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A Tough Day in Burma


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A Spitfire Mk. VIII flown by Andrew Tough of No.155 Squadron RAF, Burma, 1944.

Eduard kit with a resin cowl and some nice PE that came in the box.

 

Ive done some research on this aircraft and group as it is intended for my sisters husband as one of the men who flew this aircraft was his Grandfather and was shot down and was rescued by the OSS to fly again!

The Eduard kit states that a Paul Ostrander from Winnipeg flew the plane thats represented in the box.  Under good authority so did Andy.  However the one that I want to represent on the day of the crash landing had the WG instead of DG (Ostranders Plane).

 

Anybody have two spare W's that will match to spare????????

 

I was able to get as much information as possible from the Tough family in preparation for this build as they did have some documentation from Mr. Toughs service with the RAF.  I originally intended to do the crashed version but I thought it better (and easier) to make a pre-mission version.

 

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Edited by Beazer
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Very interesting theme. Not too good for 155 squadron to lose 4 aircraft in 1 incident. I suspect there is more to the story. 

 

Colin 

 

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9 hours ago, Colin W said:

Very interesting theme. Not too good for 155 squadron to lose 4 aircraft in 1 incident. I suspect there is more to the story. 

 

Colin 

 

Ill see if I can get more to that story of why.

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Used Akan Cockpit Green BS 283.  That’s much better than what I previously had.  
Painted the seat using a bunch of different colours and dry brushing and scratching, hard to tell but it looks correct for those.

Some PE applied and just have fine detail paint and giver a wash.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 15/04/2020 at 17:22, Colin W said:

Very interesting theme. Not too good for 155 squadron to lose 4 aircraft in 1 incident. I suspect there is more to the story. 

 

Colin 

 

Found out some more information.

Apparently the 4 ran out of fuel and belly landed.  Had to wait all day for rescue and recovery at an old airstrip.

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Nice looking build, I'm currently reading Airwar Over Imphal by Norman Franks but haven't got to this incident yet. It is an area that has long held an interest for me, keen to do several planes from it, keen too to watch this come together.

Steve.

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2 hours ago, stevehnz said:

Nice looking build, I'm currently reading Airwar Over Imphal by Norman Franks but haven't got to this incident yet. It is an area that has long held an interest for me, keen to do several planes from it, keen too to watch this come together.

Steve.

I'm trying to get more info from the bookkeepers at 155 squadron.

The planes that force landed were reporting marks DG W, A, R, and maybe Q?

 

Exhausts are going to be installed last as they will just get in the way when painting (#uneccesarymasking).  Temporaryily glued the resin top cowl so everything will  look nice.

Should start to fall together alot better now.

 

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Installed the guns and underside parts.

Ordered a set of PE as I lost the other set so I can’t get much else done until that arrives.

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Progress us looking good. I can't see anything of the incident you refer to but probably too early, the book only goes to about the end of June 44, so I'm guessing it was after that.

Steve.

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On 18/05/2020 at 04:59, stevehnz said:

Progress us looking good. I can't see anything of the incident you refer to but probably too early, the book only goes to about the end of June 44, so I'm guessing it was after that.

Steve.

It was in September of ‘44

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I'd probably need a copy of Christopher Shores, "Air War For Burma" for that & at the prices they command, a kindle version at that. I've been intending to for a bit, time I did so I reckon.

Steve.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 19/05/2020 at 20:50, stevehnz said:

I'd probably need a copy of Christopher Shores, "Air War For Burma" for that & at the prices they command, a kindle version at that. I've been intending to for a bit, time I did so I reckon.

Steve.

I think I may actually have that on order.  All the information I have is from the family for the most part.

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White identification stripes on.

 

 

I have to edit some things I discovered.

 

The planes that forced landed were registered DG G, DG E, DG P, and of course the one Im modelling the DG W.

The planes went down in Singaling Khampti on August 27th 1944.

Their operating airfield was Palel at the time.

 

They bellylanded out of fuel after a ground attack mission.  At 1125 F Sgt Wolstenholme led a section of four detailed to strafe rolling stock and cattle at YE-U(?).  Fg Offr Tough, WO MacLaine and WO Callicot were with him.  After two and a half hours passed they had not returned.  FLt Lt Meyer took off to try and get in contact with R/T but failed to do so.  A pilot for another squadron who had been airborne at midday said he had heard REDSKIN Blue 2 calling for a fix.  It was later learnt that all four aircraft had force landed at Singkaling-Khampti on the Chindwin.  The pilots were safe, but a long distance from civilization.  Aug 28 1944 Sqn Ldr Krohn and Plt Offr Ostrander went out to see if they could locate the missing pilots.  Four Spitfires were found on an unserviceable strip at NW2412.  All aircraft believed to be Cat III.  Laid out in white was "155 OK 741x101".  The four pilots were seen to be waving.  The figures probably refered to the size of the strip, which the pilots seemed to have been endeavoring to clear.  The four returned in the afternoon of Sept.6, having been flown out of Singkaling-Khamti by the Americans in L5s.  During their sortie to Ye-U they were unable to find the target because of cloud.  They found a break in Kyaikthina and strafed the station and rolling stock.  On their return journey the weather was bad and they were forced to land at Sinkaling.

 

Knowing this would they have mounted bombs for rolling stock or would they have just went out with guns to conserve fuel?

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7 hours ago, rob85 said:

Great build so far, I have a few of the eduard spits, cunning plan to get the single resin cowl!

 

Rob 

I read that if you were to replace only one thing that it should be the cowl!

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  • 3 weeks later...
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Look whats finally arrived.  My lost set lol.  Started to the important bits and will need to do some sanding underneath for sure.

 

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Found my British 500lb bomb set and will be using the 250lbs from the kit.  Decided they most likely had this setup for the flight.

Also I found my two W's that fit perfectly for the aircraft I wanted to do.  I was really at my wits end trying to find anything.  They came from the Eduard Spit Mk 1xc early set.

Now just need to figure out the aircrafts serial number.

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Work begins.  What a pain in the but though.  I mean who even thinks this stuff will cooperate.

Mostly done but insert x to see how many times I swore at this contraption.

Still have to make the flat metal into a nicely coiled shape for the bomb stabilizer.  Wish me luck with that.

 

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Started with some primer and taped off the white.  Should be ready for the bottom coat tomorrow.

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So the bombs are mounted.  Prop is complete.  Yellow nose and the Medium Sea Grey has been sprayed.

Just need to redo the Bronze Green bombs and some detail painting on the bottom before moving on to the upper.

Should just sneak this build in time for the 12th.

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Another absolutely superb Eduard build which I have been following but had yet to comment on... I have exactly this same boxing, so am watching this with great interest.

 

The family connection must make this particularly interesting for you... what will happen to the model afterwards, will you be presenting it to your brother in law?

 

Are you using the Lifecolour paints? They seem to be one of the very few who do proper RAAF colours and I was thinking about buying the full set as I have two other Aussie Spits to complete. Apart from the Sky Blue, which was Lifecolour, I am currently using Tamiya and Mr Hobby paints for my Grey Nurse MkVIII... I think I may buy the full set as they have accurately matched paints for all the major colours - not that accuracy matters all that much after fading and weathering everything.

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Dark Green on after an entire morning of masking with frisked and tamiya tape.  Those camo masks are a godsend and I regret not getting one for this build.

 

12 hours ago, Bill Livingston said:

Another absolutely superb Eduard build which I have been following but had yet to comment on... I have exactly this same boxing, so am watching this with great interest.

 

The family connection must make this particularly interesting for you... what will happen to the model afterwards, will you be presenting it to your brother in law?

 

Are you using the Lifecolour paints? They seem to be one of the very few who do proper RAAF colours and I was thinking about buying the full set as I have two other Aussie Spits to complete. Apart from the Sky Blue, which was Lifecolour, I am currently using Tamiya and Mr Hobby paints for my Grey Nurse MkVIII... I think I may buy the full set as they have accurately matched paints for all the major colours - not that accuracy matters all that much after fading and weathering everything.

I do plan on giving him this.  Will need to put it in a nice glass case so it doesn’t get wrecked or dusty.

 

Im using the Vallejo SEAC model air set for the paints.  I have to order all my stuff and the only thing local I have is Vallejo and tamiya. 

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