tonyot Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 Hiya Folks, I`m just finishing off my Hamilcar glider and I`ve been looking for decent photos of an operational aircraft which laded in Normandy,...... preferentially carrying a Tetrarch tank. I`ve come across a few serials,...... but nothing to show any graffiti applied to a particular aircraft,...... I`ve searched the net and every book that I possess,........ does anybody out there have any more info please? Cheers Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 Tony, There is a small graffity aboove 4th and 5th persons from right (of course not "M Fakhry" - this is rather print on photo) It is (?) "...MICKY'S... ....HEAP" Cheers J-W 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 On this film there are nice shots of two Hamilcar takes off. https://youtu.be/_F7kkmdrvBA Cheers J-W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 Tony, I vaguely recall an article on Hamilcars in either Air International or Air Enthusiast Quarterly, but don't remember if there were any photos of operational aircraft- it was a long, long time ago, and the old Mk 1a memory banks ain't what they used to be! Should have known, it it starts with an H, you will build it! A vacform kit? 😜 Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossm Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 Have you seen "Aircraft For The Many" - MJF Bowyer's book detailing all RAF aircraft used on D-Day? According to that book 3 Hamilcars carried Tetrarchs on D-Day assuming they stuck to the loads programmed by the War Office in March. They were LA641, LA644 and LA645. 17 Hamilcars carried T9 tanks, others carried Carrier Mk.IIs, Rotatrailers, motorbikes........... No useful photos though. Ross 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossm Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 The gliders were towed by 298 and 644 Squadron but the 298 ORB Records of Events pages seem not to exist ion the National Archives. What does exist is a detailed record of each sortie flown in the Appendices to the 298 ORB, including some details of the glider and it's load. Have a look at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2504292 and select "Preview an image of this record". Expand to full screen view - the icon with 4 arrows next to the printer icon and go to page 238. You can click and drag the image to move it under the banner about the watermark to see all of the information. It could be worth the £3.50 to download the document though as it covers the period up to the end of July 1944. At 500 pages it's much better value than most ORB downloads where you only get a few pages covering a month - ok it's not strictly the ORB but the information it gives is probably more use in this case. I haven't looked at the 644 Squadron ORB, that's left as an exercise for you 😉 Ross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted June 16, 2019 Author Share Posted June 16, 2019 22 hours ago, JWM said: Tony, There is a small graffity aboove 4th and 5th persons from right (of course not "M Fakhry" - this is rather print on photo) It is (?) "...MICKY'S... ....HEAP" Cheers J-W Thanks Jerzy,.....I do have these amongst my reference but had missed the small Graffitti which I presume says `Mickey`s Heap'? I would like to have built my model as `18' but could not find a photo, nor read the serial well enough! All the best mate, Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted June 16, 2019 Author Share Posted June 16, 2019 54 minutes ago, rossm said: Have you seen "Aircraft For The Many" - MJF Bowyer's book detailing all RAF aircraft used on D-Day? According to that book 3 Hamilcars carried Tetrarchs on D-Day assuming they stuck to the loads programmed by the War Office in March. They were LA641, LA644 and LA645. 17 Hamilcars carried T9 tanks, others carried Carrier Mk.IIs, Rotatrailers, motorbikes........... No useful photos though. Ross Cheers Ross,.......yes that is where I`ve got my serials from,....a fantastic little book. The T9 tank description got me,..... these were Locusts and were not used on D-Day as far as I know,......only Tetrarch`s! I thought the T-9 came in to replace the Tetrarch and was ued during the Rhine Crossing? All the best mate Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted June 16, 2019 Author Share Posted June 16, 2019 (edited) 22 hours ago, 72modeler said: Tony, I vaguely recall an article on Hamilcars in either Air International or Air Enthusiast Quarterly, but don't remember if there were any photos of operational aircraft- it was a long, long time ago, and the old Mk 1a memory banks ain't what they used to be! Should have known, it it starts with an H, you will build it! A vacform kit? 😜 Mike Thanks Mike,...... I`ll have a search as I have quite a few of them,...... I also have a few articles from old Aeroplane Monthly magazines. The Hamilcar was not a very well photographed aircraft, especially the operational aircraft!! The model is a resin kit from Planet Models,.....here is a link to the build; And here is my progress so far mate; All the best Tony Edited June 16, 2019 by tonyot 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossm Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 No good for modelling details but check the description of this photo https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205205837 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted June 16, 2019 Author Share Posted June 16, 2019 22 hours ago, JWM said: On this film there are nice shots of two Hamilcar takes off. https://youtu.be/_F7kkmdrvBA Cheers J-W What a great little film,...... thanks for finding it Jerzy,...... it helps a lot cheers. All the best Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted June 16, 2019 Author Share Posted June 16, 2019 3 minutes ago, rossm said: No good for modelling details but check the description of this photo https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205205837 Thanks Ross,...... yeah it is a historic photo alright and must have been a sight to behold seeing all of thoe huge glider coming in with much needed reinforcements. Cheers, Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossm Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 Remind me of your email by PM and I'll send you Locust and Tetrarch Profile booklets if you like, but later as I should be going out now with SWMBO 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted June 16, 2019 Author Share Posted June 16, 2019 2 minutes ago, rossm said: Remind me of your email by PM and I'll send you Locust and Tetrarch Profile booklets if you like, but later as I should be going out now with SWMBO Will do mate,....cheers,....have a nice day out!! ....I`ve got that to come this afternoon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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