Solar Panel Phil

Troy, many thanks, I hope 'John Aero' is still with us. I'm minded to think Airfix these days gets the basic measurements and shapes right, especially where a quintessential British machine is involved.

John, greetings, hope you well. I've bought the Airfix 1/72 & 1/48 Tiggies for a bit of retirement time filling - and also have the Warpaint 101 - but on checking the 1/48 plans within that publication the Airfix 1/48 appears a tad on the small side, both on fuselage length and wingspans. As I think I read somewhere you were involved with Airfix on this one, and you mention your own plans, thoughts?

Andy, hi, thanks for this info, how can one view such records? RAF Museum visit? I couldn't see any online options.

Dave, I should have been clearer - yep, the kit decals are for DD712, so within the known 25 specified above, in which case I would have been definite about the lack of radar etc. The modeller concerned had opted for different decals - DD792 - with all the radar - hence my wondering about what particular type of NF II that example was.

Dave, agreed, those were photos I'd seen that gave me the same impression - 23 Sqn only used the special intruder versions during that 42-44 period. The Facebook post was on an Airfix model group linked to their old 1/72 Mosquito.

Greetings all, hopefully one of the fraternity familiar with the above can help me. I'm aware from the production listings and a comment in the Osprey book on Mosquito fighter/fighter-bomber units that 25 'Special intruder' variants of the NF.II were built to supply 23 Sqn with replacements for their Bostons to pursue their intruder role in Occupied Europe. These 25 were in the DD range, DD670-91 & DD712-14, according to an appendix in SAM mosquito book, although it isn't quite clear what organisation (factory, MU, squadron) did the modifications. DD670 NFII 23/Hunsdon/51OTU/60OTU/1 RS 4780M NTU SOC 31.1.46 DD671 NFII 23 Crashed on overshoot Bradwell Bay 23.9.42 DD672 NFII 23/60OTU SOC 31.1.46 DD673 NFII 23/51OTU/60OTU/141 Hit by flak nr Granville and abandoned nr Wisbech Cambs. 9.6.44 DD674 NFII 23/410 Missing from day intruder mission 6.4.43 DD675 NFII 23/8OTU To 4849M 7.46 DD676 NFII 23/301FTU SOC 31.1.46 DD677 NFII 23 Missing nr Haps 29.7.42 Claimed by Bf110 of 1/NJG1 DD678 NFII 23/51OTU/60OTU Dived into ground nr Shawbury 16.9.43 DD679 NFII 23 Crashed on take-off Manston 3.9.42 DD680 NFII 23/301FTU/TFU/54OTU SOC 31.1.46 DD681 NFII 23 Swung on landing and u/c collapsed Luqa 24.4.43 DD682 NFII 23/456/8OTU/132OTU/143 SOC 21.4.45 DD683 NFII 23 Dived into sea 15m SE of Bradwell Bay 9.9.42 DD684 NFII 23 Missing 9.9.42 DD685 NFII 23/51OTU/60OTU Crashed nr Hales Staffs. 7.9.43 NFD DD686 NFII 23 Crashed on take-off Manston 7.9.42 DD687 NFII 23/54OTU Hit by Halifax MZ625 after landing Topcliffe 7.2.45 DD688 NFII 23 Overshot landing at Manston 26.8.42 DD689 NFII 23 Missing 9.9.42 DD690 NFII 23/333 Collided with NS105 on approach Leuchars 8.8.43 DD691 NFII 23 Crashlanded at Luqa 27.12.42 DBR DD712 NFII 23 Missing 29.11.42 DD713 NFII 23/410 Missing from night intruder mission to Bremen 17.5.43 DD714 NFII 23/85/BSDU/51OTU Overshot landing at Cranfield 1.3.45 All these presumably were with radar sets & aerials removed, possibly with extra fuel tanks (unless the latter was only when re-equipped with fresh NF II types prior to/after the move to Malta?). Some later DD examples arrived at 23 Sqn, presumably as replacement aircraft: DD792 NFII 23 Missing on patrol from Malta 16.2.43 DD793 NFII 23 Missing on patrol from Malta 21.2.43 DD794 NFII 23 Missing on patrol from Malta 12.2.43 DD795 NFII 23/60OTU Flew into hill nr New Galloway Ayrshire 21.1.44 DD797 NFII 23 Crashed after take-off West Mersea Essex 26.11.42 DD798 NFII 23/RN To RN 5.2.44 DD799 NFII 23/1619/141/1692 Flt/60OTU/13OTU SOC 27.9.45 These appear in the serial number listings above as 'standard' NF.IIs (as they all do) and I can't find any other link showing conversion to 'Specials'. Were they issued with the standard radar equipment, and 23 Sqn flew a mix of radar/radar-less intruder missions whilst still in the UK July-Dec 42 (presumably as the secrecy of the radar set was no longer an issue?), or did the squadron or the MU do the necessary amendments before service use? Or maybe the conversion was no longer deemed worthy of separate note/research didn't pick them up and the above replacements were 'radar-less' as per earlier? From the various photos I've seen in my library and on the web, 23 Sqn's intruder role in the UK & Malta 1942-44 involved no radar-equipped aircraft, whether NF.II types or the later FB.VI they were equipped with. Would appreciate any illumination, as there is a FB post concerning a model of DD792 with radar that has piqued my interest and the above!

With Airfix having done Whitleys and Wellingtons in recent years, maybe a new Hampden might be worth a thought @ Hornby? Admittedly decidedly British, but with a couple of roles and (if I recall correctly) marking possibilities for UK, Swedish and Russian air forces. With the machine being restored by the RAF Museum, a chance to get proper dims etc?

Hi guys, the mention of step came in one particular article I accessed in my search, so not generally repeated elsewhere. I'm also wondering (per my comment above) whether this was a differentiator at all between 314 & 314A production. Hopefully Klass can elucidate! Will certainly share any info that comes to light!

JWM, greetings, very fair comment, It must have been an interesting discussion in Haldane Place when this project came up for the design/production green light.."how many aircraft actually built?" I've since bought second-hand the Klaas book on this type (via Abe Books) so maybe I'll resolve my query upon reading! Best wishes, Philip

Greetings! Perhaps one more for our US fraternity but I know Britmodeller has a lot of readers from over the water! In looking at the stash recently my eye alighted on the old 1/144 Airfix Boeing Clipper kit, which can be completed either as Pan American's 'Dixie Clipper' or BOAC's 'Berwick'. From review of web literature the former is one of the 6 '314' production model and 'Berwick' is one of the latter 6 '314A' production model. I understand there are few differences externally between the two - the 314A featured more powerful Wright Cyclone engines driving bigger propellors (14'9" v the earlier 14'). There was also an intriguing mention in one source of the step being moved in the 314A to reduce porpoising, although I've not been able to see any change in the photos I've looked at. I assume the step is where the hull bottom has a break in shape and curvature below the sponsons. I also read somewhere that the earlier 314 versions were updated later on to the 314A enhancements, presumably during the wartime period of service. Happy to be corrected if I have misunderstood anything! 1. Is the Airfix kit a 314 or 314A (I guess the only judge is the location of the step - but see 2 below! - and the propellor blades)? 2. The porpoising was noticed early on, so was the step moved in time for production of the 314 variant? Alternatively, if a 314A change, what changed and where? 3. Looking for the Minicraft Clipper decals as they look more complete, any likely sources (have tried eBay!)? Fascinating aircraft - only 12 built, and really only a decade of service, but what an impact they must have had when appearing at the various shore installations they used across the world. Any info re the above appreciated!

Steve, many thanks!

Hi, I know I'm resurrecting quite an old post, but curious about the size of the Airfix decals for DW-K - someone on another post opined that they were just a tad overlarge for proper placement on this well-photographed aircraft. In one of the the examples above, the 'D' extends over the wing root joint. I know the 610 machines had a peculiarly large set of code letters at the time, but has Airfix "over-egged" them a bit?

Went to the Duxford Hurricane exhibition today - asked one of the IWM guys in attendance the same question as above - he thought the windows had been on all variants - so he and I hopped across the ropes to check several of Mk I and Mk IIs there - he was right, all had the wheel well rectangular viewing windows. Perhaps he was right, perhaps even later variants did as I thought I’d read above.

Sad news indeed but quite an innings....fond memories of the plastic bags and headers in the local hardware store that attracted the weekly pocket money......and some classic kits late on like the B-26 Marauder that I think are still very good. Certainly made Airfix a household name during his tenure....thankfully after many years in the doldrums they are on the up again. RIP and many thanks to a person who enriched my youth...

Just spent an enjoyable hour or so reading all the posts - what a mine of information in one place! Many many thanks to Rabbit Leader and all the contributors.

Hello all! I'm clearing up my late brother's stash and came across an old Humbrol tin of paint 13 which I can't locate anywhere on the various conversion charts etc. Any idea! Appears to be a green shade of blue, close to himmelblau and duck-egg green. Curious!

I've just bought this kit and after some research I think NE829 with a torpedo is right for the date and action - the detailed citation for the DFC awarded to FO Maurice Exton mentions a torpedo attack by him on a ship after being hit by flak. 144 at the time was part of the Banff Strike Wing but subsequently moved over to form part of the Dallachy Strike Wing until the end of the war. Regarding RD367/H however, I'm not so sure rockets are appropriate for June to August 1945. From Wiki is the mention that from April 1945 the squadron was tasked with the jungle search & rescue of downed aircraft crew, not strike missions. I would have thought carrying the unnecessary weight of rockets and rocket pylons would have led to their removal (except the plate, perhaps) and retention of the cannon/mg armament. Does that gel with anybody, or other thoughts/info?

Adding to an old post as I've now managed to get a Mitchell II kit. However, looking at the Airfix colour schemes, is the 180 Squadron serial number correct? FL-212 according to a standard search crashed on 22/1/43 in the North Sea (a casualty I presume of the very first RAF Mitchell II raid) and was apparently coded EV-A. All the well--documented photos of EV-W date from the press show at Dunsfold on 28/7/43. From another source that aircraft's s/n was FL218, and was destroyed near Hawkinge on 25/1/44. Has this been already noticed and reviewed?

Seahawk, many thanks for the clarification, I agree FN427 most likely and also would not have been recovered IMHO. I wonder if you can help on JX814/BU71237 - I have the weekend Eduard kit to do! - I thought I saw somewhere a diagram of the production changes in F6F-3 & -5 which might indicate that this F6F-5 might be one of those with the rear windows still in - but I can't find the same data again, can you advise?

The OP cited the photo in the Osprey book and I think we all agree it is a Hellcat I (F6F-3=) rather then (as captioned) a Hellcat II (F6F-5=) - which rather rules out JW781 & JX758 as both are the later type. This leaves us with the FN or early JV s/ns I think.

Belated addition to this post: JV142 data from joebaugher.com US aircraft production database. Description of accident looks very similar to the picture, but occurred on 24 July 1944. Mention of JV147 looks improbable as record indicates collision with aircraft carrier island. 40771/40780 to Royal Navy as Hellcat I JV140/JV149 40771 (JV140) crashed into sea after attacking oil tanks at Khjen, Norway May 9, 1944 while operating from HMS Emperor. Pilot bailed out but was never found 40773 (JV142) while landing on HMS Indomitable Jul 24, 1944, caught no 4 wire which parted, aircraft went through two barriers and fell overboard into sea. Pilot rescued. 40775 (JV144) bounced when landing on HMS Khedive Apr 10, 1945, missed wires, floated over barrier into parked Hellcats JV298 (58996) and JW719 (70034) and went overboard into sea. Pilot and three seamen on deck killed. 40777 (JV146) spun in off steep turn and crashed at Black Abbey, Northern Ireland Jul 2, 1944. Pilot killed. 40778 (JV147) while landing on HMS Emperor May 6, 1944, hook pulled out and aircraft collided with island of carrier. DBR. 40780 (JV149) shot down in flames by flak Oct 11, 1944 while attacking enemy shipping in Euripo Channel, Greece. Pilot killed.

Black Knight, Graham, many thanks!

Greetings, trying a vehicle kit for the first time in many years; I'm normally an aircraft stash specialist! The 1/76 scale kit (Bofors gun + tractor) is going together quite well, just curious about the undersides for desert campaign vehicles - was everything underneath (including chassis) sprayed the same as the top & sides, or left in original factory finish (which was?). I've tried Google but no clarification for my ageing brain! Help appreciated from the AFV fraternity

Greetings, trying a vehicle kit for the first time in many years; I'm normally an aircraft stash specialist! The 1/76 scale kit (Bofors gun + tractor) is going together quite well, just curious about the undersides for desert campaign vehicles - was everything underneath (including chassis) sprayed the same as the top & sides, or left in original factory finish (which was?). I've tried Google but no clarification for my ageing brain! Help appreciated from the AFV fraternity

VMA131Marine, thanks for the correction and the checking - good to read all is in order!