Curtiss Tomahawk Mk.II

Build No.3 of 2025. This is Airfix's 1/48 scale Airfix P-40 Tomahawk MkIIB. 

I've completed the build in the colours of AK128 BT-H, which was an aircraft of No.1686 Bomber (Defence) Training Flight at RAF Hixon in Staffordshire attached to 30 OTU (Operational Training Unit), in 1942. This is an unusual assignment for a fighter as 30 OTU was part of No. 93 Group RAF Bomber Command.

No.1686 Training Flight were equipped with P-40 Tomahawk aircraft formerly used by No. 112 Squadron in North Africa and it is suggested that this is why they retained their distinctive Sharks Teeth markings. The aircraft of this unit were required to fly simulated fighter attacks against Wellington bombers, of 30 OTU, so that the turret gunners could practice against a fighter attack whilst airborne.

This Tomahawk met its end  in a taxiing accident at RAF Hixon on 23rd December 1943, when RNZAF pilot, F/Lt L.M. Ralph, inadvertently struck a fuel bowser whilst heading either too or from the main runway at the airfield. Whilst he escaped the incident without  serious injury, his aircraft was less fortunate and was immediately scrapped.

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The kit: 

Brand: Airfix

Title: Curtiss Tomahawk Mk.II

Number: A05133A
Scale: 1:48
Released: 2024 New decals

Korean War M4A3E8 Sherman 'Tigerface'

My Korean War M4A3(76)W Sherman is built. 

Although I spent, what seemed a long time, applying oils and pigments to give it a look of wear and use, I haven't really achieved the grimy finish I was expecting. I'm, therefore, assuming this tank represents the time when Lieutenant General Matthew B. Ridgway replaced General Douglas MacArthur in the in April 1951 and I have read that he, amongst other moral boosting actions, got soldiers cleaning their vehicles again!

This is inspired by a tank of C-Company of the 70th Tank Battalion which was one of the first three tank battalions to deploy in the Korean War, where it saw significant action.

From what I understand, as the United Nations forces engaged with the Chinese People's Army along the Han river in Korea in mid-February 1951, several US tank battalions decided to paint their tanks with giant tiger faces, the idea being that they hoped superstitious Chinese infantrymen would be scared by their fearsome faces!

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The kit:

Brand: Airfix

Title: M4A3(76)W Sherman

Number: A1365
Scale: 1:35
Release: 2019 New decals

Republic P-47N Thunderbolt

First build of 2025!

Revell's 1:48 scale Republic P-47N Thunderbolt 44-88835 'Red E Ruth' of 19FS 318FG Le Shima 1945 with Pilot Capt Don Stuck in the cockpit.

This is a Pro Modeler 1997 moulding re-badged and relased by Revell with new Decals in 2012. It was a nice simple build with none of the silly over engineering Airfix have indulged in recently. The figure was brilliant albeit with the canopy closed he's not very visible. Engine detail is likewise very nice, but unlike Andrew's PE2, there's no way to expose this. Overall, a reasonably good kit if you want a P-47 bubble top in your collection.

I actually purchased this for no other reason than it was keenly priced and I thought I could use it as an exhibit for a Nose Art presentation I'm giving to the local u3a Art Appreciation Group later this month.

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The kit:

Brand: Revell

Number: 04867 (80-4867)

Title: Republic P-47N Thunderbolt
Scale: 1:48
Released: 2012 New decals

F-86F Sabre - Mikes Bird

Here’s my second Christmas F-86F Sabre, Capt. Charles McSwain’s “Mikes Bird”, which coincidentally flew in the same squadron as my first F-86, “The Huff”: 39th FIS / 51st FIW, Suwon (K-13), South Korea.

Although I can not find anything about the history of “Mike’s Bird”, I did learn an interesting fact relating to why it and its fellow squadron aircraft wore yellow bands and had checks on their tails. 

When the Americans arrived in Korea with their F-86 Sabre it became apparent that it looked dangerously similar in flight to that the Soviet MiG-15. Therefore, the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing (FIW) started to paint forward-slanting black-and-white stripes on their fuselages - similar to 'D-Day invasion stripes - to prevent F-86 Sabre pilots from mistaking each other for the MiGs. When in  November 1951, the 51st FIW Group transitioned to the F-86 Sabre, their commander, Lt Col George Jones, didn't want to just copy the 4th FIW stripes, so he asked Capt Ed Matczak, his group material officer and budding artist, to design something different. He came up with the rearward-slanting yellow band on the fuselage, and yellow bands on the wing and tail. Later, the wing also went on to add the black checkered markings copying the WW2 design used by 325 Fighter Group the 'Checkertails’.

In my build of “Mike’s Bird” I used Academy’s amazing 1998 moulding of their 2011 “The Huff” kit and while I used the kits “The Huff” decals on the 1:48 scale Airfix kit I shared earlier, these “Mike’s Bird” decals were gifted to me by a good friend from the original 2011 Academy kit that he had in his stash. However, while the moulding has stood the test of time the decals less so, but if you’ve been following you’ll know that I pressed on regardless!

If you were looking to build an F-86F Sabre and were undecided over whether to go 1998 Academy or 2022 Airfix, unless you wanted to show the earlier model’s extended leading edges, I’d have to recommend Academy every time. From quality of design to crisp moulding, detailing through out from interior to engine, guns to airbrakes and most surprising of all, two excellently crafted pilots!

Happy Christmas all! 

F-86F Sabre - The Huff

Finished for Christmas. The 1:48 scale Airfix F-86F Sabre. 

Lieutenant Jim Thompson's F-86F "the Huff", famous for being photographed with the most astounding nose art of any USAF fighter in Korea. 

Thompson, was a wingman in the 39th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (FIS) of the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing (FIW), at Suwon (K-13), South Korea, in 1953. 

When he shot down a North Korean MiG-15 in May 1953 that had a dragon painted on its nose he convinced his Crew Chief to put a dragon on his Sabre. He must have eventually shot down another MiG as the decals come with the option of one or two kill star markings. I went with two, just three more required to make him an ace! 

 

 

I am not sure why, but on the starboard side of "The Huff" there is artwork for ‘Miss Jenny" & "Bill’s Baby" with the names of JW Manney and LD Cromwell. I've yet to find any reference to why or when these were added ... so most interesting! 

The kit I’ve used here is the 2022 release of Airfix’s F-86F Sabre with "The Huff" decals from the 1998 (2011 release) Academy F-86F kit. The Airfix kit does allow for the modeller to have gun covers and air brakes open and even forward wing slats extended but I wanted to show the aircraft ready for flight and use the second more detailed Academy kit as an aircraft under going maintenance. I’ve also installed Academy’s pilot which in addition to be better detailed is also more historically accurate. 

Paints used were all Vallejo and the silver was their unique alcohol based Liquid Metal. 

De Havilland Mosquito B Mk.XVI

My second Mossie, the Airfix Mosquito Mk.XVI, is the bomber variant of this amazing aircraft which could carry a payload as great as the American's B-17 Flying Fortress!

I’ve finished this Mossie in the markings of ML963, 8K-K ‘King” of 571 Squadron. It was based at RAF Oakington, near Cambridge from April 1944 as part of the No. 8 (Pathfinder) Group. Its main role was to carry out independent precision raids on German industrial targets using a 4,000 lb "Cookie" bomb (that's massive). Having completed 84 operations with the Squadron, 31 of them to Berlin, its  final mission was on 10/11 April 1945, following which it had to be abandoned with an engine fire; not good when the majority of the aircraft was constructed of wood!

 

An example of the type of missions it was tasked with, was that flown by the Squadron Commander, Wing Commander R J Gosnell DSO, on New Years Day 1945.  This was a low-level sortie to skip a 4,000 lb bomb into the Bitburg Railway Tunnel, in Germany; that's precision bombing. Although the tunnel was destroyed by another of the squadron's Mosquitos, Gosnell himself reported "Special Duties against Railway Tunnel - Run up target to plan. No bomb burst seen, opposition nil, light flak from Trier, excellent visibility".  So, not his best mission, but he at least returned to fight another day. Interestingly, he's the only one listed in this aircraft in the squadron mission report, which is unusual as the Mossie usually has a crew of 2

De Havilland Mosquito Mk.VI

This is Tamiya De Havilland Mosquito Mk VI which I was inspired to build after this year’s visit to France where I saw evidence of 613 Squadron’s Mosquito attack on the Chateau de Trevarez, 30 July 1944. 

Unfortunately the decals I had for this build didn’t work out so I went with the boxed set, which isn’t all bad ...

as they are for 487 Sqn. (RNZAF) MM417, EG-T which in February 1944  took part in the amazing Operation Jericho!