Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'Tamiya Spitfire Mk.Vb'.
-
Good afternoon. I present to you my recently finished model: Manufacturer: Tamiya Scale: 1/48 Aircraft: Tamiya № 61035 1/48 Spitfire Mk.Vb (early) Markings: Spitfire Mk.Vb (early) W3257/FY-E, 611 Squadron, Flt/Lt Eric Lock, Hornchurch, Essex, july 1941 Aftermarket: Montex № K48202 Super Mask Spitfire Mk.Vb Tamiya Colors: - Gunze Sangyo H 72 Dark Earth Semi-Gloss/R.A.F. Aircraft WW II - Gunze Sangyo H 73 Dark Green Semi-Gloss/R.A.F. Aircraft WW II - Gunze Sangyo H 74 Sky (Duck Egg Green) Semi-Gloss/R.A.F. Aircraft WW II Biography of the pilot: Eric Stanley Lock born on Bomere Farm, in the village of Bayston Hill, outside Shrewsbury in 1919, Lock was educated at the Public Elementary School in Bayston Hill (1924–1926), at Clivedon School in Church Stretton (1926–1928), at Shrewsbury Boys High School (1928–1929), and finally at Prestfelde School in Shrewsbury (1929–1933). After leaving school, he was employed on the family farm, Allfield, and in Bayston Quarry until 1939. Developing a love for motor vehicles, motor cycles and flying as a teenager, Lock joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve as an AC2 Airman u/t Pilot (No. 745051) on 17 February 1939, and was promoted to Sergeant the following day. He undertook his initial peacetime training mostly on weekends and some week nights with 28 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School (No. 28 E&RFTS) run by the company 'Reid & Sigrist' at Meir, outside Stoke-on-Trent and made his first solo flight within the month. No. 28 E&RFTS was disbanded on 31 August 1939 and Lock was mobilized the following day, but immediately sent on leave with full pay until 29 October 1939. His wartime training commenced on 30 October 1939 when he was posted to Course 1, 4 Initial Training Wing (No. 4 ITW) at Bexhill-on-Sea. He graduated on 8 December 1939 and was posted the following day to Course 17, 6 Service Flying Training School (No. 6 SFTS) at RAF Little Rissington. Lock was awarded by pilot badge ('Wings') in March 1940, but he did not graduate the course until 18 June 1940, and was granted a commission (No. 81642) the same day. He was immediately posted to No. 41 Squadron RAF, then based at RAF Catterick in Yorkshire. By the time of his arrival on the Squadron, Lock had not flown a single hour in a Spitfire and his first solo in the type took place on 21 June 1940. He spent the ensuing six weeks learning to fly the aircraft and consequently did not make his first operational sortie until 9 August 1940. In time, Lock became the RAF's most successful Allied pilot during the Battle of Britain, shooting down 21 German aircraft and sharing in the destruction of one. After the Battle of Britain Lock served on the Channel Front, flying offensive sweeps over France. Lock went on to bring his overall total to 26 aerial victories, one shared destroyed and eight probable in 25 weeks of operational sorties over a one-year period—during which time he was hospitalised for six months.Included in his victory total were 20 German fighter aircraft, 18 of them Messerschmitt Bf 109s. In mid-1941 Lock was promoted to the rank of Flight Lieutenant. Lock earned the nickname "Sawn Off Lockie", because of his extremely short stature. Within less than six months of becoming one of the most famous RAF pilots in the country, he crash–landed in the English Channel after his Supermarine Spitfire was damaged by ground–fire. Lock was posted missing in action.
- 18 replies
-
- 30
-
- Tamiya Spitfire Mk.Vb
- W3257
-
(and 1 more)
Tagged with: