Mike M

Any chance someone could repost that photo of XB542 again without the circle and caption? Also, a real long shot, but does anyone have an image of XD776, which was also lettered Z. I assume that XB542 took over the Z after XD776 was lost?

Sorry to resurrect this old thread! Has anyone tried adding the wings from the Airfix Spitfire Vc/Seafire IIIc (Kit 5110) to the more recent Vb fuselage?

Hi, Does anyone know what codes Spitfire Vb W3828 would have carried whilst with 266 Sqn. I would like to know this information for the end of October 1941. The Squadron ORB does not help nor does the combat report filed on 27th Oct by Sqn Ldr Green who shot down a Do217 in this aircraft. Thanks in advance, Mike

I was confusing the Gramd Slam Lancasters with the B.VI which did have four blade props.

Am I remembering right when I recall seeing somewhere that these aircraft had four bladed propellers on their outboard engines?

This is from Paul Bellamy who is something of an authority on this kind of thing. Can't reply as not a member, but have answered the same question with the same photo before. Pyrotechnic candle rack for mickey lead ship. Tail guns not removed, just lost in the shade of the plane behind.

I have the Luftwaffe Crash Archive series which is up to volume ten currently. They are excellent and very comprehensive. I would recommend them to anyone with a serious interest in the topic. They are not cheap but then you get what you pay for.

Hi, I have the 1:48 Hobbyboss Me262 A-2a model. In order to make it as a A-1a is it as simple as swapping the nose piece for the one with four cannons rather than two and leaving the bomb racks off? Cheers, Mike

Hi, This is a massive long shot! Does anyone have any details of the aircraft flown by Oblt. Wolfgang Neu of 4/JG26 on 11th February 1944 when he claimed his ninth victory. I assume it would be a FW 190A-7 but would like to know what the code number was. If possible I would like the same information for two other pilots, Lt. Lange (6/JG26) and Fw. Mayer (7/JG26) also with regards to 11th February 1944. Cheers, Mike

I am happy that BR250 is the Spitfire concerned. The combat was on May 25th 1942 and so fits with the history for that aircraft.

Hi,I am trying to confirm individual letter for the Spitfire VI flown by Pilot Officer C.B. Brown of 616 Sqn during the interception of a Do217 on 25th May 1942. This was the first encounter with the Luftwaffe with a Spitfire VI. The brief encounter led to the Dornier being damaged but Pilot Officer Brown losing his eye when his canopy was shattered by return fire. Johnnie Johnson was involved in the combat but didn't engage the Dornier himself.The Squadron ORB is no help as no serials or aircraft letters are listed. This information is also absent from the combat report. Graham Pitchfork's book on 616 Sqn has the Spitfire serial as BP250 but a brief search through some of my reference material suggests that this serial was never assigned to a Spitfire so must be an error. I believe that this is a typo as BR250 fits the bill perfectly. I know that 616 Sqn aircraft letters are a bit of a black hole!It will be YQ-?, but what letter did BR250 carry?Cheers,Mike

Thought I'd share this article as it has a good image of a 50 Squadron Lancaster. http://www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/news/top-stories/war-veteran-92-latest-victim-in-corby-car-park-controversy-1-7338061 Mike

Did you get a reply mekon?

I have the three volume set published by Classic Publications on the Fw190 and was wondering if anyone knows of any plans for a similar set on the Bf109?

Try my website! www.20thfightergroup.com Mike

Thanks for this it is most useful. Wansford is about four miles east of King's Cliffe and the airfield is between the two villages. A number of RAF sources refer to the airfield as actually being called Wansford. If Davidson had taken off from the East/West runway in a easterly direction then any crash would have been very close to Wansford village. I didn't realise that the "The RAF's first Jet Squadron 616 (South Yorkshire)" book covered the earlier years of the Squadron, I assumed it was about their exploits with the Meteor. I'll have to buy a copy now! Mike

I only have the April 1942 part. i just downloaded it in an attempt to solve this puzzle, It flew on the 03/04/1942 operation with P/O R P Frahm, I don't know anything earlier than that.

72 Sqn ORB lists Spitfire AB375 as being with the Squadron but there is no mention of AD375. No 72 Sqn aircraft missing on 12/04/1942 either. AB375 shot down with 72 Sqn on 24/04/1942 with P/O R P Frahm killed.

The 616 Sqn ORB doesn't mention initials. I have his name as Harley Richard Strouts (RCAF J/15207) from the CWGC website that lists his death as 12/4/42 and that he is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. There seem to be several websites that list AD453 as being Davidsons including this one: http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=154186 AD375 looks like a good candidate according to http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/home.htmlits life ended "Missing presumed shot down by Fw190s SE of Calais 12-4-42". Only sticking point is as mentioned above supposedly with 72 Sqn.

Hi, Not exactly a modelling question bit I am hoping that the expertise here might know the answer! I am researching the history of RAF King's Cliffe and have a question regarding 616 Sqn's time there specifically April 1942. Looking through various books and the Squadrons Official Record Book and Summary I have the following three pilots as being killed over the course of two days in April 1942; 12/14/42 - P/O M. Lepel-Cointet - Spitfire VB AD456 - Posted missing after a Circus mission escorting 12 Bostons to Hazebrouk mashalling yards. 12/14/42 - P/O Harley Richard Strouts - Spitfire VB Serial Unknown- Posted missing after a Circus mission escorting 12 Bostons to Hazebrouk mashalling yards. 13/14/42 - Sgt. George Leslie Davidson - Spitfire VB AD543 - Aircraft crashed when its pilot rashly attempted a slow roll immediately after taking off from Kings Cliffe during a visit to 616 Squadron by a party of reporters and press photographers. I have been attempting to find out the serial number of Strouts' Spitfire and in my attempts have found various contradictory details (unfortunately the 616 ORB doesn't list any serials). Some sources list his name as E.W. Stronts not H.R. Strouts. Some sources list him as becoming a POW (he is listed on the CWGC website as KIA and commemorated at Runnymede) Some sources list his aircraft as AD543 (the aircraft I believe Davidson was killed in the following day) Other sources list his aircraft as AD453 though some sources list this aircraft as surving well beyond this date. So the basic question is can anyone confirm which aircraft P/O Strouts was flying on 12/04/42 when he was KIA on the Hazebrouk mission? Thanks, Mike

Hi, I would like to know when 616 Sqn changed the colour scheme on their Spitfire MK VBs from the Brown/Green to Grey/Green? I want to model Johnnie Johnsons Spitfire as it was whilst he was based at RAF King's Cliffe in 1942. 616 Sqn were at KIng's Cliffe between 30th January and 3rd July 1942. The markings that are on the Victory Productions 1:48 sheet have Johnson's 616 Sqn aircraft in Green and Brown and claim it to be as based at King's Cliffe but also use the date of August 1941 which is incorrect. Any help is much appreciated, Mike

If you are looking for 20th Fighter Group P-38 inspiration check out my website here: http://www.20thfightergroup.com/ There are lots of galleries and also several wartime films. Mike

Probably the best plane? What other planes are there? Mike

USN Phantom - VF-161 USAF Phantom - 52 TFW - Euro One or later greys as long as there is a shark mouth on the front! USMC Phantom - VMFA 333 RAF Phantoms - Low visibility grey with the bright tail markings look cool - 92 Sqn with the blue tail and red and yellow markings is possibly my favorite Mike

That's excellent, thanks. It was the top two boxings that I was wondering about. Mike