Graham Boak

However, since that publication Ken Merrick has found evidence that the German aircraft were actually painted in German colours in Germany before transfer to Italy and then North Africa. In his 2-volume work for Classic he includes this evidence with samples of the original colours, as well as well as the later standardised ones. It was Ken Merrick who originally suggested that the early German aircraft in the theatre were repainted in theatre, in Italian colours, something that has since been accepted as if gospel.

I suspect that the cannon breech and ammo tank would get in the way of the wheel well, but the earlier versions had a different version of the engine anyway.

Technically interesting, but I can't get upset because cockpit fittings that can't be seen have been omitted. I do however prefer being given full engines rather than what FM provide here, and also feel that the review should have said something about the transfer sheet.

This isn't a simple question. Early German aircraft intended for Africa received the early yellow version of RLM79 but not at the factory. Later aircraft had the later hazelnut RLM79 and this was painted on at the factory - at least for Bf109s as some of them were delivered directly to the Eastern Front. Just exactly what happened when to which He111s I don't know but I'm sure I've seen profiles of examples in the desert colours, perhaps with some form of camouflage added. As with all profiles, beware. As the He111 played a minor role in North Africa (torpedo-bombers excepted, but they retained greens) I suspect that examples were few and with the early colours. Other opinions may differ. PS Photo of S7+ZA in Kookaburra's Luftwaffe Camouflage and markings vol.2. Single colour uppersurfaces with white rear fuselage band and wingtips

None of the Airfix kits provide the deeper radiators needed for the FE version and many post war examples. However I don't know how many post war aircraft retained the standard radiators, so it is a matter of checking photographs for the particular example you want to make. It is not the most obvious of alterations, but...

There must have been some performance penalty, but on a loaded Swordfish it might have been difficult to notice. I gather much the same technique was used with Wellingtons in the Med, but ideally there'd be one machine maintaining the flares, because by the time you'd dropped them and then worked your way around to an attacking position. they would have gone into the sea. However, even a loaded Wellington was faster than a Swordfish.

Looking at the Ducimus text Troy has posted, RDM2A was standard in 1940 too, so I'm not sure you can (historically) get away with that. Unless it says more on the next page... However as long as you do a dead matt finish you can always claim it was freshly painted.

Both could be correct: there were campaigns against nudity within the USAAF that resulted in the more exposed young ladies receiving underwear.

If the aircraft was painted in standard Night then it weathered quite well. However in 1941 many (if not all) were painted in Special Night (RDM 2) which was basically lamp black (used for the interiors of cameras) which had such poor adhesion it reputedly would come off if you brushed your hand along it. Obviously this wouldn't stay neat for long under the tender care of RAF boots and the British weather.

No, the Defiant was all metal. Fabric covered control surfaces excepted.

Frankly, any such would be lipstick on a pig. However, I do have Gold Medal Models British Aircraft Carrier, but you will also need replacement main and secondary armaments. Replacement aircraft would also help.

I assume this was the same paint as applied to WW2 fighters such as the Spitfire. This was a greenish-yellow colour early in the war, but was replaced later by gas sensitive paints in camouflage colours - or perhaps just one colour? Given that Humbrol 26 is not a far match from the Dark Earth on Battle of Britain fighters (and bombers throughout), the high contrast visible in photos makes it clear that this early war gas-sensitive paint was not anywhere near H26. However, it would seem likely that the khaki form of the paint as shown above was made available to the Army later in the war.

It is worth remembering that although at least some of the factories used masks, aircraft would be repainted as required at Maintenance Units, and I don't recall any suggestions that they used masks. The Whirlwind above is not in its original factory colours. Perhaps others know where Whirlwinds were overhauled? I have seen other examples where the outline has been sprayed first and then filled in. I suspect that this was normal on larger aircraft at least, and possibly not rare on smaller ones too.

Last night on BBC2, a programme about Frank Williams, of the racing team. His father served in Bomber Command, so as stock film to pad out the talking heads the producer included colour film of the crew boarding a Fortress Mk.I, which then took off. I don't think this was anything other than pure chance, any bomber would have done. I recall an old VHS account of the Bf109, which to illustrate the inferiority of French and Italian aircraft showed Swiss D3801s and Reggianne 2005s! There must be lots of other similar gems around.

Lovely modelling of an interesting, not to say downright peculiar, way of minimising the lift/drag ratio. The point of minimum lift coupled with extreme drag escapes me. However, as an ex-aerodynamicist I have to say that you can't get a negative aspect ratio, it is merely(!) less than 1. Quite a bit less in this case. AR = span squared divided by wing area, or span/mean chord.