Pat C Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Have been looking for pics of FAA Wildcat VIs in the all over gloss sea blue scheme and struggling to come up with much. I have Sturtivants Squadrons of the FAA book which has a nice pic of a mangled Eglinton based aircraft but that's about it. Grateful for any pointers to any references that might have more pics (particularly BPF) aircraft as Google is also not much help !!!! Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 I don't think that I've ever seen Wildcat in BPF markings, and rather doubt it happened, although presumably "Squadrons..." will point to any possible units. Are you thinking of Indian Ocean markings? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike romeo Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Erm, Graham, Pat doesn't mention BPF markings, only ones that are painted in gsb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Err, Mike, yes he does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike romeo Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 1 minute ago, Graham Boak said: Err, Mike, yes he does. Hi Graham You're quite correct. Pat Didn't the Airfix club FAA kit have a Wildcat VI in gsb as one of the options? BEI markings tho, iirc Regards Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Just had a quick butchers too. 882 NAS HMS Searcher - Ihave found artwork but no photos yet. I'll keep looking. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Half of one... https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Wildcat/RN882NAS/pages/FM-2-Martlet-MkIV-RN-882NAS-B1S-lost-overboard-HMS-Searcher-Burma-1945-01.html 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat C Posted March 30, 2019 Author Share Posted March 30, 2019 33 minutes ago, Graham Boak said: I don't think that I've ever seen Wildcat in BPF markings, and rather doubt it happened, although presumably "Squadrons..." will point to any possible units. Are you thinking of Indian Ocean markings? Graham - indeed I was thinking of Indian Ocean markings! Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat C Posted March 30, 2019 Author Share Posted March 30, 2019 (edited) 26 minutes ago, mike romeo said: Didn't the Airfix club FAA kit have a Wildcat VI in gsb as one of the options? BEI markings tho, iirc Martin - yes it does and Techmod do decals for the same aircraft but Techmod have it with white ID stripes. So I was wondering if there were photos to support either or both of the schemes (or neither). 7 minutes ago, Grey Beema said: Half of one... https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Wildcat/RN882NAS/pages/FM-2-Martlet-MkIV-RN-882NAS-B1S-lost-overboard-HMS-Searcher-Burma-1945-01.html Thx Grey - that supports the White ID stripe on the tail but sadly no serial visible or ID stripe on the wings of that rather soggy looking cat! Pat Edited March 30, 2019 by Pat C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 This is a set of Techmod decals. I would need to out to the Cave to look up a history for this aircraft. No idea of the reference used... https://www.super-hobby.com/products/General-Motors-Wildcat-VI.html#gallery_start Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 The latest edition of "Squadrons..." has a picture of 882 on Searcher supposedly June 1945 on their way to Ceylon and they are all Mk.VIs in TSS or pretty patchy GSB - light bellies are visible on those where bellies are visible. "Aircraft of the FAA in WW2" has a photo of JV642 in GSB but at Boscombe Down without unit markings. This suggests to me that all the batch of 288 from JV637 will initially have been in GSB (as FM-built aircraft this would be the likeliest scheme anyway) but the vast majority spent their time in Northern Waters - a few did end up in Ceylon but not generally linked to units. I wonder if those that came to the UK were repainted into TSS? Clearly not all, judging from the examples at Eglinton. Keeping peering at the lists, there are quite a few 882 Sq aircraft listed with codes so that's definitely the best (if not only) lead. There was a following batch of 30 but although supposedly all were sent to the Far East and Australia there's no record that they got there. Looking at the Techmod sheet, it has JV642 in TSS when the photo shows her in GSB. The examples given in GSB are all from this batch above, two of them are listed as being with 882 Sq but one has no known record in "Aircraft..." JV815 should be JV851 according to the book but if it was out with 882 Sq then how come it ended up at Eglinton? Could be a transposition: maybe the transfer sheet is more accurate than the book? JV884 was indeed with 882, but with no code recorded. Looking at the photo Grey posted, JV788 was SS with 882 Sq to May 1945 - so could have become B1S? I think it more likely that the squadron got all new aircraft from stock delivered directly to Ceylon. We do have JV865 landed into barrier, went over the side, 9.8.45, but no code for her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 RNAY Sullos (left my note in the Cave) which was the replacement aircraft depot. I read in FAA Squadrons that HMS Searcher arrived to late for action with BEI Fleet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat C Posted March 30, 2019 Author Share Posted March 30, 2019 There is a pic of JV851 (794NAS) in Squadrons with the same codes as the decal sheet so looks like Techmod transposed the serial. Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Don't know if this helps with anything, but I have stats for "US deliveries direct to overseas" which, in the case of Wildcat VI, means "India" (presumably Ceylon would be included in that?) Nov 44 - 11 Dec - 4 Jan 45 - 4 Feb - 2 Mar - 7 Apr - 12 May - 12 Jun - 8 Jul - 0 Aug - 10 (I also have records of "...to service", but that's not broken out by destination. Meanwhile, Wildcat VIs were also being delivered to UK.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 The AZ Model kit of the Martlet Mk. VI (kit 7321) has box art with an overall Dark Sea Blue scheme. The decals are for JV884/B-1C and JV815/J3-V - but it doesn't say what squadrons these were attached to or when. Anyone know? Edit: I should have read Graham's post first! Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat C Posted March 30, 2019 Author Share Posted March 30, 2019 Bill - except it looks like JV815 is in fact JV851. Maybe they copied Techmod...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 3 minutes ago, Pat C said: Bill - except it looks like JV815 is in fact JV851. Maybe they copied Techmod...... Wouldn't be the first time. Can we assume from AZ that the codes for JV884 were in fact B-1C? This kit is on my build schedule, and this thread now has me wondering if the markings are correct. Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy Smith Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 FWIW, the 1/48th Sword kit has this option sticking Wildcat JV884 into google got this this is relevant On 29/04/2015 at 16:35, Seahawk said: As one of the few well-documented examples of an EIF Wildcat VI, JV884 B1C has been a popular subject for modellers, purveyors of artwork and transfer producers. I strongly suspect that all renditions have their origins in some line drawings by Tony Boulton which accompanied an article by Bob Jones in the March 1969 Airfix Magazine giving alternative schemes for the then new Airfix Wildcat. The drawings of JV884 were in turn based on a sequence of photos depicting the crash landing of said aircraft on HMS Searcher by Lt Pullen on 11/8/45 or a subset of photos from the sequence. I suspect the latter because Bob/Tony have made some assumptions regarding portions of the aircraft not visible in the one photo from the sequence reproduced in the article. Two other photos from the sequence are with the FAA Museum photo collection (references Wildcat 95 and Wildcat 97). ("Wildcat 95" is also reproduced on page 143 of the first edition of JD Brown's Carrier Operations in World war II Vol 1.) At this stage in the war I think we may assume (if we had more serial nos we could check) that 882 Sq was issued with a new complement of aircraft before sailing for the Far East and that all aircraft in that complement would have been similarly marked. From the 4 photos (Airfix Magazine one plus the 2 FAAM ones plus the photo of B1S being ditched, I have drawn the following conclusions: 1. 6 rocket stubs outboard of wing bands 2. No obvious fin-top aerial. 3. Natural metal or maybe white domed (as opposed to stepped) spinner 4. Light coloured (light grey) undercarriage legs. 5. Mirror on windscreen 6. Silver pitot tube tip. 7. Bold style of B1, much bolder than drawn by Boulton and everyone else since (see photo of B1S being ditched) 8. US-style (45 deg corner) codes (again clearest on B1S photo): : 18" US codes from Superscale 72-229 will do nicely. 9 . No, rpt no, serifs on the "1" as depicted by Boulton and everyone else since. 10. "C" is smaller that "B1": cf B1S 11. White bands extend over wings and flaps, fin and rudder, and over tailplane (but not elevators) 12. "884" in small (6"?) white rounded characters on cowl ring in 6 o'clock position. 13. "C" in small (8") white angular characters on cowl ring at 3 and 9 o'clock positions. 14. Underwing and fuselage roundels seem to be in a larger non-standard, though not uncommon size) with larger white centre. 15. B1C does not seem to have an outline to the underwing roundels, unlike B1S (and handily contradicting my hypothesis that all 882's aircraft at this time would have been uniformly marked). 16. Very heavy exhaust staining, almost solid colour, back from exhausts. So yes there is photographic evidence of JV884's appearance but if contradicts every artwork and transfer rendition of it I have ever seen. No, I am not aware of any other photos of Wildcat VIs in EIF markings. HTH. Edited to add 16. HTH PS as this goes with the description above 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85sqn Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Hi guys, I made a GSB Wildcat VI from the Hobbyboss kit. I used some of the decals from Techmod to do the 882 Sqn version, HMS Searcher, Indian Ocean. The letters are slightly wrong in their font. A photo of said aircraft can be found in Browns ‘Carrier Operations of WWII. edited to say I posted that same time as Troy above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 (edited) 8 hours ago, Grey Beema said: Just had a quick butchers too. 882 NAS HMS Searcher - Ihave found artwork but no photos yet. I'll keep looking. The Warpaint on the Martlet/Wildcat has some photos of 882 Sq Mk VI's on Searcher in GSB with the white identity bands. I know I have seen other photos, but can't recall where- I will try to reboot the ole Mk 1a memory banks and will re-post if I find them. meanwhile, here's a really nice collection of Martlet/Wildcat photos you might enjoy- there is a color profile of an 882 Sq Mk VI in the scheme/markings that you want, but there was no photo to go with it. (You know what Troy Smith always says...) Mike http://ww2fighters.e-monsite.com/pages/grumman-f4f-wildcat.html I did find some color profiles, but no photos for an 882 Sq Mk VI in GSB, coded B-1C JV884 aboard HMS Searcher in 1945; has the white bands on the wings and fin; several aftermarket decal makers have these markings on their Wildcat sheets, so maybe one of them has photos to go with the profiles. @tonyot might be the chap who can help you, as I don't have the FAA references that he has! (Plus, knowing him, he has probably built the entire squadron's complement!) Mike Edited March 30, 2019 by 72modeler added link, text 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Looking again at the photo, this hasn't gone overboard following a crash, it has been junked. Presumably part of the Lend Lease rules scrap them or pay for them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat C Posted March 30, 2019 Author Share Posted March 30, 2019 What colour are the roundel surrounds on B1S? Yellow or pale blue as per the profile in the link shared by Mike above? ordered a copy of Browns book for £3 to add to the collection! Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 1 hour ago, Graham Boak said: Looking again at the photo, this hasn't gone overboard following a crash, it has been junked. Presumably part of the Lend Lease rules scrap them or pay for them. agreed - I thought the same... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85sqn Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 14 hours ago, Graham Boak said: Looking again at the photo, this hasn't gone overboard following a crash, it has been junked. Presumably part of the Lend Lease rules scrap them or pay for them. It was dumped overboard Cochin 1946 as says here: http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK---Navy/Grumman-Martlet-.../1309253/&sid=13e36fc2dc295f10ce5caaa070c37ee2 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat C Posted March 31, 2019 Author Share Posted March 31, 2019 2 hours ago, 85sqn said: It was dumped overboard Cochin 1946 as says here: http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK---Navy/Grumman-Martlet-.../1309253/&sid=13e36fc2dc295f10ce5caaa070c37ee I note the photo description says that this is JV836. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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