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Miles Magister Mk. I/Ia


Simon Cornes

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Can you please help with markings suggestions? I have recently acquired the Micro Mir 1/32 kit. This includes Czech and a Polish marking options in Dk Green/Dk Earth/Yellow - which is fine - but no wartime RAF markings. I am not in making an EFTS machine or maybe a squadron hack. I’m also aware that RAF Maggies seemed to dispense with the spats so that’s a scratch building matter, unless I can find one with spats fitted that satisfies my criteria. Any suggestions?

Thank you

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44 minutes ago, Simon Cornes said:

I am not in making an EFTS machine or maybe a squadron hack.

Is this a mis-typing? I am not sure what you mean.

Assuming you want a mainstream-looking wartime RAF trainer then apart from the undercarriage, you will need to arrange some serials. The roundels and fin flashes can all be taken from the kit. If you don't know which one you want to do, then the Shuttleworth Collection's P6382 is representative of many wartime Magisters, and is abundantly photographed. I haven't seen the paperwork they acquired with it but I gather it was handed round quite a bit during WW2 and served with a number of EFTS.

 

For avoidance of doubt, both the squadron hacks featured in the Micro-Mir kit are from RAF squadrons.

312 was a predominantly Czech-manned RAF squadron, not a squadron of the Czech air force, and 317 Squadron was a predominantly Polish-manned RAF squadron, not a squadron of the Polish air force. Personnel of various nationalities served with these squadrons.

 

Edited by Work In Progress
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Hi WIP

Yes it was a mid-type - apologies! It should have said “I am interested in making an EFTS machine or maybe a squadron hack”

I appreciate that both camouflaged options are for Czech or Polish manned RAF units but I imagine that some Maggies were also used as hacks by some U.K. personnel manned RAF units.  As you say, it’s probably a case of standard pattern camouflage, spat less undercarriage and the appropriate serial as squadron ID codes wouldn’t apply. Possibly a yellow gas patch on the rear fuselage spine. Agreed, I could use the Shuttleworth machine markings but I wondered if someone might

have photos of another airframe?

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Taking an exact view, most of the personnel on both of those squadrons were British. It is occasionally forgotten, including by me when I typed my initial response, that only a small minority of people on a squadron strength are pilots.

Edited by Work In Progress
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I can probably turn something up when I get back to my books in about a week - remind me by PM on 12th if nothing has come along in the meantime.

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9 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

Four+ published an excellent monograph on the Magister a few years back.

Thanks Graham. Just found it. By Michael Ovcacik. A mere £31.57 + postage from Amazon!! Oh dear!!

But, luckily, Jay Laverty - via Mastercasters - is selling a copy for £15 post free. That will do. Odd how eBay can be  your friend?!!

Thanks again

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  • 2 weeks later...

If the 4+ book doesn't help there are plenty of schemes in Airfile 5 - RAF Trainers vol1 1918-1945. Just let me know if you're still looking.

 

I've also turned up the 4+ book if you still need one.

Edited by rossm
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Thank you Ross 

The 4+ book is very good but I get the feeling that there may be some more interesting RAF markings. I’m tempted to try to pick up a copy of the Airfile but is it still in print? I saw a second hand one a week or so back but went for the 4+ book instead. As I also have a Harvard and a Tiger Moth so maybe I should get a copy of the Airfile book after all!

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A quick scan of the Airfile gives you yellow with metal cowling, camouflage to mid fuselage and yellow undersides or camouflage to bottom of fuselage side with yellow undersides, one with a yellow fuselage band. Only one with spats is a 312 sqdn one.

 

OR CFS Aerobatic team 1937 with red/white topsides and yellow unders - it has spats

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Thanks Ross. I will probably go for a camouflaged airframe. As it stands I've found a copy at Blackbird Models which isn't silly money - as Amazon was - so I've snapped it up as it could come in useful for a few other projects! Thanks for your help

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