Cris Garcia Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 (edited) ¡Hola amigos! As I advance in the history of the Pacific Campaign during WWII, the actions in the South Pacific get more and more interesting. The passage of the complete anihilation of a Japanese convoy to New Guinea in the so called "Battle of the Bismarck Sea" in March 1943, made me stomp with the feared Bristol Beaufighter. What a beast! I picked up the good ol' Tamiya kit of the Mark VI and started the really enjoyable building of the model. It is mostly OOB except for the letters that identified her as a member of 31st Squadron based in Coomalie Creek during 1942-43, that came from NZ Ventura decals. Very helpful about the usage of TSS, TLS and later Foliage Green (on the Aussie Mk.21 Beau) was a particular forum and debate here in Britmodeller (special thanks to @Sydhuey @Ozhawk40 @Biggles81 and @Nick Millman). All the best, Cris. Edited May 11, 2023 by Cris Garcia 48 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Dog Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 Superb Cris. Captures a very well used Aussie Beau nicely. Very well done. This is a great read if you haven't read it already. For anyone wanting more info on that particular battle from another point of view (Aussie instead of US). For anyone wanting good reads on Aussie aviation history you can't go past Michael Veitch. In March 1943, in the sky and sea near New Guinea, Australian and American pilots faced some of the darkest days of World War II. Bestselling author Michael Veitch (Turning Point, 44 Days) tells the dramatic tale of the battle that thwarted Japan's final, desperate lunge for the South West Pacific. 'Readers look for and admire good writers and great writing. They will find it, in spades, in The Battle of the Bismarck Sea.' - The Canberra Times In the thick of World War II, during the first week of March 1943, Japan made a final, desperate lunge for control of the South West Pacific. In the ensuing Battle of the Bismarck Sea, a force of land-based Australian and American planes attacked a massive convoy of Japanese warships. The odds were against them. But a devastating victory was won and Japan's hopes of regaining the initiative in New Guinea destroyed. More importantly for Australians, the victory decisively removed any possibility that Australia might be invaded by Japanese forces. It was, for us, one of the most significant times in our history - a week when our future was profoundly in the balance. Bestselling author Michael Veitch tells the riveting story of this crucial moment in history - how the bravery of young men and experienced fighters, renegades and rule-followers, overcame some of the darkest days of World War II. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuraiwarrior Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 Hi Chris, That is a beauty! She looks so realistic I think she's going to take off for her next mission. Love the weathered paint job and the fading. Nice, very nice. One to be proud of. Thanks for sharing Kevin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertielissie Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 Superb work.. Great weathering. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Allen Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 Great build! Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 great work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col Walter E Kurtz Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 (edited) Really lovely Beaufighte r Cris! It's a great kit this Tamiya one in my humble opinion.It was the first kit i made when i came back to the hobby. Nice to see an example in a different livery too. The weathering is just about right i think too!The gun smoke looks really realistic and the paint chipping looks great. May I offer a tiny criticism? I noticed that the wing navigation lights are the wrong colour. From the pilot's viewpoint ...The Left-hand wing or 'Port' side is always Red. The Right-hand wing light is always Green for 'Starboard'. I think i'm also correct in saying the Starboard navigation light glass would be actually Blue and the bulb inside was yellow. So when lit it showed green? ( I might be wrong on this point- i'm no expert! but i'm sure someone will know the definative answer to this question re Beaufighters.) there's a saying to help mariners remember which side is which.. " No PORT wine ( which is red) LEFT in the bottle" Well done and thanks for showing. Kind Regards, Andy Edited May 9, 2023 by Col Walter E Kurtz 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cris Garcia Posted May 9, 2023 Author Share Posted May 9, 2023 6 hours ago, Red Dog said: Superb Cris. Captures a very well used Aussie Beau nicely. Very well done. This is a great read if you haven't read it already. For anyone wanting more info on that particular battle from another point of view (Aussie instead of US). For anyone wanting good reads on Aussie aviation history you can't go past Michael Veitch. In March 1943, in the sky and sea near New Guinea, Australian and American pilots faced some of the darkest days of World War II. Bestselling author Michael Veitch (Turning Point, 44 Days) tells the dramatic tale of the battle that thwarted Japan's final, desperate lunge for the South West Pacific. 'Readers look for and admire good writers and great writing. They will find it, in spades, in The Battle of the Bismarck Sea.' - The Canberra Times In the thick of World War II, during the first week of March 1943, Japan made a final, desperate lunge for control of the South West Pacific. In the ensuing Battle of the Bismarck Sea, a force of land-based Australian and American planes attacked a massive convoy of Japanese warships. The odds were against them. But a devastating victory was won and Japan's hopes of regaining the initiative in New Guinea destroyed. More importantly for Australians, the victory decisively removed any possibility that Australia might be invaded by Japanese forces. It was, for us, one of the most significant times in our history - a week when our future was profoundly in the balance. Bestselling author Michael Veitch tells the riveting story of this crucial moment in history - how the bravery of young men and experienced fighters, renegades and rule-followers, overcame some of the darkest days of World War II. Thanks Red Dog! I got the book! Amazing stuff, so well written. Thanks for your kind comment. Cris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cris Garcia Posted May 9, 2023 Author Share Posted May 9, 2023 6 hours ago, Samuraiwarrior said: Hi Chris, That is a beauty! She looks so realistic I think she's going to take off for her next mission. Love the weathered paint job and the fading. Nice, very nice. One to be proud of. Thanks for sharing Kevin Thanks Samurai-san! Yeah, weather was quite an issue at the Coomalie Creek, so the birds got really beaten by the elements. Specially, to the ones with the TSS cammo (as the vast majority of 31 Sq.), in which the Dark Slate Grey got heavily de-colorized. Thanks again! Cris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cris Garcia Posted May 9, 2023 Author Share Posted May 9, 2023 3 hours ago, Col Walter E Kurtz said: Really lovely Beaufighte r Cris! It's a great kit this Tamiya one in my humble opinion.It was the first kit i made when i came back to the hobby. Nice to see an example in a different livery too. The weathering is just about right i think too!The gun smoke looks really realistic and the paint chipping looks great. May I offer a tiny criticism? I noticed that the wing navigation lights are the wrong colour. From the pilot's viewpoint ...The Left-hand wing or 'Port' side is always Red. The Right-hand wing light is always Green for 'Starboard'. I think i'm also correct in saying the Starboard navigation light glass would be actually Blue and the bulb inside was yellow. So when lit it showed green? ( I might be wrong on this point- i'm no expert! but i'm sure someone will know the definative answer to this question re Beaufighters.) there's a saying to help mariners remember which side is which.. " No PORT wine ( which is red) LEFT in the bottle" Well done and thanks for showing. Kind Regards, Andy Oh Colonel Andy, what an honour! Yes, you are absolutely right about the navigation lights... it was my mistake! Thanks for your support and well intended comment. Cris. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col Walter E Kurtz Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 39 minutes ago, Cris Garcia said: Oh Colonel Andy, what an honour! Yes, you are absolutely right about the navigation lights... it was my mistake! Thanks for your support and well intended comment. Cris. No problem Cris! It's my pleasure! we all make mistakes. Yes I think i've done the same in the past lol.. really is a superb model ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantherhawk27263 Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 That is very nicely done!!! Excellent work! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 Great work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 Well done! Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cris Garcia Posted May 10, 2023 Author Share Posted May 10, 2023 23 hours ago, Pantherhawk27263 said: That is very nicely done!!! Excellent work! Thanks Phanterhawk! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgeusa Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 Wonderfully built and finished Beaufighter in Aussie colors. The weathering is just perfect. Thanks for sharing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cris Garcia Posted May 11, 2023 Author Share Posted May 11, 2023 20 hours ago, georgeusa said: Wonderfully built and finished Beaufighter in Aussie colors. The weathering is just perfect. Thanks for sharing. Thanks George! Yes, I'm not super fan of heavily weathered birds, but in this case some amount of 'elements action' was needed as the rain, heat and humidity of Northern Coast Australia was extremely important. Thanks again, Cris. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
François Escudé Posted May 12, 2023 Share Posted May 12, 2023 Hi Chris , very nice Beau indeed ! like your work on weathering and chipping ! thanks for sharing 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sydhuey Posted May 16, 2023 Share Posted May 16, 2023 Nice model!!! well done a great representation of a 31 Sqn TSS Mk VI, just one grey area , I don't have my Beaufighter info here but half the Mk VI's had flat tails and about half had the dihedral tail as you have on the model , just not sure which batch this serial falls in , also at this time the Mk VI's were still running the older observers canopy modified to take a gun not the late purpose designed gun type canopy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnl42 Posted May 16, 2023 Share Posted May 16, 2023 Very nicely built and finished, particularly the atypical scheme. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cris Garcia Posted May 16, 2023 Author Share Posted May 16, 2023 13 hours ago, Sydhuey said: Nice model!!! well done a great representation of a 31 Sqn TSS Mk VI, just one grey area , I don't have my Beaufighter info here but half the Mk VI's had flat tails and about half had the dihedral tail as you have on the model , just not sure which batch this serial falls in , also at this time the Mk VI's were still running the older observers canopy modified to take a gun not the late purpose designed gun type canopy. Hi Sydhuey! It's an honor for me to receive your kind comment. I went for the TSS scheme mainly because of your input in the topic here about the mighty Aussie Beaus and its predominance in the aircrafts coming from UK during 1942-1943, and the predilection of Squadron 31st for this particular scheme. I did some research in order to have the correct match between the letter codes (EH-F) and the serial number. Thanks again! Greetings from the other side of the Pacific, Cris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winded Penguin Posted May 16, 2023 Share Posted May 16, 2023 Especially appreciate the detail of including a tropical pilot with his sleeves rolled up 👍 Feels hot in there! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cris Garcia Posted May 17, 2023 Author Share Posted May 17, 2023 18 hours ago, Winded Penguin said: Especially appreciate the detail of including a tropical pilot with his sleeves rolled up 👍 Feels hot in there! Hahahaa... you are absolutely right! Thanks Winded Penguin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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