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Showing results for tags 'FL-210'.
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Hello everyone Another build about to start, and yet another R.A.F. twin. After an Airfix Blenheim and Beaufighter and a Tamiya Mosquito, I'm doing on the recent Airfix Mitchell II as a 180 Squadron aircraft from August 1944. It will be either FL210 EV-T of FW199 EV-P - I haven't quite made my mind up yet. Both these Mitchells were flown by Edward 'Ted' Burn D.F.M., from Alnwick in Northumberland, so another local connection. He was involved in the following two incidents in these Mitchells: On August 6th 1944 he was flying FW199, and from the 180 Sqn ORB Form 540: In the morning eleven aircraft took part in a medium level bombing attack on an ammunition dump at LIVAROT and in the evening eleven aircraft attacked a concentration of enemy tanks at T.985412 in Northern France. Mitchell FW199 returning from the latter raid was hit by flak and had to make a forced landing at B.7 – 123 Wing in Normandy. The crew, all unhurt, were as follows: 1672857 Sgt. Burn, E. Pilot, 154612 P/O A.C. Kirk, Nav.B Aus419507 Sgt C.V. Smith, WO(AIR), and 1250048 Sgt. Freeman, J.R. Air Gunner. On August 9th 1944 he was the pilot of FL210: This morning eleven aircraft went on a bombing mission to an ammunition dump at Foret de Lyons. Intense accurate flak was encountered and casualties were sustained. In the Mitchell FL210 the Pilot and Navigator were wounded on the way to the Target, they made every endeavour to catch up on the formation and carry on with the job, but as the navigator was fast losing blood they had to turn for home and made an emergency landing at HARTFORD BRIDGE where the Navigator, P/O A.C. Kirk was taken to hospital and his left leg amputated. The pilot, Sgt E. Burn suffered only minor injury while the others Sgt. G.V. Smith (WO/Air) and Sgt J.E. Freeman (Air Gunner) were uninjured. Ted would fly some 43 Ops with 180 Sqn, and was awarded the D.F.M. in April 1945. However, his R.A.F. career had been brought to an abrupt halt in very odd, almost tragic, cirumstances in late 1944. From the ORB Form 540, December 3rd 1944: 1672857 F/Sgt BURN E. resting in his room was shot in the head when a revolver was accidentally discharged in an adjoining room. He was instantly removed to hospital and placed on the dangerously ill list. An investigation was ordered. Apparently another airman had just got a photo of his sweetheart, and wanted to pin it on the wall. Rather than using a hammer, or even his shoe, he decided to use his revolver, which went off and the bullet passed through the wall, hitting Ted Burn. He was taken to hospital, and somehow survived, although he lost the use of his left arm and leg. He died in 1990, as reported in the Newcastle Journal, April 14th 1990: Wartime pilot dies after heart attack Wartime pilot from the region has died suddenly at the age of 67. Mr. Ted Burn, of Branding Court, Jesmond, Newcastle, died in Newcastle General Hospital after suffering a heart attack. Mr. Burn, who won the Distinguished Flying Medal, survived a head wound caused by a gun injury to go on to careers in business and the civil service. Born in Alnwick, he joined the RAF in 1942. Two years later, he was injured when a fellow serviceman accidentally shot him. Mr. Burn who was left with a bullet lodged in his head, made a remarkable recovery, despite losing the use of his left arm and leg. So, what have we got? First, thanks to Amazon, a rather battered and scruffy box: This is how it arrived - no packaging at all, and covered in labels, but thankfully the Airfix boxes are pretty substantial. Good job it wasn't a present for someone... I'll also be using the Eduard 'Big Ed' set for the cockpit and bomb bay: Before I get on with it, a comment on the moulding. The plastic is sort of waxy (it is recycled plastic?), and the moudling isn't great in some places, particularly on the lower fuselage, where it seems ever so slightly short-shot: Anyway, onwards and upwards, and let's see how it goes... Simon