RAF Douglas Dakota Mark III

Airfix 1:72 Douglas C-47 Skytrain finished as an RAF Douglas Dakota Mark III using Xtradecal after market decals for aircraft FZ692, known as ‘Kwicherbichen’, of No. 233 Squadron. Figures are the two sets of RAF Flying Nightingales, one with Wounded, from Modelu and the base is just something I threw together. The painting was predominantly airbrushed using Vallejo, including the D-Day stripes. 

It was 13 June, one week since D Day, when three nursing orderlies, Corporal Lydia Alford and LACWs Myra Roberts and Edna Birkbeck; each travelling in an RAF Douglas Dakota, departed from RAF Blakehill on the first casualty evacuation flights to Normandy. The moment of their return was captured by an official RAF photographer. The welcoming party of newspaper correspondents dubbed them the ‘Flying Nightingales’ and the name stuck. They were the first British women on active service to be flown into a war zone.

In recognition of their courage, Douglas Dakota ZA947 in the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight has been know to be painted to resemble Douglas Dakota FZ692 which took part in casualty evacuation flights with ‘Flying Nightingales’ after D Day.

Nice kit, fabulous figures and great fun all round. 

C-47 Skytrain

My latest scale model build and second of 2023 is Italeri’s C-47 Skytrain. I’ve had it in my stash since doing a Pegasus Bridge D-Day diorama some years back when I had a plan to have it flying overhead with paratroopers leaping out in support of the glider troops below. This never happened due to my short attention span and me having moved on to my next build! 

Having just read over Christmas the interesting book “The Lost Paratroopers of Normandy” I was inspired to dust off the C-47 and build it as D8 of 94th TCS commanded by Major Joseph A Beck II and then discovered was based at Station 462 Upottery, of Band of Brothers fame, here in Devon! 

This was a really nice kit to build. Very simple but lots of nice detailing. I’ve since seen that Airfix have recently re-released their 2014 moulding and this comes with decals for another of Upottery’s aircraft … how can I resist! 

Hope you like it.