shunter

Wow, many thanks, chaps, for all these options and pics. I thought I was asking a simple question...….

Giorgio, Graham, Antti, Many thanks for your helpful replies. I was hoping to use a rattlecan of Humbrol 11, but it seems I will have to break out the elderly airbrush I was given years ago! Graham, I went to school in Stockton (Grangefield Grammar), and have very strong memories of Javelins, Hunters and Lightnings flying over on their ways in and out of Middleton St George, as well as the displays there, back in the days when you could actually get in amongst the aircraft on the ground. Those were indeed the days. I think I might well be picking up an Airfix Hunter at the Avon IPMS show this coming weekend.... Cheers Rob

Gents, Just completing my first wingy thing for very long time - the Airfix 1/48 Javelin, which I must say is tempting me back to aircraft modelling after a long time with tanks and trains!. I have a question about the colour scheme for XH 903, 33 Sqn. from Middleton St George. l apologies if it seems odd, I've searched on here but not found an answer. I have the impression that the underside of the aircraft was painted silver, as opposed to bare metal. I'm told that good old Humbrol no.11 is OK for this. If this is the case, what about the interior surfaces of the wheel wells, doors, and brakes. Would they be left as bare metal, or also be painted - in silver or something else? Any information/opinions gratefully received. Many thanks Rob

I have just received a print of the IWM colour shot of JA412(TR 2805), which of course allows much better enlargement than the thumbnails on the database. Points of interest:- 1. red aircraft code(!), black serial 2. hexagonal beam window overpainted 3. rectangular side window over trailing edge overpainted 4. further small diamond shaped window/hatch higher up on the fuselage. (The Trumpeter moulding in fact shows this, on the port side but not the starboard) 5. No spinner My Dad's log book shows he flew in this aircraft on an A/S sweep on 23/3/44, from Luqa. Nick, regarding the hatch lowdown on the fuselage, IWM print CNA3534 shows this quite clearly on aircraft MF263. Again, this features on the trumpeter moulding. If anybody wants a copy of the colour shot, let me know. cheers Rob

Thanks Ross. Interestingly, none of these photos show any sign of either the side or beam gunner windows - which makes for a much easier conversion!

Gents, many thanks for the help so far. Hmmm, given the time left, and my lack of aircraft modelling experience, I think I might forego cutting holes in the fuselage. However, I will ask my dad about the window arrangements and post if there is anything different to what has ben discussed. Seahawk, thanks for the info on aircraft codes. I did find one of the listed serials in his log book, in July 1944, by which time I think the squadron was in Italy. I would include a scan of the extract, if I could work out how to paste the image here! regards Rob

Hi Nick, Many thanks for your response. I will ask my dad if he remembers Frank Berrett. There does not seem to be a single photo of a GR mk XIII on the internet! My only decent reference is Chaz Bowyer's 'Wellington at War'. This also has a photo of JA 416, taken from the right rear of the aircraft, slightly lower altitude. No armament, no beam gunner window, and apparently no spinners.The short section of window above the trailing edge looks to have been obscured, can't see the forward section. I have come across two images puporting to be a mkXIII. The one on rafweb.org shows the short side window overpainted as above, and the normal inverted triangular beam gunner window. The other, from an unidentified publication, shows what look like the full length side windows, and the beam gunner window in a lozenge shape. Maybe there is some latitude here. The images of the GR mkXIV in 'W at W' and on the internet show a variety of window configurations, perhaps the XIII was the same. I have some aircraft serials from my dad's logbook. I don't suppose there is any quick way of linking them individual codes? If not, I will go for G- George, as that's his name! regards Rob

First post here, from someone who hasn't built a wingy thing since a GW1 Tornado for my son about 1991 (but who built every Airfix release between 1958 and 1970, when tanks, trains, and girls gained the upper hand) I want to build a Wellington GR mk XIII of 221Sqn for my father, who flew in them as a wireless operator/rear gunner, specifically from Luqa, Malta, in 1944. I have the Trumpeter mk X, and very limited reference material! Would I be correct in thinking that externally, the mk XIII was the largely the same as the mk X, with the addition of the ASV radar? If not, what else do I need to do? I have searched this forum for 'wellington' and picked up some useful info, especially regarding the interior colouring, but am unsure about the exterior. I have the article on building the GR mk VIII from Model Airplane International, and will go for the dark slate grey/dark sea grey/white scheme as used there, unless the Old Man remembers it was otherwise - see the old thread on 'Coastal Command colour questions'). Hoping to get this finished by Christmas, any information most gratefully received.