft. The Hispano cannon shown with external recoil springs - as modified and accepted for RAF operational use the recoil springs were internal to the wing leading edge fairings. And so it goes on for the detailing of difference for the Mustang Mk.II and the Mk.III. I also found the balance of information between the RAF perspective and the USAAF perspective on the early Allison engined Mustangs to be rather lopsided with much of the illustrative material and photos used tending towards US rather than the RAF as the major user of the type. Ten photos of the P-51 Mustang/Mustang Mk.IA in the book, no overall photo of an RAF Mustang Mk.IA, only a cut down photo showing the camera being installed in a RAF Mustang Mk.IA and a cut down photo of the Malcolm hood installation on a Mustang Mk.IA during trials. All the others of US P-51 Mustang. Of the P-51A Mustang/Mustang Mk.II, more photos of USAAF examples, whilst the only photos of RAF examples are two of the same aircraft FR901 related to the long rang tank trials and one showing a F.24 camera being installed into a Mustang Mk.II. Unfortunately I would rate this, like a number of other publications before it, as an opportunity missed to provide an accurate and complete (within the constraints of the space available for commercial publication) documenting of the early models of the North American Mustang.

"All right, but apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh-water system, and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?" No mention of aircraft production.

Finished this one a couple of weeks back, but finally was able to get some reasonable photographs. Includes Ultracast pilot's seat & main wheels, Barracuda exhausts & prop blades, and a selection of bits & pieces (roundels, servicing stencils, aircraft code letter and serials) from the decal stash to do the markings. I have a couple more of the Airfix Spitfire PR.XIX to build in late War and post-War schemes. Nice kit to build with no major issues encountered.

The forward facing slipper tank cameras were a step in the evolution of forward facing cameras used on low level tactical reconnaissance aircraft operated by originally the Army Co-operation Command Squadrons, then later 2TAF. There had been experiments with forward facing recce cameras and forward facing cine cameras fitted on the Allison Mustangs going back to the late 1942 to early 1943 timeframe. An early version had a cine camera mounted in what has best been described as a clear teardrop fairing (similar to that used to house the DF loop on Beaufighters) mounted immediately above and behind the cockpit. The aim of that camera was to obtain suitable footage of strafing of ground targets for use in newsreels. And yes, some of it did make it into the newsreels - see British Pathe "Train Busting Mustangs" from 1943. That idea spread and further experiments were made with various mounts, including one in the wing root area of an Allison Mustang with a rather large clear cover over it. Another purpose for the forward facing cameras was to obtain photographic coverage of 'linear' targets, such as roads, canals or defensive lines. The aircraft would fly along the target area, taking a series of stills photos, which combined with the photos from the oblique camera(s) could be used to build up a good depiction of the 'target'. Particularly sought for coverage of river crossings and similar obstacles. 35 (Recce) Wing going back to mid-1942 had been very active in developing new and innovative camera mounts for their aircraft. The photos taken by Group Captain Anderson DSO* DFC, were actually taken by him flying an Allison Mustang with a forward facing camera installed in a modified Tempest drop tank. It is something he had been experimenting with for some time. I have the entries regarding this in my copy of his log book and also copies of the original photos from the sortie with the attack on the lock gates as well as other canal traffic. See attached photo. The 90 gallon slipper tank installation (both single and dual cameras) for the Spitfire FR.XIVes was something that had been a follow on development that had originally been undertaken, best I can determine by No.16 Sqdn in 34 Recce Wing for use with their Spitfire FR.IXs and PR.XIs in mid 1944. That then flowed to the version used on the Spitfire PR.XIXs when they started to receive them, and then onto the FR.XIVes when they entered service. Regards,

Realistically as Graham has indicated a fairly generic sheet of national markings, standard serials - all with an FR prefix - and individual standard code letters would cover a decal sheet for Mustang Mk.IIs. The real variation comes in the changes in national markings and distinctive markings via the various orders and directives. The only two operational users of the Mustang Mk.II in the RAF were No.II(AC) Sqdn from late May 1944 until November 1944 and No.268(FR) Sqdn from early November 1944 until August 1945. In both cases both Squadrons only displayed a single aircraft id letter on both sides of the fuselage, forward of the fuselage roundel, 24" Sky. The variation then comes in national markings and distinctive markings (alto a couple of Mk.IIs did carry a small degree of personalisation with a name in fairly small block lettering format on the nose panels, usually a female name denoting a wife, fiancée or girlfriend). Naturally enough for D-Day, full invasion stripes around fuselage and wings combined with standard national markings. Then you have the progression of reduction in the invasion stripes from then until late 1944. Some of the earliest Mk.IIs used by No.II(AC) Sqdn had the standard framed canopy, but they moved pretty quickly to modify them with Malcom Hoods, such that by August-September, any new aircraft arriving from the GSU came with the Malcom Hood fitted. And they definitely were not fitted with the underwing stores/bomb carriers. Most were certainly modified to carry the oblique camera behind the cockpit, some were modified to carry two oblique camera behind the cockpit, and some were modified to also carry a vertical camera in the rear fuselage with the lens between the radiator outlet and the tailwheel bay. After 1 January 1945 you start to get the various 2TAF changes in markings, so the prop spinner gets painted black, the rear fuselage id band gets overpainted, then you get the wing top B type roundels modified to type C roundels, then the above wing and below wing roundels modified to type C1 roundels with the thin yellow surround. There are a few photos and profiles done by Chris Thomas in the various volumes of the 2TAF series of RAF Mustang Mk.II aircraft. The camouflage scheme was a standardised one on the Mk.IIs, which was pretty much the same one used on the Mk.IAs with a couple of subtle changes. Copy of modified AccMin diagram showing correct pattern below. MustangMk1ADiagram by Colin Ford, on Flickr There is a rather long thread here about RAF Allison engined Mustangs on Britmodeller, and I think from memory there is another previous thread about specifics of Mustang Mk.IIs. Edit: found the long thread here: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/44133-a-few-mustang-mki-questions/?hl=allison HTH.

The Tamiya measuring team is at work and the people who restored/rebuilt/new built the d.h. Mosquito FB.VI now owned by Jerry Yagen have posted the following on their Facebook page. Do we consider this then a 'confirmed' rumour?? https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=677728248927278&set=a.198805123486262.49724.133710429995732&type=1&theater Let the discussion begin!!!

This and its preceding thread on ASR Spitfires has come at a fortuitous time for me and has proven very interesting to follow. Have been doing some research on the ASR Squadrons as a result of doing some digging into a specific incident from July 1943 for a very aged ex-RAF Mustang pilot friend of mine, from when he had an unplanned swim in the Channel. Have been digging out for him the details of the Squadron, aircraft and aircrew involved in the search and his rescue, including going through the ASR Squadron involved ORBs. As a result had a 1/48th Spitfire Mk.I/IIa kit earmarked to do as one of the Spitfires that came out with the Walrus to search for him. Biggest headache now is finding yellow 1/48th scale 24" code letters. Maybe something for someone to pitch to one of the decal makers of a decal sheet to allow a selection of ASR aircraft - Anson, Lysander, Spifire, Walrus kits are all there in 1/72nd, in 1/48th CA Anson, CA Walrus, Tamiya or Airfix Spitfire Mk.I/II, Gavia/Eduard Lysander. One version of the 1/48 CA Walrus came with 277 Sqdn markings, and the Kits at War decal sheet K4/4 had 1/48th markings for Spitfire P8131 AQ-C, but have not found any other recognisable ASR subjects on decals with kits or on aftermarket decal sheets elsewhere. Regards,

Wish they would at least get their subject descriptions right when they use Chris's extensive research and work as the reference for their decals - and proper attribution. JP371 A F/O B.F.N. Rachinger RAAF, No.268 Squadron, 35 (Recce) Wing, 84 Group, B.43 St. Omer - Fort Rouge, likely 11 September 1944. B.31 Fresnoy Folny they were only there from the 5th to the 10th. Photos used as the references match descriptions from pilots of when they arrived at St. Omer - Fort Rouge. Now all I want is someone to do us a nice resin 1/48th scale version of the tropical filter so I can do some of my late war Typhoon subjects. Regards,

The only major operational user of the Typhoon FR.1b in any quantity, was No.268 Squadron. No.268 Squadron operated the Typhoon FR.1b operationally from 8 August 1944 until 19 November 1944. The Squadron had started to received unmodified Typhoons for conversion training in early July 1944, and the first of the modified Typhoons in mid-July 1944. As such during the time the Squadron had the Typhoon FR.1b they effectively flew two types, the N.A. Mustang Mk.IA in one expanded flight and the Typhoon FR.1b in the other expanded flight. The Typhoon FR.1b did not turn out to be an effective Tac/R aircraft compared to the Allison Mustangs the Squadron was using on a number of counts, not the least being range, and being able to fully isolate the engine vibration from the cameras, and a few other low altitude handling traits the pilots didn't like. When the Typhoon FR.1bs started to be replaced with Mustang Mk.IIs in November 1944, a small number of Typhoon FR.1bs were passed onto No.IV(AC) Squadron with individual Typhoon FR.1bs going on to a number of the Typhoon Wings to allow them to conduct their own strike photography. All the Typhoon FR.1bs were 'bubble' tops, with three blade propellers and small tail planes. They didn't carry drop tanks, they didn't have bomb racks or rocket rails, they basically had a clean wing. Aircraft only had individual id letters, no Squadron codes carried as was the practice with the 2TAF Tac/R Squadrons. There are a couple of previous threads here on Britmodeller on the subject of Typhoon FR.1bs. A search of the IWM photo database pulls up photos of one of the ex-No.268 Sqdn Typhoon FR.1bs after it had passed to No.IV(AC) Sqdn. Regards,

Someone call?? The thread of wisdom and knowledge on all things Allison Engined Mustang with the RAF on BritModeller is here: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/44133-a-few-mustang-mki-questions/ Includes lots of photos and extracts from the manuals. There are a couple of other threads, search around for Mustang and RAF. For some reason search does not seem to be finding threads beyond a certain date. Certainly the Mustang Mk.I and MkIA had the narrow air intake above the cowling and the moveable 'ramp' front air intake for the radiator. Altho later in service there was a mod where the moveable intake ramp was 'fixed' at a set position. The A-36 and and P-51A (Mustang Mk.II) had the later broader air intake above the cowling and a redesigned fixed front air intake for the radiator. Also detail differences in the shape and design of the radiator core inside the radiator tunnel, but not something easily seen in a 1/72nd scale model, unless of course you are going the 'whole hog' of doing some drastic scratch building of a Mustang Mk.I in a servicing scenario with the panels off the radiator area?? You have to be careful about which kit you use as your starting point to do a Mk.I, and also what the serial number is of the aircraft you are modelling, as there were detail differences between the first production block - the AG series aircraft, and the later ones. Also the differences in the wing bay access panels for the armament for the Mk.I vs the Mk.IA. And let me repeat, what I have stated before and I will state again, a limited, underline LIMITED number of early Mustang Mk.Is were known to be modified at the unit level with the replacement of the standard 'pistol grip' control column top section as supplied by NAA, with what I have been reliably informed was the ring grip top section of the control column from a Harvard Mk.I. Done for a small number of aircraft, for the unit OC - in the days when such things could still happen - and the unit OC had an aircraft that he called his own, not normally shared with other pilots. Confirmed by eye witnesses including a senior pilot who flew one of the Mustangs so modified - in my direct discussions with them. No kit manufacturer to date in any scale has gotten the fine details correct in their kits of the Allison engined Mustangs. They all have some error radiator intake shapes, wing leading edge shapes or similar. Some you can use as a good starting point where with a little modelling skills and some patience a reasonably close scale replica can be achieved. I live in hope of someone like Eduard - based on the accuracy and quality of their recent 1/48th Spitfire IX kit - some day doing us some truly accurate early Mustang models. Regards,

Very nice and long awaited kit. I'll be getting a couple to build as soon as they arrive "down under". Will be interesting to see what other marking options the decal makers will give us to contemplate. Fortunately most of the subjects I want to build I can do the markings using decals from generic sheets for the roundels, serials and aircraft id letter. Now roll on the Mk.XIV hi and lo back variants and a PR.XI from Airfix in 1/48 and I will be a very happy chappy.

A Lot, and some of it fundamental errors because they were working with the information and images available to them at the time. As an example, a number of their profile illustrations and C&M patterns included in the N.A. Mustang volume are incorrect when compared to photographs of the actual subject aircraft. As another example, all the photographs they caption of Mustang Mk.IAs being of No.168 Squadron, are actually aircraft of No.268 Squadron. The five view colour illustration of Mustang Mk.IA FD472 M, camouflage pattern is wrong, the style of D-Day stripes depicted is wrong, and colour call out of US ANA colours is wrong and the Squadron is wrong - again 268 not 168. Plus most fundamental error of the wing leading edge 'kink' depicted in the profile being that of the later Merlin engine variant wing, not the earlier Allison engined variant wing.

And as I have noted in many posts here and elsewhere, the Ducimus book has been proven to be seriously flawed in the light of more recent research that has had access to files and information that were not available way back when the Ducimus C&M books was first put together. The thread above is a good starter. There are a number of other threads scattered throughout Britmodeller on the detail of RAF Allison Mustangs. If you are working on the Hobbycraft 1/32nd Mustang, an interesting and well put together thread can be found here (Conversion Hobbycraft Mustang Mk 1A to a Mustang 1) : http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=23080&hl=ironwing&page=1 Regards,

Hi Yoda, A lovely build of a PR Mossie, keeping well and truly to your theme! Well researched and beautifully built. Having done 'the first' PR Mossie, any plans for a build of 'the last' a late model PR Mossie? Regards.

Okay Yoda, you've got me watching and now waiting for the following instalments of your progress with this build through to the final result. Knowing you, it will be as close to accurate as you can make it. Best wishes from Down Under,

Not writing behind the exhausts, but bare metal or the original underlying surface finish where the anti-glare shields have been removed.

Not wanting to be contentious, just indicating the actual configuration of the subject aircraft at a specific point in time. 'M' is aft of the roundel both sides of the fuselage. Information being sent to your email address. There were different reasons around using a forward facing 35mm cine camera vs a forward facing F.24 camera, not the least as you point out the degree of detail for damage assessment purposes from the 5x5 negatives of the F.24. vs what you would get from the 35mm camera. The 35mm cine camera was favoured for 'linear' targets, such as roads or canals, where the aircraft would fly along the road or canal at low level filming the length. Also favoured for 'live' footage of attacks where the camera aircraft would formate off to the side and slightly behind the attacking aircraft and film its attack run against a target. The camera aircraft pilots didn't like that duty as they would often have to make a number of passes hanging off the wing of the various attacking aircraft, especially if there was flak around. One of the issues with the F.24 was the frame advance rate and getting that properly synchronised to the aircraft's forward airspeed so that as the camera was triggered the exposure and focus was correct and the neccessary overlap between frames was obtained. That usually meant the pilot had to overfly the target or fly along the object to be photographed within a predetermined speed range otherwise the image obtained would be out of focus. Regards,