Merlin 28

Good range which seem to be always available, have only used one decal sheet from them (the same Lanc as my Avatar picture ED666, WS-G) nicely printed and easy to use though the red for the A/C codes are far to bright a red and the letters/figures for the A/C serials seem a bit on the big side. Its difficult to be entirely accurate for some aircraft this aircraft is a case in point where no side view pictures exist, IX used a smaller identification letter on some of their aircraft W4964 shows a smaller and uniquely shaped 'J' ED666 came on Squadron at around the same time as W4964 so its difficult to be conclusive without hard evidence which ED666 had.

Lancaster for me mainly because there's a family connection, My Grandfather served as a pilot with IX Squadron at RAF Bardney from May to September 1943 doing twenty ops in seven different Lanc's, fifteen of the ops were in just two aircraft ED666, G and W4964. J Other than the Lancaster, probably fair to say whatever I'm modelling at the time.

Used their RAF Dark Earth for the first time today on the Airfix Lancaster. Sprays superbly straight from bottle through my Iwata HP-BC set at 15psi, won't be going back to Humbrol where there is an Alclad equivalent available. Sprays as well as Tamiya if not better, not much in it either way. Easy clean up with white spirit or cellulose thinner.

You have probably looked at this, but if not http://aircrewremembered.com/dunton-frederick.html Might also be worth registering on here checking this chap out. http://100548.activeboard.com/t47922570/166-squadron-raf-kirmington-help-available-to-researchers/

I would try another tin to start with if all the others spray alright.

Now available in the UK from their web site or eBay Store. Just ordered 3 bottles to try on the Airfix Lancaster. http://www.alclad2-online.co.uk/index.php?CATEGORY=1&SUB=8&THISPAGE=1&RADIOSORT=5&SUPPLIERSCHOICE=&RNZ=262915&VIEWMODE=1 http://stores.ebay.co.uk/alclad2lacquers?_rdc=1

You maybe right, guess its down to how much you want them to make it worth the risk. Never had any issues myself getting stuff from the Far East, eBay or otherwise be it kits, paint, or other stuff that's not available in the UK.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=tamiya+enamels&_sop=15

Quite a crew this four officers, though Arndell was the Pilot. The comments make disappointing reading as they made no attack on the primary target would be reasonable to assume they returned to Bardney without releasing the Tallboy. The info is exactly as it is written in the ORB. Another thing to note Ian was this was the final main force raid of WW2. Hope this helps, if you change your mind just let me know as I have all the details of the other ops. Stuart 25/4/45 Lancaster NG206 F/O K C Arndell (A.414983) P/O H Jones P/O A D Campbell (NZ.421948) F/O W H Porter F/S R Meads F/S P J Brown F/S G L Richards Bombing - Berchtesgaden Up at 04:24 Down at 12:46 Comments - PRIMARY NOT ATTACKED. This was owing to late identification of direction of run in, and interference from other aircraft. Instructed not to make second rum.

Ian let me know which op you are depicting and I will send you all the crew members and comments from the ORB.

What a coincidence nice to chat with someone who has a connection. I to contacted a decal manufacturer (Kitsworld) about doing the decals for ED666, pleasantly surprised when they got back in touch and told me they were going to print them. Will be using the new Airfix kits would liked to have done them in 1/48 but feel the Tamiya kit has to many drawbacks for my limited skills. Quietly hoping someone will do an up to date 1/48 kit in the near future not holding my breath though, but you never know. Look forward to seeing NG206 Ian. Stuart

Pattisons artwork was superb, he was generally regarded as one of the best if not the best nose art creators from the War time period. Regarding whether she reverted back to standard BIII configuration is always going to be open to speculation, personally I would say she stayed as she was at the time of the Tirpitz raid as her last op against Hitlers Eagles Nest was also a Tallboy raid so I think you will be OK. Am currently building two IX Squadron Lancaster's myself W4964, WS-J after her 5th op (Dusseldorf 11/6/43) bit of a different take on Bardneys most famous Lanc only usually seen modelled after her last op. On this one she took a direct Flak hit over the target whilst flying straight and level for the required 18 seconds after the bombs had gone down she only just managed to get home after this one not only did she lose the use of her turrets but had to make the return journey with open bomb doors which could not be closed and on landing they had to lower the undercart and flaps using the compressed air bottle which acted as back up should there be a hydraulic failure and ED666, WS-G as she was just prior to the second Hamburg fire raid 27/7/43. My Grandfather was the pilot on both occasions.

Just been doing a little more digging and with the help of a couple of people on another Forum have come up with this. NG206 did not serve with 630 Squadron all her ops were with IX, and as previously stated she may or may not have served with 227 after hostilities ceased. Have also found another source of info that states she did not serve with 630 "Avro Lancaster The Definitive History" by Harry Holmes page 218. PS Just been informed she didn't serve with 227 either

Thanks Bob

Thanks for the replies all, looks like Academy or Hasegawa then, is the Hobby Boss kit any good?

Hi all, just getting back into it after a number of years, just love the P38 Lightening. Opinions of the best kit in 1/48?

A very talented Corporal Jacky Pattison painted all the nose art on IX Squadron Lancaster's though this didn't usually happen until the aircraft had completed at least 1/2 dozen ops so I would also question whether ND206 carried nose art on this op if indeed it was her first.

Also of note is that 227 Squadron was reformed on the 7th Oct 1944 from the "A Flight" of IX Squadron and the "B Flight" of 619 Squadron and was based at Balderton though still attached to RAF Bardney it was finally disbanded on the 5th September 1945 The Squadron used the code letters "9J", earlier in the War they flew Beaufighters then Halifax. It seems more likely to me that ND206 didn't serve in 227 Squadron until after hostilities ceased and she ended her days there.

Well have just been through the ORB right up to the end of the War NG206 did 31 ops with IX Squadron the first being the Tirpitz on the 29th Oct 1944 and the last being Hitlers Eagles Nest on the 25th April 1945. So the bomb tally in the picture is way way out unless she did all the ops shown with 630 or 227. So if you are sure she did 31 ops in total they must have all been with IX, so in theory she should show no bomb markings as Tirpitz was her first op, hope that makes sense confusing me self now. Of note is that ND206 was delivered no earlier than July 1944 from Sir W.G. Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Ltd Bagington to contract acft/239. Delivered to where though I don't know. 11/12/44 Urft Dam. Skipper F/O K S Arndell 17/12/44 Munich. Same Skipper 18/12/44 Battleship “Lutzow” at Gdynia. Same Skipper 1/2/45 Gravenhorst. Same Skipper. 12/1/45 Bergen. Skipper S/Ldr Williams 14/1/45 Leuna. Skipper F/O K S Arndell 16/1/45 Brux. Same Skipper 3/2/45 Ymuiden. Skipper F/O Follet 6/2/45 Altenberken. Same Skipper 14/2/45 Altenberken. Skipper F/O K S Arndell 19/2/45 Bohlem. Skipper F/O Scott 21/2/45 Gravenhorst. Skipper F/O Young 22/2/45 Altenberken. Skipper F/O Harper 24/2/45 Ladbergen. Skipper F/O K S Arndell 3/3/45 Ladbergen. Skipper F/O K S Arndell 6/3/45 Sassnits. Ladbergen. Skipper F/O K S Arndell 7/3/45 Harburg. Skipper F/O K S Arndell 13/3/45 Arnsberg. Skipper F/O K S Arndell 14/3/45 Arnsberg. Skipper F/O Scott 15/3/45 Arnsberg. Skipper F/O K S Arndell 19/3/45 Vlotho. Skipper F/O K S Arndell 22/3/45 Bremen. Skipper F/O Langdon 23/3/45 Bad Ceynhausen. Skipper F/L Taylor 27/3/45 Farge. Skipper F/O Scott 7/4/45 Molbis. Skipper F/O K S Arndell 8/4/45 Lutzkendorf. Skipper F/O K S Arndell 13/4/45 Prince Eugen. Skipper F/O K S Arndell 16/4/45 Pilsen. Skipper F/O Barrowman 19/4/45 Heligoland. Skipper F/L Follet 25/4/45 Berchtesgaden. Skipper F/O K S Arndell (Hitlers Eagles Nest)

Will have a look in the ORB for ops after the 29th though bare with me as there is a lot to go through. Do you know if she saw the War out with IX would narrow things down a bit, all in all there were 6 aircraft which carried the ID 'J' with IX W4964, NG206, W4197,DV393, ED490 and ED566. Another option is to have a look here https://www.facebook.com/groups/558447124214499/it is an excellent source of info regarding Bomber Command, reasonably sure there will folk on there who have access to the ORB's for 630 and 227 Squadrons. pointed someone in the direction of this page a week or two ago and think they may have gained some if not all the info they were after. Most of the members are real enthusiasts or people who have a family connection to Bomber Command like myself. Info is freely given and most of the folk are really helpful.

As Vicarage says the Ground crews record may have been different to the that of the recording Clerk, though they made quite a few mistakes themselves.

Sorry all dates should read 1944, my mistake chaps (Edited)

NG206 (WS-J) attacked the Tirpitz on 29 Oct 1944, skipper was Dougie Melrose. The sortie markings shown on NG206 in your picture must have been flown with either 630 or 227 Squadrons. W4964 (WS-J) flew her last and 107th op (Bremen) with IX on the 6 Oct 1944 skipper was A E Jeffs. Referring to the Squadron ORB it would appear the Tirpitz raid on the 29th was NG206's first op with IX as I cannot find any reference to her between 6th Oct (W4964 last) and 29th Oct.

Well pleased you gained something from looking goon, as I said most are very helpful it makes sourcing information so much easier these days. The amount of info out there is immense really considering most of the folk are just like us, people with an interest be it family, historians generally or modellers.

Great thread this, hope this is not going off topic to much. There are some good pages on Facebook such as https://www.facebook.com/groups/558447124214499/ being just one example, relating to Bomber Command, with some very knowledgeable people posting, some have a good knowledge of the aircraft others have an excellent knowledge of the Squadrons and the men who crewed the aircraft, some are there because they have a family link to Bomber Command myself included. Information and advice of the kind goon was looking for is freely given as some of the posters have access to individual Squadron ORBs and other RAF records. If you need info like this and you have a picture or other document you can post on there it will usually get a good response. Helped me loads with some of the info I was searching for always find most are very helpful. Yes I know it's F/B but still a good source non the less.