Vingtor

I fully agree with the content of Scale Aircraft Modelling. However the publisher, Guideline, has terrible overseas distribution. Most of my recent copies have taken 2-3 months, and have been shipped from Uzbekistan (!) Also a couple of books that I ordered mid February have still not arrived. Nils

Indeed! 👍 But let's see if these helicopters will ever be delivered to Norway. Now NH Industries (Airbus) has offered a solution based on the already (incomplete) NH90 helicopters. It could be an interesting "what if" subject though. 🙂

Very nice model, Ragnar. I saw it "live" at IPMS Norway's Skala last Saturday. Also well deserved prices! 👍 Nils

Although an interesting thread, Jens, it is for a 1/35 scale model. I was hoping for a 1/72 - for a model collection at the Gardermoen aircraft museum. Nils

You can tell your sister-in-law that she is wrong... 🙂 Nils

Takk, Jens! The MH-60R was thrown upon us Norwegian modellers a couple of days ago. I have just started to find out what is available for modelling. Nils

Are there any good profiles and plan drawings of the MH-60R? I have searched the net without much luck. Line drawings preferably. Nils

This is definitely the Norwegian Waco SRE. Army Air Arm registration No. 501. Nils

That is a lot of information Geoffrey. Thanks! Nils

They come from various sources. E.g. the Norwegian Digital Museum (https://digitaltmuseum.no/), the Norwegian Defence Museum, private archives...

Fortunately (?) there is no shortage of colour photos of Cornells from the RNAF Training Camp. Most of them are early M62As though. Comments on the colours are welcome. The first one is an unknown aircraft before it was fitted with a closed canopy. Another unknown: Now on to the Lend/Lease PT-26 aircraft. Unfortunately the number of colour photos is much lower. This first one clearly show that it was delivered in an all-over yellow scheme and that the blue fuselage has been painted after delivery. Also this show traces of yellow inside the canopy frame, and a scratch in the paint beneath the tailplane. The last one is taken in Norway after the war, with new national insignia. Nils

Thanks for interesting information! I must correct the date for the photo above. It must have been taken in 1943. The RNAF Training Camp signed the contract with Muskoka Airport in January and by end of March all activities had moved. Furthermore the last Curtiss Hawks were disposed of in June. Between September 1940 and November 1941 the RNAF had received 40 Fairchild M62As (similar to PT-19). These were all Norwegian contracts directly with Fairchild and the aircraft had no Canadian or British (or US) serial numbers. They would presumably have been painted blue and yellow at the factory, although this is not confirmed. The first batch of Lend/Lease Cornells were 10 Fairchild-built PT-26-FAs delivered in August/September 1942. They were thus delivered to Island Airport in Toronto (before the move to Muskoka), and would probably have been repainted there. These had British serials in the FHxxx series. The next Lend/Lease batch was 20 Fleet-build PT-26B-FEs delivered in August/September 1943 - too late for this photo. They had British serials in the FZxxx series. In 1944 another 30 aircraft were delivered. These being a mix of Fairchild and Fleet manufactured. This photo above show aircraft in a mix of markings, and a mix of British/Canadian serial numbers, making it difficult to believe they are from the same production batch. I can count 11 Cornells (10 in one line, and one behind). There might have been more outside the photo. I have found one photo from Toronto showing two yellow Cornells. The serial numbers are unfortunately not visible. They have early (type A) roundels, but in the "British" positions on the wings. Another photo of a repainted aircraft clearly shows signs of the British serial number (FH770) and the type A roundel on the lower wing surfaces. I am starting to believe that the yellow Cornells are not Norwegian after all. There is too much that does not fit in. Nils

Norway has just decided to buy 6 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters for the Coast Guard, to replace the NH90 that never became operational. I have searched Hannants' web shop for kits without finding any (although there were some decal sheets). What would be the best kit for building a MH-60R? 1/72 scale prefarably. Nils

That was my thought. But the Norwegian Cornells had blue fuselages and Norwegian markings. Possibly some of the aircraft here (the ones with small roundels?) were Norwegian prior to repaint. Norwegian Cornells delivered from late summer 1942 did all have MAP serial numbers. What is the reason for the two types of serial numbers on Canadian aircraft? Nils

This photo is taken at Muskoka airport in Ontario some time between December 1941 and February 1943. Three aircraft in the middle have different roundels and fin markings than the rest, and also 5 digit serial numbers. The others seem to have MAP serial numbers (two letters and three digits). Can anybody explain why the difference? Nils

From an article on Norwegian Cornells in Scale Models International January 1988. The author writes that he has fragments of # 151 that was involved in a mid air collision in February 1945 (the aircraft landed safely and was repaired). The fragments contain exterior surfaces with both colours. The blue he describes as FS 15102. This is a good match for A-N True Blue. The yellow is FS 13655 with a touch of FS 13538. # 151 was an M-62A delivered in August 1941. It might possibly have been repainted by February 1945. Nils

In RNAF service the Waco was used for radio operator training and for transport flights. The yellow colour on the bullet might suggest that it was originally installed. On the other hand, some tins of original paint might have been delivered with the aircraft. The cheatline on the rear fuselage seems to have been painted over with original paint and the Norwegian registration number seems to be in the same original colours. Also the Learadio logo seems to have been painted over with original paint. So it might just as well have been installed by the Norwegians, and painted yellow. Nils

Do you have any photos of this period showing all of the aircraft?

I guess you mean prewar civilian version. Many military Ju 52s were converted for civilian use after the war. It can of course be done, but would require much work. Start looking at these threads: Nils

Back to the Fairchilds. Here is some film footage:

I just got this image. It is maybe familiar to you? BTW, how wide would the black outline to the trim be? One inch...? Nils

Both are well known photos. Fortunately there are lots of colour photos from the Norwegian training camp in Canada. Here is the same photo from the Norwegian Digital Archives: https://digitaltmuseum.no/011012728027/skolefly-av-type-fairchild-pt-26-cornell-oppstilt-utenfor-hangar/media?slide=0

Here is a profile that I am working on (plan views will follow). I assume that the red trim is too much orange. Matches to FS and/or Pantone would be most welcome. Nils

Finally back from Austria with all my legs and arms intact… Here is some additional information on the Norwegian Cornells. The RNAF placed 7 orders of totally 40 M-62As between July 1940 and September 1941. The aircraft were delivered directly from Fairchild, Hagerstown between August 1940 and November 1941. The 10 first aircraft were not originally fitted with cockpit hood but had these later retrofitted. RNAF # 101-171 (note that the Army Air Arm had odd numbers while the Navy had even). I assume that these aircraft were painted in civilian colours. 50 PT-26 were taken from USAAF contracts and delivered on Lend-Lease terms from August 1942. The requisitions can be described as follows: 1. Requisitions NW-21 of 10 February 1942 and NW-1001 of 4 August 1942 10 PT-26-FA. MAP serial numbers in the FH series. RNAF # 173-191. 2. Requisition NW-1067 of 18 June 1943 20 PT-26B-FE. MAP serial numbers in the FZ series. RNAF # 193-231. 3. Requisition NW-1095 of 16 February 1944 11 PT-26-FA. MAP serial numbers in the EW series. RNAF # 233-253. 7 PT-26B-FE. MAP serial numbers in the FZ series. RNAF # 255-267. 2 PT-26A-FE. MAP serial numbers in the FV series. RNAF # 269-271. At least some of the aircraft (maybe all) were delivered in an all-yellow paint scheme with Canadian insignia and serial numbers. This would assumedly have been a US “equivalent” of MAP Yellow. The fuselage and fin appear to have been painted blue after delivery to the Norwegian training camp in Canada. For which shade of blue, I can only guess… Nils

CPT scheme ...? Any idea about which shades of blue and yellow for Interstate Cadet? Nils