kiwi

Thanks, I'll give them a try (as soon as I'm "approved"!)

Just picked up a DVD of Dive Bomber with Fred McMurray and Errol Flynn. Hokey story but lots of lovely colour sequences of Devastators and it's stablemates Worth it if you can find it. (I got mine from a discount bin for the equivalent of 3 quid.

I'm in Cheviot. Have known Darby and co since 1965. Was on the Great PNG expedition of 1973 Nev

Going along with the other writers I agree it is a great model but I would raise a couple of points. The RNZAF roundels were NOT painted in the lighter blue often erroneously shown in drawings. Where the extra roundel was applied to the RH Upper and LH lower wings these were painted in "RNZAF Roundel Blue" and the roundels painted over the US star used the same paint. This was a locally supplied paint matching the US Insignia Blue of the outline to the bars. Due to shortages it was not of the same quality and tended to fade in some instances. If you look at the photos in Darby's book (pages 103 to 108) you will see that most of the roundels are the dark blue. Secondly is the individual name, as the Squadrons only flew the aircraft for a 6 week tour before departing individual markings on operational aircraft are very uncommon, especially on P-40s and F4Us. It is for the same reason that the aircraft did not wear Squadron Codes. Adding to Alan's comments: A word of explanation as to why so many RNZAF aircraft do not have squadron codes applied in the Pacific..Because of the distances involved, particuarly from New Zealand, the RNZAF, in the latter half of 1943, abandoned the traditional system of more or less self contained squadrons in favour of of a system whereby land based aircraft were allotted to servicing units which remained in the forward area indefinitely,whilst squadrons consisting almost entirely of aircrew were attached to servicing units for an operational tour lasting 6 to 8 weeks. The Engineering Officer of the SU was responsible to the Squadron Commander for the provision of airworthy aircraft. The system was not popular at first as it was said to destroy the close working relationship of aircrew and groundcrew, but it worked well enough in practice. This is the reason that so few RNZAF aircraft carried individual markings or were associated with particular crews. My father served with No 10 SU which initially had Hudsons and then were re-equipped with Venturas. Unless you know the date of a photo it is not possible to say which squadron was flying the aircraft. Toward the end of the war the RNZAF was operating over an area some 3000 miles by 2000 miles to the north of New Zealand yet in all this area (about 35% greater than Europe) there were only 36 allied airfields in 23 different places. If in trouble it was standard practice for pilots to head for the sea where there was a chance they would be picked up by a "Dumbo" Catalina. There was vitually no chance of survival for aircrew who crashed or parachuted into the mountainous jungle islands of the Solomoms or New Guinea. It is possible, to look at aircraft and tell, by the subtle differences in the markings, to tell which SU it was assigned to. For instance the marking of the "lasr two" of the serial number on the forward fuselage, behind the cowling, in white was typical of No 5 SU. RNZAF markings are a minefield for the uninitiated and will provoke many arguements (and vast piles of research notes!) It's kept me going for the last four decades.

Has anyone photos or drawings of the He 46 in the prewar/early war 62/63/64/65 four colour scheme? I have a drawing of S2 + A35 and a photo of DB + NX and they do not conicide with each other I would really like to see the upper surfaces. Any cockpit info would be much appreciated too.