RAF Fortress Mk.II ASV equipment

[modelling minion]

Hi all,

 

I am currently building a Revell 1/72 B-17F as a RAF Fortress Mk.II (FA704 serial number) and have got to the point where I need to add the nose glazing but looking at pics of Coastal Command Fortress' I see that some have an ASV aerial protruding from the glazing as well as other aerials under the wings. I have a couple of pics of FA704 but these do not show any aerials, I know they may have been re-touched by the Ministry to hide their presence and I have a feeling that the nose aerial was fitted. What I need to know is if the nose aerial was fitted and if so does that mean that the wing ones were fitted too?

I have seen a couple of profiles (I know!) which show a full set of aerials but am obviously unsure of how correct they are.

Any help at all will be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks.

 

Craig.

[Dan_RAFBC]

Do you have these photos?

Is it just me or does it seem more pixelated where the ASV aerials should be above?

 

But here says it wasn't fiited with ASV: https://studylib.net/doc/8919775/boeing-b-17-fortress-in-raf-coastal-command-service

Edited December 10, 2018 by WhitleyZ6743

[dogsbody]

From the IWM site:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris

[modelling minion]

On 12/10/2018 at 12:18 PM, WhitleyZ6743 said:

Do you have these photos?

Is it just me or does it seem more pixelated where the ASV aerials should be above?

 

But here says it wasn't fiited with ASV: https://studylib.net/doc/8919775/boeing-b-17-fortress-in-raf-coastal-command-service

Yes mate I've seen those pics and they are what made me think that she did indeed carry the full suite of ASV aerials as, like you say, there are areas which have been re-touched that are where the aerials would have been. Nice link, curious how it states that not all the aerials were fitted though.

[modelling minion]

22 hours ago, dogsbody said:

From the IWM site:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris

Thanks Chris,

 

The aircraft in the top 2 and very bottom pictures seem to have the aerial fit that I think FA704 had, even though they are Mk.IIa's and she was a MK.II, I don't think she carried the "stickleback" aerials in the fuselage.

[Adrian Hills]

My interest in this subject was piqued by reading Scale Aircraft Modelling 01/08/78 which mentions 206 Squadron on Benbecula. I cycled there this year.

 

The SAM profile shows 206 SqnFA702 with just an aerial out of the nose. However an IWM image seen above shows 206s  FK190 with full stickleback ASV aerials. Notably unlike the SAM profile you cannot see a darker topside (Extra Dark Sea Grey/Slate Grey). This could be because of the angle of the photo not showing the thin strip of top colour on fuselage and wings 
 

How far has this modelling project progressed. Might be an opportunity to get it off the shelf 😊

[Daniel Cox]

Hi Craig,

 

If you are looking for a deeper dive on this subject, I recommend you read Simon Watt's book "Airborne Maritime Surveillance Radar - British ASV Radars in WWII 1939-1945 - volume One".

 

Cheers,

 

 

Daniel.