KITS 02/2022

E1416, Capt. Arthur H. Cobby, No. 4 Sqn AFC, Serny, France, September 1918

Camel No. E1416 was the last of Arthur Henry Cobby´s aircraft

of this type and served him well, as he achieved eight out of

his 29 aerial victories flying this one. One of these victims

was observation balloon, the last of five destroyed by this

very successful Australian fighter pilot. In fact, Cobby was

the most successful Australian ace flying with Australian

unit in WWI as he scored 29 victories with at least four different Camels. He had figures of Charlie Chaplin made from

(probably) sheet of aluminium and he used to fit them on his

Camels from both sides of the cockpit. Apart of it the Camel

sported standard camouflage (probably with PC10 color on

upper sides) and markings, but had non-standard ducts

mounted at the carburetor inlet. Acclaimed a national hero,

Cobby joined newly formed Royal Australian Air Force in 1921

and was gradually promoted up to the rank of Wing Commander. He retired and served with Citizen Air Force only (the

RAAF reserve) but was re-activated in 1939 and held senior

posts in the RAAF rising to the rank of Air Commodore. To the

end of the war, he commanded Australian No. 1 Tactical Air

Force in Southwest Pacific area with some 20 000 people ready to action according to his orders. Arthur Henry Cobby died

on November 11, 1955.

B3883, FSL Harold F. Stackard, No. 9 Sqn RNAS, Bray-Dunes, France, September 1917

Harold Francis Stackard achieved 15 aerial victories during

Great War. He started his military career as a subaltern

serving on HMS Orotava in France and Gallipoli. In October

1916 he was transferred to the Royal Naval Air Service, and

two months later he was promoted to Flight Sub-Lieutenant.

Stackard stayed for the rest of the war with No. 9 (Naval)

Squadron. He scored his first victory on May 2, 1917, flying

the Sopwith Pup. On September 3, 1917, he recorded his first

victory behind the controls of the Sopwith Camel. It was his

fourth one. With the B3883 he later added six (may be seven)

victories, so it was his most successful aircraft. FL Joe Fall

scored another three flying it. The B3883 had no distinctive

decorations originally. It only sported white number 2 on the

fuselage sides. It was damaged and after repair was named

Maude II with the name in white. Also, big fuselage ring in

blue and white and two blue discs with white outline on the

upper wing were added. Later the fuselage ring (and probably the elevator as well) was enriched by red color and the

Maude II was overpainted in blue with white blocking as the

remains of the original painting. By 1918, Stackard was an

instructor at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire. He served briefly

with No. 157 Squadron before he left the service shortly after

the war.

Recommended

for Sopwith F.I Camel (Clerget):

20

FE1215

Sopwith Camel seatbelts STEEL (PE-Set)

648674

Sopwith Camel Rotherham air pumps (Brassin)

644116

Sopwith Camel LööK (Brassin)

648662

Sopwith Camel 20lb bomb carrier (Brassin)

648657

Sopwith Camel wheels type 1 (Brassin)

648676

Sopwith Camel Clerget engine (Brassin)

648658

Sopwith Camel wheels type 2 (Brassin)

648661

Sopwith Camel US Colt Vickers gun (Brassin)

648659

Sopwith Camel seat (Brassin)

3DL48038 Sopwith Camel SPACE (3D Decal Set)

648660

Sopwith Camel Vickers Mk.I gun (Brassin)

eduard

INFO Eduard - FEBRUARY 2022