KLP Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 (edited) 30 September 1944 a De Havilland Mosquito of Royal Canadian Airforce crashed in the danish forest Gribskov about 10km from my home. This build is meant as a tribute to the brave pilots that gave their lifes for freedom. In the afternoon of 30 September 1944 the Royal Canadian Air Force 418 Squadron had 4 Day Ranger missions to Germany, Austria and Denmark. The mission to Denmark, carried out by 2 Mosquitos, had fatal consequences for one of the planes and its crew. The 2 planes were TH-W, NS906 with Flight Lieutenant (Pilot) R. H. Thomas and Flying Officer (Navigator) G. J. Allin and TH-S, HJ821 with Flight Lieutenant (Pilot) H. E. Miller and Sergeant (Navigator) W. Hooper. These Mosquitos took off from RAF Coltishall at 15.25 hours danish time. Their mission was to shoot down and/or destroy as many German planes as possible at the airfield at Grove (Fliegerhorst Grove - Karup), the airfields at Aalborg (Aalborg West, Rødslet, now Aalborg Airport - and Aalborg East) and Copenhagen Airport, Kastrup. At Aalborg the 2 planes engaged a German Bf109 fighter which was shot down. Another Bf109 was approached but escaped. From here they flew over Sjællands Odde to close to Hvalsø in the central part of Sjælland (Zealand), where they attacked the locomotive of a passenger train. Then the planes flew in a crescent over the Køge Bugt (Bay) and over Copenhagen Airport. When they came over the Sound they were exposed to flak from flak-batteries in Flakfortet and Middelgrundsfortet. At full speed the planes flew to the north following the Sound till they passed the coast of North Zealand at about Espergærde. The two pilots had radio contact when they flew over Esrum Sø (Esrum Lake). They had not been hit by flak. One minute later the Mosquito with Thomas and Allin hit two tall trees near Gribskovlejren. The left tailplane was torn off and the plane crashed. The plane hit the ground in a narrow angle and ploughed a 300 meter long track in the ground. The plane stopped about 800 meters from where it hit the trees. As this point the two crew members where more than likely both dead. The cockpit was completely burned out, apparently because the incendiary ammunition had made a huge shooting flame into the cockpit. Shortly after Miller and Hooper noted that they had lost radio and visual contact with NS906. They took a course that would bring them back to their base in England as fast as possible. When they passed between Skovby and Holse, app. 8 km south west of Bogense in Fyn (Funen), they attacked what they believed was a black German staff car. Actually it was a taxi from Bogense. The passenger was killed and the driver was injured. Miller and Hooper left Denmark north of Rømø at 19.00 hours. They landed after a flight of nearly 2,000 km in Coltishall Airfield to a debriefing at 20.50 hours. The entire mission had lasted 5½ hours and cost the lives of half of the aircrew. For 68 years one of the big questions has been where the bodies of the two airmen are. Apparently the Germans removed them in spite of serious attempts from the local vicar to have them handed over, so they could have a decent burial. However, the Germans refused that. The local citizens raised a memorial stone at the crash site. Translated to english the inscription says something like this: "For the freedom of Denmark we thank God On this place fell two messengers They came from England to the coast of Denmark And brought arms to the fight of the country They bought us freedom with their deaths God give them piece in the womb of Denmark" Short about the model: This is the Tamiya Mosquito 1/48 kit. It fell together without problems. I used an Eduard PE set for interior and exterior, resin wheels and mud guards and turned brass barrels. Paint was xtracrylix, which I have become quite fond of. The roundels and codes are painted, only serial numbers and stencils are decals. The model was weathered using Flory Models dark wash, thin layers of oil paints for streaks and airbrushed alcohol tinted with Tamiya paints. Thanks for watching! Edited October 1, 2012 by KLP 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HL-10 Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 A fantastic model and a fitting tribute to the brave men who flew them. I have always had a soft spot for the Mosquito, your model is stunning! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha Delta 210 Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Great model, Kenneth and your photography adds to the realism! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Very interesting read, thanks for sharing the history behind it. Great build and great pics, inspired ! Cheers, Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radalt Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 That is one of the most remarkable models I have ever seen. Enhanced by some stunning photography. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommyinuk0 Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Thanks for bringing to my attention the story of two brave airmen, that without your fascinating tribute, stunning model and great photography I would never of known about. Tommy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nirvanagr Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Really Interesting and good job! Thanks for the info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabat Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Great model and a brilliant background for the build. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbuna Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 A great build and an interesting piece of history...thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luis Alfonso Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 WONDERFUL!!! you have done a great job with a great kit, I like a lot the overall finish you have achieved. This tribute is a very finest piece of art, thank you very much for sharing, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julien Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 A good looking model. Its great that the local people put that memorial up. I think memorials like that mean much more than some of the offical ones. Julien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smark Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 An excellent build and an interesting history. Thanks for sharing both! Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tashengurt Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Stunning. I wasn't sure when the history ended and the model started. A quality build. I hover around this forum hoping to be inspired enough to start building again one day. This may be the one that does it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 That's simply the best Mossie model I've seen Kenneth ! Great stuff and a fitting tribute to the crew.. Melchie.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike DeTorrice Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 A truly outstanding model of this Mosquito and a wonderful tribute, too ! The photographs accompanying your build are outstanding and realistic. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan B Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Lovely Mossie and thanks for the historical content too. I found out recently that a Mossie crashed into a wood 500 yards from where my house now stands, I'm still trying to research this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicPl Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Godt gået! Nice job! Nicolai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev67 Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Excellent build Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exbrat Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 I can only endorse what has been said by all other members. It's good to see that many people build a model for such reasons as this. Well done Kenneth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Potato Pete Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Aboslutely superb build. Very nice weathering indeed. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOUSTON Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 INCREDIBLY LOVELY.. SUPERB build. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmcclure Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 A lovely build of one of my favourite aircraft ever and so touching to see that these sacrifices are still honoured. Thanks very much for sharing this with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matcham11 Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Det ser sku godt ud Kenneth, looking great! Are you member of www.danskemodelbyggere.dk?? Just to be curious Robin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KLP Posted October 1, 2012 Author Share Posted October 1, 2012 Thank you very much, everybody. I'm flattered! Robin: Nej, men jeg tror da jeg vil melde mig ind... As a sidenote I can mention that Miller and Hooper, the surviving crew of TH-S, lost their lifes during Operation Clarion on 22 February 1945, which was a major allied attack on german transportation. 418 squadron lost 5 Mosquitos during that day. This says something about the danger these guys worked with. Another sidenote: My wife somehow tracked this story a couple of years ago and gave me a book about this particular plane crash and the Tamiya kit on my birthday. She took me to the memorial stone - which I had no idea existed - where she handed me the presents. I guess I don't have to tell you how stunned I was. Isn't she just wonderful? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plasticbutcher Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Very nice build. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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