DH Hornet F1 PX252 - do any photos exist? RESOLVED

[David Womby]

I asked about F1 markings recently. I think I'll stick with the plan to build one in these markings but I am intrigued.

It's such a popular choice of markings for obvious reasons but nobody seems to have seen a photo of the aircraft marked with these red chevrons. Does anybody here know of such a photo?

David

[John R]

My experience with buiding their models suggests that their research is not that thorough. You could always contact them and ask them the question about it. I have contacted them a couple of times, although not about their research, and actually received a helpful reply from a nice person.

John

[David Womby]

Thanks, John. It turns out they did a pretty good job but they got the spinners and fin flash wrong. Following is a copy of a posting I just made in another thread I had on this subject. I am double posting because then people can find the wonderful old photo of PX252 with chevrons more easily in future.

So here, courtesy of Chris Thomas who asked me to post the pics, is the picture of PX252 wearing the famous (or infamous) chevrons. Here is Chris's email to me:

Well here is the shot of PX252. Sorry its not better quality but it is taken from a small photo in Aeromodeller c.1947/8 which was rather coarsely screened. Ive descreened it to some extent and boosted the contrast/brightness.

I actually copied it from an album belonging to one Angus Fraser who had spent his National Service as ground crew at Tangmere. Haw had flown in and Fraser took the other photo attached, of PX252 wearing codes (YT)-H, after the chevrons were removed. Not too good a shot either but it at least shows you how the under wing serials were positioned. Fraser had obviously spoken to Haw, or one of his chums had, for there was a note alongside the Aeromodeller cutting which said the markings were removed on the order of AOC 12 Group.

Please post them on Britmodeller for me and credit A.Fraser via CT.

I have to say, thanks so much, Chris. I am thrilled you were able to find these photos for us.

David

[vampiredave]

You may probably be aware that the late David Howley's colour plate drawing depicting this aircraft is included in Warpaint Series No.19: de Havilland Hornet ?

DW

[David Womby]

You may probably be aware that the late David Howley's colour plate drawing depicting this aircraft is included in Warpaint Series No.19: de Havilland Hornet ?

DW

Thank you. Yes I knew of that drawing but, no offence to any artist as I am sure they all strive to be as accurate as possible, drawings and profiles can be wrong. So I like to see a real photo of the planes I model and, in this case, you can see that the drawings in Warpaint are slightly inaccurate compared to the photo of PX252.

David

[David Womby]

Looking at the pic of PX252 wearing the chevrons, it looks to me like she has a Type C fin flash. What do you all think?

David

[The wooksta V2.0]

Looking at the actual photo is rather pleasing for me as when I redid/restored my old Frog/Novo F1 conversion, I did that machine but had HSS spinners. I was always annoyed that I hadn't went for red. Turns out I had it right all along.

Alas, I don't have the model - it now resides with author Tony Buttler - but I do have the article I did for SAM back in the days when Neil Robinson was editor. IIRC, it came in the March or April 2002 issues, certainly one with a Seafire on the cover.

[David Womby]

Yes, I have your article here and see you used a red/blue fin flash.

David

[David Womby]

I've been measuring that fin flash. I think you got it right, given the width of the blue stripe, I think only a red/blue fin flash would fit. Also, I am pretty sure that the Hornets wore a red/blue flash with their B Type roundels when they first entered service.

Thanks

David

[The wooksta V2.0]

IIRC, I used the decals from the Skybirds Hornet F1 kit as I'm far too lazy to actually cobble together serial codes. I have a hazy memory that that particular model started as an attempt at PX252 (in late 1991!) but I cocked up the chevrons and went instead for an MSG/PRU Blue scheme. It was only years later that I decided to restore the model and it ended up as PX252. The article doesn't make it clear.

[ththtttu7]

Thanks, John. It turns out they did a pretty good job but they got the spinners and fin flash wrong. Following is a copy of a posting I just made in another thread I had on this subject. I am double posting because then people can find the wonderful old photo of PX252 with chevrons more easily in future.

So here, courtesy of Chris Thomas who asked me to post the pics, is the picture of PX252 wearing the famous (or infamous) chevrons. Here is Chris's email to me:

Well here is the shot of PX252. Sorry its not better quality but it is taken from a small photo in Aeromodeller c.1947/8 which was rather coarsely screened. Ive descreened it to some extent and boosted the contrast/brightness.

I actually copied it from an album belonging to one Angus Fraser who had spent his National Service as ground crew at Tangmere. Haw had flown in and Fraser took the other photo attached, of PX252 wearing codes (YT)-H, after the chevrons were removed. Not too good a shot either but it at least shows you how the under wing serials were positioned. Fraser had obviously spoken to Haw, or one of his chums had, for there was a note alongside the Aeromodeller cutting which said the markings were removed on the order of AOC 12 Group.

Please post them on Britmodeller for me and credit A.Fraser via CT.

I have to say, thanks so much, Chris. I am thrilled you were able to find these photos for us.

David

So just to add here, the top image is actually a re-touched photo of PX217, not photographic proof depicting the Red Chevron PX252 unfortunately.