gingerbob

Two possible (hypothetical) explanations: An "optional" attempt to conceal the blackish stain emanating from this orifice (yes, I said the word 'orifice'!) "Let's only put this on some aircraft- it'll confuse the hell out of model builders for years to come!" Arguments against: But looking at the photo at top, there are other "smudgy spots", so why did this one get singled out? Maybe because it is nearest the boarding ladder? Well, I guess that depends on which way you like to wear your tinfoil hat.

LN? Sorry, not getting your banter!

Just had another thought: if I remember right, all the Eduard Spit IXs (etc) come with a bubble canopy on the clear sprue, so there'll be plenty of those left over. Also, this would be a fairly simple piece with which to try working with a vac canopy- what do you have to lose?

@Antti_K should know. I've got the idea that I've seen it addressed on Britmodeller before....

Oh, you went and got me curious. Photo on this page.

The XIV (low back) canopy is, in real life, the same as that of the 22/24.

XIVes came to 91 Squadron in mid-August, when they were one of three operational squadrons on the XIV(c). After that there were (by mid-September) 3 squadrons flying XIVes, and only two with XIV(c)s, which shrank to one in March '45. In November two additional squadrons began flying high-back XIVes modified for fighter-recon (oblique camera only). I don't have an actual count of "built (or delivered) as" c/e, but the above should give you some idea.

http://www.historyofwar.org/Pictures/pictures_meteor_F1_right_rear.html https://www.agefotostock.com/age/en/details-photo/raf-616-squadron-gloster-meteor-f-3-painted-in-a-white-special-livery-during-the-winter-of-1944-45-for-easy-recognition-to-distinguish-them-from-me-262-german/MEV-11952320

...and a pointy nose. Possibly also the later, longer (on top surface of wing) nacelles. And various other mods, no doubt! The Beech 18 is one of those types that was frequently "hot-rodded", so be very careful using a different individual as reference if you're wanting to replicate that specific airplane as it appears now/when the photos were taken. I had the AT-11 version of this kit and it is one of the few I got rid of as soon as I got the chance! bob

Did any more come of this? I was poking at a 48th Airfix Fury yesterday and thinking about the possibilities...

They did not all get put away in a hangar- there weren't enough of those around with enough capacity.

As they say (or did, when I was hangin' around) in general aviation, the second engine is just there to get you to the scene of the crash!

Just a note that the first operational sortie of a Mosquito was on the night of 5/6 July '42, and when the squadron moved to Manston a month later, they left the Havocs/Bostons behind. Unfortunately the ORBs are a bit sketchy on detail- the summary mostly just lists operational flights, quite tersely, and the Record seems to just use the aircraft letter, no serials. (I only looked at June-Aug so far.)

There were only 27 "pure fighter" low back XIVs. Some of the first ones "released" went to (or were grabbed by) relatively high-ranking pilots in 2TAF. Probably some of these would have had full span, but I'd have to check. As others have said, full tips were also fitted sometimes in other places on FR.XIVs- probably by squadrons using them as straight fighters, and without any intention of fitting the extra (weight-adding) stuff. I hadn't particularly thought about it from this perspective. Then, of course, there are the XVIIIs (F or FR).

Could you explain this comment for the unenlightened?

Oops, I "read" them wrong! Maybe it is a Quebecois Goose?

Having looked at the photos in this thread again, I'm not convinced that the cowls/lightning stripe are red. I'd vote for roundel blue or possibly even black?

Other than prototypes, etc, I think you'll only find the high-altitude scheme on later VIIs (prior to that it was standard fighter camo). Medium Sea Grey top, PRU Blue bottom.

As the others have said, very VERY nice build of a thoroughly intimidating subject. I'd also like to add that seeing it "in living colour" makes me think it is some sort of "first generation Steampunk" imagination, rather than something that not only was actually done, but even worked!

I'd be very surprised if the warning stripe was anything other than "standard red". bob

The tail (fuselage) number looks like '232' to me (although with a second look the first and last digits don't seem to have identical shape), and on the nose is '[probably a digit],3 or 8,2'. However, just aft of the cockpit side-window appears to be an '8' on its own, unless I'm misinterpreting something else (could it be a 'B'?) I haven't yet gone looking for Canadian Goose numbers to see if the above makes sense. bob

Sure is, thanks!

Sorry, but for me at least that is completely illegible. bob

I don't know- I thought the panel lines were way over-accentuated. Nice Anson, though!

Note: Geoffrey's post came in during the lengthy period I was composing this one. Well, perhaps I can contribute a clue here. I don't have a primary-source list of Eastern Aircraft c/ns, but I have done a little work on reconstructing/extrapolating from the BuNo/ c/n combinations that I could find- those of surviving aircraft. It starts simply enough with the first FM-1 (BuNo 14992) being c/n (or "MSN") 1. For the moment, let's assume that the first run of FM-1s, up to BuNo 15951, runs sequentially, which would make the last one c/n 960. BuNo 15952 is the first FM-2, but while it is the next BuNo, it appears to be c/n 1151 (BuNo 16089 / c/n 1288 is the first FM-2 data-point I have). Interestingly enough, this leaves a gap between the last (of this run) FM-1 and the first FM-2 of precisely 190. While I have no data-points from the last batch of 100 FM-1 (BuNo 46738-46837), it seems very likely that these 100 AND the mystery 90 British Martlet Vs plug this gap. But where do their c/ns fall? I don't have an FM-1 data-point beyond the one at the National Air & Space Museum, BuNo 15392/ c/n 401. The first 90 British aircraft (c/ns) could immediately precede JV415/15402. I like the feel of this, because it means a straight run for the USN of 410 and then 90 for the British- a nice round 500. Then there's a little "adjustment" (24 for RN, 44 for USN) before it settles down (for a while) to neat blocks of multiples of 10 (generally): It seems likely to me that the "extra 100" FM-1s were just added (in terms of c/n sequence) to immediately follow the prior FM-1 run, then FM-2s continued the sequence. Between the end of the second FM(-1/2) Wildcat BuNo block and the next (BuNo 55050-55649), there seems to be a gap of 100 in the c/n sequence. Following the latter there's another gap of 400. I have no particular theory to explain these- it could perhaps be anticipated volumes that were a bit beyond what was actually ordered, or possibly intended production of another model (F2M, anyone?) I don't think the TBM has anything to do with it- that seems to have its own c/n sequence(s). A word about serial numbers, for those few people who have stuck with me this far- the c/n aka MSN was assigned by the company, and was not necessarily in actual construction sequence. Generally they seem to have gotten assigned when it was pretty certain that a given quantity of aircraft were going to be ordered. Naturally, plans could then change, either through cancellations or reallocations. bob