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1/72nd Revell/MPM- Boston Mk.III, BZ337, Q-Queenie, 18 Sqn, RAF, Italy 1945


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Hiya Folks,

                I built this one for the MTO GB but wasn`t able to finish it in time. It was built using the new Revell P-70 `Nighthawk' kit which is a re box of the Special Hobby/MPM Boston kit and includes quite a few of the additional parts intended for various other boxings of the basic kit by MPM such as the clear noses for the A-20 or Boston III, the Turbinlite nose, 12 gun Boulton Paul night fighter nose and also the later US factory fitted solid gun nose as well as the 4 cannon gun tray for the night fighter, so quite a few different versions can be built from this kit  

Here is the photo of the real Boston Mk.III, BZ337, Q-Queenie of 18 Sqn at Falconara, Italy, January 1945, seen after the unit had switched to night intruder operations with 78 mission symbols on the nose,.....but what is the nose art? It looks like a Pharoa`s head to me,.....Cleopatra,...the Queen of Sheba? It is hard to say! The aircraft was flown by the CO, Wing Cdr. `Slim' Somerville DFM, Flt. Lt. Griffin DFM and Flt. Lt. Streatfield DFC,......so quite a distinguished crew and the Boston has received black undersides for its new role;

DSCF9500_zpsfhnaw7di.jpg   

 

 

If anybody is interested here is the work in progress from the Med GB;

Here is the finished model wearing its night colours, although the nose art is simply a representation of what it may have looked like as it cannot be fully made out in the period photo and I intend to change it if I find a clearer view;

DSCF9647_zpshcptnncm.jpg

DSCF9648_zpsccpgotel.jpg

DSCF9646_zpsrz0ylkgf.jpg

DSCF9651_zpseccpeapg.jpg

The dinghy was made from yellow painted masking tape,

Cheers

          Tony

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Hello,Tony - Well,I was right in saying that the builds would soon be flowing again with gusto!

As always,a beautifully built and finished subject.I love your chosen scheme for this 'Boston' and she'd look superb parked next to your 'B-17'. Great work indeed!

😉👍 All the very best,Paul.

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I hope you're feeling better now and getting back into the swing of things again.

Your Boston looks fantastic, as usual.

I don't think I've seen one in these colours and the C type upper wing roundels are an unusual point of interest.

A really nice looking model.

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  • 1 year later...
On 2/3/2017 at 7:58 AM, tonyot said:

Hiya Folks,

                I built this one for the MTO GB but wasn`t able to finish it in time. It was built using the new Revell P-70 `Nighthawk' kit which is a re box of the Special Hobby/MPM Boston kit and includes quite a few of the additional parts intended for various other boxings of the basic kit by MPM such as the clear noses for the A-20 or Boston III, the Turbinlite nose, 12 gun Boulton Paul night fighter nose and also the later US factory fitted solid gun nose as well as the 4 cannon gun tray for the night fighter, so quite a few different versions can be built from this kit  

Here is the photo of the real Boston Mk.III, BZ337, Q-Queenie of 18 Sqn at Falconara, Italy, January 1945, seen after the unit had switched to night intruder operations with 78 mission symbols on the nose,.....but what is the nose art? It looks like a Pharoa`s head to me,.....Cleopatra,...the Queen of Sheba? It is hard to say! The aircraft was flown by the CO, Wing Cdr. `Slim' Somerville DFM, Flt. Lt. Griffin DFM and Flt. Lt. Streatfield DFC,......so quite a distinguished crew and the Boston has received black undersides for its new role;

DSCF9500_zpsfhnaw7di.jpg   

 

 

If anybody is interested here is the work in progress from the Med GB;

Here is the finished model wearing its night colours, although the nose art is simply a representation of what it may have looked like as it cannot be fully made out in the period photo and I intend to change it if I find a clearer view;

DSCF9647_zpshcptnncm.jpg

DSCF9648_zpsccpgotel.jpg

DSCF9646_zpsrz0ylkgf.jpg

DSCF9651_zpseccpeapg.jpg

The dinghy was made from yellow painted masking tape,

Cheers

          Tony

Do you happen to know the book that the photo is from?

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4 hours ago, barneybolac said:

Do you happen to know the book that the photo is from?

The book is the Air Britain history of 18 Sqn RAF `With Courage and Faith',..... see link;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/With-Courage-and-Faith-The-Story-of-No-18-Squadron-Royal-Air-Force-Paperback-1-Jan-1989/1723204005?iid=253988833289&chn=ps

 

Cheers

           Tony

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6 hours ago, barneybolac said:

Thank you Tony much appreciated. Also not sure if you knew there is a decal sheet with this aircraft on it.

 

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/DKD72064

No worries and yes I was aware,....... they used my research for this model, I`ve helped DK with a number of sheets.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 1/25/2019 at 9:51 AM, tonyot said:

The book is the Air Britain history of 18 Sqn RAF `With Courage and Faith',..... see link;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/With-Courage-and-Faith-The-Story-of-No-18-Squadron-Royal-Air-Force-Paperback-1-Jan-1989/1723204005?iid=253988833289&chn=ps

 

Cheers

           Tony

I bought that book Tony and the image has some text and actually names the Boston. It is called "Queen of Shaibah III".

Surely they meant Queen of Sheba right?

Wrong Shaibah was a RAF airfield in Iraq.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaibah_Air_Base

 

849e11e8-ec8d-4568-bd08-2e1cfdfd788d-ori

 

 

So maybe crew members had some history with this field?

Playing with the photo some it looks to have the text surround a head. The letters SH are visible above the head in a wedge shaped font I think?

 

c07cefd6-36a8-4119-b0fa-c8f0a44a29bf-ori

 

 

 

 

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I wonder if any of this crew had anything to do with RAF 84 squadron?

 

https://hiveminer.com/Tags/raf,shaibah

 

A Scorpion was the squadron emblem.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._84_Squadron_RAF#/media/File:84sqncrst.png

 

They were at Shaibah.

 

 

c82d627c-c029-429f-b587-c2290999be58-ori

 

I don't think I am seeing a head now its a Scorpion in a similar pose to the photo.

 

60c1cec5-84c3-4b8d-a186-4433b6fa892c-ori

Edited by barneybolac
Posted a link twice.
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  • 1 month later...
On ‎2‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 6:37 PM, barneybolac said:

I bought that book Tony and the image has some text and actually names the Boston. It is called "Queen of Shaibah III".

Surely they meant Queen of Sheba right?

Wrong Shaibah was a RAF airfield in Iraq.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaibah_Air_Base

 

849e11e8-ec8d-4568-bd08-2e1cfdfd788d-ori

 

 

So maybe crew members had some history with this field?

Playing with the photo some it looks to have the text surround a head. The letters SH are visible above the head in a wedge shaped font I think?

 

c07cefd6-36a8-4119-b0fa-c8f0a44a29bf-ori

 

 

 

 

Wing Commander Passmore was an instructor at Shaibah hence the name Queen of Shaibah III, he served in Greece , Iraq, Malaya/Java and Italy with 18 Sqn awarded DFC and Bar and Greek DFC. Was lost after the war when an RAF B-29 Washington went down in 1954 , he was the Sqn commander of 35 Sqn B-29's.

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13 hours ago, Sydhuey said:

Wing Commander Passmore was an instructor at Shaibah hence the name Queen of Shaibah III, he served in Greece , Iraq, Malaya/Java and Italy with 18 Sqn awarded DFC and Bar and Greek DFC. Was lost after the war when an RAF B-29 Washington went down in 1954 , he was the Sqn commander of 35 Sqn B-29's.

Thanks for the additional info mate,...... what a sad end, after surviving so much. RIP

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