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HMS Eagle, 827 Sqdn., circa 1952


Dmitri

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Hi Everyone!

I'm building the Blackburn Firebrand TF.5. WIP is here: http://www.britmodel...03#entry1208569

I'm a bit at loss here with the spinner color. I do have the Warpaint and From the Cockpit books, but cannot take the color profiles they (authors) provide at a face value. I'm not saying they are not correct (actually I kinda am), I'm just saying I don't trust those.

Please check for yourself: Sky and Black spinner are obviously wrong colors.

I have two options: Red and EDSG (same as top colors)? So which one it's gonna be? Were the spinners color coded? If so, based on what? Sqn.? Aircraft carrier?

Thank you forehand for any input you could provide!

Edited by Dmitri
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Hi Dmitri,

I concur that the spinner colour is EDSG. I have a photo album compiled by a member of Eagle's crew during her first commission, which includes several 827 Squadron Firebrand photos. They are all the same colour and I think the colour is identical to the EDSG on the upper-surfaces.

Here's an example.

Hope it helps with your decision

IG

img961_zps53f9c8f8.jpg

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Hi Dmitri,I have this profile from an old Navy News if it's any use? Shows an EDSG spinner if I'm not mistook!

Firebrand.jpg

Smudge

Pictures in HMS Eagle 1942 / 78 seem to be EDSG as per Smudge Regards Len.
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Smudge, Ian:

Thank you very much! You just confirmed what I was thinking!

The photograph depicts the EK794/128. I studied several of them - that accident was documented quite well! It was fun what they did to the what's left of it, after the plane was stripped of all the essentials. BTW, there is a footage of it as well.

I'm going to do the EK745/129 using Magna's original decal. Magna specified spinner in Sky. I'm just hoping that we are right, and Magna is wrong.

I really want to produce a historically correct replica out of this kit.

Cheers,

D.

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what they did: after stripping the a/c of the engine, outer wings, equipment etc., they hooked the butchered plane to the catapult and fired it off sending the plane into the drink! FUN!

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The photograph depicts the EK794/128. I studied several of them - that accident was documented quite well! It was fun what they did to the what's left of it, after the plane was stripped of all the essentials. BTW, there is a footage of it as well.

Actually, it is part of a sequence capturing the deck landing accident of EK690 122/J

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Actually, it is part of a sequence capturing the deck landing accident of EK690 122/J

I'm referencing the "From the Cockpit" book by Eric Brown: there is a whole section: testimony of Lt. Brodhurst. He was at the controls when the plane kissed the deck. The date was Nov.17th, '52. The book is quite explicit, there are several photos of this particular accident. And the mount was EK794.

I know you have original photos: could it be a disconnect somewhere? Deck landing accident rate was quite high with the Firebrand - I'm sure there are plenty of photographs of wrecked Firebrands out there.

Edited by Dmitri
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I'm referencing the "From the Cockpit" book by Eric Brown: there is a whole section: testimony of Lt. Brodhurst. He was at the controls when the plane kissed the deck. The date was Nov.17th, '52. The book is quite explicit, there are several photos of this particular accident. And the mount was EK794.

I know you have original photos: could it be a disconnect somewhere? Deck landing accident rate was quite high with the Firebrand - I'm sure there are plenty of photographs of wrecked Firebrands out there.

 

Hi Dmitri

 

The book is wrong I'm afraid. If you look at the photographs on p.92 of the Brown From the Cockpit book, the close-up  shows a very obvious  "KEEP OFF"   in white on the port air intake lip. The photo of 128/J above does not have this marking. They are not the same aircraft.

 

 

Here's a scan of another photo from my album, which is a wider shot of the landing accident of 122/J. Notice that the 'KEEP OFF' marking is visible. Also the damage to the prop, crumple of the nose, position of aileron, wear and scratch marks to the airframe etc. are exactly the same as the close up that I posted.

img964_zps04216be8.jpg

I've also included a scan of the entire page from the album showing the close-up. All the aircraft on this page are 122/J and the annotation indicates it is the same aircraft.

 

img963_zpsca4aecc0.jpg

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Wow! Ian, you are the best! Thank you very much for sharing! I'm sure other residents of BM will find these photos valuable as well.

I kid you not: as much as horrible the kit is; my MAIN problem is the lack of references. I cannot believe there is so little in the public domain. I had to buy Firebrand Pilot's Notes off evilBay to get the cockpit done. Still nothing on wheel wells, no details on torpedo rack/crutch assembly. But I think I figured it out more or less :-)

 

Thanks again!

 

D.

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