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Revell Hawker Tempest MkV 1:32 - 56 (Punjab) Squadron April 1945 , 2nd TAF ,Volkel, Holland - My uncle's aircraft (US-X)


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Great thread Andy,looking forward to shadowing your build,I seem to recall @Troy Smith posting some info on Canadian Hurricane's

in one of my threads and I'm sure that number styling on the nose rings a bell hopefully he'll spot the mention he's our go to guy for the 

Hurricane might shine some light on the photo!

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6 hours ago, stevej60 said:

Great thread Andy,looking forward to shadowing your build,I seem to recall @Troy Smith posting some info on Canadian Hurricane's

in one of my threads and I'm sure that number styling on the nose rings a bell hopefully he'll spot the mention he's our go to guy for the 

Hurricane might shine some light on the photo!

Thanks Steve. I hope Troy can shed some more light on the hurrie. As my uncle was burnt on the right side of his face many pics have him showing his left profile.. lets see what his full service records show when they come back from MOD too! 

Regards , Andy

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Hi Andy,here's the thread with some Hurricane photo's to me looking very similar to the number styling on your Uncles photo page one.

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235072566-airfix-hurricane-llb/

It would be great to get a positive ID on Hurricane "Jean"  another of his Aircraft you could replicate.

 

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Just found this thread and I have to say, cracking build and personal history. As an aside I live only about 30 minutes drive from the former RAF Millfield, where your uncle did his conversion to type at 56 OTU. Much of it has been demolished, but there is still a local flying/gliding club using the site, and you can some lovely views of it from the nearby foothills of the Cheviots. 

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8 minutes ago, Robert Armstrong said:

Just found this thread and I have to say, cracking build and personal history. As an aside I live only about 30 minutes drive from the former RAF Millfield, where your uncle did his conversion to type at 56 OTU. Much of it has been demolished, but there is still a local flying/gliding club using the site, and you can some lovely views of it from the nearby foothills of the Cheviots. 

Hi Robert,only an hour down the road myself,I believe ranges were set up on the Northumberland coast south of Holy Island for these aircrew

to be trained on.

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Thanks Steve and Rob. I couldn't find much on the internet about Millfield. I was given the OTU course info about my uncle from another WW2 forum user. Apparently uncle Peter pranged a Tempest here during his training. Despite this he was given a high assessment. Maybe this was why he was deemed fit to go to join a fully operational squadron early? Interesting about the Holy Isle ranges too! I wonder if they practiced with 60lb rockets ? I'm unsure , without checking the ORB if my uncles sorties were just Armed Recces with cannons or if he used rockets also. Lots of mentions of Air and Cannon tests in the ORB for his squadron at this time. 

Regards, Andy

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Cockpit im pleased with. A thin coat of satin varnish and pretty much done! Pity you won't see much of it once fuselage closed up but .. it was an enjoyable part of the build. More so at this large scale. Just going to make my own harness before it get glued in. 

 

 

IMG_0663

 

Edited by Col Walter E Kurtz
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6 minutes ago, stevej60 said:

Most grateful for this link. Perfect! had a quick look and some very good details .. thank you Steve! 

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Good work Andy,I like the cockpit arrangement SH have done all the detail you need I think the wheel well boxing in I found frustrating

untill it was lined up before drying a dry run  of the upper wing shows a reasonable fit which is a relief!

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17 minutes ago, stevej60 said:

Good work Andy,I like the cockpit arrangement SH have done all the detail you need I think the wheel well boxing in I found frustrating

untill it was lined up before drying a dry run  of the upper wing shows a reasonable fit which is a relief!

Thank you Steve. Wheel wells were a pain! Yes dry fit of upper wings seems to be ok. It is a nice kit for n General but definitely NOT a Tamiya fit lol 

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  • Col Walter E Kurtz changed the title to Revell Hawker Tempest MkV 1:32 - 56 (Punjab) Squadron April 1945 , 2nd TAF ,Volkel, Holland - My uncle's aircraft (US-X)
8 hours ago, Col Walter E Kurtz said:

Cockpit im pleased with. A thin coat of satin varnish and pretty much done! Pity you won't see much of it once fuselage closed up but .. it was an enjoyable part of the build. More so at this large scale. Just going to make my own harness before it get glued in. 

 

 

IMG_0663

 

Cockpit's come together nicely Andy!

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Just now, Dunny said:

Cockpit's come together nicely Andy!

thank you Dunny. Love the scale detail in 1:32 . I found myself many times thinking about what my uncle must have felt whilst ive been doing this build. He would have been 97 this year. What a hero he was., without a doubt. I've even thought about offering  the completed model to his old squadron . They are based at RAF Waddington which has a heritage museum. 56 Squadron are known as The Firebirds.. their crest is a Pheonix. Its quite poinient my uncle crashed  in flames and rose to fly again too.. not that my models are museum quality but might see if they would consider something like this. 

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14 minutes ago, Col Walter E Kurtz said:

thank you Dunny. Love the scale detail in 1:32 . I found myself many times thinking about what my uncle must have felt whilst ive been doing this build. He would have been 97 this year. What a hero he was., without a doubt. I've even thought about offering  the completed model to his old squadron . They are based at RAF Waddington which has a heritage museum. 56 Squadron are known as The Firebirds.. their crest is a Pheonix. Its quite poinient my uncle crashed  in flames and rose to fly again too.. not that my models are museum quality but might see if they would consider something like this. 

Andy,

 

The personal connection for this build must be really inspiring. My father was based at Wattisham in the 70s - 56 Sqn were flying Lightnings at the time, so I remember the Firebirds well! Look forward to seeing this build progress,

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

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On 13/02/2021 at 09:11, stevej60 said:

Hi Robert,only an hour down the road myself,I believe ranges were set up on the Northumberland coast south of Holy Island for these aircrew

to be trained on.

I have been doing quite a bit of local history research and you're right about those ranges, they were close to Druridge Bay area, we still get the odd bit of unexploded ordinance washing up on the beach every now and then. 

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19 hours ago, Col Walter E Kurtz said:

Thanks Steve and Rob. I couldn't find much on the internet about Millfield. I was given the OTU course info about my uncle from another WW2 forum user. Apparently uncle Peter pranged a Tempest here during his training. Despite this he was given a high assessment. Maybe this was why he was deemed fit to go to join a fully operational squadron early? Interesting about the Holy Isle ranges too! I wonder if they practiced with 60lb rockets ? I'm unsure , without checking the ORB if my uncles sorties were just Armed Recces with cannons or if he used rockets also. Lots of mentions of Air and Cannon tests in the ORB for his squadron at this time. 

Regards, Andy

Hi Andy, 

I have a full record of all aircrashes in Northumberland on a data stick, I will have a look and see if I can dig up any more info about this incident for you. It might take a few days as I'm in the middle of a 6 day run of shifts. 

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5 hours ago, Robert Armstrong said:

Hi Andy, 

I have a full record of all aircrashes in Northumberland on a data stick, I will have a look and see if I can dig up any more info about this incident for you. It might take a few days as I'm in the middle of a 6 day run of shifts. 

Hi Rob. Thats most kind of you. At your leisure of course!

I have been previously given the following info I was told on good authority he's mentioned in a book that he was assigned to

 

No 56 OTU, Course No. 1A (Tempest) Duration of Course 10 weeks 2.1.45 - 13.5.45 - Sgt.  Brown, P. C. Brit. Assessment A 13.3.45 Posted to 83 G.S.U. Flying Hours Day 52.05 Night 0,50. 

 

14/01/1945 56 OTU - Tempest V JN819 -Damaged in landing accident, RAF Milfield - Sgt P C BROWN 

 

Maybe you can supply any further details based in this? 

 

Kind Regards, Andy

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15 hours ago, Dunny said:

Andy,

 

The personal connection for this build must be really inspiring. My father was based at Wattisham in the 70s - 56 Sqn were flying Lightnings at the time, so I remember the Firebirds well! Look forward to seeing this build progress,

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

Thanks Dunny. I know Wattisham of course. LIGHTNINGS  PHOWR!  Probably my favourite jet ! Flying one was said to be " About the most fun you can have with your clothes on". Luckily I have seen a few as a child flying over East Anglia.  Did your Dad get to fly one?

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9 hours ago, Col Walter E Kurtz said:

Thanks Dunny. I know Wattisham of course. LIGHTNINGS  PHOWR!  Probably my favourite jet ! Flying one was said to be " About the most fun you can have with your clothes on". Luckily I have seen a few as a child flying over East Anglia.  Did your Dad get to fly one?

Hi Andy,

 

He didn't - he was a Fighter Controller at the time. Amazing memories as a kid though!

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

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8 hours ago, Dunny said:

Hi Andy,

 

He didn't - he was a Fighter Controller at the time. Amazing memories as a kid though!

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

That's great Roger. Think your Dad must have been kept pretty busy during those times. Lots of scrambles of Lightnings to intercept Russian aircraft 'testing' the home defences during the Cold War! It was a serious time .

Another uncle lived at a place called Walberswick right on the coast. We would often see Phantoms fly over the village at low level on their way out over the North Sea. These days you often see Herkybirds and attendant US Ospreys flying similar routes. Sometimes Blackhawk helicopters.

 

Kind Regards

Andy 

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