Spitfire & GWR 6100-class - Rhubarb Over Somerset 1943

This, my second scale model build of an aircraft and train, is inspired by a local story I recently came upon of which there is much supposition - thus any inaccuracies in my understanding or retelling are solely my own! 

The Story as I understand it  …

Between June 1942-June 1943 No.313 Squadron, the third Czechoslovakian fighter squadron to be formed within the RAF, was stationed at Church Stanton, near Wellington in Somerset. During this time the squadron, flying the Spitfire Mk Vb and Vc, took part operation ‘Rhubarb’, the offensive low-level sweeps over northern France to destroy ground targets. 

Having escaped the advancing German army a 26 year old Czech pilot, Jaroslav Čermák, joined the RAF on 26th February 1941. Over a year later he earned his RAF wings, was promoted to Flying Officer and on 12th April 1943 assigned to No. 313 (Czech) Squadron RAF.

On 4th June 1943, at 10:05 hours, Čermák and three other pilots took-off on an operation ‘Rhubarb’ training flight. Their task was to practice a low-level attack on a train. They came across a GWR locomotive and carriages en route from Plymouth to Liverpool near Bradford-on-Tone, Somerset. After one successful pass they made a second approach on the target. Čermák flying his Spitfire Mk.Vc serial AR512 this time applied insufficient power, got too close and when his Spitfire lost stability, it clipped the roof of one of the carriages with a tip of port wing. The aircraft rolled over and crashed approximately 100 metres from the line, in a field at Langs Farm, Bradford on Tone, just to the east of what is known today as Three Chimneys. Čermák was instantly killed in the crash and at least one Wren aboard the train was reportedly injured by flying glass.

The models …

For the Spitfire I repurposed a low-level configuration clipped wing 1:72 scale Revell Mk.Vc from my collection and added the Church Stanton “RT” Squadron markings. We’ve yet to identify the correct aircraft letter so I left my original aircraft’s “V” in place, and, although we know Čermák’s serial was AR512, for those with a mind to look, I’ve also left it with the old serial number too. 

The actual locomotive is unknown and may probably have been a Castle Class, however, as a scale model of this 4-6-0 type was not available, I’ve gone for Dapol’s OO scale GWR Prairie Tank 6100 Class while my friends at Buffers Model Railways remain on the lookout for a Castle Class. I also managed to get hold of a slightly damaged GWR carriage which I repainted in war colours of red brown sides, gold band and black roof.

Update - September 2023

I now have a Castle Class engine and more carriages. New diorama will be constructed and I will share as soon as I can.

Train Busters - Hawker Tempest

This is the 2022 tooled Aifix kit A02109 - Hawker Tempest Mk.V which I’ve finished in the colours of JN751/R-B, the aircraft flown by Wing Commander Roland Prosper ‘Bee’ Beamont, when in command of No.150 Wing, Newchurch, Kent in June 1944 and the 1982 tooled and re-released in 2021 Revell 1:87 scale Schnellzuglokomotive, heavy express locomotive, BR 01 & Tender 2'2' T32.

The inspiration for this “dogfight double” was the picture “Train Busters - Hawker Tempest” painted by Roger H. Middlebrook which I came across while researching the idea of another train v fighter project I still have in plan! Having both the Revell and Airfix kit in my stash, it was just great fun being able to bring the two together. 

A bit of history:

Wing Commander Roland Beamont seems to have been a true British hero. He passed out as a pilot officer on 21st October 1939, flew Hurricanes of No.87 Sqn in France as part of the British Expeditionary Force and earned status of ‘ace’ during the Battle of Britain. He become part of Britain’s fledgling nightfighter force and at the end of his tour of duty took up a position as a production test pilot with the Hawker company. In July 1942, he returned to operational flying with No.56 Sqn and then given command of No.609 Squadron, both units operating the Typhoon. In 1943 he was charged with forming the RAF’s first Tempest Wing (No.150 Wing), used extensively in a home defence role and particularly in combating the V-1 ‘Doodlebug’ threat.

By 12 October 1944 Beamont’s second tour was completed and his replacement had already arrived. Unfortunately, 'Bee' was determined to complete one last sortie. At 1455 hrs he took off from the Wing’s post D-Day base at Volkel in Holland at the head of eight No. 3 Sqn Tempests, and in the Rheine area a stationary train was spotted. With little, if any, flak apparent, ‘Bee’ led them in one and then a second attack, and, totally out of character, and out of ammunition himself, he went on to lead the Tempests back in for a third time. His Tempest EJ710/JF-L (Beamont's own 'RB' aircraft - as I have depicted in my little vignette - was under repair) was hit in the radiator, and 'Bee' was forced to put down well inside enemy territory. Soon captured, he spent the rest of the war as a PoW. 

“Train Busters - Hawker Tempest” painted by Roger H. Middlebrook

Post War, “Bee” retuned to the role of Test Pilot with first flights of the Canberra, lightening, TSR2 and Tornado MRCA to his credit.

The Kits:

Bond Bug

My Airfix Vintage Classic 1:32 Scale 1971 Bond Bug is complete! 

This unusual scheme I’ve used was actually inspired by a recent visit to my local branch of Vision Express rather than a child’s doll! You weren’t expecting that, we you!

I hope the colour and polka dot design, with spectacled driver, will now make a little more sense. I intend this as a gift and a bit of fun for the team who, following a big mix up over scale modelling vision requirements resulted in 2 new sets of glasses having to be reworked, looked after me so well.

The Vallejo Squid Pink paint chart looked so much closer to the Vision Express corporate dark pink than the Barbie tone I’ve ended up with, but considering the current euphoria for the film of the same name, I feel this bubble gum pink works equally well should one want to ignore the original intention. 

BAe Sea Harrier FRS.1

 Here’s my take on the Airfix BAe Sea Harrier FRS.1 XZ458 of 809 NAS. 

I built this as an impulse addition to my Falklands40 display of Sea Harriers. 

A year or so ago I built very nearly every aircraft, ship and vehicle which took part in the Falklands War that I could lay my hands on. As a James Bond fan, the one SHAR I really wanted but couldn’t get hold of was that known as ‘Pale Blue 007’ but Airfix had discontinued it. With them having recently rereleased the kit, I just had to buy it. 

The kit itself, based on their 2010 moulding, is OK but a far cry from their new releases. Its fit, however, is quite good, reminding me of a starter set, so much so that the instructions as to where to fit the fiddly aerial bits are totally omitted! 

Having made the Hasegawa, Italeri, ESCI  and now Airfix Sea Harriers, it is interesting to see how different they all are. Each have their charms and good points. 

The Airfix kit’s issues are that they supply the modeller with a WW2 pilot, have missing instructions for the fiddly bits and the panel lines have been scribed with a bulldozer! 

On the plus side, the Airfix kit is friendly to build, the single piece wing section ensures no unsightly joins, and the options for wheels up/down and air brake extended or closed are great to have; the detailing in the missiles meanwhile is better than any of the other 3 brands I have tried.

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The Kit

Brand: Airfix
Title: BAe Sea Harrier FRS.1 
Number: A04051A
Scale: 1:72
Type: Full kit
Released: 2022 (New Decals)

Avro Vulcan B.2

 I’ve just finished building one of my largest 1:72 scale kits, the Airfix Vulcan B.2 bomber. 

Having already got a later low level camouflaged version in my collection, for this build I went for the 1962 Cold War Vulcan B.2 XM602 of No. 12 Sqn. RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire finished in Anti-Flash White and a Blue Steel nuclear missile!

Having built Airfix’s earlier 1983 version, I was expecting great things from this recent 2021 tooled kit. I found it however, very much over engineered and sadly less enjoyable to build than I remember the 80s’ kit to have been. 

The hours I spent on the beautifully designed cockpit were waisted as none of this can now be seen when closed within the fuselage and beneath the mostly covered canopy. 

 

Where most manufacturers have found a way of moulding exhaust jets in one piece this kit required at least 3 and the use of a jig! That said, from a pure engineering perspective, this is a visually attractive kit, I just think it’s another example of a designer not having a clue of how to design a deconstructed scale model!

Sadly, I lost Airfix’s beautifully crafted undercarriage and open crew hatch detail by going for a wheels up configuration. I have no space nor large enough display cabinet to show this model off in its wheels down configuration and so planned from the outset to have it displayed in flight from my office ceiling … its such a beautiful aircraft in flight and this finished kit, in my view, does not disappoint.

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The Model:

Make: Airfix
Model: Avro Vulcan B.2 
Scale: 1:72
Item code: A12011
Year of Release: 2021