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Postwar Tempest II 226 OCU


MikeC

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I have a Special Hobby Tempest II kit and a hankering to finish it as a 226 OCU aircraft as based at RAF Bentwaters.  I know the unit code was XL, and was unusually presented in black; I know one of the individual codes was Y; but I'm having trouble tying down serials and other individual codes, and I've found more hen's teeth than relevant photos.   Does anyone have any further info in this please, and also info on whether they had retained or lost the white special ID markings?

 

Many thanks in advance.

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If the BWC Museum refs are not completely helpful, I do have a couple of shots of XL-Y, but I am away from records for a few weeks.  Certainly it did not have the white identity markings and the codes were black and maybe the spinner. IIRC (a big if) the serial was PR555. I used one of the photos in 'Typhoon and Tempest Story'.

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9 hours ago, Chris Thomas said:

If the BWC Museum refs are not completely helpful, I do have a couple of shots of XL-Y, but I am away from records for a few weeks.  Certainly it did not have the white identity markings and the codes were black and maybe the spinner. IIRC (a big if) the serial was PR555. I used one of the photos in 'Typhoon and Tempest Story'.

Hi Chris, I have your book handy and am looking at photos on page 158. The top photo shows a spinner and rear fuselage band in sky, type C1 roundel on the fuselage and the black serial number on the underside of the wing and the caption says the serial of "XL-Y" is PR555.

 

Jun in Tokyo

https://www.flickr.com/photos/horaburo/albums

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1 hour ago, Junchan said:

Hi Chris, I have your book handy and am looking at photos on page 158. The top photo shows a spinner and rear fuselage band in sky, type C1 roundel on the fuselage and the black serial number on the underside of the wing and the caption says the serial of "XL-Y" is PR555.

 

Jun in Tokyo

https://www.flickr.com/photos/horaburo/albums Hairy g

Thanks Jun, memory wasn't too bad then, but wrong about the spinner.. note for the modeller; the photos came from a former  226 OCU student and his recollection of their Tempests were that they were scruffy and poorly maintained. However he  went on to fly Tempest VIs with 213 Sqn.

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On 8/25/2019 at 8:49 AM, Chris Thomas said:

If the BWC Museum refs are not completely helpful, I do have a couple of shots of XL-Y, but I am away from records for a few weeks.  Certainly it did not have the white identity markings and the codes were black and maybe the spinner. IIRC (a big if) the serial was PR555. I used one of the photos in 'Typhoon and Tempest Story'.

Well do I feel a fool?!!  I have your book, and scoured through it before posting this: I completely missed that the photos on P158 were of XL-Y.   I plead a senior moment.

 

As it happens, the BWCM photos are very helpful - many thanks Julien - but I would certainly appreciate a look at your shots of XL-Y as well.  I'll PM you my email.

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On 25/08/2019 at 08:49, Chris Thomas said:

If the BWC Museum refs are not completely helpful, I do have a couple of shots of XL-Y, but I am away from records for a few weeks.  Certainly it did not have the white identity markings and the codes were black and maybe the spinner. IIRC (a big if) the serial was PR555. I used one of the photos in 'Typhoon and Tempest Story'.

I would be interested in see those as well.

 

Julien

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