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Bristol Beaufighter Mk. X, 1/72, Airfix, 31. sq. RAAF "Repainting started"


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I have yet to build an Airfix Beaufighter so looking forward to looking in on your build, I did do a Merlin engine conversion using one so only half a one 🤔.

 

Curiously they include the early frameless rear canopy which neither boxing uses, so a future boxing as a 1f or a VI?

 

Davey.

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Change of plane, i am not able to convert the Airfix kit into a Mk. 1c, so have found a Mk. X to build.

 

A19-177

LZ200

Mk.X

30/11/43 2 AD. (Arrived Australia 28/11/43)
21/01/44 5 AD.
20/03/44 31 Sqn. Coded EH-C (Parnell p.113).
11/04/44 Hit eagle, damaging starboard wing and leaving the eagle in the wing.  Whilst landing in a strong cross wind, the starboard wing struck the ground and the aircraft crashed into an earth bank twisting the rear fuselage and collapsing the undercarriage, Coomalie Creek NT (photo Pentland p.89). Pilot P/O R S Bullen, Navigator F/Sgt Sparke
14/04/44 14 RSU.
16/05/44 Conversion to components approved.

 

Beaufighter_A19_177

 

Cheers

Jes

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  • Touvdal changed the title to Bristol Beaufighter Mk. X, 1/72, Airfix, 31. sq. RAAF

Crumbs Jes, that was quick!

 

I agree with you that the new Airfix kits are a joy to build, and this one is one that has escaped me so far. You are doing a great job with it, and the history of the original was very interesting, and it adds a certain dimension to the project.

 

All the best,

 

Ray

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • Touvdal changed the title to Bristol Beaufighter Mk. X, 1/72, Airfix, 31. sq. RAAF "FINISHED"
  • 3 weeks later...

Looks good , but unfortunately the scheme is wrong , the late Mk X  were in std RAF TSS scheme of Dark Slate Grey/Extra Dark Sea Grey over Sky, 31 Sqn in particular hated the Dark Earth for over water ops and had permission to overpaint the Dark Earth with Dark Sea Grey on their early Mk Ic's, of the 220 odd UK built Beaufighters in RAAF service less than 1/4 were ever in the TLS scheme of Dark Green/Dark Earth, the vast majority were in the TSS scheme of EDSG/DSG. 

Until recently most decal sheets were wrong , DK decals have done sheets with the correct schemes. 

Unfortunatly one of several long term errors that persists , RAAF Beaufighters in TLS scheme and the fixation with desert schemed Kittyhawks in Italy that weren't in that scheme.     

Edited by Sydhuey
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1 hour ago, Sydhuey said:

Looks good , but unfortunately the print scale decals are wrong , the late Mk X  were in std RAF TSS scheme of Dark Slate Grey/Extra Dark Sea Grey over Sky, 31 Sqn in particular hated the Dark Earth for over water ops and had permission to overpaint the Dark Earth with Dark Sea Grey on their early Mk Ic's, of the 220 odd UK built Beaufighters in RAAF service less than 1/4 were ever in the TLS scheme of Dark Green/Dark Earth, the vast majority were in the TSS scheme of EDSG/DSG. 

Until recently most decal sheets were wrong , DK decals have done sheets with the correct schemes. 

Unfortunatly one of several long term errors that persists , RAAF Beaufighters in TLS scheme and the fixation with desert schemed Kittyhawks in Italy that weren't in that scheme.     

 

I have read the

 ADF Serials Telegraph News
News for those interested in Australian Military Aircraft History and Serials
Volume 9: Issue 3: Spring 2019:

 

nu

 

 

And RAAF camoflage and markings 1939-45 vol. 2, 

 

nuu

 

And they contradict each other.

 

So I am thinking when the A/C arrived in Australia on 28.11.43, it was not asigned to any unit yet, so it would have been taken by the maintainece unit  inspected and repainted in the green/brown/light blue specs. for the RAAF and put in storage for delivery, wich would be to 31. sqd. 20.3.44, so kept in storage for 3 mdr.

This unit operated primary over the sea so they locally replaced the brown with gray.

 

So my model represent the camoflage the plane prior to repainting.

 

Cheers

Jes

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G'day Jes, the old Pentland RAAF Camouflage and Markings books while great books are more than 30 years old and full of mistakes , the ADF serial newsletter is more recent research, only the first 50 odd Ic's were ever in the Dark Green/Dark Earth Scheme.

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5 hours ago, Sydhuey said:

G'day Jes, the old Pentland RAAF Camouflage and Markings books while great books are more than 30 years old and full of mistakes , the ADF serial newsletter is more recent research, only the first 50 odd Ic's were ever in the Dark Green/Dark Earth Scheme.

 

Well i do not have much knowledge regarding RAAF camoflage, but one thing strikes me in the ADF artickel, they have repainted the undersurface and not the uppper surface, and still when the plane arrived it had not yet been asigned to a unit.

 

Also looking at the b/w made to color profile they have the roundel wrong.

 

Is there any documentation that states the RAF color was retained.

 

I know that color dicussions are difficult, depending on the eye that sees it, so writen documentaion is only way to be sure.

 

Cheers

Jes

Edited by Touvdal
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The Beaufighters are a bit of a minefield, they operated in about 6 differant schemes combinations and 2-3 different sort of roundel sizes they were delivered with factory sky undersurfaces  and usually got repainted to RAAF Sky Blue after a belly landing or damage (which happened a lot with Beaufighters) , they didn't get repainted when delivered as it was a waste of time and stores to repaint over a new paint job, I don't believe 177 had a repainted underside as the machine was only 5 mths old from arrival in Australia to crashing and being written off, the original B&W picture shows a sharp edged demarcation line between upper and lower colours usually an indication of factory paint , repaints usually have over spray as the weren't masked and a lot of the time the repaints have a scalloped /wavy demarcation line  . Roundels are 24" 5:3 ratio not the later 5:2 ratio that came out in Jun 44 .

 

There is a substantial thread in the WW2 section on RAAF Beaufighter colours , that and the ADF serials articles cover the schemes and markings quite well, unfortunately the perception of all  RAAF Beaufighter in DG/DE has been around awhile and unfortunately the decal makers had nothing to go off but books like Pentlands while lauded when they came out are now quite dated and wrong, as I said at the start , probably DG/DE RAAF Beaufighters and desert schemed Kittyhawks in Italy are two of the biggest myths that still hang around, with the Kittyhawk even the RAF Museum got the scheme wrong on their restored Kittyhawk.  

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There was a Air Force memo that came out in late 43 stating a list of equivalent colours to RAAF colours that aircraft could stay in to save time and materials painting brand new aircraft twice, can't find it at the moment , its why A-20C's stayed in Olive Drab despite it being faded and Kittyhawks stayed in Olive Drab from the factory, only aircraft that needed the repaint for the role eg: repainting Catalina's for night operations was a repaint carried out , till after Jun 44 when the complete new operational schemes came out.   

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