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As work started today on a room over a cart-lodge that will be able to contain the first (and probably last) permanent model railway layout I have been able to build. I thought I would start a thread on this. This will be a long term project but I would like to complete it by the end of 2024. For many years it has been my ambition to construct with a second world war theme. My thoughts have been through many iterations but I have not decided on a very specific time and location. This is based around the following: The Operations Record Book of 512 Squadron contains the following entry “Exercise Meteor” Instructions were received on the 20th March that the squadron would move up to R.A.F. Station Gosfield to carry out exercise “Meteor”. Twenty-four aircraft and crews were to be provided plus 5 reserve crews. Squadron was to be screen for Routine Air Transport commitments as from p.m. on the 21st March 1945. The lines below then appear Exercise "Meteor" however never materialised, and it would appear that is was purely a security blind for the airborne operation across the Rhine, this operation being called "Varsity". That references RAF Gosfield but many of the airfields in Essex that had been vacated by the US 9th Airforce we also brought back into use for operation Varsity, The crossing of the Rhine also required support from the heavy bombers of the 8th Airforce based at RAF Ridgewell and bases in Suffolk. The layout should reflect the activity on both road and rail. As far as possible the layout will reflect the position around March 1945 I will be looking to convey an impression about what was taking place rather than a fully accurate representation. As to the location – I am looking towards the centrepiece of the layout being a station somewhere in North Essex with a small goods yard. Although the final dimensions of the layout will have to await the partial completion of the building I am looking at around 5m of length. I am not particularly into shunting so a simple dumb-bell type layout with the ability for trains to pass would be adequate. The layout will be DCC and I am happy with the electronics required for a reverse loop. Some parts of this build will appear elsewhere especially in GB’s Some work will be scheduled for the following: Anything but injection, 20 March to 11 July 2021 – a number of structures. The 'Unarmed' Group Build. Saturday 17 April 2021 - Sunday 8 August 2021 – various vehicles including both the RAF & USAF support kits, the old Airfix Airfield sets etc. I may even sneak a quick couple of entries into the current KUTA XIII GB. Also “Less that a tenner” and Blitzbuilds may offer opportunities.

Should have posted this a last week, but 24 March 2015 was the 70th aniversary of Operation Varsity, the Rhine crossing. As some will know I'm a volunteer at Jet Age Museum, Staverton - one of the ongoing projects there is a replica Horsa cockpit, as a celebration of participation of local industry. http://www.jetagemuseum.org/Horsa.aspx And we're in the fortunate position to have 2 former Horsa pilots as members - both participated in Operation Varsity. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-32008966 I met Ken Plowman at Jet Age, and asked him to autograph the box of my Airfix Horsa kit. He told me the story of - well a crash rather than a landing arrival in Germany. Later Ken presented his story for a Museum Club night. This is where I'll share the notes I took then. Ken flew an AS58 Horsa II glider for Varsity, his cargo was a Land Rover, a 4.2 inch artillery piece, 220 rounds of ammo, and a motorbike. The Airfix kit originated from Italeri, and has options to enable both versions. As a Horsa I it could look pretty good (without me getting rulers out), just a bit of cockpit frame to add. Kit has necessary parts for single nosewheel, twin towpoints, and detachable tail. However the Horsa II had a different cockpit section rendering an accurate copy impossible from this kit. It does have the hinged nose, twin nosewheels, and single towpoint features as options - so that's what I built. My work in progress - well painting photos. I built this model at the same time as my Lancaster II - both being painted at the same time. Ken told me that he joined the RAF and was trained as a pilot for single engined aircraft. The RAF expected higher loss than actually occurred - hence he was never converted onto fighter. Without multi-enging training he never moved towards bombers either. He spent a lot of the war instructing in Canada. Offered the opportunity to fly gliders for the Army, he jumped at an opportunity to get into action. Ken described how his glider cost about one tenth the cost of a transport aircraft - hence was regarded as disposable. We've asked about marking and number for his aircraft, but they're mostly forgotten. Operation Varsity involved 440 Horsa Gliders, launching from bases in the West Country, the Midlands, and East Anglia. These streams converged over London, and set off for an area north of Cologne. Varsity was a daylight landing, with the objective of securing the far bank of the Rhine, holding it until reinforcements could cross by pontoon bridge, and preventing German interference. The stuff of assault troops - gliders carried their heavy firepower. Ken's towplane was a Short Stirling, towspeed 110-120kts. He described how the air became dark with gunsmoke on approach to the landing zone. Somewhere near landing his aircraft probably took a hit. He lost air pressure and was unable to lower the flaps - thus reduce speed for landing. Ken mentioned having 170kts on the clock at one point. Without flaps the glider hit the ground at 70kts, and bounced on its skid. At this point the nose broke off at the hinge point. Ken described coming to a standstill upside down. Releasing his straps he fell to the ground. Fortunately both pilots were uninjured. The rest of their glider was about 3-400 yards away, embedded in the bank of a small stream. Nobody inside was injured, so the troops had driven straight out without need of their ramps. Ken remained in Germany for 2 more days before being evacuated back to Britain. One detail about which Ken was adamant - was that his glider had 2 TAF stripes. Jed our Jet Age Horsa researcher has confirmed that there are photos of some Horsas still with D-day stripes during Varsity. Probability is that stripes were applied prior to D-Day, but that glider wasn't actually used until Varsity. I've obscured the white stripes on my glider with dark grey - again this was the probable practice. I've mounted the model on an aluminium tube (formerly an arrow) at a steep approach - about to hit the ground.