RAAF Beaufighters (Photo request) - No. 455 & 456 Squadrons

[Rabbit Leader]

Greetings All, 

Just wondering if anyone has (or knows of publications) that feature photographs of No. 455 & 456 RAAF Squadrons. Ideally I'm specifically looking for three aircraft which are presented in the DK Decals sheet DK72021. These are - 

 

1. Beaufighter VIf - EL214 / RX:K

2. Beaufighter TF.X - NE773 / X2

3. Beaufighter TF.X - NE812 / M2

 

Its probably a long shot, however I would say that these decals are based on photographic evidence, so something must be out there? 

Additionally, any other photos that depict different serials of similar aircraft in either the Night Fighter DG/MSG scheme (456 Sqd) or showing '2' coded (455 Sqd) Beaufighters would also be quite useful. 

 

Thanks for reading and hopefully coming to my aid. 

 

Cheers.. Dave. 

[Seahawk]

 

Phot of EL214 RX-K at Valley on p.75 of Simon Parry's Beaufighter Squadrons In Focus.  Same page has photo of X8026 RX-L (well, L obscured but end of bottom arm visible).

 

No help on NE773, however photos of NE775 2X appear in Jerry Scutts' Crowood book on the Beaufighter (2 photos on p.119 and 120, showing both sides (so both 2X/X2 presentations)) and p.137 of Chaz Bowyer's Beaufighter In Action.  All 3 depict the aircraft with invasion stripes round the fuselage after a belly landing.  The same aircraft is depicted in artwork on p.46 of Richard Franks' MDF 6.

 

Two photos of NE812 2M appear on p.75 of Simon Parry's Beaufighter Squadrons In Focus, again after it crashlanded, on 14 May 1944. 

 

HTH

[Rabbit Leader]

Thanks so much Seahawk, that helps a lot. Looks like you’ve corrected my serial error for NE775 / X2 so thanks for that as well. If we stick with this airframe for a while can you confirm my thoughts that the codes read X2 on the port side and 2X on the starboard side? Also can you tell if there are any signs of a two colour upper camouflage pattern as illustrated in the MDF 6 book (which I have)? My limited research so far is leaning towards a one colour topside finish. 

 

Moving back to 456 Sqd’s EL214, do the photos show the typical Antenna arrangements for the nose, and wing leading edges in any photos? 

 

Apologies for asking so many questions, however I’m probably going to have trouble sourcing these books and accompanying photos myself unless scanned copies happen to be available.

 

Thanks and kind regards.. Dave 

[Seahawk]

Yes, 2X port and X2 starboard.  Of those photos the starboard side view is too much in shadow to tell anything, on the portside view the invasion stripes occupy much of the fuselage.  There are clear variations in the colour of the remaining visible side and top surfaces but I am not sure whether they are EDSG/DSG colour demarcations or just the variations of a heavily used and worn airframe.  My inclination follows yours (that it is a worn and patchy single surface top colour), mainly because the "demarcations" are rather fuzzy but, if someone said it was EDSG/DSG, I wouldn't fight too hard against them.  Your best bet is to look at the camouflage finish of other near-neighbours in the serial range - or to ask  @Terry @ Aviaeology!

 

The photo of EL214 is of the rear fuselage: no antenna configurations visible either there or on any of the other photos of 456 Sq aircraft.

[Rabbit Leader]

Appreciate the quick reply Seahawk and thanks for giving the knowledgeable Terry a shout out.

I'm fairly positive(?) that TF.X Beaufighters in the earlier NE5XX serial block were painted in the one EDSG upper surface scheme so would assume that later NE7XX - NE8XX serials would have been painted in similar fashion.

 

Now I dont suppose these photos have any date's captioned do they? (see EDIT). One other question that's buring in the back of my head is why did 2X and UB-E etc. on this decal sheet have D-Day stripes, yet later serialed NE812 / 2M is finished with no stripes at all? I can find quite a few photo's of post D-Day UB coded Beaus with stripes painted half way up the rear fuselage dated somewhere around Oct-Nov 44. This later serialed pre-UB coded TF.X has me a little stumped! .

 

Cheers and thanks... Dave

 

 EDIT - Just re-read Seahawks initial post to confirm that the photo of crash landed NE812 / 2M is dated 14 May 1944. Thanks.

 

[TBC]

Here's X2 for you.

 

 

[Rabbit Leader]

@TBC - very much appreciated, these images are extremely helpful.

Funnily enough I was looking through the AWM (Australian War Memorial) website last night and noticed an image with a background Beau coded K2 on the starboard side. I then found a 2 or so minute video with a K2 coded Beau painted on the port side as well? I would have thought that this should have read 2K on the port side, however this finding now adds to my confusion regarding the order of '2' coded 455 Squadron Beaufighters.  

 

Cheers and many thanks for the images... Dave  

[stevehnz]

Someone thinks that 2X was camo'd & looking at the 1st photo that @TBC has posted above, its had to argue with it, it also seems to fit with other Beau camo patterns.

Steve. 

Edited July 9, 2018 by stevehnz

[Rabbit Leader]

Thanks for the added profile Steve.

This camo pattern would be my 1st preference, however it would have to take a back seat to all EDSG if the latter was proved to be 'accuratly' correct?

We'll see what else get's dug up.

 

Cheers and thanks.. Dave.

 

[Seahawk]

The photos TBC linked to are the same ones as I described in post 4, however they are reproduced much larger (half page) and clearer in the Scutts book than I can make TBC's links appear on my monitor.  The problem I have with the artwork is that the camo demarcations bear no relation to the possible demarcations I can see on the photo of X2.  We're not talking about a stray curve or two: the demarcations on the fin and behind the cockpit are drawn at right angles to the possible demarcations I see.  Remember @Troy's maxim "Never trust a profile without a photo" - or mine: "there are lies, damned lies and artwork".  I wonder if the artist, having made up his mind the aircraft was in TSS, simply replicated the standard TSS pattern.

 

Postscript: have just looked up the instructions to @Terry @ Aviaeology's excellent RCAF Beaufighters sheet (AOD722002M), which features 1 LZxxx, 2 NExxx series and 1 NVxxx series aircraft.  I quote: "Although some of the very earliest of the Command's TF.Xs carried a decidedly odd ASW variation of TSS, by the time the TF.Xs represented herewith were in squadron service, a simplified scheme more suited to low-level strike aircraft had become standard.  Known as Coastal Special Duties Scheme A, it featured a single colour - EDSG - on the top and side surfaces with Sky below".  And that's how he represents NE355 2-H and NE825 2-G of 404 Sq.

 

He also goes into the reasons for the variations apparent on the upper surfaces of these Beaufighters.  In particular he mentions that "a darker area akin to very loosely feathered spray painting can often be seen to the rear of the cockpit; probably the result of the occasional use of this area's protective covering combined with the accumulative effect of windscreen deicer/washer glycol spray from the system ahead of the windscreen."  That  is exactly what I see on X2.   It might also account for the (slightly less pronounced) staining on the fin.

 

Oh, and the Scutts book has a photo of an invasion-striped 455 Sq Beau marked K2 on the starboard rpt starboard side: no serial visible.  Confusing.  The answer is "model what you see - as long as it's in a photo!"

 

Edited July 9, 2018 by Seahawk

[Rabbit Leader]

Once again thanks for your contribution @Seahawk

I have Terry's two part Beaufighter TF.X article that was featured in Airfix Modelworld a few years back and this seems to mirror what you've mentioned above. The two tone upper scheme did see some limited early use, however (from what I understand) was very soon replaced by the all EDSG upper scheme not long thereafter. 

 

Here are two interesting images of K2 (serial unknown). You can see her Starboard side profile in the photo below and also displaying a Portside K2 coding in the video link (at approx. the 0:38 second mark). Interesting stuff hey!! 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

 

 

 

[Bengt]

Link to Terry's site with photos and drawings of 404 Squadron Beaufighters:

http://www.vintagewings.ca/VintageNews/Stories/tabid/116/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/346/Buffalo-Soldier.aspx

 

During 1943 there was a several orders with just as many misunderstandings and contra-orders about the camouflage on the Beaufighter. They ended up with what become known as the "Coastal Command Special Duties Scheme A" with only Extra Dark Sea Grey on the top and side surfaces of the fuselage, and of course on top of wings and horizontal tail surfaces  during the late summer. Therefor I find it unlikely that a Beaufigter TF.X was camouflaged in the Temperate Sea Scheme (Extra Dark Sea Grey/Dark Slate Grey) in the summer of 1944  (Ref the colour profile above). My references is correspondence withTerry and these catalouges at the National Archive: AIR 2/2086 CAMOUFLAGE (Code B, 18): Camuflage colouring and markings  of aircraft, AIR 2/8028 CAMOUFLAGE (Code B, 18): Camouflage colouring and markings of aircraft, AIR 15/285 Aircraft: Camouflage and Marking instructions.

 

Regards

Bengt

[Daggsy]

Very belated I know, but Squadron Leader Neil Smith DFC crash landed X2, for which he was court martialled  -  and exonerated.

 

Had the pleasure of working closely with him in has capacity as Mayor of the local Council.  Many of the thrilling action stills extant in numerous publications were taken from his aircraft on ops.  A wonderful man who could still don his RAAF uniform for ANZAC Day commemorations until his death.

[Paul J]

As above post, Terry Higgins  at Aviaeology has done a very nice set of decals for RAAF and RNZAF Beaus. Very comprehensive instructions and notes within the decal set with lots of useful info. Worth seeking out!

[Sydhuey]

As a reference going by Beaufighters delivered to Australia from the UK from about A19-204 (NE584) onward were defiantly in the single colour, so going on serial batches delivered to Australia , the change from Two tone TSS to single upper colour happened around the NE500 mark.

Edited November 15, 2019 by Sydhuey