ColFord

Okay, final photos taken late yesterday before the finished model goes in the display cabinet with the rest of the collection. Now to contemplate my next subject and what it might be. Every model tells a story. Regards.

Mish, Glad you like it. I have done a couple of minor tidy up items, and am now somewhat happier with the final result. I just need to take some more photos. Just to fill in some more background on the subject aircraft FD552 'N'. It had previously served with No.170 Sqdn RAF up until mid-January 1944 when that Squadron was disbanded. It was then recorded for the first time operationally with No.268 Sqdn on 12 April 1944. It flew 2 sorties on D-Day. It was lost on 14 June 1944 under the following circumstances: F/O Rachinger RAAF in FD506 A and F/O Cullen in FD552 N took off at 06.00 hrs to conduct a Tac/R covering Louviers – Evreux – L’Aigle – Lisieux – Beauville. During their sortie to France, their path takes them in over Dieppe, then onto Louvriers where they are bounced by 15 plus FW-190s whilst flying at around 3,000 ft.. F/O Cullen in FD552 N was shot down and F/O Rachinger RAAF dropped to very low level to escape “evacuated the area with the sound of Hun MGs in my ears”, receiving the serious attentions of accurate light flak from German ground units as well. He eventually lost the pursuing FW-190s around the Rouen area and returned to base, well shaken. F/O MH Cullen was officially listed as ‘Missing’. It was to be some time before word was officially received that F/O Cullen had survived being shot down and had been taken a Prisoner of War by the Germans. He would eventually end up in Stalag Luft 3 where he would see out the remainder of the War. A little while ago I was in contact with a French researcher in the Normandy region who with the assistance of a local farmer, who as a young boy had seen this aircraft shot down and crash, located the crash site for this aircraft. There was not much to be found, it hit and burnt pretty badly, mainly small bits of molten metal around the impact site. I've also been in contact with F/O Cullen's son who provided me with his father's account of events, including the forced exodus westwards out of the PoW camp in the winter of early 1945 ahead of the Russian's advance. Regards,

Well, finally ‘finished’ this one yesterday and was able to take some photos today. There are a few little things I might come back and revisit or touch up. As an example I am not 100% happy with the exhaust staining, so might reduce it a little. Also next time I get my hands on another of the open canopy mouldings from out of the Tamiya Mustang Mk.III (that is the two centre sections of the ‘coupe top’), I will swap that over so more of the cockpit interior is visible. I had been in correspondence with a friend of mine, a pilot who had flown this aircraft and had been with the Squadron from 1942 to 1945, with a short break in the second half of 1944 when he was ‘on rest’ with HQ 35 (Recce) Wing. I had mentioned that I had this build and this subject underway, with the specific RAAF pilot who had been a friend of his. He reminded me that finishing this build today it marked the anniversary of the loss of this pilot in February 1945. The pilot of the aircraft as photographed at the start of this thread, F/L Frank Normoyle RAAF, was killed on 8 February 1945 whilst flying NA Mustang Mk.IA FD546 A of No.268 Squadron RAF on 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’. Later that day and over the following days other aircraft of the Squadron searched the area where F/L Normoyle RAAF went missing without success. However on 21 February 1945, another Tac/R pair of Mustangs from the Squadron located and photographed what they believed to be the wreckage of F/L Normoyle’s aircraft. A comparison of the grid references given indicates that it was. 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. http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/UK1958 Above link is to photograph held in the collection of the Australian War Memorial of F/L Frank Normoyle RAAF. So today, myself, and two surviving pilots of No.268 squadron RAF, who remember Frank Normoyle RAAF, raised a glass in memory ‘to absent friends’.

Slow but steady progress as time permits this week. Lots of little bits and pieces added. Key thing was the Mustang is now onto its undercarriage, the canopy masking is off, prop is in place, exhausts added, cannon barrels added and silver added on the wing tip formation lights ready for the clear colours to be carefully painted on - Tamiya acrylics. Next up will be the covers on the landing lights, the addition of the circular rear vision mirror above the front canopy bow, and lots of little fiddly bits of painting and adding exhaust staining, etc. Until next time.........

Antoine, This thread: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...&hl=Mustang here on Britmodeller covered off a lot of the discussion on specifics of the Allison engined Mustangs and the accuracy or otherwise of the various kits on the market including the AM ones. Regards,

Next stage was adding the aircraft id letter and aircraft serial. A wash down after all the decals had dried, then another gloss coat to seal the decals in. Allowed that to cure over night then did some very gentle line washes to mainly the major control surfaces to help delineate them. Six hours to dry then a couple of misted coats of Humbrol Dullcote. Removed the undercarriage doors and painted the interiors of the wheel wells and the undercarriage doors. A wash of Tamiya smoke to the wheel wells to help make some of the detail in the areas that will remain visible stand out. Next stage is to assemble the undercarriage and attach the outer doors, then the inner u/c doors placed in their proper closed position. Then all the final bits and pieces to go onto the main airframe - pitot head, iff antenna, radio antenna, cannon barrels (I do not use the kit cannon barrels, I use suitable lengths of plain rod). Will see how far I get the next few days.

Gloss coat of an Australian variant of Future brushed on, then allowed to dry for a day. Then the national markings. Not using the AM decals, but a selection of decals from my collection, various sheets with various sized national markings - Xtradecal, Eagle Strike and Almark. Much more accurate colours and settle down on the surfaces better than the AM decals. All I will use from the AM sheet is the letters and numbers to make up this aircraft's serial number FD552. Next the aircraft id letter and serial, then another clear coat. Getting close to the home stretch.

Next stage the MM RAF Dark Green in the camouflage pattern for the Mustang Mk.IA. Then back with a slightly lightened version of the Dark Green and Ocean Grey to add some highlights on control surfaces and some panels that will get blended in later. Next, mask up the wing leading edges and prop tips for the yellow, and mask up the rear fuselage id band and do it and the prop spinner in sky (a very old and trusty tinlet of Humbrol 90). And then a bit of time working on bits and pieces like the undercarriage and exhausts. Making progress.

And on goes the first of the upper surface camouflage colours, MM RAF Ocean Grey. Let it fully cure for a couple of days, then break out the Iwata and time to do the MM RAF Dark Green. Underside is masked off with Tamiya masking tape, already done with MM RAF Medium Sea Grey. Above my painting booth I have a large A3 photocopy of the camouflage pattern for the RAF Mustang Mk.IA blue tacked for ready reference.

Normally I have not participated in Group Builds as work, research and family demands tend to over run any dedicated progress on any modelling project. However, in this instance, having 'officially' started this build within the parameters of the Group Build rules, I have decided to at least have a shot at it. My subjects is a 1/48th scale Accurate Miniatures Mustang Mk.IA finished as: North American Mustang Mk.IA FD552 ‘N’ flown by Flying Officer Frank Normoyle RAAF, photographed near Gatwick in late May 1944 during flying training exercises in preparation for D-Day. Photographed by Flying Officer Basil Rachinger RAAF flying Mustang Mk.IA FD544 ‘V’. I have the original of this photo in my collection in my role as Historian for No.268 Squadron Royal Air Force. First up the kit - photo dated 17 Dec 2011. Still in the original shrink wrap, one of a number of this kit I have in my stash. First thing I always do with this kit is join the two forward fuselage halves with the rear fuselage halves so as to create one on complete fuselage half. It makes subsequent stages of the build easier. Next thing I do is to fill the three moulded in underwing recognition lights, the RAF Allison Mustangs did not have these. Next, I reprofile the kit supplied propeller into a shape more representative of the original. As supplied in the kit, it is the wider blade as appeared on the Mustang Mk.II. Some were refitted onto earlier RAF Mustangs, but mainly those still in service from late 1944 onwards. Oh, almost forgot, I am going to use a couple of aftermarket bits, the Ultracast early P-51 seat and flared exhausts, and the piece of plastic card is my armour plate that fits behind the seat, that AM forget to include. Profile matches that of the full sized item. That covers progress up until about 1 January 2012. Then I move to doing the cockpit interior. I add the camera control box for the F.24 oblique camera to the cockpit floor, some more detail to the camera, including the camera mounting brackets, and get to the stage where I am ready to close up the fuselage. That got me to about the end of the first full week of January. The fiddly bit is then trapping the various cockpit bits between the fuselage halves and sealing it all up without any problems. I usually find a round of test fitting, sanding, more test fitting and sanding to get it to the stage where none of the interior components cause any undue 'bulging' or issues. Of course making sure I had the internal section of the radiator rear exhaust tunnel in place and the tail wheel captured as well. Around the same time I have joined the wing components together and let them well and truly set. Next stage is joining the wings to the fuselage and adding the tail planes. Very minor 'swipe' of filler over the wing to fuselage joins, then a careful sanding and any minor rescribing required. According to the date stamp on my camera, that was the 11th of January. Next into the paint booth. Yesterday the underside Medium Sea Grey went on, then today masking the canopy and preparing for the first of the uppersurface colours the Ocean Grey. And that's where I am up to so far. Regards,

Wez, Good choice. Flew 60 operational sorties between D-Day and the end of September 1944 and was involved in all the Squadron's major activity during that time, including 2 sorties over the beach head on D-Day, sorties over the Falaise Gap, sorties over the Seine crossings as the Germans retreated. Was used as the semi-regular aircraft of the Squadron's OC, S/L AS Mann DFC, as well as used on occasions by a number of the Squadron's other pilots, including at least one sortie by S/L K K Majumdar DFC IAF, a number of RAF pilots, a RAAF pilot, a RCAF pilot, plus a PAF pilot. Photos of the aircraft taken around July-August 1944 show it to be in fairly good, clean condition, no over the top weathering. Regards,

Wez, Simple, overall spray coating aluminium powder added to clear lacquer so a matt aluminium or similar - like Tamiya XF-16. Remember you are not going to see much up in those wheel bays because the main inner gear doors are up and locked on the Allison Mustangs. Have you picked a subject aircraft for your Mustang Mk.IA? Serial and date? Regards,

Wez, All the information I have available to me and that is supported by original photographs and documentation indicates that they kept with the same basic style of Sutton Harness on the RAF's Allison engined Mustangs through until the end of the War. There was no real reason for them to change from the original type and to complicate their supply chain or servicing arrangements for the numbers remaining in service in 1944 onwards. Regards,

The Aeroclub conversion produces a nice result. Yes certainly more expensive than just the Academy kit, but the end result certainly looks much more the part. I built one of the Academy kits before this one with some simple rework and modifications to make it look less 'chubby', but the Aeroclub version looks way better. As I say, keep sending the vibes to Airfix to give us a truly accurate Spitfire XIV and PR.XIX family. Regards,

For a low backed XIVE that is much closer to the mark than the Academy kit, you can go the path of the Aeroclub XIVE conversion, paired with the bits and pieces including wings of the Academy kit, or better, go with the wings and detail bits and pieces out of the Revell/Hasagawa Spitfire IXE - gives a thinner more in scale wing and finer detail. Of course, we are all hoping Airfix might do the Spitfire XIV family to the same standard as their recent Spitfire XII and Seafire kits in 1/48th and set the new benchmark. Regards,

Wez, It was only on some of the early RAF Mustang Mk.Is fitted with the oblique F.24 camera that had one of a number of variants of camera and lens mount. An early type of camera and lens mount had a sheet metal panel replacement for the Perspex with a metal 'cone' that went inwards from that which enclosed the camera lens. Then there was a simpler version which was just a sheet metal replacement for the Perspex with a cut out to allow the end of the camera lens to either sit just inside the panel or poke out slightly depending on the lens size fitted. The sheet metal versions did not prove popular, both over engineered and difficult for the ground crew to remove when servicing the camera and lens. Also the pilots didn't like it as it reduced the below average rearward vision from the early style framed cockpit to a level they found unacceptable. From what I can determine, painted externally same as the external camouflage on the area surrounding the rear quarter window. Internally, ideally would have been painted to match the surrounding interior area and to provide corrosion resistance to the sheet metal used. Given that these were a local manufacture item, internally more likely to have been maybe some of the NAA Interior Green provided to local contractors for works repairs, or a locally sourced equivalent of the NAA interior green, could even have been done in the RAF grey-green interior paint which would have been on hand in the MU or contractors works making these at the time. Next variant was the Perspex window with a shaped cutout to accommodate the camera lens. It was soon found that the hole cut in the Perspex needed strengthening so a doubler plate made of either Perspex or thin sheet metal, held in place with small nuts, bolts and washers. The shape of the cutout ranged from a simple circle, to a more oval shape to a misshapen egg. The Perspex window with reinforced cutout became the standard and remained so for operational use through until the RAF Allison engined Mustangs were retired. Much more preferred as it still gave some rearward vision on that side. By the time the Mustang Mk.IA came along and the Mk.II after that, the Perspex window with cutout and reinforcing around the edge cutout was pretty well standardised. Depending on the lens size and type, and whether the Mustang in question was set up for the single oblique camera rig or dual oblique camera rig, could have some bearing on the shape and positioning of the cut out in the Perspex quarter window to accommodate the camera and lens. There is a series of photos around showing a Mustang Mk.IA at AST Hamble with a variant of the earlier style 'solid and cone' type panel replacement, but that was only on trials, not operational use. Some relevant photos out of the IWM Collection - online. http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205127072 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205207961 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205210385 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205210786 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205207898 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205207897 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205211830 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205212770 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205210788 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205210855 Some good photos and profiles as well in the 4 volume set of 2TAF by Shores & Thomas. And don't forget the earlier discussion on RAF Allison Mustangs here at Britmodeller in the thread referred to in my earlier post on 9 Dec. Regards,

For interior colours of RAF Allison Engined Mustangs, Mk.I, Mk.IA and Mk.II, go to post #88 in this previous thread here on Britmodeller on RAF Allison Mustangs: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...&hl=Mustang

Now these would make a perfect modelling subject using the Belcher Bits Yale conversion, finish with the appropriate markings as shown in the photos, enter into the local model show, then stand back and wait for the puzzled looks and comments like "ere them roundels! Aren't they all supposed to be the same??" Just the thing to confuse the judges. I have one of the Belcher Bits Yales in my stash, put aside to model as an aircraft three RAAF pilots I know trained on in Canada in 1942. Currently sitting somewhere between No.6 and No.9 in my 'to build' queue.

I too went down the path of using the Academy Spitfire XIV kit, combined with the Airwaves resin conversion set which gave you a lower rear fuselage insert with the camera ports, the various underwing fuel pump blisters, the pressurisation intake, a camera control box and vac form canopy. Did a bit of work on the base Academy kit to address some of its issues, and it didn't come out too bad. My version of PS853 as she was in September-October 1945. I've since found a few more Spitfire PR.XIX subjects to do but am hoping that Airfix in their wisdom continue their series of Spitfires and Seafires and will in time give us accurate Spitfire XIV, FR.XIVE and PR.XIX family in 1/48th. One can hope. Hannants did re-release the Airwaves PR.XIX conversion some time back but it sold out quickly and has not been listed since. Regards,

Wim, The photograph you seek to best of my knowledge and memory has only been published in ADJIDAUMO - 'Tail in Air' - The History of No.268 Squadron Royal Air Force 1940-1946, written and self published by me. The original is held in the collection of the Royal Air Force Museum at Hendon, Negative Number RAFMH P019204. If you are after a copy for use in a publication/article you would need to approach them for a copy and regarding their licencing arrangements and fees. Regards,

This was about where I was in 2009, and I've built another 3 or 4 since then and have another 2 on the go at present, with about another dozen still to go.

Some of my previous builds: Lastly, two "what if's" And still building more................ Enjoy.

If you are looking for information on the four Allison engined variants of the Mustang used by the RAF, the following thread here on Britmodeller from a year ago is a good place to start. http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...&hl=Mustang These other posts bring up information and detail on specific facets of types or sub-types: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...&hl=Mustang http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...&hl=Mustang http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...&hl=Mustang http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...&hl=Mustang One of the best sources of Mustang information on the web is the P51SIG. You have to join to get full access and ask questions on the SIG, but it is probably the highest concentration of Mustang researchers, maintainers, flyers, authors and modellers you will find around. Regards,

Tom, The aircraft in the decal sheet with the temperate land scheme (US equivalent NAA factory paints for Dark Earth, Dark Green and Sky) is a Mustang Mk.I, which technically has no P-51 equivalent - it predates the first P-51, which was the 4 x 20mm cannon armed P-51, known as the Mustang Mk.IA in RAF service. The P-51A was the Mustang Mk.II in RAF service. The ICM P-51A kit has been reviewed and discussed elsewhere including in a thread up in the WW2 aircraft modelling section, but it is a mish-mash of components and features from the Mustang Mk.I/Mk.IA in the narrow air intake on top of the cowling, the wings are more in keeping with a P-51B/C having the fairings in the aileron hinge points. It is best used as a source of parts of for doing conversions. To build a RAF Mustang Mk.I in 1/48th scale your best starting point is the AM P-51 or Mustang Mk.IA kit, which gives you the basics, particularly the correct narrow air intake above the engine, combined with the Ultracast Mustang Mk.I resin conversion set. Requires some work, rescribing of the panel lines/hatches and gun ports on the wing top and bottom surfaces, but can produce a good end result. Examples here: This thread from here on Britmodeller from just on a year ago now has a lot of information on the RAF early Allison engined Mustangs. http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...&hl=Mustang With respect to the earlier mentioned old Camouflage and Markings book out of the Ducimus series on the P-51 Mustang RAF Northern Europe, more recent research with access to material that was not available at the time that work was written has revealed a lot of flaws in its information, especially some of the detail information and colour callouts used. Regards,

The rudder colour was not a standardised colour, but a close mixed approximation to the blue used in the RAF/RAAF ensign, and was mixed using the available RAF Roundel Blue and RAF Roundel White that was held in stores for the Squadron. There is a warbird CAC built Mustang flying in the colours of another Mustang of this unit which received the 'stamp of approval' of its wartime pilot as being an accurate depiction of his aircraft. A lot of research went into getting the scheme and colours used accurate. Red Roo Models in Australia do the decals for this one so you can complete it as either the wartime original, or the current warbird - complete with tiny civil registration under the tailplanes. Regards,