05/2023

Good Day, Dear Friends We are at the beginning of May, and so the competition season is revving up nicely. We have just had the traditional Moson event and the Kit Show takes place in Kopřivnice on Saturday, so it´s a good time to talk about this year´s E-day. E-day 2023 takes place on Saturday, September 23 at the Tankodrom in Milovice and we will be following the same scheme as last year, meaning that exhibiting modelers begin on Friday afternoon and will include the early evening program.

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  INFO Eduard

  # 159

  e-magazine FREE Vol 22 May 2023

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  INFO Eduard

  # 159

  e-magazine FREE Vol 22 May 2023

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  eduardeduard

  MAY 2023

  CONTENTS

  EDITORIAL

  KITS

  BRASSIN

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED SETS

  BIG ED

  BUILT

  ON APPROACH

  –

  June 2023

  TAIL END CHARLIE

  HISTORY

  BOXART STORY

  F6F-5 Hellcat late ProfiPACK 1/48

  SPITFIRE STORY: MALTA DUAL COMBO Limited 1/48

  MiG-21MF Interceptor Weekend 1/72

  Bf 109F-4 Weekend 1/48

  Fokker Dr.I ProfiPACK 1/48 reedice

  Fw 190F-8 ProfiPACK 1/72 reedice

  F4F-4 Wildcat early 1/48

  Z-526AFS Akrobat 1/48

  The Red Combat Flyer

  Spitfires for Malta

  In a year and one week

  One shade of Gray

  The Star of Africa

  The last victim

  4

  6

  32

  28

  56

  74

  82

  92

  98

  118

  Published by Eduard-Model Accessories, spol. s.r.o.

  Mírová 170, Obrnice 435 21

  support@eduard.com www.eduard.com

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  Good Day, Dear Friends

  We are at the beginning of May, and so the

  competition season is revving up nicely. We have

  just had the traditional Moson event and the Kit

  Show takes place in Kopřivnice on Saturday,

  so it´s a good time to talk about this year´s

  E-day. E-day 2023 takes place on Saturday,

  September 23 at the Tankodrom in Milovice and

  we will be following the same scheme as last

  year, meaning that exhibiting modelers begin

  on Friday afternoon and will include the early

  evening program. We haven't exactly defined

  what that will be yet, but we have interesting

  possibilities and I have no doubt that Friday's

  program will be at least as good as last year's.

  It will be the same on Saturday, and we will be

  sticking to our long-standing tradition of holding

  our “The Pot” Q and A session, a “one on one”

  with a special guest, and a flight demonstration

  which is bound to be very popular as it always

  is. This is also being discussed right now and

  the options are attractive. These are the parts

  that were successful last year and we will not

  make any fundamental changes to them. Then

  there are the points that were not quite as

  successful. This was the shuttle service from

  the railway station in Lysá nad Labem, and this

  year we will improve it and pay more attention

  to its organization. Another point to improve on

  is the management of the upper parking lot for

  exhibiting modelers, where the surface quality

  should be better this year. This year we will

  take more control over who parks where, and

  after last year's experience we will limit the

  freedom of choice of a parking spot to a certain

  extent. It may sound dramatic, but it will be of

  general benefit. And thirdly, we will push for the

  improvement of the catering, which is not under

  our control, but we will still push for an increase

  in its quality, as well as the speed of service.

  And that is about it for E-day for now, so on to

  May news.

  KITS

  We don´t have any super-hot off the presses

  premieres for May, but you will still find some

  noteworthy pieces in the collection of four new

  releases and two reissues. In the ProfiPACK

  1:48th range, we have prepared a new edition of

  the Hellcat, a late version of the F6F-5. There is

  a new collection of color markings, five of the

  six are Hellcats from various US Navy aircraft

  carriers, deployed in the last year of the war in

  the Pacific, the sixth machine is a 1951 French

  Indochina Hellcat.

  In the Limited Edition 1:48th range, we have

  probably the last of this type dedicated to the

  Spitfire Mk.V. Maybe not the very last, as there

  is still another Spitfire Mk.V themed LE kit in

  the game, dedicated to Czechoslovak pilots

  in the RAF, but it certainly won´t be this year.

  Likewise, there is also a similar Limited Edition

  item dedicated to Poles, but the same applies

  here, too. So “Malta”, as this item is called, is

  definitely the last Spitfire Limit Edition release

  this year. The story of the defense of Malta is

  a magnificent one of monumental proportions,

  interspersed here with other types of aircraft,

  such as the Bf 109. And also, next month,

  when we release our long-awaited Bf 109 F in

  1:72nd, in the Limited Edition Wunderschöne

  Neue Maschinen boxing, something else Malta

  related will appear as well. Maltese Spitfires

  are colorful not only in the stories of the planes

  and their pilots, but also in their camouflage

  schemes and markings, as you can judge on the

  pages dedicated to this item in today´s edition

  of the newsletter. If Maltese Spitfires interest

  you, you can expand your knowledge about them

  thanks to one of today´s historical articles. Its

  author, Michal Krechowski, was, among other

  things, the product manager responsible for

  the development of this kit. He did this job

  enthusiastically and very well, because Spitfires

  in general, including Spitfires in Malta, are his

  lifelong passion.

  We also have two Weekend releases. In 72nd

  scale, returning to the MiG-21MF Interceptor

  version, lovingly dubbed “the Greyishs” here

  in the Czech Republic. The nickname naturally

  comes from the grey coloring of these MiGs as

  delivered, which were the most powerful fighters

  of the Czechoslovak Air Force at the time. They

  were also the longest-serving of all the MiGs

  here, and the best maintained airframes were

  upgraded to MiG-21MFN standard in the 1990s

  and served until the arrival of the Gripen.

  The second May Weekend release is the 48th

  scale Bf 109 F-4. The striking boxart image

  EDITORIAL

  INFO Eduard4

  May 2023

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  shows one of the four marking options, an

  airplane flown by Hans-Joachim Marseille, the

  Star of Africa, and another star is included as

  well, that of Hermann Graf. There are a further

  two equally colorful machines. Now, you can

  argue that there are already God knows how

  many 109s out there, but the simple fact that you

  can’t ignore is that there is a market for all of

  them, and they just don’t get old. After all, the

  main reason for releasing this Weekend kit is

  the fact that at the moment all our Bf 109 F kits

  in 48th are sold out, and the same is true of the

  Bf 109 G-2 and G-4. So in the coming months

  you can expect these types as well among new

  items. I just hope it won´t cause confusion with

  the pending wave of 72nd scale Fredericks and

  Gustavs. And they´re even nicer than the current

  quarter scale kits, believe me. I´m building one

  of the first ones here right now.

  As a reissue, we have the Fw 190 F-8 in 1:72nd,

  which is a straight reissue in the current type

  of packaging, and we did not make any major

  changes to it compared to the original release.

  The 1:48th scale Fokker Dr.I didn´t see any

  radical changes either, but it does feature new

  box art, depicting the last aerial victory of the

  Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen.

  ACCESSORIES

  In the Brassin range, this month we have, for the

  first time in our history, all new products made

  exclusively by 3D printing. They range from small

  items such as magazines for Vickers 97 machine

  guns in 1:48th, exhausts for the Spitfire Mk.IX in

  1:24th, and German rudder pedals in 32nd, to

  large kits such as the engine for the F4F-3A

  Wildcat, and a cockpit, flaps and engine for the

  Rufe. Prints everywhere you look. For me, this

  is a nice result of our campaign for innovation.

  In addition to the mentioned sets, in today´s

  collection you will find an exhaust nozzle and

  a seat for the F-35A in 1:48th from Tamiya,

  a radar for the 48th scale F-16 from Kinetic and

  a gun bay for our Wildcat covering the F4F-4

  variant. There are also two small 1:35th scale

  AFV sets and some new LööK items as well.

  In the Space range, we have eight new

  sets, mainly for 48th scale models. Among

  photoetched and masks, there are collections

  that are geared to the F-86D and PV-1 kits from

  Academy, the Mi-17 from AMK and flaps for our

  Rufe, all in 1:48th scale, as well as the CH-54 in

  1:35 from ICM and the P-40B in 1:32nd by GWH.

  There is one set is for the USS Missouri in 1:350,

  and there is also one single set in 72nd, a ZOOM

  for the MiG-21MF, which is, of course, intended to

  complement the Weekend kit mentioned above

  in the new kit release paragraph. Additionally,

  there are four new BigEds, two BigSins and

  three LöökPlus sets to consider. As usual, you

  can find a thorough description of all sets on the

  pages dedicated to May releases.

  ARTICLES

  The article section of our newsletter, dedicated

  to history and technology, is probably its most

  popular feature today. This month, we have an

  article by Miro Barič about the fate of the USS

  Hornet and other aircraft carriers during the

  battles for the Solomon Islands. Next, we have

  an article “The Red Baron” by Jörn Leckscheid,

  bringing several new insights relating to the

  personality of the most successful fighter pilot

  of the Great War, Manfred von Richthofen. I have

  already mentioned the Malta Spitfire project by

  Michal Krechowski, in addition there are three

  Boxart stories: One shade of Gray about the MiG-

  21MF, The Last Victim about the scene depicted

  on the Profipack Fokker Dr.I box (both by Richard

  Plos) and Star of Africa about Hans-Joachim

  Marseille by Jan Bobek.

  And that will be it for me for this month.

  I wish you a pleasant evening and hope that our

  newsletter will be a good reading companion to

  you.

  Happy modeling!

  Vladimír Šulc

  F-35A exhaust nozzle PRINT

  INFO Eduard

  5

  May 2023

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  HISTORY

  The full name and title of the person behind

  this moniker was Manfred Albrecht Freiherr

  von Richthofen, who was born on May 2, 1892,

  in Breslau as the second child and first son of

  Kunigunde and Albrecht von Richthofen. The

  term “Red Baron” was bestowed upon as the

  Anglo-American translation of his Prussian

  rank of nobility: The male members of the von

  Richthofen family were actually “Freiherren”.

  The translated term gained popularity in post-

  war times, especially when cartoonist Charles

  M. Schulz had his cartoon character “Snoopy”

  fighting imaginary dogfights against the “Red

  Baron” in his equally imaginary Sopwith Camel in

  the 1960s and 70s.

  Manfred and his sister Elisabeth (born 1890),

  more commonly called “Ilse”, were to be joined

  by two more brothers: Lothar was born two years

  after Manfred, and Karl Bolko Alexander, usually

  called by his second name, completed the quartet

  in 1903. By then, the von Richthofen family had

  moved from Breslau to Schweidnitz.

  In August of the same year, at the age of 11,

  Manfred was obliged to join the Cadet Academy at

  When asking a regular person on the street

  to name a famous soldier from the First

  World War, the answer is most likely going

  to be “The Red Baron”.

  Text: Jörn Leckscheid

  The Red Combat FlyerThe Red Combat Flyer

  Manfred von RichthofenManfred von Richthofen

  Manfred von Richthofen (left) chats with Jasta 10 commander and fellow Pour le Mérite ace Lt. Hans Klein during the First Fighter Competition in Berlin-Adlershof

  in January 1918. Von Richthofen held Klein in high regard and valued his leadership qualities.

  Photo: author's collection

  INFO Eduard6

  May 2023

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  Wahlstatt, about 50 kilometers west of Breslau,

  at the explicit wish of his father. While viewed

  from todays´ perspective, this decision may

  seem harsh. However, for the firstborn son of

  a Prussian nobleman, this was a pretty common

  start into a military career in Imperial Germany.

  Young Manfred was, by his own accounts, not

  overly keen on the strict discipline that was

  demanded there from the young cadets. Moreover,

  the Cadet Academy was located in a former

  monastery, which must have been somewhat

  intimidating on an 11-year old boy. Besides, being

  a very small town with the total population

  numbering just a few hundred, Wahlstatt was

  not the most inviting of places. Manfred was

  blessed with a very sturdy physical constitution

  and generally good health Bolko recalled after

  the war. Much to his dismay, this meant that he

  never missed one day of school due to illness.

  So, after having completed his six years there,

  he was relieved to advance to the Prussian Main

  Senior Cadet Academy at Gross-Lichterfelde,

  just south-west of Berlin, in 1909. There he felt

  much more like a human being, as he described

  it himself. For example, the Royal Botanical

  Garden was located there, and Berlin was just

  a stone throw away. Two years later he graduated

  as an officers candidate, and at Easter 1911 he

  became a professional soldier, having joined the

  Ulanen-Regiment Nr. 1 “Kaiser Alexander III. von

  Russland”. There he was commissioned on 19

  November 1912, and he described this event as

  being the proudest moment of his life.

  Manfred had enjoyed horse riding since his

  childhood and had plenty of opportunity to

  practice his skills during the holidays at his

  much-beloved Grandmother´s estate. During the

  summer holidays, which he and brother Lothar

  usually spent there, they were greeted with the

  words “here you are free to do whatever you

  want”. Of course, this was a more than welcome

  change from life at the Cadet Academy, and the

  boys made the very best of their freedom while

  they could. Besides riding, young Manfred also

  developed a strong inclination for hunting, and

  the combination of these two traits would serve

  him well while later flying single-seater aircraft.

  HISTORY

  Major Albrecht von Richthofen visited his sons at their unit on numerous occasions. Here he is enjoying

  a cigar while speaking to Manfred.

  425/17, Rtm. Manfred A. Freiherr von Richthofen,

  CO of JG 1, Cappy, France, April 1918

  This is the appearance of Richthofen’s Dr.I 425/17, in which

  the Red Baron achieved his last two victories on April

  20, 1918. The aircraft by that time already had the insignia

  repainted in accordance with the order issued by the

  Luftstreitkräfte on March 18, 1918. This called for a change

  from “Iron” crosses to the “Balkenkreutz”. The day after the

  final victory Germany’s most famous fighter was killed. The

  aircraft depicted here did have the crosses repainted, but

  the modification on bottom of the lowest wing was either

  not yet completed or was done carelessly. Since red paint

  must have been used in the modification of the crosses,

  it is likely that the typically shaped scratches on the

  port side of the cockpit were also painted over when the

  crosses were changed.

  Photo: author's collection

  INFO Eduard

  7

  May 2023

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  HISTORY

  Early military career

  As a young cavalry officer, he was posted to the

  front with his regiment soon after the outbreak

  of hostilities. Serving initially on the Eastern

  Front, he was quickly transferred to Belgium.

  But the initial war of movement turned into

  trench warfare within months, and the cavalry

  officer found this kind of warfare not to be to his

  liking. He was actively looking for a change. And,

  like many other soldiers serving in his branch

  of the military, he keenly eyed the fast-moving

  new weapons above their heads that were now

  carrying out the reconnaissance missions that

  were previously the task of the cavalry. He longed

  to joined one of the new flying units.

  His application for transfer to the “Fliegertruppe”

  was approved, and he found himself at Flieger

  Ersatz Abteilung 6 on 10. June 1915 for observer´s

  training. This course was rather short, as he

  was posted to Feldflieger-Abteilung 69 on the

  Eastern front as an observer just eleven days

  later. His next posting as an observer took him

  to Brieftauben-Abteilung Ostende, back on the

  Western front, following in the footsteps of some

  of his former comrades from FA 69.

  While he greatly enjoyed his time up in the air, he

  soon decided that occupying the back seat of an

  aeroplane was not totally to his liking. He longed

  to be really in control of the “winged horses”, and

  the only place where he could accomplish this

  was in the pilot´s seat. Pilot training was the next

  logical step for him, and before long he was given

  unofficial flight training at his unit.

  During his time at the Brieftauben-Abteilung, he

  had a chance to meet a certain Leutnant Oswald

  Boelcke on 1 October 1915. At the time, Boelcke

  had been credited with four aerial victories and

  was already quite a bit of a celebrity, both at

  the front as well as in the homeland. Meeting

  this accomplished young flyer left a lasting

  impression on Manfred, and the two would meet

  again in the future.

  But before that meeting would come about, he

  was obliged to undergo formal pilot training

  in order to fulfill his dream. On November 15,

  1915, he began pilot training at Flieger-Ersatz-

  Abteilung 6 at Döberitz, and he passed his exams

  on Christmas Day.

  His first posting as a pilot brought him to

  Kampfstaffel 8 of Kagohl 2 on 16. March 1916. The

  unit was then stationed at Mont, near Verdun,

  and he would initially fly various types of aircraft

  there, initially mostly two-seaters. But soon after

  his arrival at the unit, a few Fokker Eindecker

  single-seaters were taken on charge. This was

  then a fairly new type of aircraft which was in

  short supply, and von Richthofen was more than

  happy to fly one of these. Unfortunately, on an

  early flight the Oberursel engine failed, and the

  precious fighter was destroyed in the resulting

  crash. Luckily, the pilot escaped without severe

  injury.

  To make matters worse, his unit was transferred

  – so it was back to the Eastern Front for him on

  28 June, and there he would find himself piloting

  two-seaters again. Instead of carrying out fighter

  vs. fighter combat, his duty in the east consisted

  mostly of dropping bombs on Russian soldiers

  who were positioned roughly 30 Kilometers to the

  east of his airfield at Kowel (now Kovel/Ukraine).

  By his own accounts, he greatly enjoyed observing

  the effects caused by his bombs on the Russian

  soldiers below, as well as peppering them with

  his machine gun during the odd strafing run.

  While the transfer to the East may have seemed

  as a deal-breaker for his career as a fighter pilot

  Anthony Fokker greatly valued the input he received from frontline pilots during the war, and of course the

  leading German ace of one of these. Here he is pictured during his visit to the Fokker factory at Schwerin-Görries

  in late May or early June 1917.

  Photo: author's collection

  Needless to say that the first available example of the Fokker Triplane was made available to Manfred von Richthofen. Here Fokker F.I 102/17 is seen soon after arrival

  at Jasta 11 during the last days of August 1917, with Anthony Fokker himself in the cockpit. MvR is seen third from right.

  Photo: author's collection

  INFO Eduard8

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  HISTORY

  On 30 October 1917, he crashed one of the early production examples of the Dr.I that had reached Jasta 11 just recently. He walked away from this incident without injury.

  Lothar (left) and Manfred von Richthofen show off their “Pour le Mérite”

  in front of one of Jasta 11´s Fokker Dr.Is, likely in the spring of 1918.

  Photo: via Alex Imrie

  Photo: author's collection

  425/17 flown by Rtm. Manfred A. Freiherr von Richthofen, CO of JG 1, Lechelle,

  France, March 1918

  Von Richthofen had his aircraft painted red since January 1917, when he flew an

  Albatros D.III, which he called “Le Petit Rouge”. He continued this practice after

  switching to Fokker Dr. I, which he used as commander of Jagdgeschwader

  1. The famous Dr.I 425/17 was probably painted red at the factory. The quality

  of the paintwork is evident in the photographs and would be hardly achieved

  at the combat unit level. The area under the cockpit on the left side bore

  significant scuffs.

  INFO Eduard

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  May 2023

• Page 10

  at this point, a lucky coincidence caused it to have

  exactly the opposite result.

  Finally becoming a fighter pilot

  A major reorganization was taking place in the

  Fliegertruppe in the summer of 1916. The first

  Jagdstaffeln, units solely equipped with single-

  seater fighter aircraft, were to be formed. The

  obvious choice of leadership for one of the first

  of these new formations was Hauptmann Oswald

  Boelcke, by then the far highest scoring pilot in

  Germany.

  His status allowed him to hand-pick the pilots

  that would serve in his new Jagdstaffel, and one

  of his trips to pick those pilots resulted in another

  meeting of the two men.

  Oswald Boelcke´s older brother Wilhelm was

  the commander of Kampfstaffel 10 of Kagohl 2,

  a neighboring unit of Richthofen´s outfit near

  Kowel. And on a particularly hot summer day in

  August 1916 Boelcke and von Richthofen met again

  there. The great ace must have seen quite a bit of

  potential in the young Ulan pilot, as he was one of

  two Kagohl 2 pilots he selected as new members

  for his own Jagdstaffel, the other choice fell on

  Lt. Erwin Böhme.

  Just three days later Manfred boarded the train

  for yet again trip towards the Western Front,

  and he arrived at the airfield of Boelcke´s newly

  formed Jagdstaffel 2 at Vélu on 1. September 1916.

  On the very same day, the first three aircraft

  were also taken on charge by the new Staffel:

  a Fokker D.III and a Fokker D.I were shipped over

  from the local Armee-Flug-Park, while Vfw.

  Reimann was transferred over to Jasta 2 from

  Jasta 1 and brought with him an Albatros D.I.

  While it is possible that the unit also had a single

  Halberstadt D-type on hand in early September,

  no photographic evidence of this has yet been

  found. And while further new pilots seemed to

  arrive on a nearly daily basis, the unit had to

  make do with these three or four aircraft during

  the first half of September.

  Then, on 16. September, six additional Albatros

  fighters were delivered to the unit, and the unit

  was finally able to really commence operations

  then. Besides conducting frontline flights, flying

  as a unit had to be practiced first, and Boelcke

  was instrumental in teaching his pilots all they

  needed to know.

  His tenure was to be tragically short, for he was

  killed as the result of a crash-landing that was

  caused by a mid-air collision with the above-

  mentioned Lt. Erwin Böhme on 28. October.

  Yet the roughly eight weeks under Boelcke´s

  leadership were enough to turn Manfred into

  a highly competent fighter pilot. And from all we

  know about von Richthofen, he not only passed

  on his knowledge to other pilots like his mentor

  Boelcke did, but he also adapted Boelcke´s style

  of leadership.

  Taking command of Jagdstaffel 11

  The chance to do just that arose for him when he

  was given command of Jagdstaffel 11 on January

  15, 1917, three days after having been awarded

  the “Pour le Mérite”, with his score standing at

  16 confirmed victories. Already while he was

  a member of Jasta 2, he had begun to use red as

  his personal color on at least one of his fighters.

  He carried over this color to “his” Staffel, which

  soon adopted red noses as their unit markings.

  And soon his personal aircraft had larger and

  larger sections painted red.

  The definitive history of this celebrated

  Jagdstaffel will see the light of day sooner or

  later and going into the many achievements of

  Manfred von Richthofen as the commander of this

  unit, and later as the leader of Jagdgeschwader I,

  would go far beyond the scope of this article. But

  it is safe to say that he transformed an entirely

  unsuccessful formation of pilots into the most

  élite and highest scoring German Jagdstaffel

  of the war.

  During the roughly 15 months that he lead Jasta

  11 and Jagdgeschwader I he added another

  64 victories to his tally, in spite of being away

  from the front on several occasions for various

  reasons, and sometimes for fairly prolonged

  periods of times. The victories that he claimed,

  and that were confirmed to him, have come under

  an unparalleled level of scrutiny over the past

  century. While in some cases it was only possible

  to find “likely” matches to his claims, it has not

  been possible to categorically prove that one or

  more them were illegitimate. One cannot help but

  wonder what would be left of the total number of

  victories credited to some Entente fighter pilots

  if someone would take the trouble to put them

  under the same microscope.

  In the post-war years, and even fairly recently,

  some authors have described Manfred von

  Richthofen as ruthless, selfish, focused on

  HISTORY

  The iconic Fokker Dr. I 425/17 in its initial stage of decoration, marked with Iron

  Cross national insignia. The smooth opaque application of the red paint indicate

  that it was most likely spray-painted in this color at the Fokker factory.

  Following the issue of the order that instituted the change of the national marking

  to the straight-sided Balkenkreuz insignia, these markings were modified

  accordingly.

  Photo: author's collection

  Supposedly taken in the morning of 21. April 1918, this would be one of the last photos of Manfred von Richthofen

  (fourth from right) before his fatal flight. Note the alarm bell just visible in the background of the photo, beween

  the pilots and the tent on the right side.

  Photo: author's collection

  INFO Eduard10

  May 2023

• Page 11

  collecting awards and even bloodthirsty. This

  author has been lucky to know some historians

  who still had the chance to speak to many of the

  man who served with and under him during the

  war. And none of these witnesses described him

  in any such way. On the contrary, the attribute

  seemingly most commonly attributed to him

  was modesty. Very few photographs show him

  wearing more decorations than the Iron Cross,

  Pilots badge and the Pour le Mérite, even during

  visits of high-ranking officers at his unit. Had he

  been an avid collector of decorations he would

  have certainly been keen to show them off. And

  flying single-seat aircraft with the purpose of

  shooting down enemy airplanes had to result in

  the deaths of many of his opponents – especially

  since the Entente commanders had chosen to

  deny their pilots the luxury of parachutes. He was

  quite simply a product of the era that he grew up

  in, and the same is true for the combatants on the

  other side. Judging these men by the standards

  of our current society after the passage of more

  than a century seems somewhat presumptuous.

  Much has been made of the fact that his final score

  of 80 confirmed victories made him the highest

  scoring pilot on either side, even though he died

  almost seven months before the Armistice. While

  this is undeniably true, one has to keep in mind

  that he was also an extremely talented instructor

  who passed on his knowledge to those who served

  under him. Besides this, he was instrumental in

  constantly pushing aircraft manufacturers and

  the Inspectorate of the German Flying Forces to

  develop more advanced single seaters.

  Ever since joining Jasta 2 he had mostly flown

  Albatros fighters, upgrading with each new

  generations of these fighters from the D.I onwards.

  On 23. January 1917, just as he was scoring his

  18th victory, the spar in the lower wing of his new

  Albatros D.III broke, and he was lucky to get to the

  ground alive. This problem occurred on a number

  of other aircraft of the same type, and similar

  problems resurfaced on the later D.V soon after

  it reached the front. He was thus forced to switch

  back to one of the older Halberstadt fighters

  which had previously served with Jasta 11 until

  a fix to the wing problem could be worked out.

  Besides the structural problems, the fact that

  new variants of the Albatros failed to bring about

  noticeable performance improvements also lead

  him to be increasingly disenchanted with the type.

  Influence on aircraft development

  Photographs taken during 1917 document that he

  visited the Fokker, Pfalz and Roland factories in

  order to keep himself informed about the latest

  developments of these companies. One cannot

  help but wonder if he was actively looking for

  a potential successor to the Albatros D-types,

  which had essentially become the standard

  fighter of the Jagdstaffeln during 1917. While he

  scored many victories flying various Albatros

  fighters, he always had reservations related to

  the single-spar lower wing design of the D.III –

  D.Va.

  As early as July 1917 he wrote: “…Fokker… has two

  machines which are superior to the Albatros, but

  they are not in production.” Here he is relating to

  the Fokker V.1 and V.2 prototypes, which he must

  have seen or even test-flown during a visit to the

  Fokker works in Schwerin during either May or

  June. These aircraft never went into production,

  but the ground-breaking cantilever wing design

  was the main feature of all Fokker fighters that

  would enter series production later.

  It was thanks to Manfred von Richthofen that the

  newly developed types that were evaluated during

  the three fighter competitions in 1918 were to be

  test-flown by frontline pilots on those occasions.

  This turned out to be the preferable way to ensure

  that the types that were chosen for production

  would actually meet pilots expectations. This

  was especially true for the Fokker D.VII, a type

  that was put into production at three factories

  (Fokker, Albatros and O.A.W.) as a result of his

  approval. Unfortunately, he never had a chance to

  fly this aircraft in combat, as the first production

  examples of the new Fokker biplane arrived at JG

  I just days after his fatal last mission.

  Abrupt ending to a stellar career

  While the Triplane most commonly associated

  with MvR is his all-red Fokker Dr.I 425/17, he

  apparently only flew this particular aircraft for

  a very short period of time. His last two victories

  were scored at the controls of this plane on 20.

  April 1918, but from late 1917 to early 118 he flew

  a surprisingly large number of Triplanes. Besides

  this one, and the F.I prototype (102/17) that was

  shipped to him directly from the Fokker factory

  in late August 1917, he is documented to have

  flown at least six further Dr. Is at various times:

  Dr. I 114/17, 119/17, 127/17, 152/17, 161/17 and 477/17.

  This listing does not claim to be conclusive, but as

  far as current research shows, of these triplanes

  only 425/17 may have been painted in an “overall

  red” scheme. And it was this particular plane in

  which the “Red Baron” was mortally wounded in

  on 21. April 1918, after being hit by a bullet while

  flying at low altitude. By now, general consensus

  is that the fatal shot was fired at him by an

  Australian machine gunner from the ground,

  a fate that befell several pilots on both sides of

  the front.

  HISTORY

  The souvenir hunters had thoroughly taken apart Dr.I 425/17 when this picture was taken. The inner surface of the remaining fuselage fabric show no sign of

  streaking, supporting the theory that at least the upper and side surfaces of this plane were just painted red at the factory.

  INFO Eduard

  11

  May 2023

• Page 12

  HISTORY

  Initially the air defense was provided by

  the obsolete Gladiators and Hurricanes.

  The much-desired Spitfires could only

  be transferred to the island during the

  spring months of 1942. Newly delivered

  Spitfires Mk.Vb/Vc ultimately earned their

  greatest glory defending this extremely

  strategically important island.

  Battle of Malta took place from June 1940

  till November 1942 and went down in

  history as the battle for the “unsinkable

  aircraft carrier”. In the beginning of the

  WWII this overlooked Mediterranean

  island became one of the key spots of

  the battle for the Mediterranean and the

  battle of Africa as well as its strategic

  importance was paramount. The aircraft,

  submarines and ships operating out of

  there were able to interrupt the supply

  routes to the Rommel’s Afrika Korps and

  in this manner to defend Africa, Suez

  Channel, and valuable oil fields behind

  it. It is well known fact that the mistaken

  political and strategic judgement of the

  air commanders lead to the situation that

  in June 1940 there were almost no fighter

  aircraft based on Malta. Had not four

  crated Sea Gladiators been accidentally

  discovered the whole island’s air defense

  would have been non existing. One of

  the aircraft was soon heavily damaged

  and the pilots bravely defended Malta

  with those three remaining airplanes

  against the enemy attacks for eighteen

  days until four Hurricanes arrived as

  a reinforcement. Consequently, the British,

  now fully aware of Malta’s importance

  and its strategic value, started gradually

  to reinforce the island defense with more

  Hurricanes.

  For the whole year of 1941, Malta had to

  be defended against the concentrated

  enemy attacks. The Axis powers bombed

  the island’s infrastructure focusing on the

  port, airport and storage facilities. In the

  meantime, the convoys headed for Malta

  were mercilessly pursued and destroyed

  which in fact put the island under the siege.

  On December 4, 1941, at night the German

  Luftwaffe launched the continuous

  bombing which lasted five long months

  and intended to break the resistance

  of the Royal Navy and Air Force finally.

  At the end the plan to invade Malta, code

  named Hercules, was hastily prepared.

  The Field Marshall Albert Kesselring was

  put in charge of the attacks on Malta. His

  forces were clearly numerically superior

  over the defenders. The frequent bombing

  raids destroyed a major part of the British

  SPITFIRES FOR MALTA

  Text: Michal Krechowski Photo: IWM

  Due to its strategic location

  at the crossroads of the

  shipping lines between

  Gibraltar and Alexandria

  as well as Italy and North

  Africa, Malta became a target

  of the continuous enemy air

  attacks. During the WWII, in

  order to defend the island,

  the British were forced to

  constantly deploy more and

  more fighters and pilots to its

  “unsinkable aircraft carrier”.

• Page 13

  HISTORY

  aircraft on the ground and in the middle

  of February 1942 the defenders were left

  with only eleven airworthy Hurricanes. At

  the same time the pressure to re-equip

  the fighter squadrons defending the island

  with Spitfire mounted.

  Spitfires over Malta

  In the middle of 1941 the Spitfire production

  in its latest version Mk.V was not yet

  meeting the Fighter Command squadrons

  re-equipment requirements therefore the

  British aviators in the Mediterranean and

  (later) in the Pacific had to make do with

  the obsolete types. Only in September

  1941 the decision was made to dispatch

  the first two Spitfire squadrons to North

  Africa. The transfer started in February

  of the following year. A portion of these

  aircraft was re-directed to Malta. After

  a year and half of the fighting the

  procedure of the fighters transportation to

  the besieged island was well established.

  First the crated, dismantled aircraft were

  transported to Gibraltar where they were

  assembled and boarded on the aircraft

  carrier. After the approach to Malta, the

  airplanes took off directly from the decks

  of the aircraft carriers Eagle, USS Wasp

  (CV-7) or Furious which immediately

  after turned back. Except of one instance

  when Eagle and USS Wasp (CV-7) sailed

  together (Operation Bowery) only a single

  aircraft carrier sailed to Malta at a time.

  In order to get Spitfire airborne off the

  mere 200 m (660 ft) long flight deck it

  had to place the landing flaps into the

  take-off setting. However, the Spitfire’s

  pneumatically controlled flaps had only

  one setting – 85 degrees which was

  actually a breaking setting for slowing

  down the aircraft during the landing. The

  solution was quite simple – wooden shims

  were inserted into the space between

  flap and wing that prevented the flaps to

  close and in this rather primitive manner

  assured some 25 degrees setting. Once

  Spitfire was safely airborne, the pilot fully

  dropped the flaps for a moment and the

  shims fell off. After that he retracted the

  flaps and continued in cruising flight.

  The first fifteen Spitfires were delivered to

  Malta on March 7 as a part of the Operation

  Spotter. Two weeks later another nine

  Spitfires followed (Operation Picket I).

  In order to increase the transportation

  capacity, the American aircraft carrier

  USS Wasp (CV-7) was on loan to the

  Britons. As a part of the Operation

  Calendar further 48 Spitfires were

  delivered to Malta. However, very few of

  the freshly delivered aircraft survived

  more than several weeks, sometimes

  they were lost in couple of days after the

  landing and there were instances when

  the aircraft was lost on the same day. The

  intensity of the fighting was tremendous

  and peaked during March–April 1942.

  During this period, the tonnage of the

  bombs dropped on Malta surpassed the

  bombs tonnage dropped on London during

  the Battle of Britain.

  On May 9, during the following Operation

  Bowery, another 61 Spitfires were safely

  delivered. Immediately after the landing,

  those were refueled, rearmed and took off

  to counter the anticipated attacks. In the

  following days the heaviest dogfighting

  took place up until then and Spitfires

  inflicted the heavy losses to the Axis

  powers.

  German obstinacy

  Despite this, Kesselring was convinced

  that the danger coming from Malta

  defenders to German supply routes to

  North Africa had been eliminated and

  reported to the German High Command

  that “there is nothing left to bomb”. The

  invasion of the island was thus postponed,

  and a substantial part of the Luftwaffe

  was redeployed in the second half of May

  to support Rommel’s offensive in Libya.

  Any further air offensive was thus laying

  primarily with the Italian Air Force.

  The neutralization of Malta continued

  The first Spitfire leaves the deck of HMS Eagle on

  March 7, 1942. Codenamed Spotter, the operation

  sent fifteen Mk.Vb Spitfires to the island, which

  were received by No. 249 Squadron upon landing.

  Keith Park in his personal Spitfire Mk.Vb at Safi

  Airport on the occasion of the opening of the new

  runway on May 15, 1943.

• Page 14

  HISTORY

  to be maintained mainly by the naval

  blockade of the island, where defenders

  were running low on supplies. The lack

  of fresh water was unpleasant and food

  rations were being reduced. Despite this

  desperate situation, however, Malta was

  not about to surrender.

  When, during June, the Axis forces

  experienced a resurgence of losses on

  the supply routes to Africa, a renewed

  air offensive was ordered. However, the

  island managed to replenish Spitfire

  numbers in the intervening time provided

  during Operations Style and Salient, and

  so once again the attackers met stiff

  resistance from the defenders and again

  suffered heavy losses. During July, the

  Italian bomber air force was withdrawn

  from the attacks, and in the second half of

  the month only German bombers appeared

  over Malta with a combined Luftwaffe and

  Regia Aeronautica fighter escort.

  Here comes Park

  The failure of the renewed air offensive

  was also significantly affected by the

  change of the air force high command on

  the island in mid-July. The command of

  the air force defending Malta was taken

  over by AVM Keith Park. Park’s adversary,

  coincidentally, became Albert Kesselring

  again. Park had been pitted against him

  in the Battle of Britain as commander

  of No. 11 Group. In his new position Park

  immediately introduced a new tactic, the

  aim of which was to attack enemy bomber

  formations over the sea between Sicily

  and Malta and force them to drop bombs

  before reaching their target. The change in

  tactics later proved to be a turning point,

  as it was very successful and forced the

  Luftwaffe to stop bombing in daylight. By

  the end of July, one hundred Axis aircraft

  had been destroyed, greatly reducing

  the strength of the bombing offensive.

  When the enemy then switched to high-

  flying fighter patrols, Park showed keen

  tactical insight. He limited the Spitfire

  patrols to 20,000 feet (6,100 m), so that the

  Bf 109s had to drop to an altitude where

  the defenders with Spitfires had the

  advantage in terms of the performance of

  their aircraft.

  By August, however, the stock situation on

  the island was critical. The defenders were

  running out of fuel and other necessary

  stuff again and if they were not delivered

  to Malta by September, the island would

  probably have to surrender. With fuel in

  short supply, Park was forced to instruct

  his pilots to save as much as possible.

  When a Spitfire landed, it did not proceed

  with engine on. The pilot immediately shut

  it down and the aircraft was pushed onto

  its stand. If the plane made an emergency

  landing, it had to be pushed off the runway

  immediately, even if there was a risk

  of further damage, just so that others

  didn’t have to circle the airfield and waste

  valuable fuel.

  With all this in mind, the convoy of the

  operation Pedestal was dispatched during

  August with a hitherto unprecedented

  supplies load carried by 14 British and

  American merchant ships loaded with

  ammunition, aircraft spare parts, fuel and

  food. They were escorted by 36 warships,

  including three aircraft carriers. The

  Axis powers understood the strategic

  importance of this convoy and responded

  with a coordinated air and naval attack to

  prevent it from reaching Malta. Despite

  significant losses of merchant and escort

  ships, including the sinking of the aircraft

  carrier HMS Eagle, sufficient supplies

  were eventually managed to reach the

  besieged island. Thus, in late August,

  three squadrons of Spitfires were able

  to make a highly effective attack on three

  Sicilian airfields, in which they shot down

  ten enemy aircraft and destroyed 29 on the

  ground with the loss of only two Spitfires.

  Indomitable Defenders

  September became the calmest period of

  Spitfire Mk.Vc, BR344, 3oM, during an engine test

  aboard USS Wasp during the delivery of Spitfires

  to Malta under the code name Operation Bowery.

  Spitfire Mk.Vb, BP844, the first of nine Spitfires to

  reinforce the RAF in Malta during Operation Picket

  I, takes off from the deck of HMS Eagle on March

  21, 1942. In its cockpit sits the commander of E

  Squadron. J. “Jumbo” Gracie. BP844 was shot down

  over Malta on April 2, 1942.

  A Spitfire Mk.Vc is transported by lift aboard the

  aircraft carrier USS Wasp bound for Malta during

  Operation Bowery.

• Page 15

  HISTORY

  the whole year 1942. The number of attacks

  on the island dropped significantly, and

  for the whole month Spitfires took off for

  only 38 scramble sorties. The important

  things, however, took place at sea. Thanks

  to the success of the Pedestal convoy

  and ample fuel supplies in Malta, British

  offensive operations aimed at supply

  routes for Rommel’s “Panzerarmee

  Afrika” were once again in full swing.

  While the British were successfully

  building up supplies in advance of the

  decisive battle, the Axis forces gradually

  lost 20 per cent of all supplies sent by sea

  from Italy during September and as much

  as 44 per cent of supplies in October.

  Fuel shortages were particularly critical.

  It was therefore decided to carry out

  another bombing offensive against Malta

  with the aim of re-securing safe shipping

  routes and eliminating it once and for all.

  The offensive, also known as the October

  Blitz, was launched on October 11, and

  once again there were “dogfights” between

  Spitfires Mk.V, German Bf-109F/Gs and

  Italian C.202s and Re.2001s. However, air

  superiority over Malta was by then clearly

  in the hands of the re-enforced British

  squadrons, while considerable fatigue

  was already showing on the German-

  Italian side, as well as frustration and

  wear and tear from the previous battles.

  The spectacularly planned October Blitz

  lasted only seven days and was a clear

  defeat for the Axis forces. During those

  days, RAF pilots flew nearly 2,400 combat

  sorties with their Spitfires, shooting down

  99 confirmed enemy aircraft, 51 probably

  and 122 aircraft damaged with the loss of

  24 Spitfires and thirteen pilots. In addition,

  40 aircraft were damaged and 13 Spitfires

  were destroyed on the ground.

  In November the number of Luftwaffe

  raids dropped significantly, with only 29

  alerts during the month. With the intensity

  of hostilities so drastically reduced, Allied

  convoys bringing essential supplies

  found it easier to reach the island and

  also brought material for repairs and

  airfield construction. Malta’s survival was

  essential to the victory at El Alamein and

  the subsequent success of the land battle

  in North Africa.

  So much desired Spitfires therefore

  ultimately achieved the air superiority over

  the battlefield and thanks to them Malta

  held on. Until the middle of November,

  when the air raids on Malta were recalled,

  385 Spitfires were dispatched to Malta

  during thirteen operations off the aircraft

  carriers, 367 of them flew over to the

  island. During the heavy fighting, the

  Spitfire pilots were credited with at least

  600 aerial victories. The most successful

  of them all, Canadian George “Screwball”

  Beurling scored 28 confirmed kills.

  He was followed in distant second place

  by “Paddy” Schade with 14 kills, Canadian

  Wally McLeod with 13 kills and “Slim”

  Yarra with 12 kills. A total of 41 Spitfire

  pilots scored five or more kills during

  the fighting for Malta, earning ace status.

  Almost one hundred of Spitfire pilots paid

  the ultimate price during the combat.

  After the battle

  During the first months of 1943 the air

  battle for Malta ceased. The defenders

  won having destroyed more than

  a thousand of the enemy aircraft in

  combat. Another sign of the change

  in the situation of Malta’s defenders was

  the arrival of new Mk.IX Spitfires at the

  end of March. The Mediterranean Island

  was transformed from the besieged base

  to the “spring board” for the Operation

  Husky, i.e., invasion of Sicily. On the eve

  of the operation there were 35 squadrons

  with 600 aircraft based in Malta. The

  capacity of the four existing airfields at

  Luqa, Ta Kali, Hal Far and Qrendi was

  expanded, and a fifth airfield, Xewkija,

  was temporarily built for USAAF on the

  adjacent Gozo archipelago. On July 10,

  1943, this operation opened the way to

  the liberation of the whole continent.

  In just couple of days, the Allies captured

  the solid supporting base on the Sicilian

  soil and soon after the Allied aircraft

  were transferred from Malta bases to the

  liberated airfields in Sicily and Southern

  Italy. Due to these changes the special

  Malta camouflages became history.

  Spitfires flew their further missions

  carrying the standard camouflage

  patterns only.

  An RAF ground crew refuels and rearms a Spit-

  fire Mark Vc from No. 603 Squadron RAF at Ta

  Kali airfield. The protective wall was raised from

  empty fuel cans and sandbags.

  Mechanics of the special assembly group at the

  Spitfire Mk.V at Gibraltar. Behind them the fuse

  -

  lages of Hawker Hurricanes can be seen in their

  shipping crates. The Special Assembly Group was

  set up at Gibraltar in July 1942 to assemble and

  test fly aircraft transported from Britain and de

  -

  stined for Malta. The two earliest Mk.Vb Spitfires,

  EP720 and EP791, became part of the Operation

  Train, the last delivery of Spitfires to Malta.

  Spitfires Mk.Vb from No. 249 Squadron at Ta Kali

  airfield, autumn 1942.

  A trio of Mk.Vc Spitfires from No. 249 Squad

  -

  ron waiting on the main runway at Ta Kali for

  scramble, while a Bristol Beaufighter lands in the

  background.

• Page 16

  HISTORY

  SPITFI RE SUPPLI ES AN D TH EI R CAMOU FLAGE

  There is still no definitive information

  about the precise color shades applied in

  1942 however, based on the available data

  analysis, study of the period photographs

  and factoring in the camouflage standards,

  the most probable aircraft appearance can

  be determined. The camouflage schemes

  of the Spitfires flown off the island varied

  quite a bit. Initially the most suitable color

  was considered the Dark Mediterranean

  Blue but due to the shortage of this paint

  there were aircraft painted in different

  shades of blue. The lighter shade, Light

  Mediterranean Blue, originally intended for

  the biplanes, was also used, then the naval

  Extra Dark Sea Grey, American Blue Gray

  M485 and various colors from the ships‘

  stocks, initially not intended to be applied

  on the airplanes. Spitfires from the later

  deliveries mostly received the “Malta” ca-

  mouflage either at Gibraltar before embar-

  king or immediately upon their arrival on

  the island. The quality of the paint appli-

  cation was rather inferior to the factory

  finish. The coat of paint sometimes fully

  covered the original paint work, in other

  cases it was rather thin, and the original

  coloration showed through so the new

  coating was more of the blue filter rather

  than fully covering coat of paint.

  March 7, 1942

  OPERATION SPOTTER

  The first Spitfires that reached Malta, and

  the first ones deployed outside of Britain,

  took off on March 7 off the Royal Navy aircraft

  carrier HMS Eagle. During the operation

  code-named Spotter fifteen Spitfires

  Mk.Vb were dispatched carrying 340 l (90

  gal) drop tanks which enabled them to

  extend their range for more than 1,000 km

  (650 miles) long flight to Malta. All fifteen

  Spitfires safely landed at Ta Kali airfield.

  No. 249 Squadron was the first to receive

  the new Spitfires and three days later, on

  March 10, it flew its first combat missions

  against the Ju 88 formation escorted by

  Bf 109.

  March 21, 1942

  OPERATION PICKET

  Two weeks later another nine Spitfires

  Mk.Vb reached Malta in the same manner.

  Spitfires arriving in Malta during the

  operations Spotter and Picket were

  camouflaged in the standard desert scheme

  of Dark Earth and Middle Stone on the upper

  surfaces, the lower surfaces were painted

  in either Sky or Azure Blue. The lower

  surfaces color depended on the factory: the

  aircraft manufactured at Supermarine had

  Sky, those completed at Aircraft Servicing

  Units (ASU) had the lower surfaces in Azure

  Blue. Upon the arrival in Malta the Middle

  Stone patterns were overpainted in a grey

  color which is said to have been a mixture

  of various shades. The exact color of this

  mixture remains unknown, but it’s believed

  it was very similar to Extra Dark Sea Grey.

  March 29, 1942

  OPERATION PICKET II

  The rather strong contrast of the desert

  camouflage colors did not seem the best

  scheme for flying over the sea. Therefore,

  before embarking on the aircraft carrier at

  Gibraltar, the third batch of seven Spitfires

  Mk.Vb had their upper surfaces overpainted

  in the dark grey-blue color, probably Extra

  Dark Sea Grey.

  April 20, 1942

  OPERATION CALENDAR

  The oldest document promulgating the

  requirement for the new camouflage for

  the Spitfires delivered to Malta was the

  supplement Nr. 1 to M.E. Air Movement

  Instruction No. 1 dated March 30, 1942.

  It stated that the Spitfires destined for

  Malta were to be camouflaged in the new

  scheme of Dark Mediterranean Blue on the

  upper surfaces and Sky Blue on the lower

  surfaces. At the same time, the No. 601

  and No. 603 Squadrons personnel in Great

  Britain was getting ready to be dispatched

  to Malta with the full complement of 47

  new Spitfires Mk.Vc (including reserves).

  These aircraft were to be painted in the

  new Malta camouflage but upon relaying

  the instructions they were simplified to

  the “sea camouflage“ which was, logically

  anticipated as the camouflage applicable to

  the Fleet Air Arm aircraft and the aircraft

  were painted in that way at the factory.

  Once this mistake was noticed at Gibraltar

  the stocks of Dark Mediterranean Blue

  and Sky Blue were loaded together with

  the aircraft. The supplies however were

  sufficient for repainting only the portion

  of the aircraft to be delivered. Out of forty

  seven Spitfires on board of USS Wasp

  during the Operation Calendar twenty

  seven were camouflaged at ASU with Royal

  Navy colors, the remaining twenty were

  repainted with new “Malta” colors of Dark

  Mediterranean Blue and Sky Blue. The

  Spitfires on board received markings in

  white numerals 1 and 2 and a code lettter.

  May 9, 1942

  OPERATION BOWERY

  For years, based on the archive

  photographs, it was speculated what color

  was applied to Spitfires Mk.Vc transported

  on board of the USS Wasp carrier during the

  Operation Bowery. Photographic evidence

  from the embarking of the Spitfires

  confirms both the desert camouflage in

  Dark Earth, Middle Stone, Azure Blue or

  Sky and the Navy camouflage in Extra

  Dark Sea Grey, Dark Slate Grey and Sky.

  According to the veterans’ recollections

  most of the Spitfires were repainted on

  board in some kind of blue or blue-grey

  color. The application of the USN colors

  seems the most probable. Those are

  M-485 Non-Specular Blue Gray, applied

  to the upper surfaces of the twelve F4F

  Wildcats assigned to the USS Wasp (CV-

  7) CAP duties, and Deck Blue 20-B color

  applied to the exterior steel deck as a part

  of the aircraft carrier camouflage scheme.

  There is a third option: both colors, M-485

  Non-Specular Blue Gray and Deck Blue

  20-B could have been applied to maintain

  the upper surfaces camouflage pattern on

  some Spitfires. In that manner the two-

  tone blue-grey camouflage scheme would

  have been consistent with the scheme on

  the upper surfaces of the aircraft operating

  on Malta at that time. The lower surfaces

  color remained the standard shade of

  Azure Blue or Sky. 46 Spitfires aboard

  USS Wasp and 18 aboard HMS Eagle were

  marked in the same way as the Spitfires

  from the Operation Calendar. The white

  numerals 3 or 4 on one side of the cockade

  and the code letter on the other one.

  An interesting event worth mentioning

  occurred during the Operation Bowery

  when the Spitfires took off from the USS

  Wasp. After the take off in his Spitfire

  BR126 X-3, the Canadian pilot, P/O Jerrold

  Alpine “Jerry” Smith found out that his drop

  tank was inoperable, and he was not able

  to reach the airfield on Malta. He jettisoned

  his tank and received order to bail out of his

  Spitfire. Instead Jerry inquired about the

  attempt to save the aircraft by landing it on

  the aircraft carrier deck. After the captain

  approved, he indeed tried to do it. His first

  approach was too high and too fast however

  his second attempt was successful and he

  safely landed his Spitfire and stopped mere

  six feet from the end of the flight deck. He

  managed, as the first in the world, to land

  a Spitfire on the aircraft carrier and even

  without an arresting hook! For his deed

  P/O “Jerry” Smith was unofficially awarded

  the American Navy Wings from the flight

• Page 17

  HISTORY

  deck officer David McCampbell, the future

  most successful USN fighter pilot who, as

  a LSO (Landing Signal Officer) directed the

  whole operation.

  May 19, 1942

  OPERATION LB

  Even though no known photographs of

  seventeen Spitfires Mk.Vc flying during the

  Operation LB came to light it is assumed,

  that they were repainted at Gibraltar in

  Dark Mediterranean Blue on the upper

  surfaces and probably the Azure Blue on

  the lower surfaces was also repainted

  with Sky Blue color. Thanks to the pilots’

  logbooks we know that these Spitfires

  were marked with the code letter C in

  front of the fuselage cockade and two-digit

  numeral behind it. For example, Spitfire

  BR107, delivered during the Operation LB,

  was coded C-22 while BR108 carried the

  code C-20 and BR175 was marked C-51.

  June 3, 1043

  OPERATION STYLE

  Altogether 31 Spitfires Mk.Vc were

  embarked on the HMS Eagle deck for the

  Operation Style. Of them, 27 reached Malta.

  Many surviving photographs of Spitfire

  BR305, which was delivered during the

  Operation Style, show that it had been

  finished in the Dark Mediterranean Blue/

  Sky Blue.

  June 9, 1942

  OPERATION SALIENT

  Salient was the last operation during

  which the Spitfires camouflaged in Dark

  Mediterranean Blue and Sky Blue were

  delivered. In total 32 Spitfires Mk.Vc were

  delivered during the June. After that, the air

  command on Malta (AHQ Malta) requested

  the change in the coloration to be applied

  to the newly delivered Spitfires.

  July 15, 1942

  OPERACE PINPOINT

  It is not exactly clear why the AHQ Malta

  decided to change their camouflage

  requirements from a single blue color

  on the upper surfaces to the two colors

  pattern which included the lighter blue

  color shade. It might have somehow

  been related to the appearance of some

  Spitfires delivered during the Operation

  Bowery which carried two tone blue-

  gray scheme on the upper surfaces. The

  new camouflage scheme, required by the

  AHQ Malta as of June 1942, resulted in

  the adoption of two colors pattern for the

  upper surfaces: Deep Sky Blue and Dark

  Slate Grey. Light Mediterranean Blue

  was to be applied on the lower surfaces.

  Based on the surviving photographs it is

  quite probable that some of eight Spitfires

  Mk.Vc and 24 Spitfires Mk.Vb participating

  in the Operation Pinpoint could have been

  camouflaged in these new colors.

  July 21, 1942

  OPERATION BELLOWS

  Operation Bellows was the third mission

  during which the Spitfires were transported

  from the United Kingdom directly to Malta,

  bypassing Gibraltar. The operation was an

  integral part of the convoy Pedestal, the

  famous mission to supply Malta. On August

  11, 38 Spitfires Mk.Vb took off off the HMS

  Furious flight deck. All of them, except one,

  which was forced to make an emergency

  landing on HMS Indomitable, reached

  Malta safely. Typically for Spitfires destined

  for Malta, the coloration of the aircraft

  participating in the Operation Bellows

  is questionable. Most of the airplanes

  were finished in the desert scheme

  with Azure Blue on the lower surfaces,

  a part of them however received the

  naval camouflaged in Extra Dark Sea

  Grey, Dark Slate Grey and Sky. The

  photographs of Spitfires delivered to Malta

  during the Operation Bellows confirms

  repainting of the “desert” upper surfaces

  in the workshops of the local Maintenance

  Command. It is highly probable that the

  upper surfaces repainting was done with

  only one shade of Deep Sky or Extra Dark

  Sea Grey or the new standard camouflage

  scheme in Deep Sky and Dark Slate Grey

  was applied.

  August 17, 1942

  OPERATION BARITONE

  HMS Furious returned to Gibraltar from

  her latest mission on August 12 and

  immediately embarked two Hurricanes

  and 32 Spitfires. On August 16, she set sail

  again and a day later 32 Spitfires took off

  from her flight deck, 14 of them in version

  Vc and 18 in version Vb. Twenty-nine of

  them managed to reach Malta shores.

  According to the period pictures the

  camouflage of these Spitfire varied from

  the new scheme of Deep Sky and Dark

  Slate Grey to the upper surfaces finished

  in Dark Mediterranean Blue.

  October 30, 1942

  OPERATION TRAIN

  The aircraft loaded on the decks of the

  OG.85 convoy ships were originally

  destined for the Operation Torch (the

  Allied landing in the North Africa). With the

  General Eisenhower approval, however,

  44 Spitfires were diverted to Malta (32 in

  Mk.Vb on board of HMS Furious while 12

  aircraft in the version Mk.Vc flew directly

  from Gibraltar). Operation Train was

  the last mission to reinforce Malta with

  Spitfires flying off the aircraft carrier.

  These were finished in the standard

  camouflage scheme of Deep Sky and Dark

  Slate Grey on the upper surfaces and Light

  Mediterranean Blue on the lower surfaces.

  Sources:

  Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 082 –

  Malta Spitfire Aces

  Air Marshal Sir Keith Park: Victor

  of the Battle of Britain, Defender

  of Malta – Murray Rowlands

  Sniper of the Skies: The Story of

  George Frederick “Screwball” Beur-

  ling, DSO, DFC, DFM

  –

  Nick Thomas

  Scale Aviation Modeller; May 21;

  A Malta Story Reprised – The Malta

  Spitfires of 1942 by Paul Lucas

  Scale Aviation Modeller; Nov 18;

  A Malta Story concluded – The Malta

  Spitfires November 1942 – July 1943

  by Paul Lucas

  Scale Aviation Modeller; Oct 18;

  A Malta Story concluded – The Malta

  Spitfires June – October 1942;

  by Paul Lucas

  Scale Aviation Modeller; Sep 17;

  A Malta Story Continued – Colloquial

  Camouflage Malta Spitfires delivered

  via Gibraltar 18 May to 17 August 1942

  by Paul Lucas

  Scale Aviation Modeller; Aug 17;

  A Malta Story Continued – Operations

  Oppidan, Hansford and Bowery. USS

  Wasp’s Second Spitfire Delivery to

  Malta 24 April to 9 May 1942 by Paul

  Lucas

  Scale Aviation Modeller; Jan 16;

  A Malta Story – Spitfire Vc’s of Opera-

  tion Newman & Calendar 13–20 April

  1942 (Part 2) by Paul Lucas

  Scale Aviation Modeller; Dec 15;

  A Malta Story – Spitfire Vc‘s of Opera-

  tion Newman & Calendar 13–20 April

  1942 (Part 1) by Paul Lucas

  Malta Spitfire Vs – 1942: Their Colours

  and Markings by Brian Cauchi

• Page 18

  HISTORIE

  The first American carrier was USS Langley

  (CV-1) that entered service in 1920. She came to

  life by rebuilding the coal transporting ship USS

  Jupiter which had been in service since 1913.

  During the rebuild, eight double cranes were

  removed as well as both smokestacks, which

  up until then had stood next to each other, were

  relocated to the port side where they stood in-

  line. In that manner the space for the flight deck,

  mounted on the tall supports, was created.

  While Jupiter coal transport had 19 670 tons

  displacement, Langley aircraft carrier featured

  14 100 tons displacement only. The vessel length

  was 165 meters and the crew accounted for 468

  sailors. Langley carried 36 aircraft which could

  use one lift and one catapult. The armament

  consisted of 127 mm caliber cannons – two on

  the bow and two on the stern. They however

  could not be used for the AA defense. Another

  obsolete feature was a pigeon cage located

  between two rear cannons. The idea was that the

  aircraft taking off of Langley will take a postal

  pigeon on board which will deliver the message

  back to the ship. The pigeons were trained while

  Langley was being rebuilt at Norfolk shipyards

  and all seemed to work. After that, however,

  when the ship set sail and the pigeons were

  released near Tangier Island they returned to

  Norfolk. After this blunder the pigeon cage was

  eliminated. It was also deleted from the plans

  of the future carriers, USS Lexington and USS

  Saratoga.

  Langley holds several “firsts” for the US Navy.

  On October 17, 1922, the first take off from the

  aircraft carrier in the USA took place from her

  deck as well as, on November 18, 1922, the first

  catapult launched take off. Even though she was

  extremely slow (15.5 knots only) to perform

  efficient operations while Naval aviation was

  technically advancing rapidly, she helped

  trained the first generations of naval aviators.

  After she was completely outdated during 1936-

  37, she was re-built as a seaplanes’ carrier. She

  was seriously damaged by the Japanese G4M1

  Betty bombers on February 27, 1942, while she

  was transporting Curtiss P-40 fighters to Java.

  After the crew abandoned her, she was sunk by

  the escorting destroyers.

  Bermuda Triangle

  Langley sank as the last of her sister ships.

  She was the only aircraft carrier (the second

  planned vessel was cancelled after the

  decision was made to rebuild Lexington and

  Saratoga) but as a former coal ship she had

  three sister ships. And all of them disappeared

  without trace in Bermuda Triangle. Sometime

  We spoke about the naval battles around Guadalcanal in the previous

  article. The aircraft carriers also participated in them, however they

  fought from the distance. Some of them were lost during the fighting.

  One such loss was the USS Hornet, the last American aircraft carrier

  completed before the attack on Pearl Harbor. She sank exactly one year

  and one week after entering the service.

  SEARCHING FOR THE LOST

  SHIPS WITH PAUL ALLEN

  IN A YEAR AND

  ONE WEEK

  Text: Miro Barič

  Aircraft carrier shortly

  after completion at Hampton

  Roads, Virginia, October 27,

  1941

  Source: Naval History & Heritage Command

  INFO Eduard18

  May 2023

• Page 19

  after Mach 4, 1918, it was USS Cyclops with

  306 sailors and passengers on board. She

  was sailing from South America to Baltimore,

  Maryland. She made a stopover in Barbados,

  and it was the last time she was seen. In the

  end of 1941, in the same area and on the same

  route, within two and half weeks two remaining

  sister ships disappeared. First, some time after

  November 23, 1941, USS Proteus was lost and

  after December 10, 1941, the sea swallowed USS

  Nereus. There are several theories about the

  ships’ demise. The design fault which weakened

  the hull, and it broke under the combination of

  a storm and cargo overload was considered. Or

  they could have become victims of the German

  submarines which themselves were sunk and

  could not report their success. In neither case

  the Germans recorded an attack on the ship

  that would resemble any of those three vessels.

  Their disappearance may remain without

  clarification forever.

  Learning on the run

  Another two vessels were full-fledged aircraft

  carriers even though completed through a re-

  build. The Washington Treaty from 1922, about

  limitations of the Naval armament, practically

  excluded building of new battleships and

  battle cruisers. However, redesigning of some

  of the half-built ships to the aircraft carriers

  was permitted. In the USA this was true about

  Lexington and Saratoga which entered the

  service in 1937 as CV-2 and CV-3. Initially the

  Navy was not clear about their purpose either.

  Besides the airplanes they carried heavy anti-

  shipping weaponry in the form of 203 mm caliber

  cannons. However, the variety of exercises

  performed on the regular basis taught the

  Navy a lesson and they gradually worked out

  the correct tactics for the aircraft carriers’

  deployment. It was learnt, for example, that

  these ships needed to avoid encounter with the

  enemy surface vessels therefore the 203 mm

  caliber cannons were deleted. On May 8, 1942,

  Lexington was sunk in the Battle of Corral Sea.

  We spoke about her fate in the previous articles.

  Despite various damages, Saratoga survived

  the war and on July 25, 1946, was sunken at

  Bikini atoll during the nuclear bomb tests. The

  explosion took place barely 370 meters from

  the aircraft carrier and despite her size (length

  270.7 meters, displacement 37 000 tons) the

  whole ship was lifted off the water surface. The

  wreck lies in shallow waters and is accessible

  to scuba divers.

  The first American vessel, designed and built

  from the beginning as an aircraft carrier was USS

  Ranger (CV-4). The construction begun in 1931

  and the ship entered service in 1934. The design,

  however, had been under way since 1925, it is

  before Lexington and Saratoga were completed.

  Also based on the prior experience Ranger’s

  design changed several times. Initially the flight

  HISTORIE

  Source: Naval History & Heritage CommandSource: Naval History & Heritage Command

  Source: Naval History & Heritage Command

  USS Ranger in the 1930s

  The aircraft carrier USS Wasp as she enters Hampton Roads, Virginia, May 26, 1942. In the background

  is the destroyer USS Edison.

  US aircraft carriers Langley, Saratoga and Lexington (from bottom to top)

  INFO Eduard

  19

  May 2023

• Page 20

  HISTORIE

  deck was to be clean, same as on Langley. To

  eliminate chimneys’ smoke interfering with the

  aircraft operations six smokestacks (three on

  each side) were designed as collapsible. During

  the construction, however, the bridge was added.

  The smokestacks were already completed at

  that time and their re-design would have been

  too expensive, so they were left in the original

  configuration. Ranger was relatively small,

  222.5 meters long, her standard displacement

  was less than 15 000 tons and full displacement

  less than 18 000 tons. It was also slower, 29.5

  knots. Lexington and Saratoga could reach

  the speed of 33 knot. Therefore, Ranger was

  considered unsuitable for the Pacific battlefield

  and for the most part of the war operated in

  the Atlantic. The German navy was considered

  a weaker opponent than the Japanese navy.

  Ranger took part in the operation Torch (landing

  in the North Africa) and attacks on the German

  targets in the Norwegian waters. She was the

  only pre-war American aircraft carrier which

  did not participated in the fight against Japan.

  In 1946 she was struck of charge and in January

  1947 sold to the scrap yards.

  Yorktown class

  The Navy applied the experience from building

  and deploying the previous vessels into building

  the next Yorktown class. The war games

  analysis clearly showed the necessity of fast

  aircraft carriers equipped with the large aircraft

  group on board. In addition, good anti-torpedo

  protection of the hull was required. Therefore,

  USS Yorktown (CV-5), USS Enterprise (CV-6) and

  USS Hornet (CV-7) were all built based on these

  principles. The construction of the first two

  was launched in 1934, right after completion of

  Ranger. In addition, the USA managed to put USS

  Wasp (CV-7) on the building schedule between

  Enterprise and Hornet. After Langley was

  rebuilt to the seaplanes’ carrier, the tonnage

  limit opened and based on the treaties in place

  at that time the USA could use it for building the

  aircraft carriers. It was not enough for the full-

  fledged Yorktown class and the result was kind

  of her down-scaled version. The weight was

  saved at the cost of the anti-torpedo protection

  which later proved costly for USS Wasp. Hornet’s

  construction begun in September 25, 1939, after

  WWII broke out in Europe. She was launched

  on December 14, 1940, and entered service on

  October 20, 1941. The ship was 251 meters long,

  her standard displacement was 20 000 tons

  and full displacement reached 26 000 tons. The

  powerplant, consisting of nine boilers and four

  steam turbines possessed 120 000 HP (89 000

  kW). Thus, Hornet could reach the speed of 32.5

  knots. The flight deck measured 248x26 meters.

  The hangar below measured 166x19 meters and

  was connected to the flight deck by three lifts.

  Hornet could carry 72 aircraft and the flight

  personnel accounted for 851 people. The ship’s

  crew was comprised of 86 officers and 1280

  sailors. Initially her armament was comprised

  of eight single barrel, 127 mm caliber cannons,

  four twin barrel 28 mm caliber cannons and 24

  12.7 mm caliber machine guns. In January 1942,

  the machine guns were removed and gradually

  replaced by 32 single barrel 20 mm caliber

  cannons. Later a single four-barrel, 28 mm

  caliber cannon was added increasing the total

  number of weapons of this caliber to twenty.

  Into the action in the Pacific

  All the ships of these class, together with

  The USS Wasp was the first aircraft carrier with an elevator at the edge of the flight deck. The aircraft, in this case an SB2U-2 Vindicator from VS-72 in June 1940,

  was lifted in a semicircle by two arms on the sides of the elevator platform.

  Source: U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation

  INFO Eduard20

  May 2023

• Page 21

  Lexington and Saratoga, bore the brunt of the

  fighting in the Pacific during the opening stages

  of the war. Wasp operated in the Atlantic where

  she, in the summer of 1941, transported the

  American P-40 fighters to Iceland and in April

  and May 1942 the British Spitfire fighters to

  Malta. Only in June 1942 she transferred to the

  Pacific. At the time of the Pearl Harbor attack,

  Hornet was going through training at Norfolk.

  In February 1942, during one of her training

  voyages, two twin-engine US Army AF B-25

  Mitchell bombers were embarked. To the great

  surprise of the crew these two bombers took off

  while the ship was on the open sea. The sailors

  understood the actual reason of this experiment

  on April 2, 1942, when Hornet set sail from

  Alameda, California, with 16 B-25 bombers

  on the flight deck. Skipper Marc A. Mitscher

  informed the crew that they were going to bomb

  Japan. Hornet had her own aircraft stored under

  the deck and on this raid deep into the enemy

  waters was escorted by Enterprise. The plan

  was to take off 400 nautical miles (740 km) from

  Japan. On April 18, 1942, however, the American

  fleet was spotted by a Japanese patrol ship and

  16 bombers led by Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle

  took off 600 nautical miles (1110 km) from

  Japan. It was the first Hornet’s combat mission.

  On April 30, 1942, Hornet set sail from Pearl

  Harbor to participate in the Battle of Corral Sea,

  which was brewing and during which, on May 8,

  1942, Lexington sank. Hornet could not make it

  on time, however, together with Enterprise and

  Yorktown was part of the task force that set up

  the trap for Japanese at Midway. On June 7, 1942,

  Yorktown was sunk but Japanese Navy, but the

  enemy lost four large aircraft carriers and their

  advance in the Pacific was stopped.

  Dangerous submarines

  In the previous article we spoke about the

  Allied counterattack in the Solomon Islands and

  naval battles around Guadalcanal. The aircraft

  carriers took part in this campaign on both

  sides. The American carriers were Enterprise,

  Saratoga, Wasp and Hornet. The first three

  covered the Guadalcanal landing on August 7,

  1942. At that time Hornet stayed in Pearl Harbor

  in reserve in case she was needed elsewhere.

  While supporting the landings Wasp lost one

  Dauntless and three Wildcats. One aviator was

  killed and another wounded. In exchange the

  aircraft from Wasp destroyed 15 flying boats

  and seven Rufe floatplane fighters on anchor

  and a Rufe and a Zero in the air. The Avengers

  and Dauntlesses attacked the ground targets

  with bombs.

  In the evening of August 8, 1942, the American

  HISTORIE

  Source: R/V Petrel / Vulcan Source: R/V Petrel / Vulcan

  Source: R/V Petrel / VulcanSource: R/V Petrel / Vulcan

  USS Wasp burning shortly before sinking on Sept. 15, 1942

  Source: United States Library of Congress

  Source: United States Library of Congress

  Sunken Grumman Avenger aircraft near the wreck of the USS Wasp

  127 mm gun on the sunken USS Wasp 28 mm four-barrel gun aboard the USS Wasp

  INFO Eduard

  21

  May 2023

• Page 22

  HISTORIE

  aircraft carriers withdrew to refuel. Between

  August 15 and 20, 1942, Enterprise and

  Saratoga returned to cover the aircraft

  delivery to Henderson airfield on Guadalcanal.

  Simultaneously the Japanese navy tried to

  transport the reinforcements to the island.

  Several task forces set sail with the mission not

  to only cover the transportation ships but also

  counterattack and destroy the American ships

  around the island. The large aircraft carriers

  Shōkaku, Zuikaku and light carrier Ryūjō were

  assigned to this mission. On August 24 and

  25, 1942 the encounter at the eastern Solomon

  Island took place which came down in the

  history as the third aircraft carriers’ battle ever.

  Similar to the Battle of Corral Sea the Americans

  first discovered the light aircraft carrier. Ryūjō

  was sailing ahead of the main force with the task

  of attacking the Henderson airfield. Saratoga

  launched 38 aircraft against her and scored

  several bomb hits and possibly a torpedo one.

  The seriously damaged ship sank during the

  night. The main Japanese force in the meantime

  attacked the American carriers. They focused

  on Enterprise which was hit by three bombs

  dropped by Val dive bombers. However, thanks

  to the rescue teams in an hour the fires were

  put out and the flight operations resumed. The

  American aviators managed to locate Shōkaku

  and Zuikaku and ultimately the enemy fleet

  retreated from the area.

  Wasp rushed to help Enterprise and Saratoga.

  Her airplanes shot down two Jake floatplanes

  and one flying boat, but they failed to locate

  the Japanese aircraft carriers. The disaster

  struck in the coming days. First, on August 31,

  1942, Saratoga was hit by a torpedo and had

  to withdraw for repairs. She was hit by I-26

  submarine which later sank the cruiser USS

  Juneau about which we spoke in the previous

  article. On September 15, 1942, ever bigger loss

  occurred. I-19 submarine launched six torpedoes

  against the American group of ships. One hit the

  battleship USS North Carolina, and another hit

  the destroyer USS O’Brien, which sank later.

  Three torpedoes struck Wasp and caused large

  fires and a series of explosions below the deck.

  When it became clear that the fires could not

  be put out the ship evacuation commenced. In

  the end 193 crew members and 45 aircraft went

  down to the bottom of the ocean.

  A Japanese Val bomber shot down directly over the bridge of the USS Enterprise on August 24, 1942.

  A damaged Val dive bomber rushes at the USS Hornet on October 26, 1942. The torpedo bomber Kate takes

  off after launching a torpedo.

  Source: Naval History & Heritage Command Source: Naval History & Heritage Command

  Wildcat of the Hornet on the seabed

  127 mm gun aboard the USS Hornet

  The International Harvester tractor for towing aircraft

  remained aboard the USS Hornet after her sinking.

  28 mm four-barrel cannon on the wreck of the Hornet

  Source: R/V Petrel / VulcanSource: R/V Petrel / VulcanSource: R/V Petrel / Vulcan

  Source: R/V Petrel / Vulcan

  Source: R/V Petrel / Vulcan

  INFO Eduard22

  May 2023

• Page 23

  The last battle before 1944

  During October 25 through 27, 1942, the Japanese

  and American aircraft carriers clashed again in

  the Battle of Santa Cruz. Shōkaku and Zuikaku,

  as well as two light carriers Zuihō and Junyō

  faced Enterprise and Hornet. In the morning

  of October 26, 1942, while searching for the

  enemy fleet two reconnaissance Dauntlesses

  from Enterprise found Zuihō and hit her with

  two bombs which seriously damaged the

  Japanese ship and eliminated her from the

  further fighting. The aircraft from both task

  forces clashed on the way to attack each other’s

  ships and a series of dogfights took place. The

  American aircraft attacked in smaller groups.

  Ten Dauntlesses from Hornet carpeted Shōkaku

  with bombs and hit her at least three times

  (rather optimistic estimate was six times). At

  Midway such a punishment would have meant

  ship’s demise, however, she escaped this time.

  The bombs destroyed her flight deck and hangar

  below it, but there were no fully fueled and

  armed aircraft as at Midway. Thus, the ship

  avoided the large fires.

  Another nice Dauntlesses from Hornet hit the

  heavy cruiser Chikuma with two bombs. Three

  Dauntlesses from Enterprise added another

  hit, and nine Avengers scored a torpedo

  hit. The seriously damaged cruiser had to

  withdraw from the battle. The Japanese, for

  a change, attacked in large formations. The

  Enterprise task force was covered by rain

  showers so the whole strength of the first

  wave of attack concentrated on Hornet. She

  was hit by three bombs, two torpedoes and

  in addition two damaged Japanese bombers

  dived into her on purpose. Hornet stopped

  without power, but the fires were put out

  with the help of escorting destroyers and the

  cruiser Northampton attempted to tow the ship.

  Convinced that Hornet was already sinking the

  Japanese concentrated their second attack

  wave on Enterprise. She was hit by two bombs

  and retreated with her escorts. Finally, Hornet

  started to be towed and the crew feverishly

  worked to reinstate her own power. And then

  the third wave of attacks arrived. The ship was

  hit by another torpedo and two bombs. The

  Japanese surface vessels were approaching

  so the decision was made to sink the ship. It

  was not that easy, however. While the rest of

  the American ships retreated, the destroyers

  USS Mustin and USS Anderson fired several

  torpedoes and more than 400 127 mm caliber

  shells into her hull. Not even that was enough.

  Both destroyers had to retreat as well while

  Hornet was still afloat and, in an hour and half,

  the main Japanese force arrived at the burning

  wreck. The possibility to capture an American

  aircraft carrier was tempting but then the

  Japanese realized it was too late. On October

  27, 1942, at 01:35 the ship went to the bottom. It

  happened exactly a year and seven days since

  she entered service. 140 dead sailors and 21

  aircraft went down with the ship.

  Enterprise remained the only American combat

  capable aircraft carrier in the whole Pacific

  Ocean. Her crew even painted Enterprise vs.

  Japan on her deck. After the temporary repairs

  she fought in the area around Solomon Islands

  until the spring 1943. During the fighting for

  Guadalcanal her aircraft were involved in

  sinking of 16 Japanese ships. The Japanese navy

  had more carriers at their disposal, however,

  many of them were also damaged. Worse yet,

  there was a shortage of well-trained pilots.

  Most of them were lost in the fighting in eastern

  Solomon Islands and Santa Cruz Islands.

  Therefore, the Japanese did not rush into action

  neither and the next aircraft carriers clash in

  the Pacific took place as late as in the summer

  of 1944.

  The wrecks were found at almost the same time.

  Paul Allen was searching for USS Wasp wreck

  since 2017. The search continued after his

  sudden death on October 15, 2018. In 2019 R/V

  Petrel research ship sailed several times and

  her crew first announced that in January 2019

  they discovered the USS Hornet wreck. It was

  preceded by extensive research in the archives

  where the reports from nine ships, which

  witnessed Hornet demise, were found. This

  information was plotted on the map and a grid

  created which made it possible to deduce the

  aircraft carrier position. R/V Petrel launched an

  autonomous underwater robot and a remotely

  controlled device equipped with a camera.

  Both devices can submerge up to 6000 meters.

  The Hornet’s wreck was discovered at the

  first attempt. It lies upright at a depth of 5330

  meters. Only a part of the stern had broken

  off and lies nearby. The pictures were taken of

  the International Harvester tractor which was

  used to tow the aircraft. It survived not only

  the ship’s fire and the trip to the sea bottom but

  after 80 years under the water looked in a good

  condition.

  Only after a month later the R/V Petrel crew

  announced that during the voyage in January

  2019 they also discovered the USS Wasp wreck.

  She lies in the depth of 4345 meters. The search

  for her was more complicated since the precise

  location was not known. The underwater robot

  moved along the programmed six-mile route

  and was emitting a low frequency sonar signal

  from both sides. In one run the robot was able

  to cover an area of 40 nautical miles. After the

  robot was retrieved, the obtained data were

  analyzed, and the crew returned to the promising

  locations with another device equipped with the

  camera. Wasp too lies upright on the sea bottom

  but in the very muddy area. The hull was buried

  up to the water line therefore the torpedo hit

  could not be determined. There are several

  Avenger bombers to be found around the ship.

  They slipped from the deck while the ship was

  sinking.

  Source:

  Hubáček, M.: Vítězství v Pacifiku. Praha 2003

  Hrbek, I./Hrbek, J.: Námořní válka vrcholí; Praha 1995

  Cbsnews.com

  warbirdnews.com

  nytimes.com

  news.usni.org-wasp

  news.usni.org.hornet

  history.navy.mil

  HISTORIE

  Japanese heavy cruiser Chikuma during an attack by U.S. aircraft on October 26, 1942

  Source: Naval History & Heritage Command

  INFO Eduard

  23

  May 2023

• Page 24

  6. KVĚTNA 9–16.30 h

  KULTURNÍ DŮM KOPŘIVNICE

  25. ročník mezinárodní výstavy a soutěže

  Mezinárodní soutěž plastikových a papírových modelů ve vyhlášených kategoriích

  SOUTĚŽ MODELŮ

  MLÁDEŽE DO 15-TI LET

  SPECIÁLNÍ CENY „MORAVSKÝ KNIPL“

  A„MORAVSKÝ ŠRAPNEL“

• Page 25

  #7469

  BOXART STORY

  It´s August 28, 1992. I´m standing next to one of the five

  Mi-24Vs of our Pilsen display box as we are preparing

  to our choppers´ startup procedure prior to the general

  rehearsal of our performance for tomorrow´s Airshow

  in České Budějovice. The first APU sounds, but as I am

  in the fifth solo chopper there is still some time for us

  to follow. With my foot on the footrest under the cockpit,

  gripping the edge of it, I can´t resist to watch the

  dynamic performance of a MiG-21MF. It roars through

  the air on full throttle with the afterburner and starts

  a spectacular steep bank roll through the reverse

  position. The seconds which follow are like a slow-

  motion movie. In the reverse position, the aircraft pitches

  the nose sharply and descends rapidly. The pilot tries to

  get the aircraft back to normal position but having not

  enough speed it is now flat-falling rather than flying.

  The MiG disappears behind the edge of the distant forest

  and suddenly the big explosion cloud rises and its sound

  hits us a split second later … It´s clear there would be

  no point to start our engines. The crash was disastrous

  as Lt. Col. Jiří Moutvička was killed. He was a member

  of the Delta team, the group of three pilots and aircraft

  which was performing MiG-21MF displays. He died in

  the cockpit of aircraft number 7709, the camouflaged

  one and also the only standard MiG-21MF of the team.

  The other two aircraft were examples of the last

  20-aircraft delivery of this type to Czechoslovakia. As

  they were delivered in a light grey color, the nickname

  “Greyish” was logical. They all were produced by Plant

  No. 21 in Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod), which by that

  time was already producing a more advanced version

  MiG-21bis. Czechoslovakia decided not to introduce the

  latter, as it had already its fighter regiments on full

  strength with MiG-21MFs. These were all produced by

  Znamaya Truda Plant No. 30 in Moscow. However, at

  the time of the order for the last MiG-21MFs the latter

  was already producing MiG-23s. And, as the Gorky

  plant no longer produced the MFs either, the MiG-21bis

  being the standard product there, they manufactured

  the “Grayishs” as side products for last-call MiG-21MF

  orders by several countries.

  The “Grayishs” actually represented a kind of

  intermediate type, as they carried several features

  of the MiG-21bis version. For example, they differed

  from the standard MFs by a different “periscope”

  (rear-view mirror), a different cockpit layout, in which

  a modernized KM-1M ejection seat was installed,

  a slightly different gun cover, and a different location

  of the cartridge belt covers. In addition, oval panels

  were missing on the upper side of the wing. This change

  was related to a different technological procedure

  for sealing the wing integral tanks. The Moscow plant

  first assembled the wing and then injected the liquid

  seal into the tank through the hole under the panels.

  However, at Gorky they applied the seals during the

  assembly of the wing and so they did not need the hole

  under the oval panels.

  The Delta team was founded in the spring of 1992 by Lt.

  Col. František Hlavnička (who died in a car accident on

  August 13, 2019). This excellent pilot and later inspector

  of piloting techniques at the Air Force Headquarters

  (already as a Full Colonel) had been demonstrating the

  MiG-21s since 1988, and it was his idea to spray paint the

  wing and fuselage of one camouflaged aircraft (7709)

  and two “Grayishs” (2410 and 2205) with winged arrows

  in the colors of the Czechoslovak tricolor. In addition,

  the Delta team emblem was painted on the vertical

  stabilizer and the number 9 on the rudder represented

  the 9 Fighter-Bomber Regiment based in Bechyně.

  Together with František Hlavnička, who even at the end

  of his flying career considered himself a “young pilot” (in

  the sense that he still had a lot to learn), the members

  of Delta team were Lt Col. Jiří Moutvička and Lt. Col.

  František Bittner.

  The disaster in which Jiří Moutvička died was the first

  nail in the coffin of the Delta team. The next was the

  disbanding of the 9 Fighter-Bomber Regiment and the

  overhaul of the no. 2205 aircraft in November 1992.

  Subsequently it served with the 82 Independent Fighter

  Squardon in Mošnov and then in Čáslav, there already in

  the MFN version. Aircraft No. 2410 also served briefly in

  Mošnov, but it did not see overhaul nor upgrade to the

  MFN version and was handed over to the museum in

  Kbely, where it is still located today.

  As part of the repairs carried out at the beginning of the

  1980s in the Aviation Repair Shop Kbely, the “Grayishs”

  were repainted with a similar shade of a gray paint, the

  exception being aircraft No. 4175, which for unknown

  reasons was painted in a slightly blue-gray shade.

  However, some of the standard MiG-21MFs also received

  gray paint as a part of repairs, so not every MiG-21MF in

  a gray color is a “Grayish”. This nickname belongs only

  to the aircraft with fuselage numbers 2205, 2410, 2500,

  3008, 4003, 4008, 4017, 4038, 4101, 4127, 4175, 4405,

  4421, 5494, 5508, 5512, 5581, 5603, 5612 and 9307. The

  2205, 2500, 3008, 4003, 4017, 4127,4175, 4405, 5581 and

  5603 were converted to the MFN version. Aircraft 3008

  and 4127 were destroyed in the crash on October 10,

  2000, while No. 5494 was also lost in a previous crash

  (1980).

  One of the two “Grayihs”" with striking Delta team

  graphics is depicted on Piotr Forkasiewicz´s boxart

  for the kit Cat. No. 7469 in a low pass over the base.

  It may just be leaving for an airshow, and the pilot is

  determined to show what this aircraft can do despite

  its age...

  Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz

  One shade of Gray

  Text: Richard Plos

  INFO Eduard

  25

  May 2023

• Page 26

  BOXART STORY #84188

  Hans-Joachim “Jochen” Marseille was born

  in 1919 in Berlin and was a descendant of

  Huguenot immigrants. He came from a difficult

  family background and had strong ties to his

  younger sister Ingeborg, who was murdered

  in 1941, and “Jochen” was reportedly unable

  to cope with her death. With 158 victories, he

  became the most successful German fighter

  pilot fighting against the Western Allies. In

  1938, he joined the Luftwaffe and one of his

  instructors was Julius Arigi, one of the most

  successful Austro-Hungarian fighters of the

  First World War.

  On August 10, 1940 Marseille was assigned

  to 1.(Jagd)/LG 2, which at that time fought

  in the Battle of Britain. He flew as wingman

  (Kaczmarek) of StFw. Helmut Goedert and

  achieved his first victory on 24 August. He

  gradually added six more enemy kills to his

  tally with this unit, but his Staffelkapitän,

  Oblt. Adolf Buhl had difficulty with him.

  A report he prepared on the young airman

  on 6 September, after four weeks with the

  unit, shows that the undisciplined Marseille

  had been reprimanded, given three days

  of light imprisonment and five days of

  detention. According to Buhl, however,

  Marseille flew with wisdom and courage. He

  was honest and friendly with his colleagues

  and was above average intelligence. In

  difficult situations he handled himself with

  poise and aggressiveness, and after four

  weeks he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd

  and 1st Class. The Gruppenkommandeur

  Herbert Ihlefeld also gave him

  a positive assessment in December 1940.

  In December, Marseille was transferred to

  4./JG 52 under the command of Johannes

  Steinhoff. Among “Jochen's” colleagues in this

  Staffel was Gerhard Barkhorn. But “Jochen”

  did not stay there long either, apparently the

  reason again being disciplinary problems.

  Steinhoff later commented: “Marseille was

  constantly undisciplinned, but he was an

  excellent flier. Something was wrong in his

  family. He never wanted to see his father

  again.”

  In February 1941 he was transferred to

  3./JG 27. He had a brief deployment in the

  Balkans with his new Staffel, but by April he

  had already scored his first victory in Africa.

  When Marseille told his new Staffelkapitän,

  who was Hans-Arnold Stahlschmidt, about

  the difficulties he had had with his previous

  units, his new superior asked him, “And you

  want to become a big eagle here?” Marseille

  answered quite frankly, “The biggest!”

  By the end of 1941 he had 36 victories to his

  credit. He often scored several kills in one day.

  After achieving his 50th aerial victory on 21st

  February 1942, he was awarded the Knight's

  Cross. He received the Oak Leaf Cluster in

  early June after achieving his 75th victory,

  and in the same month he also received the

  Swords for his 101st aerial victory. In June

  1942 he was appointed commander of 3./JG

  27. In early September 1942, after achieving

  126 victories, he received the Diamonds to

  the Knight's Cross. Between 31st August 1942

  and September 26, he achieved 57 victories,

  17 of these were achieved in a single day,

  on 1st September. In September 1942, he

  was promoted to the rank of Hauptmann.

  Marseille had versatile skills in both piloting

  and gunnery. He did not hesitate to maneuver

  in enemy formation at low speed and to

  perform deflection shooting. He also tried to

  rescue downed enemy airmen in the desert

  and dropped news of their fate on the other

  side of the front. Marseille was killed on 30th

  September 1942 at Sidi Abd el Rahman while

  jumping from his machine with damaged

  engine. News of his death was carried even

  by the Allied press. A small pyramid was

  erected at the site of the tragic end. He was

  nicknamed the “Star of Africa” and Adolf

  Galland called him “the unrivalled virtuoso

  among fighter pilots”. Marseille was known

  for his bohemian life, his relationships with

  famous female artists. He ran a bar in the

  desert outposts called “The Blue Cave” and

  his favorite song was “Rumba Azul”. In 1957,

  a German-Spanish feature film “Der Stern

  von Afrika” was made about him.

  The question remains, of course, how

  successful a fighter Marseille actually was.

  Researchers Dan Case and Nick Hector

  conclude that 135 kills can be documented

  out of the Marseille´s total of 158 officially

  certified and five unconfirmed victories.

  Marseille thus has an 82.8 % accuracy rate

  for his claimed victories.

  Text: Jan Bobek

  Illustration: Marek Ryś

  The Star of Africa

  INFO Eduard26

  May 2023

• Page 27

  #8162

  BOXART STORY

  The September morning of April 20, 1918, is still

  shrouded in a foggy haze when the cough of an

  engine, revved up for the morning engine warm-

  up, cuts through the silence. Another hectic

  day of the German spring offensive starts at

  Cappy airfield for the JG I and its commanding

  officer Manfred von Richthofen. At Val Heureux

  airfield, just some 30 miles to the northwest,

  members of No. 3 Squadron RAF, led by twenty-

  four-year-old Major Richard Raymond-Barker,

  are carrying out similar procedures. In the

  evening, these units will fight an air battle and

  Manfred von Richthofen will achieve his last

  two victories. One of his victims will be the

  commander of the British unit...

  Camels of No. 3 Sqn took off from Val Heureux

  under the lead of Capt. Douglas Bell, C Flight

  leader, although Raymond-Barker was also

  on patrol. When the formation was less than

  three miles behind the front line, it was spotted

  by pilots from Jasta 11. The fight began with

  a frontal attack by both formations and at 18:40,

  just seconds after the rivals engaged each

  other, the main fuel tank of Raymond-Barker´s

  Camel exploded after a direct hit. The one who

  fired the bullet was none other than the Red

  Baron. Three minutes later, von Richthofen

  was attacking another opponent. It was Camel

  number B7393 . And here we start with our

  story...

  Lieutenant David Lewis notices his commander´s

  plane explodes, but doesn´t have time to watch

  his fate. He attacks one of the enemies, but

  suddenly splinters fly off of one of his Camel´s

  struts. He kicks the pedals, full throttle and

  sends his aircraft into a steep-bank turn. He

  finds himself facing the red Dreidecker that fired

  at him. He tries to escape with even more violent

  maneuvering, and at one point manages to get

  the red machine in his gunsight. He knows all

  too well who he´s dealing with, and after some

  of his bullets hit the fuselage of the opponent´s

  aircraft, he wonders how great it would be if he,

  a rookie who´s only been at the front for three

  weeks, was the one to shoot down the famous

  ace. But the fortunes are to change. The enemy

  is an all-too-experienced pilot. He escapes and

  within seconds the hunter is the prey. One of

  Red Baron´s bullets shatters the compass,

  another miraculously misses David´s head, hits

  his aviation goggles and knocks them off. Just

  as miraculously, another bullet gets through

  his pant leg, but only grazes the pilot himself.

  Then a few bullets hit the fuel tank. Even so, it´s

  a stroke of luck anyway, as only a small reserve

  tank is hit. Instead of a devastating explosion, it

  “only” catches fire and Lewis immediately dives

  his Camel. He plummets to the ground as flames

  consume the fuselage´s canvas covering. It´s

  a race against time to get to the ground before

  the fire destroys the controls! A hard emergency

  “landing” at around 60 mph rips the poor Camel

  apart and the impact throws David out of the

  cockpit. He briefly loses consciousness and

  when he regains it, he lies motionless for

  a moment. Perhaps he´s reluctant to believe

  he´s alive. He gets up and is astonished to find

  that, apart from minor burns, he is unharmed.

  A miracle! Less than 50 yards away, the

  wreckage of the Raymond-Barker´s Camel is

  burning. David runs towards it, but the heat of

  the flames won´t let him near the wreckage.

  The body of his CO is not inside and will never

  be found ... Then a red Dr.I flies over the grim

  scene and waves. Is Manfred von Richthofen

  honoring his victims, or is he trying to attract

  the attention of the nearby German soldiers

  for future verification of his victories? We don´t

  know. He himself cannot know that the man on

  the ground was his last victim, nor would he

  ever know that he was a barely twenty-year-old

  David Greswolde “Tommy” Lewis from Southern

  Rhodesia. A native of Bulawayo who, as soon

  as his age allowed, made his way to the UK

  and joined the ranks of the RFC. He graduated

  from pilot school in April 1917, was promoted

  to officer rank in June and served with

  No. 78 (HD) Squadron before being transferred to

  No. 3 Squadron at the end of March 1918. After

  being shot down over enemy territory, he spent

  the rest of the war in a prisoner of war camp

  at Graudenz (now Grudziądz, Poland) and then

  returned to Southern Rhodesia. He farmed and

  also worked in government administration and

  died on August 10, 1978, outliving his conqueror,

  who died the day after their duel, by more than

  sixty years...

  Adam Tooby´s boxart captures the moment after

  Lewis´s Camel was hit. The young pilot turns his

  burning machine into a steep dive as the Red

  Baron watches his victim. The Dr. I of Werner

  Steinhäuser, who also took part in the battle on

  April 20, can be seen in the background hunting

  another Camel. His Dreidecker is also part of

  the markings offered in the box.

  Text: Richard Plos

  Illustration: Adam Tooby

  The last victim

  INFO Eduard

  27

  May 2023

• Page 28

  #8229

  F6F-5 Hellcat late

  1/48

  Weekend edition kit of US naval fighter aircraft F6F-5

  Hellcat in 1/48 scale. This version of the legendary

  naval fighter was without a window in the fuselage

  behind the cockpit

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 6

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: yes, wheels

  Product page

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard28

  May 2023

• Page 29

  Lt. Eugene A. Valencia, VF-9, USS Lexington, February 1945

  Lt. Cornelius N. Nooy, VF-31, USS Belleau Wood, August 1945

  One of the highest scoring naval fighter aces,

  Eugene Anthony Valencia, made himself famous

  as leader of the “Valencia Circus”, which was

  the name given to his division because of their

  ability to shoot down enemies and also thanks to

  their rather flamboyant demeanor. He was born

  on April 13, 1921, in San Francisco and joined

  the US Navy in 1941. He was designated a Naval

  Aviator on February 9, 1942, and after a stint as

  an instructor, he reported to VF-9 on board of USS

  Essex a year later. When November 11 came, the

  day of the massive, combined strike on Rabaul,

  Valencia achieved three full victories plus one

  shared. After one victory at the end of January

  1944, he became ace with three Zeros shot down

  on February 17. When back from his first combat

  tour, he worked with selected pilots on the tactics

  “Mowing Machine”, the idea he got during fights

  over Truk archipelago. In this tactic a pilot could

  constantly be on the attack while his mates would

  be providing cover for him. The VF-9 returned to

  Pacific in January 1945 and soon after Valencia’s

  division started to reap the benefits of their

  training. Valencia increased his score steadily

  from February 16, 1945, when he added his eighth

  full victory near the Imba lake. At the end of the

  tour, his score counted 23 confirmed enemies

  shot down, two probably and two damaged,

  making him the third best US naval ace of WWII.

  He passed away in 1972.

  Cornelius Nicholas Nooy was born on April 15,

  1921, in Smithtown and became probably the

  deadliest ornamental gardener in the world,

  as he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in

  Ornamental Horticulture from the New York State

  Institute of Agriculture in 1941 and also became

  one of the most successful Naval fighters. He

  enlisted in the US Navy on March 18, 1942, and

  started his flight training on August 1, 1942. Four

  and a half months later he was designated a Naval

  Aviator and became member of VF-31. There he

  did not waste time and achieved his first aerial

  victory on January 29, when he shot down one

  Zero while another was classified as probable. In

  the end he had 19 victories to his credit, ranking

  him the fifth most successful US naval fighter

  of WWII (rank shared with Alexander Vraciu and

  Patrick Fleming) and the most successful fighter

  operating from light aircraft carriers. The Hellcat

  depicted here sports symbols of all of his victories

  under the windshield and also his name and the

  emblem of the VF-31. Between them, there was

  probably the emblem of NYSIA. This aircraft

  served several pilots to take commemorative

  photos at the end of the tour and so all the logos

  and names were temporary. As the unit’s symbol

  was usually placed in front of the windshield, we

  presume it was also the case of this aircraft. Nooy

  left active duty on December 28, 1945, and served

  in the Naval Reserve, where he was promoted to

  Lt Cdr on February 1, 1952. He died of cancer just

  a month before his 37th birthday.

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard

  29

  May 2023

• Page 30

  BuNo 70597, Lt. James L. Pearce, VF-17, USS Hornet, March 21, 1945

  BuNo 72663, Ens. William A. Sinnott, VF-24, USS Santee, July 7, 1945

  James Lano Pearce became not only a Naval

  fighter but also a remarkable aviation personality.

  He enlisted with the Navy on July 3, 1941. After

  getting his “wings” and promotion to the rank of

  Ensign he served with VS-52 flying scout planes

  from Bora Bora, Society Islands, from December

  1942 to July 1943. Following he was transferred

  to VF-18 and he probably shot down a Zeke on

  November 11 in vicinity of Rabaul and shared

  0,25 of the victory over a Betty on December 25,

  1943. A damaged Betty bomber on January 1944

  was his last achievement with VF-18 prior to his

  return to west coast, where he helped to reform

  VF-17 from March 1944. He returned to combat

  aboard USS Hornet (CV-12). He shared one Myrt

  shot down on March 18, 1945 and his best day

  came on March 21, when he sent down two Betty

  bombers and finally recorded 5,25 victories plus

  15 aircraft destroyed on the ground. After the

  war he was stationed at the Flight Test Division

  at NAS Patuxent River until his departure from

  the Navy on August 27, 1948. He then continued

  his career of test pilot with Grumman, but just

  after six months he changed employer and for

  the next 15 years helped with the development

  of the North American Aviation aircraft. During

  this service he lost his left leg below knee in 1953

  but kept flying. Another change came at the early

  stage of the Apollo space program. Jim Pearce

  was placed in charge of test and check out of

  the Apollo Command and Service Modules for

  the Lunar program and remained at the Kennedy

  Space Center until 1967, when he decided to start

  his own business, which he run until February 9,

  2011, when he died.

  July 7, 1945, was not a lucky day for the escort

  carrier USS Santee units VF-24 and VT-24. During

  the landing procedure the arresting hook of the

  Hellcat flown by Ens William A. Sinnott broke, the

  aircraft cleared all the barriers a ran into parked

  planes, causing a fire. Four Hellcats and two

  Avengers were jettisoned, six torpedo bombers

  were damaged and one of the pilots of the parked

  aircraft was killed. VF-24 was on its second tour

  from March 27 to July 19. During this spell the

  pilots were mostly tasked with ground attack

  missions, as they were supporting the Allied

  landings on Okinawa from April 1 and helping

  British carrier forces to deny Japanese units to

  use the airfields on the Sakishima islands. On

  June 16, USS Santee launched a fighter bomber

  mission against targets on Kyūshū, Japanese

  mainland. On June 19 the ship arrived at Leyte

  Gulf and undergo minor repairs. She was in

  action again from July 1 and at the time of the

  Sinnott’s crash was covering minesweeping

  operations west of Okinawa. During the whole

  second tour the pilots of VF-24 achieved just

  three aerial victories, which was down to the

  nature of their tasks. Two months and two weeks

  after the crash on the deck of USS Santee, the

  VF-24 was disbanded on September 20, 1945. As

  a part of the Carrier Division 22, their Hellcats

  sported white tails and white rectangles on the

  leading edge of the starboard wing’s upper side).

  The aircraft of USS Santee were distinguished

  by two yellow stripes on the rear fuselage and

  on the wing, accompanying the white rectangle.

  Aircraft from USS Chennango sported one yellow

  stripe, USS Suwanee two white stripes and USS

  Sangamon one white stripe.

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard30

  May 2023

• Page 31

  BuNo 72296 Lt. Louis A. Menard, jr., VBF-12, USS Randolph, February 17, 1945

  Flottille 1F, PA Arromanche, French Indochina, 1951

  Louis Arthur Menard, called Lou, joined the Navy

  on July 21, 1941. He was designated a Naval Aviator

  on January 31, 1942 and promoted to the rank of

  Ensign. His first combat deployment took him to

  North Africa on board of USS Ranger as a member

  of VF-9. There he achieved one confirmed and one

  probable kill flying F4F-4 on November 9. A year

  later, on November 11, he added two Zekes to his

  tally still as a member of VF-9, but aboard USS

  Essex. After shooting down a Kate on January 29,

  1944, he made himself an ace as he shot down two

  Kates and two Petes on February 17. Promoted to

  the rank of Lieutenant on April 1, 1944, he was

  attached to the VF-12 and, on January 2, 1945,

  moved to its sibling squadron VBF-12. February 16

  was the day of his last victory. He shot down one

  Judy, but the next day he had to bail out over the

  ocean and strong wind dragged him through the

  water. The crew of the destroyer Taussig finally

  saved him. This ended his tour and he returned to

  the USA. He stayed in active duty until 1968, when

  he retired in the rank of Commander. He was XO

  of VF-33 from June 1953 and CO of VF-102 from

  September 1954. Regarding the Navy loss list,

  Menard flew Hellcat BuNo 72296 and a painting

  accompanying the interview with him portrays the

  aircraft with tactical number 32. We thus assume

  it was the one Lou had to bail out from. Another

  source states the aircraft was BuNo 72635 and

  to make the things even more complicated, there

  were two Hellcats with number 32 on board of

  USS Randolph. Which of them was this No. 32

  Hellcat of VBF-12 is not clear. The decals offer

  both BuNo. options.

  The French Navy bought 124 F6F-5s and fifteen

  F6F-5Ns between 1950 and 1953. The plane

  equipped several combat units, including famous

  wartime I/6 Corse and II/6 Normandie-Niemen

  squadrons. The Naval 1F Flotille was another unit

  to convert to Hellcats and one of those fighting

  in Indochina, where France tried to reinstate

  its pre-war colony but faced the communists

  opposition led by Ho Chi Minh. The unit was

  transformed into 11F on June 20, 1953, while back

  in France, and sent back to French Indochina

  immediately. The Hellcats were also used by 54S,

  57S and 59S training squadrons. French scrapped

  their Hellcats in 1960 and replaced them with the

  F8F Bearcat. Their Hellcats were painted in Gloss

  Sea Blue and had a modified French roundel

  with an anchor. The aircraft sported the famous

  symbol of the Seahorse on the vertical stabilizer.

  The appearance of the seahorse varied from

  aircraft to aircraft.

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard

  31

  May 2023

• Page 32

  Recommended:

  for F6F-5 Hellcat late 1/48

  48585 F6F undercarriage (PE

  -

  Set)

  48588 F6F gun bay (PE

  -

  Set)

  491347 F6F-5 (PE

  -

  Set)

  FE1065 F6F-5 seatbelts STEEL (PE

  -

  Set)

  644012 F6F-5 LööK (Brassin)

  648061 HVAR rockets (Brassin)

  648086 US 250lb bombs (2 pcs) (Brassin)

  648102 F6F wheels (Brassin)

  648683 F6F exhaust stacks (Brassin)

  648747 F6F undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  648798 F6F wheel bays PRINT (Brassin)

  3DL48069 F6F-5 SPACE (3D Decal Set)

  EX866 F6F-5 TFace (Mask)

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  # 644012

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  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard32

  May 2023

• Page 33

  SPITFIRE STORY: MALTA

  Limited edition kit of British WWII fighter aircraft Spitfire Mk.Vb

  and Vc in 1/48 scale. From the kit you can build Spitfires fighting

  in the defence of the island Malta.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 15

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  #11172

  1/48

  DUAL COMBO

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard

  33

  May 2023

• Page 34

  Spitfire Vb Trop, AB264, F/O Robert W. McNair, No. 249 Squadron, RAF Ta Kali, Malta, March 1942

  Spitfire Vb Trop, EP122, Sgt. Claude Weaver III, No. 185 Squadron, RAF Ta Kali, Malta, July 1942

  The first three Spitfire Mk.Vb deliveries to Malta

  were conducted under the code names Spotter

  and Picket/Picket II. Spitfires that arrived

  in Malta during the Operations Spotter and

  Picket were camouflaged in Dark Earth and

  Middle Stone on the upper surfaces, the lower

  surfaces were painted in Sky or Azure Blue. The

  lower surfaces color depended either on the

  manufacturing factory Supermarine, which used

  Sky, or Aircraft Servicing Units (ASU) which used

  Azure Blue color. Upon arrival in Malta the Middle

  Stone camouflage pattern was overpainted in

  Extra Dark Sea Grey. Spitfire AB263 was ferried

  to Malta by P/O Peter Nash on March 7, 1942,

  during the Operation Spotter. On March 20, 1942,

  a Canadian pilot, Robert Wendell “Buck” McNair

  shot down a Ju 88, another Ju 88 probably and

  damaged another one. On March 25, Nash shot

  down a Ju 87 and in November Sgt. Thomas

  Kebbell shot down a Ju 88. Spitfire AB264 was

  one of 16 aircraft in of the first Spitfires delivery

  to Malta which survived the campaign and

  had a long service life. It served with No. 249,

  No. 185, No. 1435 and No. 229 Squadron. In May 1943

  it was overhauled and handed over to the USAAF.

  It finished its career in the Middle East.

  Spitfire EP122 arrived in Malta from HMS Eagle on

  July 15, 1942, during the Operation Pinpoint and

  was immediately assigned to the combat duty

  with the No. 185 Squadron. It became a regular

  mount of Sgt. Claude Weaver III who scored five

  kills (4x Bf 109 and 1x Ju 88). He became the

  youngest Allied ace during the conflict. Later

  EP122 became the personal mount of the Wing

  Commander J. M. Thompson who had the aircraft

  marked with his name initials JM

  -

  T. In October

  Thompson at its controls shot down a Bf 109

  and Ju 88 and damaged another two Bf 109s. In

  the beginning of 1943 EP122 was ordered to the

  No. 1435 Squadron where it flew carrying the code

  letter L. On March 27, 1943, it made an emergency

  landing at the edge of the cliff in Dwejra Bay on

  Gozo island. EP122 was afterward dumped over

  the edge of the cliff into the bay. EP122 wreck,

  lying in 10 m depth, was discovered by scuba

  divers from the RAF Sub Aqua Club on the Gozo

  shore in 1969. In the middle of 1970, the wreck

  was recovered. The initial restoration work was

  done by Steve Vizard in Hampshire followed by

  the Airfram Assemblies in Sandown, Surrey. The

  airframe was transferred to Biggin Hill Heritage

  Hangar for the completion. The first flight from

  Biggin Hill took place in May 2016. The naval

  camouflage and markings are authentic however

  the typical tropical air filter is missing.

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard34

  May 2023

• Page 35

  Spitfire Vb Trop, EP706, P/O George F. Beurling, No. 249 Squadron, RAF Ta Kali, Malta, August - October 1942

  Spitfire Vb, EP829, S/Ldr John J. Lynch, No. 249 Squadron, RAF Qrendi, Malta, February - May 1943

  A brilliant pilot and sharpshooter but rather

  mysterious personality, Canadian George

  Frederick Beurling achieved unbelievable

  successes during the fierce fighting for Malta

  in 1942 where in the course of a half year he

  scored 28 confirmed kills. Beurling’s Spitfire

  EP706 arrived in Malta off the HMS Furious deck

  on August 11, 1942 during the Operation Bellows.

  The original desert camouflage was repainted at

  the Malta Maintenance Command probably with

  Deep Sky or Extra Dark Sea Grey color. According

  to the period pictures, the wing upper surfaces

  around the weapon wells were rather worn and

  the original desert camouflage was showing

  through. P/O “Screwball” Beurling had his kill

  markings painted on the fuel tank cover of his

  Spitfire flown regularly between August 20 and

  October 9. He flew 27 combat missions with it and

  scored four out of his total 28 kills achieved in

  Malta.

  Spitfire EP829 was flown by S/Ldr Lynch from

  February to May 1943 with No. 249 Squadron and

  was part of the delivery during the Operation Train

  which was the last Spitfire delivery to reinforce

  Malta from the aircraft carriers. Spitfires were

  finished in the standard Malta camouflage

  scheme with the upper surfaces in Deep Sky and

  Dark Slate Grey. EP829 initially flew with clipped

  wings, later was operated with the full wingspan.

  The squadron commander insignia and five kill

  markings, achieved by April 25, 1943, were painted

  on the fuselage fuel tank. Three days later, Lynch

  shot down two Ju 52 and scored 1,000th victory

  for the Malta defenders. To commemorate this

  anniversary kill he had painted “Malta’s 1000”

  in white under the windshield. John Lynch was

  born on February 3, 1918, in Alhambra, California.

  In 1941 he joined RAF and in September 1941 he

  completed his pilot training at No. 56 OTU. His

  first assignment was at No. 232 Squadron. The

  following month he joined the No. 121 “Eagle”

  Squadron and No. 71 “Eagle” Squadron where, on

  April 17, 1942, he shared a victory over a Ju 88.

  In November 1942 he was transferred to Malta

  and assigned to No. 249 Squadron with which he

  flew combat in the area. In the beginning of 1943,

  he was promoted to the squadron commander

  and achieved many successes against the

  Axis transportation aircraft which supplied the

  German and Italian troops in Tunisia. In July

  1943 he was ordered to the USAAF but did not fly

  combat. He returned to the United States where

  after the war end continued his service with the

  USAF. In 1956 he became an operations officer

  with the 49th Fighter-bomber Wing on Okinawa

  but shortly after, on March 9 he was killed in the

  aircraft crash in F-84G near Naha airport. During

  his wartime career Lynch claimed in total 17 kills

  (10 individual and 7 in cooperation), one probable

  and two enemy aircraft damaged.

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard

  35

  May 2023

• Page 36

  Spitfire Vb, ER647, S/Ldr John R. Urwin-Mann, No. 126 Squadron, RAF Luqa, Malta, spring 1943

  Spitfire Vb Trop, ER187, Maj. Frank A. Hill, 309th FS, 31st FG, Xewkija, Gozo - Malta, beginning of July 1943

  ER647 represents yet another of the camouflage

  schemes used in Malta where the factory applied

  Middle Stone was repainted with Dark Slate Grey.

  A Mk.Vb painted in similar way is documented

  in the color photographs by AVM Keith Park.

  The depicted ER647 was flown by the No. 126

  Squadron commander, a Battle of Britain ace

  S/Ldr Urwin-Mann, who on January 28, 1943, shot

  down a Me 210 flying this aircraft. In February

  1944, ER647 was handed over to the USAAF and

  in 1945 finished its career with the French AF.

  During his wartime career, John Roland “Jack”

  Urwin-Mann scored 10 kills, two of them shared.

  In the middle of 1943, Malta became a fundamental

  “springboard” for the Operation Husky, an Allied

  invasion of Sicily. The island became a key post

  mainly due to its support of the air operations.

  There were five operational airfields on Malta,

  all of them occupied by the large numbers of the

  British airplanes which impaired the operations

  of the USAAF units. The only solution was to turn

  the attention to Gozo, mountainous land which

  is the part of the Malta archipelago. The area in

  Xewkija turned out to be the best solution despite

  the negotiations with the local farmers. Xewkija

  airport, also known as Ta’ Lambert, was built as

  the principal USAAF airbase during the Operation

  Husky in the very short time of 12 days of the

  construction only to cease the operations after

  mere six months of the intense traffic. In June

  1944 the land on which the airport was built was

  returned to the original landlords and turned back

  to the fertile soil. One of the Spitfires flying out of

  the airfield Xewkija in the beginning of July 1943

  was ER187, a personal aircraft of the commander

  and the most successful pilot of the 309th FS,

  Maj. Frank Hill. His Spitfire is known to carry two

  different designs of the national insignia, with

  a yellow outline and also with the “wings” with

  the red outline which fell into the period of their

  official application, from June 28 to the end of

  July 1943. A question remains if the new insignia

  were painted for that ten days stay on Gozo or

  in Sicily, where the 31st FG was transferred on

  July 13, 1943. During his wartime carrier Maj.

  Frank Hill shot down in total eight enemy aircraft

  including two shared victories, two probable and

  he also damaged five enemy aircraft.

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard36

  May 2023

• Page 37

  Spitfire Vb Trop, ER187, Maj. Frank A. Hill, 309th FS, 31st FG, Xewkija, Gozo - Malta, beginning of July 1943

  Spitfire Vc Trop, BR190, F/Sgt Virgil P. Brennan, No. 249 Squadron, RAF Ta Kali, Malta, May 1942

  Maj. Frank Hill’s Spitfire is known to carry two

  different designs of the national insignia, with

  a yellow outline and with the “wings” with the red

  outline which fell into the period of the official

  application, from June 28 to the end of July 1943.

  A question remains if the new insignia were

  painted for the ten days stay on Gozo or in Sicily

  where the 31st FG was transferred on July 13,

  1943.

  Spitfire BR190 arrived in Malta on April 20, 1942,

  during the Operation Calendar. It carried the

  naval camouflage which was on the board of

  USS Wasp (CV-7) partially overpainted with so-

  called Malta blue. On May 5, at the controls of

  this unusually camouflaged Spitfire, F/Sgt Paul

  Brennan shot down a Bf 109. Spitfire BR190 flying

  career however was very short. On May 14 it was

  destroyed during the bombing of the airport Ta

  Kali. Virgil Paul Brennan was born in Warwick

  in Queensland on March 6, 1920, and before the

  war practiced law. In November 1940 he joined

  RAAF and was sent to Canada for an advanced

  training. In August he was ordered to the Great

  Britain where he continued his training with No.

  53 OTU. In October he was assigned to the No. 64

  Squadron but in the beginning of March he was

  transferred to Malta. On March 17 he flew off

  the HMS Eagle deck to the island together with

  the first Spitfires delivery. After the landing he

  was attached to the No. 249 Squadron. Between

  March 17 and June 7 he scored seven kills. In July

  he completed his tour of duty with the No. 249

  Squadron and flew back to the Great Britain. Here

  he served as an instructor with the No. 52 OTU

  until January 1943 and after that he set sail for

  home, Australia. On May 1 he was assigned to the

  No. 79 Squadron RAAF in Laverton, unfortunately

  he did not fly there for long. On June 13, 1943, he

  was mortally wounded in a crash near Garbutt.

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard

  37

  May 2023

• Page 38

  Spitfire Vc Trop, BP975, F/Lt Denis Barnham, No. 601 Squadron, RAF Luqa, Malta, April - May 1942

  Spitfire Vc Trop, BR126, P/O Jerrold A. Smith, No. 126 Squadron, USS Wasp (CV-7), May 1942

  After the outbreak of the war, Dennis Barnham

  joined RAF in April 1941. Initially he served with

  the No. 65 Squadron, in July he was ordered to

  the No. 609 Squadron and on December 30 he

  was transferred to the No. 154 Squadron. In April

  1942 he was promoted and assigned to the No. 601

  Squadron as a flight leader. At that time the unit

  was preparing for the deployment to Malta. On

  April 20, 1942, during the operation code-named

  Calendar, he flew off the American aircraft carrier

  USS Wasp (CV-7) for the island. During April and

  May Barnham scored five aerial victories, all of

  them flying Spitfire BP975. On board of USS Wasp

  (CV-7), over its original desert camouflage his

  Spitfire was painted in the US Navy Non Specular

  Blue Gray used on the USS Wasp escort F4F

  Wildcats. Denis Barnham was an artist as well

  and he often painted and drew sketches. Some of

  his drawings were included in the book One Man’s

  Window (William Kimber, 1956) he wrote after the

  war about his experiences from Malta.

  On May 9, 1942, after he took off in his Spitfire

  BR126 X-3, the Canadian pilot, P/O Jerrold Alpine

  “Jerry” Smith found out that his drop tank was

  inoperable, and he was not able to reach the

  airfield on Malta. He jettisoned his tank and

  received order to bail out of his Spitfire. Instead,

  Jerry inquired about the attempt to save the

  aircraft by landing it on the aircraft carrier deck.

  After the captain approved, he indeed tried to do

  it. His first approach was too high and too fast

  however his second attempt was successful, and

  he safely landed his Spitfire mere six feet from

  the end of the flight deck. He managed, as the first

  in world, to land a Spitfire on the aircraft carrier

  and without an arresting hook! For his deed

  P/O “Jerry” Smith was unofficially awarded the

  American Navy Wings from the flight deck officer

  David McCampbell, the future most successful

  USN fighter pilot who, as a LSO (Landing Signal

  Officer) directed the whole operation. Jerry

  ultimately made it to Malta couple of days later

  on May 19 with another batch of Spitfires during

  the Operation LB. In Malta, he met his brother

  Rod at the No. 126 Squadron and on July 18 they

  together shot down a Ju 88. On August 10, 1942, he

  took off in the order to search for some targeted

  minelayers. He was seen for the last time

  pursuing a Ju 88 on the course towards Sicily.

  Neither aircraft made it back to the home base.

  His brother Rod was searching hours for him but

  did not find any sign of neither the body nor his

  Spitfire. Jerry’s name is engraved on the Malta’s

  memorial. During the Malta fighting he scored

  four individual kills and shared one.

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard38

  May 2023

• Page 39

  Spitfire Vc Trop, BR311, F/Lt Roderick I. A. Smith, No. 126 Squadron, RAF Luqa, Malta, October 1942

  Spitfire Vc Trop, BR321, F/Lt John A. Plagis, No. 185 Squadron, RAF Hal Far, Malta, June 1942

  Spitfire BR311 arrived in Malta during the

  Operation Style on June 3, 1942 and successfully

  participated in the battle for the island. On August

  14, flying this aircraft, S/Ldr W. J. Johnson shot

  down two Macchi MC.202. Between October 12

  and 25, P/O Nigel Park at its controls shot down

  three Ju 88 and three Bf 109 and on October 25

  F/Lt “Rod” Smith shot down a Bf 109, which was

  his last victory in Malta. During the defense of

  Malta, he shot down in total six aircraft. Rod Smith

  was a brother of Jerry Smith, and they fought

  together in the ranks of the No. 126 Squadron.

  BR311 coloration matched the recommended

  Malta scheme in Dark Mediterranean Blue on

  the upper surfaces and Sky Blue on the lower

  surfaces. The original markings on the fuselage,

  applied on board of USS Wasp, were overpainted

  with Light Mediterranean Blue and assigned the

  code letters MK

  -

  L. On October 5, 1944, Rod Smith

  became the first Allied pilot who shot down a Me

  262 jet. During his wartime carrier Rod Smith

  scored 14 kills.

  Spitfire BR321 arrived in Malta on June 9 during

  the operation Salient. It became a personal

  mount of F/Lt John Plagis who scored three

  aerial victories in it. John Plagis was born on

  March 10, 1919, in Hartley, South Rhodesia. After

  the outbreak of war, he volunteered for the

  Rhodesian AF but was rejected since he was

  still officially a Greek citizen. Therefore in 1940

  he volunteered for RAF. In May 1941 he started his

  pilot training at the No. 58 OTU in Grangemouth.

  In the end of June, he was initially attached to

  the No. 65 Squadron, then he was transferred to

  the No. 266 Squadron. In all his flight evaluations

  he was graded as above average. In the end of

  January 1942, he was ordered to the Near East

  and on March 7 he was one of the first pilots

  who flew their Spitfires to Malta from HMS Eagle

  during the Operation Spotter. Initially he flew with

  the No. 249 Squadron where between March and

  May he shot down nine enemy aircraft, including

  two shared victories. In the end of May he was

  dispatched to Gibraltar to help fly over a new

  batch of Spitfires during the Operation Style on

  June 3. After the arrival he was transferred to

  the No. 185 Squadron as a flight A leader and

  until the end of June he shot down another three

  opponents. In the beginning of July, he returned to

  the Great Britain. In August he was ordered to the

  No. 53 OTU where he was graded as exceptional.

  In April 1943 he returned to the combat flying at

  the No. 64 Squadron. In July 1944 he assumed

  command of the No. 126 Squadron and during

  the Normandy landing he scored another three

  victories. In December the unit was re-equipped

  with Mustangs and Johnny Plagis was promoted

  to the Wing Commander. On March 27, 1945, he

  flew cover for the bomber Mosquitos raiding the

  Gestapo HQ in Copenhagen. After the war he

  commanded the No. 234 Squadron and the No. 266

  Squadron flying the jet Meteors Mk.III. In May 1948

  he retired from RAF and returned to Rhodesia.

  During his wartime carrier John Plagis shot down

  15 aircraft individually, two in the cooperation and

  became the most successful Greek pilot of WWII.

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard

  39

  May 2023

• Page 40

  Spitfire Vc Trop, BR387, P/O John W. Yarra, No. 185 Squadron, RAF Hal Far, Malta, June 1942

  Spitfire Vc, BR498, W/Cdr Peter P. Hanks, Luqa Wing, Malta, August 1942 – February 1943

  John William “Slim” Yarra was born in Stanthorpe

  in Queensland on August 24, 1921 and before

  joining RAAF in October 1940 he made living as

  a printing apprentice. He completed his training

  in Canada between May and August 1941 and then

  he was dispatched to the Great Britain where he

  was attached to the No. 55 OTU. In October he

  was transferred to Gibraltar. Consequently, he

  took part in two attempts to fly Spitfires to Malta.

  On March 7, during the Operation Spotter, as

  a replacement pilot, he had to return to his aircraft

  carrier and back to Gibraltar. On March 21, during

  the Operation Picket I he flew Spitfire AB333 and

  after landing on Malta he was attached to the

  No. 249 Squadron. After several successful combat

  missions, he was ordered to the No. 185 Squadron

  which was short of pilots. In its ranks, he became

  one of the most successful pilots in the defense of

  Malta. In the course of three months he shot down

  12 enemy aircraft, out of which five while at the

  controls of his personal Spitfire BR387. Yarra’s

  personal Spitfire BR387 landed in Malta on June

  9 during the Operation Salient. BR387 camouflage

  complied with the recommended Malta scheme in

  Dark Mediterranean Blue on the upper surfaces

  and Sky Blue color on the lower surfaces. On July

  14, Yarra logged his last flight over Malta and

  after that flew back to the Great Britain. After

  some rest he was assigned as a flight B leader

  to the No. 453 Squadron RAAF. On December 10,

  1942, he led his flight in the attack on the convoy

  at the Dutch coast, north of Vlissingen, but his

  Spitfire was hit by the enemy AA fire and crashed

  into the sea. His brother became a fighter pilot

  as well and same as brother “Slim” was killed in

  action.

  Spitfire BR498 was delivered to Malta on August

  17, 1942, during the Operation Baritone in the

  new camouflage scheme required by AHQ Malta

  dated June 1942. It resulted in the adoption of the

  disruptive pattern of two shades for the upper

  surfaces, Deep Sky and Dark Slate Grey and

  Light Mediterranean Blue for the lower surfaces.

  W/Cdr Peter Prosser Hanks, Luqa Wing

  commanding officer chose this airplane as his

  personal mount. At the controls of BR498, W/Cdr

  Hanks scored four confirmed kills, two probables

  and damaged four aircraft. Another pilot who was

  successful in BR498 was the No. 126 Squadron

  member, F/Lt William “Bill” Rolls who, during

  the month of October 1942, shot down five Axis

  airplanes (three Ju 88 and two MC.202). BR498

  served from the middle of February 1943 at the

  No. 185 Squadron carrying GL

  -

  K code letters and

  was equipped with the Vokes desert air filter.

  In this configuration it was most frequently flown

  by the No. 185 Squadron commander, S/Ldr H. A.

  Grafts. Peter Prosser Hanks was born on July 29,

  1917 and in 1935 joined RAF. After he completed

  his pilot training at No. 6 FTS, in September he

  was assigned to the No. 1 Squadron. During the

  Battle of France and Britain he shot down seven

  aircraft. Consequently, he flew with the No. 257

  and No. 56 Squadrons. From February to July

  1942, he commanded a Spitfire Wing at Coltishall.

  In August he was transferred to Malta where

  he assumed command of a Spitfire Wing at the

  airport Luqa. Until the end of war, and afterwards,

  he held several service posts. In 1964 he retired

  from RAF.

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard40

  May 2023

• Page 41

  RECOMMENDED:

  FOR SPITFIRE STORY: MALTA 1/48

  481065 Spitfire Mk.V landing flaps (PE

  -

  Set)

  FE1207 Spitfire Mk.V seatbelts STEEL (PE

  -

  Set)

  644113 Spitfire Mk.V LööK (Brassin)

  648640 Spitfire Mk.V engine (Brassin)

  648663 Spitfire Mk.V cockpit (Brassin)

  648664 Spitfire Mk.V wheels (Brassin)

  648665 Spitfire Mk.Vb gun bays (Brassin)

  648666 Spitfire Mk.Vc gun bays (Brassin)

  648667 Spitfire Mk.V three-stacks exhausts rounded (Brassin)

  648668 Spitfire Mk.V three-stacks exhausts fishtail (Brassin)

  648669 pitfire Mk.V six-stacks exhausts fishtail (Brassin)

  648670 Spitfire Mk.Va/b undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  648671 Spitfire Mk.Vc undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  648738 Spitfire Mk.V landing flaps PRINT (Brassin)

  3DL48031 Spitfire Mk.V SPACE (3D Decal Set)

  D48101 Spitfire Mk.V national insignia (Decal Set)

  EX914 Spitfire Mk.V TFace (Mask)

  OVERTREES

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  1/48

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  Product page

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  MALTA PE

  -

  Set

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  Spitfire Vc Trop, JK715, S/Ldr Evan D. Mackie, No. 243 Squadron, RAF Hal Far, Malta, June – July 1943

  In the middle of 1943, when the air battle for Malta

  was won, the island became a key base for the

  supporting air operations. On June 11, the No. 243

  Squadron was transferred from Tunisia to the Hal

  Far airport. The unit, under the leadership of one

  of the most successful pilots in the Mediterranean,

  S/Ldr Evan Mackie, during the following month

  supported the Allied landing on Sicily during the

  Operation Husky. With the change of the strategic

  environment, the special Malta camouflages were

  not necessary anymore and became history. The

  incoming No. 243 Squadron however was an

  exemption as the unit altered coloration of its

  Spitfires. According to the memoires of its pilot in

  his book Spitfire Leader, before the arrival to Malta

  his new personal Spitfire Mk.Vc JK715, which until

  then sported the classic “desert“ camouflage, was

  repainted in olive green color on the upper surfaces

  which matched Dark Slate Grey frequently used on

  Malta. During his tenure at the No. 243 Squadron,

  Mackie at the controls of his JK715 flying out of

  the Hal Far airport, shot down five enemy aircraft.

  Makie’s original occupation was a mechanic, so

  he was always interested in the maintenance of

  his Spitfire. He obtained a set of exhausts from

  Spitfire Mk.IX and was pleased with the improved

  performance. For the first time those exhausts had

  been installed on his previous Spitfire ES347. After

  it crash landed, Mackie removed the priceless

  exhausts and installed them on his new JK715.

  He finished his war career with a score of 23 kills

  including 3 shared victories, 2 probables and 11

  aircraft damaged.

  # 648738

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard

  41

  May 2023

• Page 42

  MiG-21MF Interceptor

  Weekend edition kit of Soviet Cold war jet fighter

  aircraft MiG-21MF interceptor in 1/72 scale.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 4

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: no

  painting mask: no

  resin parts: no

  #7469

  1/72

  Product page

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard42

  May 2023

• Page 43

  1 Squadron, 9 Fighter Bomber Air Regiment, Bechyně, Czech Republic, September 1993

  116 CBP (116 Combat Training Center), Privolzhsky, Soviet Union, May 1990

  10 Pułk Lotnictwa Myśliwskiego, Airport Łask, Poland, 1986–1993

  MiG-21MF serial number 96002410 was

  manufactured on June 25, 1975. It flew with the

  1 Fighter Air Regiment, 4 Fighter Air Regiment

  and for a longest time with the 9 Fighter Air

  Regiment, respectively the 9 Fighter-Bomber Air

  Regiment. In 1992 the striking colorful markings

  were applied on this airframe consisting of the

  white triangle shaded in red and number 9 on

  the rudder in reverse colors. The stripe in the

  colors of the Czech tricolore (blue–red–white)

  was spanning across the wing and widening

  toward the fuselage. On its ridge it was shaped

  into an arrow. The “Twenty-ones“ painted this

  way were part of the display unit Delta Team. On

  September 10, 1993, this MiG flew its last sortie

  and then flew over to the Plzeň-Líně airport for

  permanent storage. Consequently, it was struck

  off the military register and handed over to the

  depository of the Prague-Kbely Aviation Museum.

  Despite the MiG-21MFs manufactured at Gorky

  were intended for client states of the Soviet

  Union several of these aircraft made it into

  Soviet service, nonetheless. The only unit known

  to have flown the type was the 116 Combat

  Training Centre, based at Privolzhsky Air Base,

  near Astrakhan. The aircraft was camouflaged

  on the upper surfaces in two shades of green

  and brown, supplemented by a sand shade. The

  bottom surfaces were in blue-grey. This unit

  used the aircraft for combat training of pilots on

  completion of their basic part of the curriculum.

  The coloration of MiG-21MF number 8055

  reflects the customs from 1980s. On the nose it

  is decorated with the insignia created in 1986 by

  the initiative of the 10 Regiment‘s Headquarters.

  The regimental insignia adopts its symbolism

  from the “Cracowian” times and depicts the

  stylized dragon with hat Krakushka (a part of the

  Polish national costumes). The dragon also holds

  the shield with the white-red checkerboard and

  a yellow light bolt. The insignia was painted on

  both sides of the aircraft nose. Over the time

  several modifications appeared differing from

  each other by small details such as missing eyes,

  teeth, white mottles painted on the wings or

  dragon’s body painted in white.

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard

  43

  May 2023

• Page 44

  Mogadishu Airport, Somali Air Force, Somalia, 1991

  Somali AF MiG-21MFs sported the standard

  camouflage of the Soviet aircraft delivered to

  Near East and North Africa – the upper surfaces

  painted in light sand color with green mottles

  and lower surfaces in light blue color. The MiG-

  21MF carrying bort number 226 was among a few

  survivors of the Ogaden war and was fairly well

  preserved until the beginning of 1990s. In 1992 the

  international forces found it abandoned at the

  Mogadishu airport.

  RECOMMENDED:

  FOR MIG-21MF INTERCEPTOR 1/72

  72689 MiG-21MF (PE

  -

  Set)

  SS801 MiG-21MF interceptor WEEKEND (PE

  -

  Set)

  672181 MiG-21MF exhaust nozzle (Brassin)

  672182 MiG-21MF wheels (Brassin)

  672185 R-3S missiles for MiG-21 (Brassin)

  672186 R-3S missiles w/ pylons for MiG-21 (Brassin)

  672189 UB-16 rocket launchers for MiG-21 (Brassin)

  672190 UB-16 rocket launchers w/ pylons for MiG-21 (Brassin)

  672191 RS-2US missiles for MiG-21 (Brassin)

  672192 RS-2US missiles w/ pylons for MiG-21 (Brassin)

  672193 MiG-21MF airbrakes (Brassin)

  672195 SPS-141 ECM pod for MiG-21 (Brassin)

  672197 MiG-21MF ejection seat (Brassin)

  SIN67217 MiG-21MF armament (Brassin)

  3DL72002 MiG-21MF SPACE (3D Decal Set)

  D72015 MiG-21MF stencils (Decal Set)

  CX511 MiG-21MF (Mask)

  CX512 MiG-21MF TFace (Mask)

  # 672197

  # 672181

  # 672193

  # 672189

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard44

  May 2023

• Page 45

  Bf 109F-4

  Weekend edition kit of German WWII fighter

  aircraft Bf 109F-4 in 1/48 scale.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 4

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: no

  painting mask: no

  resin parts: no

  #84188

  1/48

  Product page

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard

  45

  May 2023

• Page 46

  Bf 109F-4/Trop, WNr. 8673, Hptm. Hans-Joachim Marseille, CO of 3./JG 27, Quotaifiya, Egypt, September 1942

  Bf 109F-4, Lt. Hans-Joachim Heyer, 8./JG 54, Siverskaya, Soviet Union, April 1942

  Bf 109F-4/Z, WNr. 7420, Lt. Hermann A. Graf, CO of 9./JG 52, Kharkov-Rogan, Soviet Union, May 1942

  Hans-Joachim Marseille used this plane after his

  return from Rome and achieved 49 victories with

  this last of “Friedrichs” he used from August 24,

  1942, to September 25, 1942. On September 30,

  1942, he flew the Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2/Trop

  as he led escort mission of the 3. Staffel to cover

  a squadron of Ju 87 Stukas. On the return leg,

  a smoke filled the cockpit, and Marseille

  was forced to bail out. Hitting the rudder

  after the emergency exit of the plane, he lost

  consciousness, and his parachute did not open.

  Seconds later, Marseille died from the impact on

  the ground. After his death, WNr. 8673 was used by

  1./SG 2 but was hit by flak and lost southward of El

  Alamein on October 22, 1942. The aircraft had the

  upper camouflage color RLM 79 sprayed all over

  the fuselage sides as a non-standard finish. The

  lower surfaces were sprayed with RLM 78 and the

  camouflage was complemented by the markings

  of the aircraft operating on the Southern front,

  i.e., white wingtips, white propeller cone and

  a band on the aft fuselage of the same color. The

  engine cowling bore the emblem of I. Gruppe

  JG 27 on both sides.

  The recipient of the Knight’s Cross, Hans-Joachim

  Heyer, was born on April 20, 1922, in Rehungen.

  He served his entire aviation career as a member

  of 8./JG 54 and scored his first kill on the first

  day of the invasion to Soviet Union on June 22,

  1941. His victim was a Polikarpov I-15. Heyer’s

  “Black 9”, which he flew from the spring of 1942,

  was camouflaged with RLM 74/75/76 colors and

  the fuselage sides were completed with RLM 70

  and RLM 71 patches. The upper surfaces of the

  wing, the rear fuselage behind the cockpit and

  the horizontal tail surfaces were all painted in

  white overpaint made by washable color. The

  III./JG 54 emblem was painted below the

  windshield on both sides of the fuselage. More

  to it, on the left side under the cockpit there

  was painted the JG 54 emblem – a green heart.

  On the rudder, there were kill marks painted on

  both sides. Hans-Joachim Heyer was shot down

  and killed near Leningrad on November 9, 1942.

  He was posthumously awarded the Knight’s

  Cross on November 25, 1942. His score stopped

  at 53 aerial victories, all achieved on the Eastern

  Front.

  Hermann Anton Graf was born on October 24, 1912. He

  trained as a locksmith and was a keen football player

  in his youth. Later he took up sailing and entered the

  army in 1939. In the spring of 1940, he served in JG 51

  and participated in the Battle of France. In April 1941,

  he fought over Greece and Crete, but did not record

  any victories during this period. His first kill came on

  August 4, 1941, near Kiev and things changed. At the end

  of January 1942, he received the Knight’s Cross for 45

  kills, in May 1942, he achieved his 100th aerial victory

  and received Oak Leaves and Swords in addition to the

  Cross. He was the fifth in line of pilots to be awarded

  the Diamonds to the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves

  and Swords on September 29, 1942. Graf became part of

  propaganda campaigns, even a member of the Luftwaffe

  football team. At the end of the war, he was leading

  JG 52 and retreated with the unit from East Prussia,

  through Silesia and into Bohemia. He surrendered on

  May 8, 1945, in Písek (South Bohemia) to the Americans.

  They promptly handed him over to the Russians and

  Graf spent more than four years in captivity.

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard46

  May 2023

• Page 47

  FE844 Bf 109F-4 Weekend (PE

  -

  Set)

  644010 Bf 109F LööK (Brassin)

  648282 Bf 109F wheels (Brassin)

  648288 Bf 109F propeller LATE (Brassin)

  648289 Bf 109F propeller EARLY (Brassin)

  648291 Bf 109F landing flaps (Brassin)

  648300 Bf 109F engine & fuselage guns (Brassin)

  648308 Bf 109F undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  3DL48028 Bf 109F-4 SPACE (3D Decal Set)

  D48026 Bf 109F stencils (Decal Set)

  EX535 Bf 109F-4 (Mask)

  EX588 Bf 109F TFace (Mask)

  Bf 109F-4/Trop, WNr. 10145, Fw. Rudolf Müller, 6./JG 5, Petsamo, Finland, June 1942

  Rudolf “Rudi” Müller was born on November

  21, 1920, in Frankfurt am Main. During 1940 he

  underwent pilot training and was assigned to

  1./JG 77 in August 41. He scored his first kill on

  September 12, 1941. His victim was a Soviet I-16.

  On March 21, 1942, the 6./JG 5 was formed and

  the number of Müller’s victories over Soviet pilots

  was steadily rising during this time. Encounters

  took place during Luftwaffe attacks on convoys to

  and from Murmansk and during multiple combats

  with Soviet forces in the area of the Vayenga

  airfield or over the base of the JG 5 at Petsamo-

  Luostari. Rudolf Müller was awarded the Knight’s

  Cross on June 19, 1942, but was shot down and

  captured by Soviet forces on April 19, 1943. He

  did not survive, as he was shot while attempting

  to escape from a prison camp in Mordvinsk on

  October 21, 1943.

  Recommended:

  for Bf 109F-4 1/48

  # 644010

  # 648300

  # 648308

  # 648282

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard

  47

  May 2023

• Page 48

  #8162

  ProfiPACK edition kit of legendary German WWI

  triplane Fokker Dr.I in 1/48 scale.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 6

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  Fokker Dr.I

  1/48

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard48

  May 2023

• Page 49

  425/17, Rtm. Manfred A. Freiherr von Richthofen, CO of JG 1, Cappy, France, April 1918

  577/17; Lt. Rudolf Klimke, Jasta 27, Halluin-Ost, France, May 1918

  The Great War highest scoring ace and respected

  commander of Jagdgeschwader 1 achieved

  his last two victories flying this Dreidecker

  No. 425/17 on April 20, 1918. The aircraft had already

  the national insignias adjusted according to the

  regulation issued by Luftstreitkräfte on March 18,

  1918, calling for the adoption of the Balkenkreuz

  instead of Iron Cross. The penultimate and last

  victims of “Red Baron” were two Camels of

  No. 3 Squadron RAF: Maj. R. Raymond-Baker as

  79th victim and Capt. D. G. Lewis as 80th. Just

  a day later, von Richthofen was in combat again.

  As he was hunting the Camel flown by Lt. May of

  No. 209 Squadron, Captain Arthur “Roy” Brown

  came to the latter’s aid, while at the same time,

  infantrymen opened machine gun fire on the red

  triplane. It is not known who shot the fatal bullet

  which hit the “Red Baron”. The autopsy conducted

  by a field surgeon indicated the mortal bullet was

  shot by ground machine gun because of the angle

  of the hit in the chest of Manfred Richthofen. In

  any case, on April 21, 1918, at 11.50, the final page

  in the life of Manfred von Richthofen had been

  written … The aircraft depicted here had the

  crosses already changed, but on the bottom of the

  lowest wing the paintjob was either not finished

  or it was slovenly done. As red paint had to be

  used for crosses adaption, it is likely the typical

  scratches on the port side of the cockpit were

  overpainted during the process.

  As a member of FFA 55, Rudolf Klimke got his

  first kill on the Russian Front in 1916. In May 1917,

  flying an Albatros C.VII with FA 19, along with his

  observer, he conducted a lone night attack on

  London. After being transferred to Kasta 13/KG

  3, he was flying big Gotha bombers. A Sopwith

  fighter was shot down by crew of Klimke, Leon

  and Reintrop over London on June 7, 1917. After

  that, Klimke underwent training at Jastaschule

  I and was assigned to Jasta 27 in September 1917.

  There he gradually increased his kill count to

  seventeen. On the same day he shot down his 17th

  victim, September 21, 1918, he was also seriously

  wounded by enemy fighter fire. Klimke managed

  to land on the German side of the front but was

  nearly killed during a bombing of the hospital,

  where he was treated. He did not return to

  a combat unit before the war ended.

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard

  49

  May 2023

• Page 50

  479/17; Lt. August Raben, Jasta 18, Montingen (Montoy-Flanville), France, October 1917

  213/17; Lt. Friedrich P. Kempf, Jasta 2, Bavichove, Belgium, February 1918

  August Raben was born on December 2, 1892.

  After the outbreak of War, he first served with the

  Feldartillerie Regiment Nr 55. He was transferred to

  Luftstreitkräfte on April 18, 1916, and after completion

  of pilot training, he was assigned to Kasta 25 in

  August 1916. His first fighter unit was Jasta 36,

  which he joined on February 17 and after he gained

  experience, he was transferred to the newly formed

  Jasta 39 to become its CO on August 2. The unit was

  then sent to Italy, where Raben achieved his first two

  victories on September 26. He was then wounded by

  AA fire on November 17. After recovery, he took over

  the lead of Jasta 15, part of JG II, on March 14, 1918. It

  was just six days prior to the “big swap” with Jasta

  18, which ended with Raben as CO of Jasta 18 and out

  of the JG II assembly. As the “original” Jasta 18 kept

  their colors after becoming Jasta 15, Raben’s unit

  had to opt for new ones: red for front of the fuselage

  and wings and white for the rest. Raben shot down

  two more enemies and continued as a member of

  Freikorps after the war. His aircraft always sported

  black or white stylized raven for apparent reason, as

  rabe is the German word for raven. This Dr.I was no

  exception. It is not sure which color were the wing

  struts. They lacked the stenciling and seemed to be

  of a lighter shade than red surfaces but darker than

  white ones. The original white fields surrounding the

  older type of the crosses were overpainted with red,

  but the white background made the red look a little

  bit lighter.

  Friedrich Paul Kempf was born on May 9, 1894,

  in Freiburg. He entered military service in 1913,

  interrupting his technical studies. In May 1915,

  he was transferred from the infantry to the

  Luftstreitkräfte and served with bombing unit

  Kagohl 4 on both the Western and Balkan Fronts.

  In April 1917, he was assigned to Jasta Boelcke

  with which he served his entire career as a fighter

  pilot (twice interrupted by stints with Jastaschule

  I). Fritz Kempf distinguished himself more with

  his two Fokkers Dr.I than with his four kills (BE2e,

  Pup and two Camels). His planes were similar in

  appearance and carried the taunting inscription

  “Kennscht mi noch?” on the medium wing. The

  meaning is “Do you remember me?” and these

  words were his typical zinger. He asked this way

  even people he never met … More to it, he put his

  name on the top wing to distinguish his Dr.I from

  the others even more. The aircraft depicted here is

  the first from two “Kennst mi noch?” ones. Friedrich

  Kempf survived both world wars and died in 1966.

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard50

  May 2023

• Page 51

  425/17 flown by Rtm. Manfred A. Freiherr von Richthofen, CO of JG 1, Lechelle, France, March 1918

  564/17; Lt. Werner Steinhäuser, Jasta 11, Avesnes-le-Sec, France, February, 1918

  Manfred Albrecht von Richthofen is rightfully

  considered the greatest fighter pilot of the First

  World War as he knocked eighty enemies down

  prior to his death on April 21, 1918. No one knows

  what his score might be, if the things went

  a different way and he had the opportunity to fly

  the Fokker D.VII in combat- a new fighter he liked

  very much. On contrary to the general perception,

  the Fokker Dr.I was not his typical mount, as he

  shot down only 17 out of his 80 victims while flying

  the Dreidecker for the short period of March and

  April 1918. He was assigned to the Luftstreitkräfte

  on his own request in 1915 after his service with

  a cavalry unit. He became an observer but when

  he met Oswald Boelcke, the impr fighter ace

  charisma made him to request pilot training. On

  completion of that, he became pilot of observer

  aircraft, but after another meeting with Boelcke

  he joined the ranks of the newly formed Jasta

  2. In January 1917, von Richthofen was awarded

  the highly coveted Pour le Mérite and was

  subsequently made CO of Jasta 11. In June 1917, he

  received orders to form Jagdgeschwader 1 from

  Jasta 4, 6, 10 and 11 units. He led this “wing” until

  his death on April 21, 1918. Von Richthofen had his

  aircraft painted red from January 1917 when he

  led Jasta 11 and flew the Albatros D.III. He carried

  this practice over to the Fokker Dr.I which he flew

  as JG 1 Commanding Officer.

  Werner Steinhäuser was born on June 29, 1893.

  As a wartime pilot he first served with FA(A) 261

  where he achieved his first kill, when he shot

  down an observing balloon on August 20, 1917.

  Four months later he was reassigned to Jasta

  11, where he started his career by destroying

  another balloon on January 13, 1918, and

  gradually increased his count to ten victories. He

  was wounded when forced to land on March 17,

  1918, but recovered and got back to the action. In

  the morning of June 26, 1918, he was shot down in

  his Fokker D.VII and killed in combat with French

  SPADs from either Spa 124 or Spa 93. Steinhäuser

  flew at least two Dreideckers. The first had the

  fuselage band red with yellow crosses, on the

  other one the colors were reversed as they were

  for the horizontal stabilizer and elevator.

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard

  51

  May 2023

• Page 52

  #70119

  Fw 190F-8

  1/72

  ProfiPACK edition kit of German WWII fighter aircraft

  Fw 190F-8 in 1/72 scale. Version F was used for attacks

  against ground targets.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 5

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  Re-release

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard52

  May 2023

• Page 53

  5./SG 77, Cottbus, Germany, early March 1945

  SG 2, Huingary, Winter 1944/1945

  1./SG 4, Piacenza, Italy 1944

  This aircraft was photographed at Cottbus airport

  in early 1945. It bore a standard camouflage

  scheme consisting of the RLM 74 and 75 colors

  on the upper surfaces. The lower surfaces were

  sprayed in RLM 76, which was complemented

  on the fuselage bottom by a green-blue shade

  of the RLM 76. The black horizontal stripe

  indicates the aircraft belonged to 5. Staffel SG

  77. The significance of the red flash on the engine

  cowling is unknown.

  The standard camouflage of this aircraft of RLM

  74 and 75 colors was covered with irregular white

  patches on the upper and side surfaces. The yellow

  band around the fuselage was complemented by

  yellow stripes forming a V on the wing. This marking

  was introduced by Fliegerkorps IV after Romania

  had crossed over to the other side of the conflict

  and it was necessary to visually distinguish its own

  German aircraft from the same types of Romanian

  aircraft, which became enemies.

  During the time Schlachtgeschwader 4 operated

  in Italy, where the unit was part of efforts to slow

  down advancing Allied forces, its Fw 190F-8s

  sported an interesting appearance. The upper

  surfaces were painted over with sandy brown

  color complemented with irregular olive spots.

  This modification was done hastily in field

  conditions and led to partial respray of the

  insignia. Also, the white stripe on the upper side

  of the fuselage which indicated the unit operating

  in the Mediterranean theatre was resprayed. The

  aircraft belonged to the I. Gruppe and sported

  unit´s emblem on the nose. The propeller cone

  was probably black, complemented with a white

  spiral.

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard

  53

  May 2023

• Page 54

  WNr. 584592, SG 2 or SG 10, Neubiberg, Germany, May 1945

  SG 10, České Budějovice, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, May 1945

  The yellow 14, belonging to II. Gruppe SG 2 or SG

  10 and left behind by Luftwaffe personnel at the

  end of the war at Neubiberg, represents the Fw

  190F-8 of the last production series. The upper

  surfaces were painted in RLM 75/76/81/83, while

  the lower surfaces were partly sprayed in RLM

  76. Similar to the Fw 190D-9s produced at the end

  of the war, part of the lower wing surfaces were

  left in bare metal for example, while the flaps,

  ailerons and fuselage bottom were sprayed with

  RLM 76. The bottom of the elevator appears dark

  in the photo, but this is down to the different angle

  of its surface to the light source. A yellow band

  was sprayed around the nose, indicating attack

  aircraft of the Luftwaffe at the time.

  One of the aircraft left by Stab SG 10 and some of its

  Gruppe at the airfield in České Budějovice was the Fw

  190F-8 marked with a yellow letter K. It sported signs

  of camouflage modifications of some SG 10 aircraft at

  the end of the war. The entire upper surfaces were

  brushed over with dark green RLM 83 or a very similar

  color. As it was made in field conditions the green

  color interfered irregularly with the lower surfaces.

  The insignia on the upper side of the wing and on

  the fuselage partially perished under the new paint.

  Shortly afterwards the yellow K got a replacement

  tail surfaces in the standard grey-gray camouflage

  from a destroyed Fw 190. This was the reason for

  the mismatch in the style of the applied crosses and

  swastikas. By May 1945, the brush-painted green

  color was considerably worn. The identifying yellow

  Jabo stripe wrapped around the engine cowling.

  Inconsistent interpretation of the regulation on the

  application of this stripe led to different widths of the

  stripe and also to different positions of its application.

  For this scheme, the yellow stripe appearance was

  reconstructed according to the most common

  occurrence within SG 10. It is worth noting the removal

  of the lower main landing gear wheel covers, which

  was intended to prevent operational difficulties on

  muddy airfields. The aircraft carried ETC 50 hangers

  for four 50 kg bombs under the wings.

  OVERTREES OVERLEPT

  #70119X

  Fw 190F-8

  1/72

  #70119-LEPT

  Fw 190F-8 PE

  -

  Set

  1/72

  Product page Product page

  Recommended:

  for Fw 190F-8 1/72

  672080 Fw 190A wheels late (Brassin)

  672082 Fw 190A-8 engine (Brassin)

  672085 Fw 190A exhaust stacks (Brassin)

  672086 Fw 190A propeller (Brassin)

  672088 Fw 190A-8 engine & fuselage guns (Brassin)

  672113 SC 250 German WWII bombs (Brassin)

  672115 SC 50 German WWII bombs (Brassin)

  KITS 05/2023

  INFO Eduard54

  May 2023

• Page 55

  www.eduard.com/bfc

  BUNNY BUNNY FIGHTERFIGHTER

  CLUB

  Eduard's special membership club for all modeling enthusiasts!

  15% Permanent Club discount at Eduard Store – you will receive permanent 15% discount on all Eduard

  products and also discount on various other non-Eduard products. Fixed, permanent, forever!

  Unique valuable Club kits and accessories – you will gain access to unique and nowhere else to be sold

  products, specially made for BFC members.

  Even better prices at Eduard events stand – do you know that Eduard usually has huge discounts on

  their products at fairs and events all over the world? BFC members will have even higher discount at

  these events.

  Club T-shirt – you will receive fancy BFC T-shirt with unique design and special barcode

  (used for event discounts). This exclusive T-shirt will be only available

  to the members of BFC.

  Free entry fee on E-day – you will not have to pay a penny to visit Eduard's E-day.

  That means lot of fun at E-day for two days and entry kit, absolutely free!

  * E-day - INTERNATIONAL SCALE KIT EXHIBITION - IPMS Czech Republic Championship

  BOX CONTENT:

  Plastic parts, Marking options 6, Decal Set, PE parts, Maska, Brassin

  parts (two different types of wheels, landing flaps, dust filter with

  eyelid, intake ring and RP-3 60lb rockets), 3D decals for main and si

  -

  dewalk instrument and control panels with photo-etched details and

  seat belts.

  BOX CONTENT:

  Plastic parts, Marking options 4, Decal Set, PE parts, Maska, Brassin

  parts (undercarriage wheels, cockpit, exhaust nozzle, FOD).

  How to become a member of BFC?How to become a member of BFC?

  Simply by purchasing the Activation product. You will be given 15% discount on (almost) every Eduard

  product in your shopping cart. To apply this discount, the Activation product has to be in your shopping

  cart. Activation product is excluded from this calculation.

  Activation products:Activation products:

  Tempest Mk. V + T-shirt 1/48MiG-21MF + T-shirt 1/72

• Page 56

  BRASSIN

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard

  and STEEL seatbelts for Hurricane Mk.II in 1/32 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Revell

  Set contains:

  - resin: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard

  and STEEL seatbelts for Spitfire Mk.IXc in 1/24 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - resin: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  634033

  Hurricane Mk.IIb LööK

  1/32 Revell

  634034

  Spitfire Mk.IXc LööK

  1/24 Airfix

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard56

  May 2023

• Page 57

  644211

  F-16A MLU LööK

  1/48 Kinetic

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard

  and STEEL seatbelts for F-16A MLU in 1/48 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Kinetic

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts,

  - decals: no,

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted,

  - painting mask: no.

  BRASSIN

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard

  and STEEL seatbelts for F-16C Block 42 in 1/48 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Kinetic

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  644212

  F-16C Block 42 till 2005 LööK

  1/48 Kinetic

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  57

  May 2023

• Page 58

  BRASSIN

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard

  and STEEL seatbelts for F-16C Block 42 in 1/48 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Kinetic

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  Collection of 4 sets for A6M2-N RufeI

  in 1/48 scale. Recommended kit: Eduard

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboards & Steelbelts)

  - TFace painting mask

  - exhaust pipes

  - seat

  644213

  F-16C Block 42 from 2006 LööK

  1/48 Kinetic

  644208

  A6M2-N Rufe LööKplus

  1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard58

  May 2023

• Page 59

  BRASSIN

  Collection of 4 sets for F-16C Block 25

  in 1/48 scale. Recommended kit: Kinetic

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboards & Steelbelts)

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  - ejection seat

  644210

  F-16C Block 25 LööKplus

  1/48 Kinetic

  Collection of 3 sets for Mosquito B Mk.IV in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Tamiya

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboards & Steelbelts)

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  644209

  Mosquito B Mk.IV LööKplus

  1/48 Tamiya

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  59

  May 2023

• Page 60

  624003

  Spitfire Mk.IX exhaust fishtail PRINT

  1/24 Airfix

  632191

  Luftwaffe rudder pedals PRINT

  1/32

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - exhaust stacks for Spitfire Mk.IXc

  in 1/24 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 12 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - rudder pedals for German WWII

  aircraft in 1/32 scale. The set consists of 3 pairs

  of pedals. Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard60

  May 2023

• Page 61

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - German WWII trench binoculars

  in 1/35 scale. The set consists of 5 binoculars.

  Made by direct 3D printing.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 5 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  635028

  WWII German trench binoculars PRINT

  1/35

  Brassin set - towing cable eyes for German WWII

  AFV in 1/35 scale. The set consists of 10 eyes.

  Made by direct 3D printing.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 10 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  635027

  WWII German towing cable eyes PRINT

  1/35

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  61

  May 2023

• Page 62

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - the engine for F4F-3A in 1/48 scale.

  The cowlings are included. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 29 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - cockpit for A6M2-N in 1/48

  scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 28 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  - SPACE 3D decals: no

  648850

  A6M2-N Rufe cockpit PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  648827

  F4F-3A engine PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard62

  May 2023

• Page 63

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - the engine for A6M2-N in 1/48 scale.

  The separate cowlings are included.

  Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 24 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  648852

  A6M2-N Rufe engine complete PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  Brassin set - landing flaps for A6M2-N Rufe

  in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  648851

  A6M2-N Rufe landing flaps PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  63

  May 2023

• Page 64

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - gun bays for F4F-4 in 1/48 scale.

  The Set consists of gun bays for both wings.

  Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 26 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - nose radar for F-16 in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Kinetic

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 5 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  648856

  F-16 radar late PRINT

  1/48 Kinetic

  648853

  F4F-4 gun bays PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard64

  May 2023

• Page 65

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - exhaust nozzle for F-35A

  in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Tamiya

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 4 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  648860

  F-35A exhaust nozzle PRINT

  1/48 Tamiya

  Brassin set - ejection seat for F-35A in 1/48 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Tamiya

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 9 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  648858

  F-35A ejection seat PRINT

  1/48 Tamiya

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  65

  May 2023

• Page 66

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - ammunition magazines for Lewis

  guns in 1/48 scale. The set consists of 12 magazines.

  Made by direct 3D printing.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 12 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  648861

  Lewis 97-cartridges ammo magazines PRINT

  1/48

  Product page

  INFO Eduard66

  May 2023

• Page 67

• Page 68

  BRASSIN

  Collection of 4 sets for F4F-4 in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  - cockpit

  - undercarriage legs BRONZE

  - undercarriage wheels

  - exhaust pipes

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

  but with every BIG SIN set you save up to 30 %.

  SIN648103

  F4F-4 ESSENTIAL

  1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  INFO Eduard68

  May 2023

• Page 69

  BRASSIN

  Collection of 8 sets for F-16 in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Kinetic

  - AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening pod

  - AIM-120C AMRAAM

  - GBU-12 bomb (2 sets)

  - Sniper ATP

  - AN/ALQ-131 (deep) ECM pod

  - GBU-49

  - AIM-9M/L Sidewinder

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately, but

  with every BIG SIN set you save up to 30 %.

  SIN68104

  F-16 armament w/ laser guided bombs

  1/48 Kinetic

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  69

  May 2023

• Page 70

  3DL32014 P-40B SPACE 1/32 Great Wall Hobby

  3DL32015

  CH-54A SPACE 1/35 ICM

  Product page

  Product page

  easy

  application

  INFO Eduard70

  May 2023

• Page 71

  SPACE

  3DL48116 F-86D SPACE 1/48 Revell

  3DL48117

  Bf 110C SPACE 1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  71

  May 2023

• Page 72

  3DL48118 P-400 SPACE 1/48 Eduard

  3DL48119

  Mi-17 SPACE 1/48 AMK

  SPACE

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard72

  May 2023

• Page 73

  SPACE

  3DL72015 Spitfire Mk.IXc SPACE 1/72 Eduard

  3DL72016

  B-25J SPACE 1/72 Hasegawa/Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  73

  May 2023

• Page 74

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  MAY 2023

  CH-54A

  1/35 ICM

  321008

  INFO Eduard74

  May 2023

• Page 75

  CH-54A seatbelts STEEL

  CH-54A

  BRASSIN 02/2022BRASSIN 02/2022

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  CH-54A exterior

  33348

  33347

  32482

  INFO Eduard

  75

  May 2023

• Page 76

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  481106

  PV-1

  1/48 Academy

  PV-1 exterior

  INFO Eduard76

  May 2023

• Page 77

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard

  77

  May 2023

• Page 78

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  481108

  PV-1 undercarriage

  1/48 Academy

  INFO Eduard78

  May 2023

• Page 79

  481107

  491348 + FE1348

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  PV-1

  PV-1 bomb bay

  1/48 Academy

  FE1349 PV-1 seatbelts STEEL

  INFO Eduard

  79

  May 2023

• Page 80

  D48112 Angel of Mercy 1/48 HKM

  DECALS SET

  B-25J-1-NC, 43-27716, 445th BS, 321st BG 12th AF, Solenzara, Corsica,

  France, April 1945

  B-25J-10-NC, 43-35982, 428th BS, 310th BG, 12th AF, Ghisonaccia,

  Corsica, France, April 1945

  The 310th Bombardment Group was activated in

  March 1942 and designated as a medium bomber

  Group consisting of four squadrons. Delivered

  in June 1944, the 43-35982 ship nicknamed

  “Angel of Mercy” was flying with the 428th bomb

  squadron. She was one of 15 aircraft of the unit to

  fly the mission to the Rovereto on April 19, 1945.

  She was hit by shell fragments from AA fire and

  badly damaged prior to the bomb dropping. Pilot-

  in-command, 1/Lt. W. S. McMillan managed to

  keep the ship on course with help of his co-pilot

  W. D. McLean, enabling the bombardier to drop

  the bombs on the target, the railroad bridge. The

  hits knocked out the hydraulic system and main

  gear, rear gunner A. S. Hatfield was wounded. The

  crew decided not to risk the overseas flight to

  the home base at Corsica and opted for another

  base of the 310th BG at Fano, Italy, where they

  managed to land the ship with only nose landing

  gear open. The “Angel of Mercy” ship was left in

  natural metal finish, so it had the horizontal band

  on the vertical tail surfaces separated by black

  bands. The colors for 310th BG as well as for the

  428th BS were yellow. The propeller spinner and

  the front of the engine covers were of the same

  color. The nose art of the nurse with a bomb

  under her arm was not accompanied by mission

  symbols on this aircraft.

  Constituted as 321st Bombardment Group

  (Medium) on June 19, 1942 and activated on June

  26, the crews of the unit prepared for overseas

  duty with B-25s. The 43-27716 ship got rather

  amusing nickname “Shit house mouse” and had

  the missions marked by black mice. On the engine

  cowl there was an inscription “Quaketown” (the

  town in Pennsylvania). The pilot of the ship and

  the Airplane Commander was 1/Lt. R. S. Elmer

  from December 1, 1944, to March 29, 1945. On

  the March 30 Elmer overhanded her to 1/Lt. R. G.

  Rice, who brought “Shit house mouse” to the end

  of the war. Until its 73rd mission the aircraft had

  only the Roman numeral I on the tail, after then

  Latin number 7 was added on the vertical fin on

  December 14, 1944. The ship sported Olive Drab

  color over the upper and side surfaces, as was

  a common practice. Other surfaces were left in

  natural metal finish. The outhouse was of brown

  color.

  Product page

  INFO Eduard80

  May 2023

• Page 81

  DECAL

  B-25J-1-NC, 43-3890, 82nd BS, 12th BG, 10th AF, Fenny, India, December 1945

  B-25J-10-NC, 43-28152, 501st BS, 345th BG, 5th AF, Luzon, Philippines, February 1944

  B-25J-5, 43-27952, 823rd BS, 38th BG, 5th AF, Morotai, Indonesia, November 1944

  Constituted as 12th Bombardment Group (Light)

  on November 20, 1940, the unit was activated on

  January 15, 1941. The crews trained with B-18, B-23

  and PT-17 aircraft and patrolled the west coast

  after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour. The

  group was redesignated as Medium in December

  1941 and started flying the B-25s early in 1942.

  After spell with 9th AF in Mediterranean theater

  the group, nicknamed “Earthquakers”, moved

  to India in February 1944 and was assigned to

  10th AF. The 43-3890 was nicknamed “Milk Run”

  with paintings of five small, adorable bulldogs.

  Bulldog was a squadron´s mascot, the term “Milk

  Run” was used for easy, low-risk missions and

  several other aircraft were named similarly. The

  painting was a job of Capt. Norman L. Harms, one

  of the second pilots of the unit. The “Milk Run”

  ship was painted in standard camouflage of Olive

  Drab upper and side surfaces with Neutral Gray

  from bottom.

  The 345th Bomb Group was first activated at

  Columbia Army AB in November 1942 and was

  christened the “Air Apaches” in July 1944. It was

  the first Air Force Combat Group to be sent to

  the Pacific in WWII. The group consisted of four

  squadrons, as usual with the medium bomber

  groups, one of them, the 501st squadron, had the

  nickname “Black Panthers”. The 43-28152 was

  assigned to the unit on October 22, 1944, and

  shortly afterwards nicknamed “Apache Princess”

  and assigned to pilot Roman Ohnemus. The

  ship was lost on May 27, 1945, when piloted by

  2/Lt Ted. U. Hart on the mission against Ensui

  airfield and rail yard on Formosa. Due to

  a navigational error and bad weather the

  squadron missed the target and attacked sugar

  refinery and a brick plant at Mizukami and Meiji

  instead. The “Apache Princess” was hit by AA fire

  during attack and her left engine caught fire.

  After releasing the bombs, Hart feathered the

  damaged engine, but the fire spread to the bomb

  bay and the aircraft crash landed into the rice

  field. SSgt. Robert E. Bever was fatally wounded,

  the rest of the crew survived and became POW.

  There is no photo evidence of the port side of the

  ship, it is believed the beautiful and large nose

  art was only on the starboard side (although

  the warbird with both sides painting of heavily

  modified theme exists). The original painting

  was a masterpiece of work of gifted Sgt. George

  M. Blackwell. The aircraft sported the older

  variant of the Group´s badge, the head of the

  Indian. It is possible it might be already replaced

  by later simplified badge at the time it reached

  its sour end.

  The 38th Bombardment Group (Medium) was

  constituted on November 20, 1940, and activated

  on January 15, 1941, at Langley Army Air Base,

  Virginia. The initial personnel were transferred

  from the 22nd Bombardment Group. The 38th BG

  consisted of four squadrons, but two of them were

  assigned to the 42nd BG after the Battle of Midway.

  The 823rd Bomb Squadron was constituted and

  assigned to the 38th BG in New Guinea on April

  20, 1943, as well as the 822nd BS, the two bringing

  the 38th BG to the full strength of four squadrons

  again. The 823rd BS adopted the name „Terrible

  Tigers“ and started to decorate their aircraft

  correspondingly. It was also the case of the No. 952

  ship, which was one of few with glass cockpit left,

  as many B-25Js of the 38th BG were either original

  strafers with solid nose or modified with the glass

  nose painted over. The “952” was assigned to Lt.

  John W. Lupardus as a pilot. The tiger´s head was

  partly painted over the glass part of the nose of

  the ship, the camo colors were standard Olive

  Drab and Neutral Gray. The lower part of the fin

  was either green or blue. The blue was assigned

  to the squadron, but the green was also used on

  some aircraft as it did not intervene with markings

  of other squadrons (the 405th BS used also green

  color, but on the upper part of the fins

  INFO Eduard

  81

  May 2023

• Page 82

  BIG ED

  All sets included in this BIG ED are available separately,

  but with every BIG ED set you save up to 30%.

  BIG49363 Anson Mk.I 1/48 Airfix

  BIG49364

  F-16C Block 25 1/48 Kinetic

  481099 Anson Mk.I landing flaps 1/48

  481100 Anson Mk.I bomb bays 1/48

  491326 Anson Mk.I 1/48

  FE1327 Anson Mk.I seatbelts STEEL 1/48

  EX917 Anson Mk.I 1/48

  49103 Remove Before Flight STEEL

  491328 F-16C Block 25 1/48

  FE1331 F-16C Block 25/42 seatbelts STEEL 1/48

  EX919 F-16C Block 25/42 1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard82

  May 2023

• Page 83

  All sets included in this BIG ED are available separately,

  but with every BIG ED set you save up to 30%.

  BIG ED

  BIG49365 F-16C Block 42 till 2005 1/48 Kinetic

  BIG49366

  F-16C Block 42 from 2006 1/48 Kinetic

  49103 Remove Before Flight STEEL

  491329 F-16C Block 42 till 2005 1/48

  FE1331 F-16C Block 25/42 seatbelts STEEL 1/48

  EX919 F-16C Block 25/42 1/48

  49103 Remove Before Flight STEEL

  491330 F-16C Block 42 from 2006 1/48

  FE1331 F-16C Block 25/42 seatbelts STEEL 1/48

  EX919 F-16C Block 25/42 1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  83

  May 2023

• Page 84

  MASKS

  IT FITS!

  JX307 CH-54A

  1/35 ICM

  JX308 CH-54A TFace

  1/35 ICM

  EX940 F-86D

  1/48 Revell

  EX941 F-86D TFace

  1/48 Revell

  EX942 Mi-17

  1/48 AMK

  EX943 Mi-17 TFace

  1/48 AMK

  EX944 PV-1

  1/48 Academy

  EX945 PV-1 TFace

  1/48 Academy

  EX946 Do 335A TFace

  1/48 Tamiya

  JX308 CH-54A TFace JX308 CH-54A TFace

  JX307 CH-54A JX307 CH-54A

  JX308 CH-54A TFace

  EX941 F-86D TFace

  EX941 F-86D TFace

  EX943 Mi-17 TFace

  EX942 Mi-17 EX942 Mi-17

  EX941 F-86D TFace

  EX943 Mi-17 TFace

  EX941 F-86D TFace

  EX940 F-86D EX940 F-86D

  JX308 CH-54A TFace

  INFO Eduard84

  May 2023

• Page 85

  EX945 PV-1 TFace

  EX946 Do 335A TFace EX946 Do 335A TFace

  EX945 PV-1 TFace

  EX943 Mi-17 TFace EX943 Mi-17 TFace

  EX944 PV-1

  EX944 PV-1

  EX945 PV-1 TFace

  EX945 PV-1 TFace

  MASKS

  INFO Eduard

  85

  May 2023

• Page 86

  RELEASES

  MAY 2023

  KITS

  PE

  -

  SETS

  ZOOMS

  MASKS

  8229 F6F-5 Hellcat 1/48 ProfiPACK

  11172 SPITFIRE STORY: MALTA DUAL COMBO 1/48 Limited

  7469 MiG-21MF Interceptor 1/72 Weekend

  84188 Bf 109F-4 1/48 Weekend

  8162 Fokker Dr.I Re-release 1/48 ProfiPACK

  70119 Fw 190F-8 Re-release 1/72 ProfiPACK

  53293 USS Missouri BB-63 part 2 1/350 Hobby Boss

  32482 CH-54A exterior 1/35 ICM

  321007 P-40B 1/32 Great Wall Hobby

  321008 CH-54A 1/35 ICM

  481106 PV-1 exterior 1/48 Academy

  481107 PV-1 bomb bay 1/48 Academy

  481108 PV-1 undercarriage 1/48 Academy

  481109 A6M2-N Rufe landing flaps 1/48 Eduard

  481110 Mi-17 cargo floor 1/48 AMK

  491348 PV-1 1/48 Academy

  491350 F-86D 1/48 Revell

  491352 Mi-17 1/48 AMK

  491353 Mi-17 cargo seatbelts 1/48 AMK

  33345 P-40B 1/32 Great Wall Hobby

  33346 P-40B seatbelts STEEL 1/32 Great Wall Hobby

  33347 CH-54A 1/35 ICM

  33348 CH-54A seatbelts STEEL 1/35 ICM

  FE1348 PV-1 1/48 Academy

  FE1349 PV-1 seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Academy

  FE1350 F-86D 1/48 Revell

  FE1351 F-86D seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Revell

  FE1352 Mi-17 1/48 AMK

  FE1353 Mi-17 seatbelts STEEL 1/48 AMK

  SS801 MiG-21MF interceptor WEEKEND 1/72 Eduard

  JX307 CH-54A 1/35 ICM

  JX308 CH-54A TFace 1/35 ICM

  EX940 F-86D 1/48 Revell

  EX941 F-86D TFace 1/48 Revell

  EX942 Mi-17 1/48 AMK

  EX943 Mi-17 TFace 1/48 AMK

  EX944 PV-1 1/48 Academy

  EX945 PV-1 TFace 1/48 Academy

  EX946 Do 335A TFace 1/48 Tamiya

  INFO Eduard86

  May 2023

• Page 87

  BIG-EDBIG-ED

  BIG ED

  BIG49363 Anson Mk.I 1/48 Airfix

  BIG49364 F-16C Block 25 1/48 Kinetic

  BIG49365 F-16C Block 42 till 2005 1/48 Kinetic

  BIG49366 F-16C Block 42 from 2006 1/48 Kinetic

  RELEASES

  BRASSIN

  LöökPLUS

  BIG SIN

  DECALS

  SPACE

  634033 Hurricane Mk.IIb LööK 1/32 Revell

  634034 Spitfire Mk.IXc LööK 1/24 Airfix

  644211 F-16A MLU LööK 1/48 Kinetic

  644212 F-16C Block 42 till 2005 LööK 1/48 Kinetic

  644213 F-16C Block 42 from 2006 LööK 1/48 Kinetic

  624003 Spitfire Mk.IX exhaust fishtail PRINT 1/24 Airfix

  632191 Luftwaffe rudder pedals PRINT 1/32 Revell

  635027 WWII German towing cable eyes PRINT 1/35

  635028 WWII German trench binoculars PRINT 1/35

  648827 F4F-3A engine PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648850 A6M2-N Rufe cockpit PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648851 A6M2-N Rufe landing flaps PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648852 A6M2-N Rufe engine complete PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648853 F4F-4 gun bays PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648856 F-16 radar late PRINT 1/48 Kinetic

  648858 F-35A ejection seat PRINT 1/48 Tamiya

  648860 F-35A exhaust nozzle PRINT 1/48 Tamiya

  648861 Lewis 97-cartridges

  ammo magazines PRINT 1/48

  644208 A6M2-N Rufe LööKplus 1/48 Eduard

  644209 Mosquito B Mk.IV LööKplus 1/48 Tamiya

  644210 F-16C Block 25 LööKplus 1/48 Kinetic

  SIN648103 F4F-4 ESSENTIAL 1/48 Eduard

  SIN648104 F-16 armament w/ laser guided bombs 1/48 Kinetic

  D48112 Angel of Mercy 1/48 HKM

  3DL32014 P-40B SPACE 1/32 Great Wall Hobby

  3DL32015 CH-54A SPACE 1/35 ICM

  3DL48116 F-86D SPACE 1/48 Revell

  3DL48117 Bf 110C SPACE 1/48 Eduard

  3DL48118 P-400 SPACE 1/48 Eduard

  3DL48119 Mi-17 SPACE 1/48 AMK

  3DL72015 Spitfire Mk.IXc SPACE 1/72 Eduard

  3DL72016 B-25J SPACE 1/72 Hasegawa

  MAY 2023

  INFO Eduard

  87

  May 2023

• Page 88

  GUNZE PRODUCTS

  -

  WEATHERING

  WEATHERING COLORS

  YAKUMO

  WWII WESTERN FRONT

  CAT.NO.: WY01

  These Yakumo Colors—Mr. Weathering Color and Mr. Weathering Paste-based weathering colors—

  were supervised by the world-famous modeler, Mr. Mig Jimenez. The mud and dirt colors are made

  with pigments that have been collected from all over the world.

  WY01 is a weathering paint set for German vehicles in the

  WWII Western Front. Thin each color with the separately-sold

  Mr. Weathering Colour Thinner (WCT101/102); or MIG015 thinner

  (YAKUMO thinner).

  From a modeler’s perspective, Europe was the setting of many

  of the most interesting battles of the war, including Normandy,

  the Battle of the Bulge, Hungary, the Warsaw Uprising and the fall

  of Berlin. On these fronts the Germans used several standardized

  camouflage patterns, but each was always based on green and

  brown camouflage colours over a dark yellow base (C039 dark

  yellow, C041 red-brown and C070 dark green). Dust in summer and

  dry mud were the most common effects seen in German vehicles.

  In addition to the two products used to represent these effects,

  the perfect wash tone is also included, and another for streaked

  dirt stains. For the most complete finish, combine with SET

  D

  -

  BASICS.

  MIG

  MIG

  MIG

  MIG

  MIG

  001

  003

  002

  002

  004

  DARK WASH

  Apply the wash with a fine brush to details, in panel lines,

  and around hatches to enhance contrast and volume.

  Remove the excess with a clean brush moistened with

  YAKUMO thinner. Let it dry 24 hours.

  DRY MUD

  You can apply the mud with a thick brush to the underside

  of the vehicle, the tracks, and the suspension. You can

  also apply splashed earth effect with the mud product

  by the flicking a thick brush loaded with product using

  a toothpick. This will create mud splatter effects. Make

  a few tests on an old model or a piece of paper before

  trying it on the model. Let it dry 24 hours.

  DARK STREAKING GRIME

  Stroke well Draw vertical lines on vertical or sloped

  surfaces with irregular shapes and different intensity,

  then blend with a flat brush and YAKUMO thinner to

  soften. Let it dry 24 hours.

  EUROPE DUST

  Pigment colour to simulate dust effects, particularly

  on the horizontal areas and around surface details.

  Apply the pigment dry with a brush and then moisten the

  surface with thinner. Once dry, it can be moistened again

  and touched up to achieve the desired effect.

  Product page

• Page 89

  GUNZE PRODUCTS

  -

  WEATHERING

  WWII EASTERN FRONT

  CAT.NO.: WY02

  WY02 is a weathering paint set for winter camouflaged vehicles

  in WWII Eastern Front. Thin each color with the separately-sold

  Mr. Weathering Colour Thinner (WCT101/102); or MIG015 thinner

  (YAKUMO thinner).

  The Germans camouflaged their vehicles in the harsh Russian

  winters with white paint to blend it with the snowy landscape.

  A white vehicle needs a very special treatment of aging and dirt

  to be realistic and credible. This special set for German winter

  vehicles includes the necessary products to achieve a realistic

  appearance in a winter environment such as the battles of Moscow,

  Stalingrad, or the siege of Leningrad. This set is specially designed

  for white camouflage applied on German panzer grey colour

  (Panzer Grey - C040 German Grey, C513 „Dunkelgrau“, C514 „Grau“

  etc). For the most complete finish, combine with SET D

  -

  BASICS.

  MIG

  MIG

  MIG

  MIG

  005

  007

  006

  008

  WINTER WASH

  see MIG 001 for description

  MIG-007 - FRESH DARK MUD

  see MIG 003 for description

  WINTER STREAKING GRIME

  see MIG 002 for description

  MIG-008 - DRY EARTH

  see MIG 004 for description

  WWII AFRIKA KORPS

  CAT.NO.: WY03

  WY03 is a weathering paint set for model vehicles in the WWII Afrika

  Korps. It can add realistic sand stains from the harsh weather

  conditions of Africa to your scale model. Thin each color with

  the separately-sold Mr. Weathering Colour Thinner (WCT101/102);

  or MIG015 thinner (YAKUMO thinner).

  The landscapes of Tunisia or Libya were very harsh and hostile

  environments for the vehicles of the German Afrika Korps (DAK).

  The scorching sun and heat faded the colours quickly while

  the dust was ubiquitous. The Germans over painted their grey

  vehicles with various shades of sand colour (i.e. C039 Dark Yellow)

  to make them less visible on the open desert plains. The product

  included in this set allow you to apply washes, dirt effect, and large

  accumulations of dust to give your model realistic look. For more

  complete finish, combine with SET D

  -

  BASICS.

  MIG

  MIG

  MIG

  MIG

  011

  010

  009

  012

  SAND FILTER

  Apply the filter over the entire surface of model uniformly for

  a transparent and subtle effect, without letting the product

  accumulate in recesses and panel lines. Allow the filter to dry

  for 24 hours.

  GRAY STREAKING GRIME

  see MIG 003 for description

  DESERT WASH

  Apply the wash with a fine brush to details, in panel lines, and around

  hatches to enhance contrast and volume. Remove the excess with

  a clean brush moistened with YAKUMO thinner. Let it dry 24 hours.

  MIG-008 - DRY EARTH

  see MIG 004 for description

  Product page

  Product page

• Page 90

  GUNZE PRODUCTS

  -

  WEATHERING

  BASICS

  CAT.NO.: WY04

  WY04 is a weathering paint set that can be used on various

  military models including tanks. This set of paints can replicate

  basic oil stains, chipped paint, and rust. Thin each color with the

  separately-sold Mr. Weathering Colour Thinner (WCT101/102);

  or MIG015 thinner (YAKUMO thinner).

  Most German military vehicles showed certain universal

  weathering effects, no matter the setting or time of the year. Tanks

  or half-tracks usually showed chipped paint, rust effects, or large

  areas of fuel stains soaked into caked dust or dirt over top. These

  are the weathering effects that bring more life and realism to the

  model, and that is the reason why you must pay special attention

  when adding them. This universal set will allow you to create

  extremely realistic effects on your models, no matter the location

  or time of the year in which they are set. The colours and effects

  are accurate for the cold Russian winter, the Normandy campaign

  or the barren landscapes of the North Africa. Always use this set

  in combination with one of the YAKUMO sets for military vehicles

  in a specific setting.

  MIG

  MIG

  MIG

  MIG

  015

  014

  013

  016

  FUEL & OIL

  Apply this product to the sides of model in the shape of vertical

  lines, or add small drops over a surface treated with MIG014

  pigment. This effect can be diluted with YAKUMO thinner to create

  a softer and more natural effect. Use this effect sparingly and

  apply the effect in scale. Let it dry 12 hours.

  CHIPPING

  The perfect colour to represent chipped paint effects on your

  models, as long as the surface you are depicting was made out

  of iron or steel in the real vehicle. Use a brush with a fine tip to

  paint the chips on the zones most exposed to wear and tear, You

  can also apply the chipping with a piece of sponge or packing foam.

  Let it dry 10 minutes. Can be cleaned with water.

  EARTH & GRIME

  A pigment tone to simulate accumulated dirt, or to create a base

  onto which you can apply fuel stains. Apply the pigment dry with

  a brush to the designed areas. It can also be used to emphasize

  shadows or dirt effect on nooks and crannies.

  MIG-008 - DRY EARTH

  Eventually all vehicles rust in specific areas due to rain, snow and

  dew. Apply the product in small quantities around small details

  such as screw heads, brackets or other fixtures, as well as on

  vertical or sloped surfaces in the form of faded lines. Use he effect

  sparingly and apply the effect in scale.

  Product page

• Page 91

  17. června 2023

  V Kulturním domě Rychvald

  Modelářský klub Ostrava 446

  a předsednictvo IPMS.CZE

  zve všechny příznivce

  plastikového modelářství

  na Mistrovství České republiky mládeže a

  doprovodné akce

  Mistrovská soutěž mládeže je organizována pod záštitou SMČR

  Mistrovství ČR mládeže (letadla 1/72,1/48,1/32), bojová technika

  (1/72,1/48,1/35), lodě a ponorky, dioramy a civilní technika.

  Doprovodná porovnávací soutěž seniorů, letadla (1/72,1/48,1/32),

  bojová technika (1/72,1/48,1/35) a civilní technika

  Bližší informace a propozice na www.aircraft.cz,

  osobní kontakt Petr Potyš, mob. 730 430 239

  PROPOZICE NA STRÁNKÁCH SMČR

• Page 92

  built by Robert Szwarc

  #82202

  #648818

  KAMO E

  F4F-4 + folding wings PRINT

  Wildcat early

  1/48

  BUILT

  INFO Eduard92

  May 2023

• Page 93

  Ens. Hamilton McWhorter, VF-9, USS Ranger (CV-4), říjen 1942

  Rodák z Athens, Georgia, Hamilton McWhorter,

  vstoupil do námořnictva v červnu 1941 po vystudo-

  vání univerzity v Georgii. Po absolvování výcviku

  v Miami byl zařazen k VF-9, létající na Wildcatech.

  Začátkem října se jednotka nalodila na letadlovou

  loď USS Ranger (CV-4), směřující k africké pev-

  nině, kde se měla podílet na úspěšném vylodění

  Spojenců u Casablancy ve Francouzském Maroku

  (operace Torch). Pro snadnější rozlišení vlastních

  letadel měla letadla podílející se na operaci Torch

  kolem znaků na trupu a na spodních plochách

  křídel žluté lemy. Po ukončení odporu Francouzů

  byl svaz okolo letadlové lodi USS Ranger odeslán

  zpět do Norfolku. VF-9 byla na začátku roku 1943

  jako první námořní jednotka vyzbrojena Hellcaty,

  naloděna na USS Essex (CV-9) a odvelena do Ti-

  chomoří. Dne 19. listopadu 1943 se McWhorter stal

  v bojích proti Japoncům prvním pilotem, který na

  Hellcatu dosáhl pěti sestřelů. K nim přidal během

  dalších bojů ještě sedm sestřelených letadel,

  čímž své skóre uzavřel na dvanácti sestřelech.

  BUILT

  Accessories used:

  648818 F4F-4 folding wings PRINT (Brassin)

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  93

  May 2023

• Page 94

  built by Jan Novotný

  #82202

  KAMO B

  F4F-4

  Wildcat early1/48

  BUILT

  648829 F4F-4 wheel bay PRINT (Brassin)

  648779 F4F undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  648803 F4F-4 cockpit PRINT (Brassin)

  INFO Eduard94

  May 2023

• Page 95

  BuNo. 5149, VF-3, USS Yorktown (CV-5) & USS Hornet (CV-8), May/June 1942

  In April 1942 this Wildcat was assigned to VF-3

  unit based at Kaneohe Bay airbase. The following

  month it was assigned to Ens. G. F. Markham.

  After that the unit was transferred on board of

  USS Yorktown (CV-5). During the Battle of Midway

  Fox-10 was also flown by Lt. A. J. Brassfield who

  during this engagement shot down four carrier

  borne D3A Val bombers and damaged another

  two. Despite all the efforts of the defenders USS

  Yorktown was damaged and for that reason the

  surviving Yorktown pilots and her Wildcats as

  well had to be transferred to USS Hornet (CV-8)

  where, under the command of Lt. Cdr. Thatch, they

  formed the provisional unit designated VF-3-42-8.

  One of the pilots of this unit was John Burton

  Bain who flew Wildcat portrayed hereby. At that

  time Ens. Bain’s score stood at two confirmed

  kills, A6M Zero fighter from the Battle of Coral

  Sea and another Zero from the Battle of Midway,

  shot down during the preceding raid on Shōkaku.

  Therefore, there are two Japanese flags painted

  under his windshield as a symbol of his success

  in combat. The national markings in the form of

  blue circles with white star and red circle in the

  center were painted on both sides of the fuselage

  and in four positions on the wings. They were

  supplemented by red and white stripes on the

  rudder. During the Battle of Midway these stripes

  were painted over with the camouflage paint and

  the red circles were deleted from the national

  insignia. The kill marks were added only at the

  time Ens. Bain was flying this aircraft.

  BUILT

  Accessories used:

  648803 F4F-4 cockpit PRINT (Brassin)

  648815 F4F-4 wheels early (Brassin)

  648817 F4F-4 landing flaps PRINT (Brassin)

  648828 F4F-4 engine PRINT (Brassin)

  648829 F4F-4 wheel bay PRINT (Brassin)

  648779 F4F undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  648769 F4F gun barrels PRINT (Brassin)

  648828 F4F-4 engine PRINT (Brassin)

  648829 F4F-4 wheel bay PRINT (Brassin)

  648817 F4F-4 landing flaps PRINT (Brassin)

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  95

  May 2023

• Page 96

  Z-526AFS

  Akrobat

  1/48

  BUILT

  built by Jiří Brož

  #82184

  KAMO E

  INFO Eduard96

  May 2023

• Page 97

  Z-526AFS

  -

  V, OK

  -

  ERE, s/n 1307, Točná Aero Club, Slaný airfield, Czech Republic, 2014

  No. 1307 was manufactured in 1974 and was

  taken over by Svazarm on December 29 of the

  same year as its last Z-526AFS. The aircraft

  served mainly at the Točná airfield, and the local

  aero club also acquired it later. When the club

  was forced to move to Slaný airfield (after the

  purchase of Točná by a private owner), they took

  OK

  -

  ERE with them. This happened at the time she

  was already converted to the AFS

  -

  V tow version

  after reaching the aerobatic flying hours limit.

  The conversion was carried out at Aerotechnik

  Kunovice. In 2013, the OK

  -

  ERE was damaged in

  a failed landing, which ended up in the ditch

  behind the end of the runway. Another accident

  occurred during the return from an air meeting

  in Poland, when the pilot hit the power lines

  with the rudder and tore it off. During necessary

  repair, the black stripes disappeared from the

  rudder. In June 2019 the OK

  -

  ERE was sold to

  private owner, who used the engine for another

  airplane, and sold her engine-less. New owner

  plans full overhaul and engine installation. It is

  certainly worth mentioning that in the days of her

  aerobatic career OK

  -

  ERE served, among others,

  the later double European aerobatics champion

  Petr Jirmus. The drawing of the lady on the

  starboard side is by the airbrush painter Olivia de

  Derardinis.

  BUILT

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  97

  May 2023

• Page 98

  ON APPROACH

  JUNE 2023

  644215

  Mi-8MT LööK

  1/48 Zvezda

  644216

  PV-1 LööK

  1/48 Academy/Revell

  624004

  Spitfire Mk.IX wheels 5spoke

  1/24 Airfix

  BIG33151 Hurricane Mk.IIb 1/32 Revell

  BIG49367 F-16A MLU 1/48 Kinetic

  BIG49368 B-25J glazed nose 1/48 HKM

  BIG49369 F-35A 1/48 Tamiya

  BIG72173 C-130J PART I 1/72 Zvezda

  644215 Mi-8MT LööK 1/48 Zvezda

  644216 PV-1 LööK 1/48 Academy/Revell

  624004 Spitfire Mk.IX wheels 5spoke 1/24 Airfix

  635029 WWII German lamp headlights PRINT 1/35

  635030 WWII German crowbars PRINT 1/35

  635031 WWII German starter crank handles PRINT 1/35

  635032 WWII German pickaxes PRINT 1/35

  648725 Sopwith Camel 2F.1 Lewis gun PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648824 Fw 190F-8 cockpit PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648825 F4F-3 engine mid PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648843 Bf 109G-6 cockpit PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648859 F-35A cockpit PRINT 1/48 Tamiya

  648862 Bf 110G radio equipment 1/48 Eduard

  648863 B-25J wheels 1/48 HKM

  648864 Mi-8MT wheels 1/48 Zvezda

  648865 Mi-17 wheels 1/48 AMK

  648867 Lewis 47-cartridges ammo magazines PRINT 1/48

  648869 F-16 ladder PRINT 1/48

  648870 B-25J engines PRINT 1/48 HKM

  648871 B-25J bombsight PRINT 1/48 HKM

  672313 Bf 109F propeller early PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672314 Bf 109F propeller late PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672315 Bf 109F gun barrels PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672316 Bf 109F wheels PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  634035 Hurricane Mk.IIb w/ rounded exhausts LööKplus 1/32 Revell

  634037 Hurricane Mk.IIb w/ fishtail exhausts LööKplus 1/32 Revell

  644214 F-16A MLU LööKplus 1/48 Kinetic

  SIN648105 F4F-3 w/ early engine ADVANCED 1/48 Eduard

  SIN648106 F-16 armament w/ Maverick missiles 1/48 Kinetic

  BIG ED (June)

  BRASSIN (June)

  LöökPlus (June)

  BIGSIN (June)

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and STEEL

  seatbelts for Mi-8MT in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Zvezda

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard

  and STEEL seatbelts for PV-1 in 1/48 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Academy / Revell

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for Spitfire

  Mk.IXc in 1/24 scale. The set consists of the main

  wheels and tail wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces

  plastic parts. Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: yes

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  INFO Eduard98

  May 2023

• Page 99

  635029

  WWII German lamp headlights PRINT

  1/35

  ON APPROACH

  Brassin set - lamp headlights for German WWII

  AFV in 1/35 scale. The set consists of 12 headlights

  of 2 types (6+6). Made by direct 3D printing.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 24 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  635030

  WWII German crowbars PRINT

  1/35

  635031

  WWII German starter crank handles PRINT

  1/35

  Brassin set - crowbars for German WWII AFV

  in 1/35 scale. The set consists of 6 crowbars.

  Made by direct 3D printing.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - crack handles for German WWII AFV

  in 1/35 scale. The set consists of 3 crank handles.

  Made by direct 3D printing.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  INFO Eduard

  99

  May 2023

• Page 100

  ON APPROACH

  JUNE 2023

  635032

  WWII German pickaxes PRINT

  1/35

  648725

  Sopwith Camel 2F.1 Lewis gun PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  648824

  Fw 190F-8 cockpit PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  Brassin set - pickaxes for German WWII AFV

  in 1/35 scale. The set consists of 4 pickaxes.

  Made by direct 3D printing.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 4 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - the guns for Camel 2F.1 in

  1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 13 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - cockpit for Fw 190F-8

  in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 20 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  - SPACE 3D decals: no

  INFO Eduard100

  May 2023

• Page 101

  ON APPROACHJUNE 2023

  648825

  F4F-3 engine mid PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  648843

  Bf 109G-6 cockpit PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  648859

  F-35A cockpit PRINT

  1/48 Tamiya

  Brassin set - the engine for F4F-3 in 1/48 scale.

  The cowlings are included. Made by direct 3D

  printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 35 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - cockpit for Bf 109G-6 in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 21 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  - SPACE 3D decals: no

  Brassin set - cockpit for F-35A in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Tamiya

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 15 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  - SPACE 3D decals: no

  INFO Eduard

  101

  May 2023

• Page 102

  ON APPROACH

  648862

  Bf 110G radio equipment

  1/48 Eduard

  648863

  B-25J wheels

  1/48 HKM

  648864

  Mi-8MT wheels

  1/48 Zvezda

  Brassin set - pre-painted radio equipment

  for Bf 110G in 1/48 scale. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for B-25J

  in 1/48 scale. The set consists of the main wheels

  and a nose wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces

  plastic parts. Recommended kit: HKM

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: yes

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for Mi-8MT

  in 1/48 scale. The set consists of the main wheels

  and nose wheels. Easy to assemble, replaces

  plastic parts. Recommended kit: Zvezda

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  JUNE 2023

  INFO Eduard102

  May 2023

• Page 103

  648867

  Lewis 47-cartridges ammo magazines PRINT

  1/48

  648865

  Mi-17 wheels

  1/48 AMK

  Brassin set - ammunition magazines for Lewis

  guns in 1/48 scale. The set consists of 12 magazines.

  Made by direct 3D printing.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 12 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  ON APPROACH

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for Mi-17

  in 1/48 scale. The set consists of the main wheels

  and nose wheels. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic

  parts. Recommended kit: AMK

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  648869

  F-16 ladder PRINT

  1/48

  Brassin set - the laddet for F-16 in 1/48 scale.

  Easy to assemble. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  JUNE 2023

  INFO Eduard

  103

  May 2023

• Page 104

  ON APPROACH

  648870

  B-25J engines PRINT

  1/48 HKM

  648871

  B-25J bombsight PRINT

  1/48 HKM

  672313

  Bf 109F propeller early PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  Brassin set - two engines for B-25J in 1/48

  scale. The cowlings are not included. Made by

  direct 3D printing. Recommended kit: HKM

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 8 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - gunsight for B-25J in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Recommended kit: HKM

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - the propeller for Bf 109F

  in 1/72 scale. The spinner could be removed.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

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  672315

  Bf 109F gun barrels PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  672314

  Bf 109F propeller late PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  Brassin set - fuselage gun barrels for Bf 109F

  in 1/72 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 13 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  ON APPROACH

  Brassin set - the propeller for Bf 109F in 1/72 scale.

  The spinner could be removed. Made by direct 3D

  printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  672316

  Bf 109F wheels PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for Bf 109F

  in 1/72 scale. The set consists of the main wheels

  and a tail wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

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  ON APPROACH

  Collection of 4 sets for Hurricane Mk.IIb in 1/32 scale.

  Recommended kit: Revell

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboards & Steelbelts)

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  - exhaust stacks

  Collection of 4 sets for Hurricane Mk.IIb in 1/32 scale.

  Recommended kit: Revell

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboards & Steelbelts)

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  - exhaust stacks

  634035

  Hurricane Mk.IIb w/ rounded exhausts LööKplus

  1/32 Revell

  634037

  Hurricane Mk.IIb w/ fishtail exhausts LööKplus

  1/32 Revell

  JUNE 2023

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  ON APPROACH

  Collection of 4 sets for F-16A MLU in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Kinetic

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboards & Steelbelts)

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  - ejection seat

  644214

  F-16A MLU LööKplus

  1/48 Kinetic

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  SIN648105

  F4F-3 w/ early engine ADVANCED

  1/48 Eduard

  Collection of 4 sets for F4F-4 in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  - engine

  - gun bays

  - landing flaps

  - wheel bay

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

  but with every BIG SIN set you save up to 30 %.

  ON APPROACH

  JUNE 2023

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  SIN48106

  F-16 armament w/ Maverick missiles

  1/48 Kinetic

  Collection of 5 sets for F-16 in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Kinetic

  - AN/AAQ-13 LANTIRN pod

  - AN/AAQ-14 LANTIRN pod

  - AGM-65 Maverick (2 sets)

  - AIM-9M/L Sidewinder

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

  but with every BIG SIN set you save up to 30 %.

  BRASSIN 02/2022BRASSIN 02/2022

  ON APPROACHJUNE 2023

  INFO Eduard

  109

  May 2023

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  PE

  -

  SETS

  53294 USS Missouri BB-63 part 3 1/350 Hobby Boss

  32483 Spitfire Mk.I landing flaps 1/32 Kotare

  321009 Spitfire Mk.I 1/32 Kotare

  321010 AH-64E 1/35 Takom

  36501 M3A4 1/35 I Love Kits

  36502 Panzer IV/70 (A) 1/35 Tamiya

  36503 Scammel Commander w/ 62t semitrailer 1/35 Hobby Boss

  481111 Mi-8MT cargo floor 1/48 Trumpeter

  481112 Mi-8MT cargo seats 1/48 Trumpeter

  491354 Do 335A 1/48 Tamiya

  491356 Mi-8MT 1/48 Trumpeter

  491357 Mi-8MT cargo seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Trumpeter

  491358 F-4E 1/48 Meng

  73802 MiG-29 9-12 1/72 Great Wall Hobby

  ZOOMS

  33349 Spitfire Mk.I 1/32 Kotare

  33350 Spitfire Mk.I seatbelts STEEL 1/32 Kotare

  33351 AH-64E 1/35 Takom

  33352 AH-64E seatbelts STEEL 1/35 Takom

  FE1354 Do 335A 1/48 Tamiya

  FE1355 Do 335A seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Tamiya

  FE1356 Mi-8MT 1/48 Trumpeter

  FE1357 Mi-8MT seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Trumpeter

  FE1358 F-4E 1/48 Meng

  FE1359 F-4E seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Meng

  FE1360 Tempest Mk.II Weekend 1/48 Eduard

  FE1361 A6M2 Zero Type 21 Weekend 1/48 Eduard

  MASKS

  JX309 Spitfire Mk.I 1/32 Kotare

  JX310 Spitfire Mk.I TFace 1/32 Kotare

  JX311 AH-64E 1/35 Takom

  JX312 AH-64E TFace 1/35 Takom

  EX947 Mi-8MT 1/48 Trumpeter

  EX948 Mi-8MT TFace 1/48 Trumpeter

  EX949 F-4E 1/48 Meng

  EX950 F-4E TFace 1/48 Meng

  EX951 A6M2 Zero Type 21 Weekend 1/48 Eduard

  EX952 Tempest Mk.II Weekend 1/48 Eduard

  CX648 MiG-29 9-12 1/72 Great Wall Hobby

  SPACE

  3DL32016 Spitfire Mk.I SPACE 1/32 Kotare

  3DL32017 AH-64E SPACE 1/35 Takom

  3DL48120 PV-1 SPACE 1/48 Academy

  3DL48121 Do 335A SPACE 1/48 Tamiya

  3DL48122 Mi-8MT SPACE 1/48 Trumpeter

  3DL48123 F-4E SPACE 1/48 Meng

  3DL72017 MiG-29 9-12 SPACE 1/72 Great Wall Hobby

  3DL72018 Bf 109F SPACE 1/72 Eduard

  ON APPROACH

  JUNE 2023

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  ON APPROACH

  Sopwith 2F.1 Camel #82173 1/48

  N6755, Capt. Bernard A. Smart,

  HMS Furious, July 1918

  N6602, HMS Furious, April 1918

  N6822, HMAS Sydney, mid 1918

  N6812, FSL Stewart D. Culley, Special Flight,

  NS Felixstowe, United Kingdom, July 1917

  N6764, HMS Lion, April–June 1918

  N8130, HMS Vindictive, Koivisto, Finland,

  October 1919

  JUNE 2023

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• Page 112

  ON APPROACH

  WUNDERSCHÖNE

  NEUE MASCHINEN pt.1

  1/72#2142

  Dual Combo

  Bf 109F-1, WNr. 5628, Obst. Werner Mölders, CO of JG 51,

  Krefeld, Germany, June 1941

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  JUNE 2023

  INFO Eduard112

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  ON APPROACH

  Bf 109F-2, WNr. 8085, Lt. Jürgen Harder, Stab III./JG 53,

  Sobolewo, Germany, June 1941

  Bf 109F-2, WNr. 8235, Hptm. Werner Pichon Kalau vom

  Hofe, Stab JG 54, Trakehnen, Germany (today´s Yasnaya

  Polyana, Russia), June 1941

  Bf 109F-2, WNr. 6801, Lt. Detlev Rohwer, Stab I./JG 3,

  Byelaya Tserekev, Soviet Union, August 1941

  Bf 109F-2, WNr. 9553, Oblt. Siegfried Schnell,

  CO of 9./JG 2, Théville, France, November 1941

  Bf 109F-2, 9./JG 54, Siverskaya, Soviet Union,

  December 1941

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  JUNE 2023

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  113

  May 2023

• Page 114

  ON APPROACH

  Bf 109F-2/B, Uffz. Richard Übelbacher, 6.(Jabo)/JG 2, Abbeville-Drucat, France, Summer 1941

  Bf 109F-4, WNr. 7205, Oblt. Josef Priller, CO of 1./JG 26, St. Omer-Arques, France, October 1941

  Bf 109F-4, Lt. Walter Nowotny, 3./JG 54, Krasnogvardyeysk, Soviet Union, July 1942

  Bf 109F-4, WNr. 13376, Hptm. Heinz Bär, CO of Stab I./JG 77, Comiso, Sicily, July 1942

  Bf 109F-4/Z, WNr. 7420, Lt. Hermann A. Graf,

  CO of 9./JG 52, Kharkov-Rogan, Soviet Union, May 1942

  Bf 109F-4/Trop, Maj. Erich Gerlitz, CO of III./JG 53,

  Martuba, Libya, May 1942

  Bf 109F-4, Uffz. Hans Döbrich, 6./JG 5, Petsamo,

  Finland, September 1942

  Bf 109F-4/Trop, WNr. 8673, Hptm. Hans-Joachim Marseille,

  CO of 3./JG 27, Quotaifiya, Egypt, September 1942

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  + čtyři další markingy

  JUNE 2023

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  A6M2 Zero Type 21 #84189 1/48

  ON APPROACH

  c/n 5289, PO1c Takashi Hirano,

  Akagi Fighter Squadron, December 1941

  c/n 5404, PO3c Yoshirō Hashiguchi, 3. Kōkūtai,

  Kendari airfield, Dutch East Indies, March 1942

  Kōkūtai 302, Atsugi Base, Japan, August 1945

  Kōkūtai 261, Kagoshima airbase, Japan, 1944

  JUNE 2023

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  ON APPROACH

  Tempest Mk.II 1/48#84190

  PR856, F/Lt Jack Frost, No. 26 Sqn,

  No. 135 Wing BAFO, Zeltweg, Austria,

  July 1947

  A143, No. 14 Squadron,

  Royal Pakistan Air Force,

  Pakistan, 1949–1950

  PR859, No. 33 Squadron,

  Butterworth, Malaya, October 1949

  HA626 (ex MW391), F/O, Ian S. Loughran,

  No. 10 Squadron, Royal Indian Air Force,

  Jamnagar, India, January 1952

  JUNE 2023

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  ON APPROACH

  Bf 109G-6 late series

  1/48

  #82111

  WNr.160303, Hptm. Friedrich Eberle, CO of III./JG 1,

  Volkel, the Netherlands, November 1943

  WNr. 15729, Obstlt. Hermann Graf, Stab./JG11,

  Jever, Germany, early 1944

  Oblt. Kurt Gabler, CO of 8./JG 300, Jüterbog – Waldlager Air Base,

  Germany, July 1944

  WNr. 165350, Lt. Anton Hafner, CO of 8./JG 51, Tilsit-Ost,

  Germany, August 1944

  WNr. 411960, Hptm. Franz Dörr, CO of III./JG 5,

  Gossen, Norway, May 1945

  Re-release

  JUNE 2023

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• Page 118

  I ask all those who know the author to kindly

  refrain from asking themselves the question

  whether or not the following was written with

  any form of intelligence at all. And for those

  that can refrain from such a folly, the following

  article is meant for you….

  It has become very apparent that a lot of us are

  asking the question how far will the IT technology

  craze of artificial intelligence impact our hobby.

  I don’t want to get into philosophical debates on

  the theme of how close these things approach

  actual intelligence with self-replicating

  capability and self reliance and to what extent

  they are ‘just’ sophisticated algorithms of data

  neural networks with vast amounts of data

  sources to draw from. Rather than that, I want

  to reflect upon the outputs of AI and its potential

  applications to us. In the current fashion boom,

  many systems are called artificial intelligence,

  which, although very advanced, are not actually

  self-learning or self-improving systems.

  The boundary, when it comes to ‘artificial

  intelligence’ (or ‘artificial’ intelligence...

  or artificial ‘intelligence’ - the attentive

  reader will surely recognize the nuances of

  these formulations) can probably best be

  demonstrated by OCR, i.e. systems with the

  ability to recognize writing from a source in

  the form of an image. These systems have been

  around for some time now, and most of the

  more readily accessible ones are not, in reality,

  actual AI. The more common, simpler ones lack

  a substantial self-learning element. In order for

  a system to be able to self improve and learn, it

  needs feedback, where it is told ‘... but the letter

  you read as Z is actually a slightly skewed 2’,

  and the system takes that into account when

  making decisions, and adapts when a similar

  situation is subsequently encountered. Neural

  data networks have been able to do such things

  for many years, and many articles can be found

  on the subject. And that can already be called

  artificial intelligence, although ‘self-learning

  system’ seems more adequate to me.

  Still, I don't want to give the impression that

  I am underestimating artificial intelligence.

  Development is very rapid and I believe that

  we will see things within its scope the likes of

  which we can’t even fathom right now. As with

  everything, however, I am somewhat skeptical

  when it comes to hyped up headlines and

  various impetuous statements. Nevertheless,

  I can certainly imagine that AI systems will

  gradually find their applications in a natural

  way in production technologies that are used

  in the design and production of models and

  accessories.

  Due to AI being in vogue, we often come across

  attempts to create published articles with the

  help of AI. Know that as far as I am concerned,

  our articles will be written by real authors with

  real knowledge, and historical facts or technical

  data will come from our own sources, books,

  archives, knowledge. This is the case with

  most of what is, particularly in our historical

  articles, printed in our monthly newsletter. They

  are based on the author’s own research, often

  the result of many years of work, information

  gathered from many experts from all over the

  world, and is not information that can simply be

  extracted from Internet sources and compiled

  using AI.

  Of course, I can't rule out that one of our authors

  will help themselves by having AI advise them

  on better sentence formulation, a more graceful

  word flow - which, after all, these systems can

  do quite well. However, as far as this particular

  article is concerned, if you find the style

  acceptable and with a relatively graceful flow

  to it, praise should not be showered on AI, but

  rather on our proofreaders... :-)

  I currently see three areas of AI (or advanced

  IT) that can be used in plastic modeling that

  I would like to outline with this article and

  I will discuss them in the following paragraphs

  (although surely some of you may come up with

  other possible uses and for your feedback, we

  will be grateful).

  OCR (Optical Character Recognition)

  The first area is the study and further processing

  of historical documents. This is where OCR

  is very useful, so I won't go into more detail

  about it as mentioned above, but I will show an

  example instead.

  Excerpt from the combat report of Lt. Francis M.

  Matney of the 55th FG, on 11/2/1944:

  Here is the unaltered OCR rewrite:

  I was flying Hellcat White 4 on Lt. Jowell's

  wing at an altitude of 32,000 feet when 15 plus

  Me109's and FW190's came in on the bombers

  below us at 27,000 foot. We immediately dro'ped

  our belly tanks and dove on them from r o'clock.

  Lt. Jewell nicked out one Me109 and I stayed on

  his wing. The E/A started a steep diving turn to

  the left and ended in a vortical dive.

  A few misinterpreted letters are obvious, but

  after minor editing the text is very usable for

  further processing. Advanced OCR systems can

  deal with written text to a certain extent, but the

  already mentioned self-learning element with

  feedback from the user must be applied... and

  you simply have to ‘get used to’ such a system

  taking into account any given handwriting.

  OpenAI/ChatGPT Type Text

  Compilers

  I don't want to knock these systems or

  underestimate them. I am playing around

  with ChatGPT myself, and I was really amazed

  recently when I asked it for advice on, among

  other things, an issue with radio navigation,

  while preparing for theoretical PPL exams.

  However, it should be noted that although the

  sources from which it compiled and formulated

  its outputs are very extensive, they do have

  their limitations. Sometimes we are given some

  pretty absurd answers, which this AI is able to

  offer with staggering confidence.

  I tentatively touched on one of my fundamental

  topics – the air battle over the Ore Mountains

  of September 11, 1944, with the question of why

  this battle started. I wouldn't be surprised if

  the system was not able to provide an answer.

  Surprisingly (and misleading for the unaware),

  the answer is wrong, but presented with a high

  level of confidence:

  ‘The air battle over the Ore Mountains on

  September 11, 1944, was a part of a larger

  operation known as the ‘Schweinfurt-

  Regensburg mission.’ The mission was an Allied

  bombing campaign against German industrial

  targets, specifically the factories producing ball

  bearings, which were essential for the German

  war effort.’

  Of course, the Schweinfurt/Regensburg mission

  took place on August 17, 1943…

  On other examples, though, the system should

  be congratulated, and I found it impossible to

  mislead it.

  Question: What was role of Adolf Galland on

  liberation of Prague?

  Answer: Adolf Galland did not have a role in the

  liberation of Prague on May 9, 1945.

  Galland was a German fighter pilot during World

  War II and a high-ranking officer in the German

  Luftwaffe. He was involved in many significant

  battles and operations throughout the war,

  including the Battle of Britain and the defense of

  Germany against the Allied bombing campaigns.

  However, by the time of the liberation of Prague,

  Galland had been relieved of his command and

  was under house arrest by the Nazi authorities

  for his outspoken criticism of the leadership of

  the Luftwaffe. Therefore, he was not involved

  in any military operations during the final days

  of the war in Europe, including the liberation of

  Prague.

  The insight to be gained is clear - similar

  systems, whether we agree that they are

  NOTE: THIS ARTICLE WAS NOT WRITTEN USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Text: Jan Zdiarský

  INFO Eduard118

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• Page 119

  artificial intelligence or not, can be very helpful.

  However, we must be very careful about what

  they present to us and not leave out our own

  sense of reason.

  Historical Photo Analysis and Color

  Recognition

  Systems for defining the colors of objects

  in historical photographs will certainly find

  considerable applications in our field. Not that

  I think the end is near for debates over beer

  between modelers about the actual shade of

  RLM 66 or the fact that technology could so

  easily determine the exact shades of camouflage

  colors, but it is already clear that the potential

  for its help is there, and it is significant

  Of course, limitations will apply here too, and

  we must not lose our ability to be reasonably

  skeptical or critical. The quality of the input

  material also plays a very important role here.

  In a completely different way, this system will

  be able to deal with a high-quality scan of an

  original historical photograph and in a different

  way with an image downloaded from the

  Internet and resampled and color-converted or

  corrected many times.

  The outputs we are offered - and I stress again

  - we need to be careful with them and apply due

  scrutiny, interesting insights. And even if the

  color solution is wrong, the colorization itself

  in the sense of what the AI sees can draw our

  attention to interesting details that we would

  have missed when studying these photos in the

  original black and white. I can certainly imagine

  such an aid utilized by our experts dealing with

  camouflage schemes for kits. But everything in

  moderation….

  As in the previous examples, there is a wide

  qualitative range of systems in this area. From

  web applications to professional systems

  used, such as, for example, color films. You

  can now incorporate feedback from users and

  really learn and advance your approach when

  analyzing shades of black and white photos. One

  more example:

  This example is a portion of a photo of a Bf

  109G flown by Fhj.Fw. Hans-Theo Ableiter of

  III./JG 4. At the far left is a scan of the original

  photograph, in the middle and at the right are two

  color reproductions made using two different AI

  systems. Although the quality is different (one

  system is a professional film system, the other

  is a commercially available converter), the color

  reproductions in both cases match fairly well.

  The colors of RLM 75 and RLM 76 can be quite

  clearly distinguished against a light background,

  which logically should probably be the rather

  gray variant of RLM 76. Note how each system

  reproduces the individual spots. The simpler one

  (on the right) made 74 even from some stains,

  which the first system identified as RLM 75.

  So that it all isn’t too easy, I'm attaching one

  more picture showing how AI coped with color

  resolution in another case. Many of you know

  that this airplane is supposed to be all red with

  a black spinner…

  It is obvious that the tools at our disposal today,

  whether correctly or otherwise considered

  artificial intelligence, can be of tremendous

  help and will increasingly be so as time goes

  on. However, we should not turn off our own

  judgment and ability to draw conclusions. To

  end in style, I asked ChatGPT to say hello to the

  readers of our newsletter:

  Dear readers of Info Eduard magazine,

  I hope this message finds you well and that you

  continue to find the content of this publication

  informative and engaging. Thank you for your

  continued support and readership, and I wish

  you all the best in your personal and academic

  pursuits.

  Best regards, ChatGPT

  INFO Eduard

  119

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• Markings F6F-5 Hellcat late 1/48

  Lt. Eugene A. Valencia, VF-9, USS Lexington, February 1945 

  One of the highest scoring naval fighter aces, Eugene Anthony Valencia, made himself famous as leader of the “Valencia Circus”, which was the name given to his division because of their ability to shoot down enemies and also thanks to their rather flamboyant demeanor. He was born on April 13, 1921, in San Francisco and joined the US Navy in 1941. He was designated a Naval Aviator on February 9, 1942, and after a stint as an instructor, he reported to VF-9 on board of USS Essex a year later. When November 11 came, the day of the massive, combined strike on Rabaul, Valencia achieved three full victories plus one shared. After one victory at the end of January 1944, he became ace with three Zeros shot down on February 17. When back from his first combat tour, he worked with selected pilots on the tactics “Mowing Machine”, the idea he got during fights over Truk archipelago. In this tactic a pilot could constantly be on the attack while his mates would be providing cover for him. The VF-9 returned to Pacific in January 1945 and soon after Valencia’s division started to reap the benefits of their training. Valencia increased his score steadily from February 16, 1945, when he added his eighth full victory near the Imba lake. At the end of the tour, his score counted 23 confirmed enemies shot down, two probably and two damaged, making him the third best US naval ace of WWII. He passed away in 1972.
  

   

  Lt. Cornelius N. Nooy, VF-31, USS Belleau Wood, August 1945
  

  Cornelius Nicholas Nooy was born on April 15, 1921, in Smithtown and became probably the deadliest ornamental gardener in the world, as he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Ornamental Horticulture from the New York State Institute of Agriculture in 1941 and also became one of the most successful Naval fighters. He enlisted in the US Navy on March 18, 1942, and started his flight training on August 1, 1942. Four and a half months later he was designated a Naval Aviator and became member of VF-31. There he did not waste time and achieved his first aerial victory on January 29, when he shot down one Zero while another was classified as probable. In the end he had 19 victories to his credit, ranking him the fifth most successful US naval fighter of WWII (rank shared with Alexander Vraciu and Patrick Fleming) and the most successful fighter operating from light aircraft carriers. The Hellcat depicted here sports symbols of all of his victories under the windshield and also his name and the emblem of the VF-31. Between them, there was probably the emblem of NYSIA. This aircraft served several pilots to take commemorative photos at the end of the tour and so all the logos and names were temporary. As the unit’s symbol was usually placed in front of the windshield, we presume it was also the case of this aircraft. Nooy left active duty on December 28, 1945, and served in the Naval Reserve, where he was promoted to Lt Cdr on February 1, 1952. He died of cancer just a month before his 37th birthday.
  

   

  BuNo 70597, Lt. James L. Pearce, VF-17, USS Hornet, March 21, 1945
  

  James Lano Pearce became not only a Naval fighter but also a remarkable aviation personality. He enlisted with the Navy on July 3, 1941. After getting his “wings” and promotion to the rank of Ensign he served with VS-52 flying scout planes from Bora Bora, Society Islands, from December 1942 to July 1943. Following he was transferred to VF-18 and he probably shot down a Zeke on November 11 in vicinity of Rabaul and shared 0,25 of the victory over a Betty on December 25, 1943. A damaged Betty bomber on January 1944 was his last achievement with VF-18 prior to his return to west coast, where he helped to reform VF-17 from March 1944. He returned to combat aboard USS Hornet (CV-12). He shared one Myrt shot down on March 18, 1945 and his best day came on March 21, when he sent down two Betty bombers and finally recorded 5,25 victories plus 15 aircraft destroyed on the ground. After the war he was stationed at the Flight Test Division at NAS Patuxent River until his departure from the Navy on August 27, 1948. He then continued his career of test pilot with Grumman, but just after six months he changed employer and for the next 15 years helped with the development of the North American Aviation aircraft. During this service he lost his left leg below knee in 1953 but kept flying. Another change came at the early stage of the Apollo space program. Jim Pearce was placed in charge of test and check out of the Apollo Command and Service Modules for the Lunar program and remained at the Kennedy Space Center until 1967, when he decided to start his own business, which he run until February 9, 2011, when he died. 

   

  BuNo 72663, Ens. William A. Sinnott, VF-24, USS Santee, July 7, 1945
  

  July 7, 1945, was not a lucky day for the escort carrier USS Santee units VF-24 and VT-24. During the landing procedure the arresting hook of the Hellcat flown by Ens William A. Sinnott broke, the aircraft cleared all the barriers a ran into parked planes, causing a fire. Four Hellcats and two Avengers were jettisoned, six torpedo bombers were damaged and one of the pilots of the parked aircraft was killed. VF-24 was on its second tour from March 27 to July 19. During this spell the pilots were mostly tasked with ground attack missions, as they were supporting the Allied landings on Okinawa from April 1 and helping British carrier forces to deny Japanese units to use the airfields on the Sakishima islands. On June 16, USS Santee launched a fighter bomber mission against targets on Kyūshū, Japanese mainland. On June 19 the ship arrived at Leyte Gulf and undergo minor repairs. She was in action again from July 1 and at the time of the Sinnott’s crash was covering minesweeping operations west of Okinawa. During the whole second tour the pilots of VF-24 achieved just three aerial victories, which was down to the nature of their tasks. Two months and two weeks after the crash on the deck of USS Santee, the VF-24 was disbanded on September 20, 1945. As a part of the Carrier Division 22, their Hellcats sported white tails and white rectangles on the leading edge of the starboard wing’s upper side). The aircraft of USS Santee were distinguished by two yellow stripes on the rear fuselage and on the wing, accompanying the white rectangle. Aircraft from USS Chennango sported one yellow stripe, USS Suwanee two white stripes and USS Sangamon one white stripe.    

   

  BuNo 72296 Lt. Louis A. Menard, jr., VBF-12, USS Randolph, February 17, 1945

  Louis Arthur Menard, called Lou, joined the Navy on July 21, 1941. He was designated a Naval Aviator on January 31, 1942 and promoted to the rank of Ensign. His first combat deployment took him to North Africa on board of USS Ranger as a member of VF-9. There he achieved one confirmed and one probable kill flying F4F-4 on November 9. A year later, on November 11, he added two Zekes to his tally still as a member of VF-9, but aboard USS Essex. After shooting down a Kate on January 29, 1944, he made himself an ace as he shot down two Kates and two Petes on February 17. Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on April 1, 1944, he was attached to the VF-12 and, on January 2, 1945, moved to its sibling squadron VBF-12. February 16 was the day of his last victory. He shot down one Judy, but the next day he had to bail out over the ocean and strong wind dragged him through the water. The crew of the destroyer Taussig finally saved him. This ended his tour and he returned to the USA. He stayed in active duty until 1968, when he retired in the rank of Commander. He was XO of VF-33 from June 1953 and CO of VF-102 from September 1954. Regarding the Navy loss list, Menard flew Hellcat BuNo 72296 and a painting accompanying the interview with him portrays the aircraft with tactical number 32. We thus assume it was the one Lou had to bail out from. Another source states the aircraft was BuNo 72635 and to make the things even more complicated, there were two Hellcats with number 32 on board of USS Randolph. Which of them was this No. 32 Hellcat of VBF-12 is not clear. The decals offer both BuNo. options. 

   

  Flottille 1F, PA Arromanche, French Indochina, 1951
  

  The French Navy bought 124 F6F-5s and fifteen F6F-5Ns between 1950 and 1953. The plane equipped several combat units, including famous wartime I/6 Corse and II/6 Normandie-Niemen squadrons. The Naval 1F Flotille was another unit to convert to Hellcats and one of those fighting in Indochina, where  France tried to reinstate its pre-war colony but faced  the communists opposition led by Ho Chi Minh. The unit was transformed into 11F on June 20, 1953, while back in France, and sent back to French Indochina immediately. The Hellcats were also used by 54S, 57S and 59S training squadrons. French scrapped their Hellcats in 1960 and replaced them with the F8F Bearcat. Their Hellcats were painted in Gloss Sea Blue and had a modified French roundel with an anchor. The aircraft sported the famous symbol of the Seahorse on the vertical stabilizer. The appearance of the seahorse varied from aircraft to aircraft.

• Markings Spitfire Story: Malta 1/48

  Spitfire Vb Trop, AB264, F/O Robert W. McNair, No. 249 Squadron, RAF Ta Kali, Malta, March 1942 

  The first three Spitfire Mk.Vb deliveries to Malta were conducted under the code names Spotter and Picket/Picket II. Spitfires that arrived in Malta during the Operations Spotter and Picket were camouflaged in Dark Earth and Middle Stone on the upper surfaces, the lower surfaces were painted in Sky or Azure Blue. The lower surfaces color depended either on the manufacturing factory Supermarine, which used Sky, or Aircraft Servicing Units (ASU) which used Azure Blue color. Upon arrival in Malta the Middle Stone camouflage pattern was overpainted in Extra Dark Sea Grey. Spitfire AB263 was ferried to Malta by P/O Peter Nash on March 7, 1942, during the Operation Spotter. On March 20, 1942, a Canadian pilot, Robert Wendell “Buck” McNair shot down a Ju 88, another Ju 88 probably and damaged another one. On March 25, Nash shot down a Ju 87 and in November Sgt. Thomas Kebbell shot down a Ju 88. Spitfire AB264 was one of 16 aircraft in of the first Spitfires delivery to Malta which survived the campaign and had a long service life. It served with No. 249, No. 185, No. 1435 and No. 229 Squadron. In May 1943 it was overhauled and handed over to the USAAF. It finished its career in the Middle East.
  

   

  Spitfire Vb Trop, EP122, Sgt. Claude Weaver III, No. 185 Squadron, RAF Ta Kali, Malta, July 1942
  

  Spitfire EP122 arrived in Malta from HMS Eagle on July 15, 1942, during the Operation Pinpoint and was immediately assigned to the combat duty with the No. 185 Squadron. It became a regular mount of Sgt. Claude Weaver III who scored five kills (4x Bf 109 and 1x Ju 88). He became the youngest Allied ace during the conflict. Later EP122 became the personal mount of the Wing Commander J. M. Thompson who had the aircraft marked with his name initials JM-T. In October Thompson at its controls shot down a Bf 109 and Ju 88 and damaged another two Bf 109s. In the beginning of 1943 EP122 was ordered to the No. 1435 Squadron where it flew carrying the code letter L. On March 27, 1943, it made an emergency landing at the edge of the cliff in Dwejra Bay on Gozo island. EP122 was afterward dumped over the edge of the cliff into the bay. EP122 wreck, lying in 10 m depth, was discovered by scuba divers from the RAF Sub Aqua Club on the Gozo shore in 1969. In the middle of 1970, the wreck was recovered. The initial restoration work was done by Steve Vizard in Hampshire followed by the Airfram Assemblies in Sandown, Surrey. The airframe was transferred to Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar for the completion. The first flight from Biggin Hill took place in May 2016. The naval camouflage and markings are authentic however the typical tropical air filter is missing.

   

  Spitfire Vb Trop, EP706, P/O George F. Beurling, No. 249 Squadron, RAF Ta Kali, Malta, August - October 1942
  

  A brilliant pilot and sharpshooter but rather mysterious personality, Canadian George Frederick Beurling achieved unbelievable successes during the fierce fighting for Malta in 1942 where in the course of a half year he scored 28 confirmed kills. Beurling’s Spitfire EP706 arrived in Malta off the HMS Furious deck on August 11, 1942 during the Operation Bellows. The original desert camouflage was repainted at the Malta Maintenance Command probably with Deep Sky or Extra Dark Sea Grey color. According to the period pictures, the wing upper surfaces around the weapon wells were rather worn and the original desert camouflage was showing through. P/O “Screwball” Beurling had his kill markings painted on the fuel tank cover of his Spitfire flown regularly between August 20 and October 9. He flew 27 combat missions with it and scored four out of his total 28 kills achieved in Malta.

   

  Spitfire Vb, EP829, S/Ldr John J. Lynch, No. 249 Squadron, RAF Qrendi, Malta, February - May 1943
  

  Spitfire EP829 was flown by S/Ldr Lynch from February to May 1943 with No. 249 Squadron and was part of the delivery during the Operation Train which was the last Spitfire delivery to reinforce Malta from the aircraft carriers. Spitfires were finished in the standard Malta camouflage scheme with the upper surfaces in Deep Sky and Dark Slate Grey. EP829 initially flew with clipped wings, later was operated with the full wingspan. The squadron commander insignia and five kill markings, achieved by April 25, 1943, were painted on the fuselage fuel tank. Three days later, Lynch shot down two Ju 52 and scored 1,000th victory for the Malta defenders. To commemorate this anniversary kill he had painted “Malta’s 1000” in white under the windshield. John Lynch was born on February 3, 1918, in Alhambra, California. In 1941 he joined RAF and in September 1941 he completed his pilot training at No. 56 OTU. His first assignment was at No. 232 Squadron. The following month he joined the No. 121 “Eagle” Squadron and No. 71 “Eagle” Squadron where, on April 17, 1942, he shared a victory over a Ju 88. In November 1942 he was transferred to Malta and assigned to No. 249 Squadron with which he flew combat in the area. In the beginning of 1943, he was promoted to the squadron commander and achieved many successes against the Axis transportation aircraft which supplied the German and Italian troops in Tunisia. In July 1943 he was ordered to the USAAF but did not fly combat. He returned to the United States where after the war end continued his service with the USAF. In 1956 he became an operations officer with the 49th Fighter-bomber Wing on Okinawa but shortly after, on March 9 he was killed in the aircraft crash in F-84G near Naha airport. During his wartime career Lynch claimed in total 17 kills (10 individual and 7 in cooperation), one probable and two enemy aircraft damaged.

   

  Spitfire Vb, ER647, S/Ldr John R. Urwin-Mann, No. 126 Squadron, RAF Luqa, Malta, spring 1943
  

  ER647 represents yet another of the camouflage schemes used in Malta where the factory applied Middle Stone was repainted with Dark Slate Grey. A Mk.Vb painted in similar way is documented in the color photographs by AVM Keith Park. The depicted ER647 was flown by the No. 126 Squadron commander, a Battle of Britain ace S/Ldr Urwin-Mann, who on January 28, 1943, shot down a Me 210 flying this aircraft. In February 1944, ER647 was handed over to the USAAF and in 1945 finished its career with the French AF. During his wartime career, John Roland “Jack” Urwin-Mann scored 10 kills, two of them shared.

   

  Spitfire Vb Trop, ER187, Maj. Frank A. Hill, 309th FS, 31st FG, Xewkija, Gozo - Malta, beginning of July 1943
  

  In the middle of 1943, Malta became a fundamental “springboard” for the Operation Husky, an Allied invasion of Sicily. The island became a key post mainly due to its support of the air operations. There were five operational airfields on Malta, all of them occupied by the large numbers of the British airplanes which impaired the operations of the USAAF units. The only solution was to turn the attention to Gozo, mountainous land which is the part of the Malta archipelago. The area in Xewkija turned out to be the best solution despite the negotiations with the local farmers. Xewkija airport, also known as Ta’ Lambert, was built as the principal USAAF airbase during the Operation Husky in the very short time of 12 days of the construction only to cease the operations after mere six months of the intense traffic. In June 1944 the land on which the airport was built was returned to the original landlords and turned back to the fertile soil. One of the Spitfires flying out of the airfield Xewkija in the beginning of July 1943 was ER187, a personal aircraft of the commander and the most successful pilot of the 309th FS, Maj. Frank Hill. His Spitfire is known to carry two different designs of the national insignia, with a yellow outline and also with the “wings” with the red outline which fell into the period of their official application, from June 28 to the end of July 1943. A question remains if the new insignia were painted for that ten days stay on Gozo or in Sicily, where the 31st FG was transferred on July 13, 1943. During his wartime carrier Maj. Frank Hill shot down in total eight enemy aircraft including two shared victories, two probable and he also damaged five enemy aircraft.

   

  Spitfire Vb Trop, ER187, Maj. Frank A. Hill, 309th FS, 31st FG, Xewkija, Gozo - Malta, beginning of July 1943
  

  Maj. Frank Hill’s Spitfire is known to carry two different designs of the national insignia, with a yellow outline and with the “wings” with the red outline which fell into the period of the official application, from June 28 to the end of July 1943. A question remains if the new insignia were painted for the ten days stay on Gozo or in Sicily where the 31st FG was transferred on July 13, 1943.

   

  Spitfire Vc Trop, BR190, F/Sgt Virgil P. Brennan, No. 249 Squadron, RAF Ta Kali, Malta, May 1942
  

  Spitfire BR190 arrived in Malta on April 20, 1942, during the Operation Calendar. It carried the naval camouflage which was on the board of USS Wasp (CV-7) partially overpainted with so-called Malta blue. On May 5, at the controls of this unusually camouflaged Spitfire, F/Sgt Paul Brennan shot down a Bf 109. Spitfire BR190 flying career however was very short. On May 14 it was destroyed during the bombing of the airport Ta Kali. Virgil Paul Brennan was born in Warwick in Queensland on March 6, 1920, and before the war practiced law. In November 1940 he joined RAAF and was sent to Canada for an advanced training. In August he was ordered to the Great Britain where he continued his training with No. 53 OTU. In October he was assigned to the No. 64 Squadron but in the beginning of March he was transferred to Malta. On March 17 he flew off the HMS Eagle deck to the island together with the first Spitfires delivery. After the landing he was attached to the No. 249 Squadron. Between March 17 and June 7 he scored seven kills. In July he completed his tour of duty with the No. 249 Squadron and flew back to the Great Britain. Here he served as an instructor with the No. 52 OTU until January 1943 and after that he set sail for home, Australia. On May 1 he was assigned to the No. 79 Squadron RAAF in Laverton, unfortunately he did not fly there for long. On June 13, 1943, he was mortally wounded in a crash near Garbutt.

   

  Spitfire Vc Trop, BP975, F/Lt Denis Barnham, No. 601 Squadron, RAF Luqa, Malta, April - May 1942
  

  After the outbreak of the war, Dennis Barnham joined RAF in April 1941. Initially he served with the No. 65 Squadron, in July he was ordered to the No. 609 Squadron and on December 30 he was transferred to the No. 154 Squadron. In April 1942 he was promoted and assigned to the No. 601 Squadron as a flight leader. At that time the unit was preparing for the deployment to Malta. On April 20, 1942, during the operation code-named Calendar, he flew off the American aircraft carrier USS Wasp (CV-7) for the island. During April and May Barnham scored five aerial victories, all of them flying Spitfire BP975. On board of USS Wasp (CV-7), over its original desert camouflage his Spitfire was painted in the US Navy Non Specular Blue Gray used on the USS Wasp escort F4F Wildcats. Denis Barnham was an artist as well and he often painted and drew sketches. Some of his drawings were included in the book One Man’s Window (William Kimber, 1956) he wrote after the war about his experiences from Malta.

   

  Spitfire Vc Trop, BR126, P/O Jerrold A. Smith, No. 126 Squadron, USS Wasp (CV-7), May 1942
  

  On May 9, 1942, after he took off in his Spitfire BR126 X-3, the Canadian pilot, P/O Jerrold Alpine “Jerry” Smith found out that his drop tank was inoperable, and he was not able to reach the airfield on Malta. He jettisoned his tank and received order to bail out of his Spitfire. Instead, Jerry inquired about the attempt to save the aircraft by landing it on the aircraft carrier deck. After the captain approved, he indeed tried to do it. His first approach was too high and too fast however his second attempt was successful, and he safely landed his Spitfire mere six feet from the end of the flight deck. He managed, as the first in world, to land a Spitfire on the aircraft carrier and without an arresting hook! For his deed P/O “Jerry” Smith was unofficially awarded the American Navy Wings from the flight deck officer David McCampbell, the future most successful USN fighter pilot who, as a LSO (Landing Signal Officer) directed the whole operation. Jerry ultimately made it to Malta couple of days later on May 19 with another batch of Spitfires during the Operation LB. In Malta, he met his brother Rod at the No. 126 Squadron and on July 18 they together shot down a Ju 88. On August 10, 1942, he took off in the order to search for some targeted minelayers. He was seen for the last time pursuing a Ju 88 on the course towards Sicily. Neither aircraft made it back to the home base. His brother Rod was searching hours for him but did not find any sign of neither the body nor his Spitfire. Jerry’s name is engraved on the Malta’s memorial. During the Malta fighting he scored four individual kills and shared one.

   

  Spitfire Vc Trop, BR311, F/Lt Roderick I. A. Smith, No. 126 Squadron, RAF Luqa, Malta, October 1942
  

  Spitfire BR311 arrived in Malta during the Operation Style on June 3, 1942 and successfully participated in the battle for the island. On August 14, flying this aircraft, S/Ldr W. J. Johnson shot down two Macchi MC.202. Between October 12 and 25, P/O Nigel Park at its controls shot down three Ju 88 and three Bf 109 and on October 25 F/Lt “Rod” Smith shot down a Bf 109, which was his last victory in Malta. During the defense of Malta, he shot down in total six aircraft. Rod Smith was a brother of Jerry Smith, and they fought together in the ranks of the No. 126 Squadron. BR311 coloration matched the recommended Malta scheme in Dark Mediterranean Blue on the upper surfaces and Sky Blue on the lower surfaces. The original markings on the fuselage, applied on board of USS Wasp, were overpainted with Light Mediterranean Blue and assigned the code letters MK-L. On October 5, 1944, Rod Smith became the first Allied pilot who shot down a Me 262 jet. During his wartime carrier Rod Smith scored 14 kills.

   

  Spitfire Vc Trop, BR321, F/Lt John A. Plagis, No. 185 Squadron, RAF Hal Far, Malta, June 1942
  

  Spitfire BR321 arrived in Malta on June 9 during the operation Salient. It became a personal mount of F/Lt John Plagis who scored three aerial victories in it. John Plagis was born on March 10, 1919, in Hartley, South Rhodesia. After the outbreak of war, he volunteered for the Rhodesian AF but was rejected since he was still officially a Greek citizen. Therefore in 1940 he volunteered for RAF. In May 1941 he started his pilot training at the No. 58 OTU in Grangemouth. In the end of June, he was initially attached to the No. 65 Squadron, then he was transferred to the No. 266 Squadron. In all his flight evaluations he was graded as above average. In the end of January 1942, he was ordered to the Near East and on March 7 he was one of the first pilots who flew their Spitfires to Malta from HMS Eagle during the Operation Spotter. Initially he flew with the No. 249 Squadron where between March and May he shot down nine enemy aircraft, including two shared victories. In the end of May he was dispatched to Gibraltar to help fly over a new batch of Spitfires during the Operation Style on June 3. After the arrival he was transferred to the No. 185 Squadron as a flight A leader and until the end of June he shot down another three opponents. In the beginning of July, he returned to the Great Britain. In August he was ordered to the No. 53 OTU where he was graded as exceptional. In April 1943 he returned to the combat flying at the No. 64 Squadron. In July 1944 he assumed command of the No. 126 Squadron and during the Normandy landing he scored another three victories. In December the unit was re-equipped with Mustangs and Johnny Plagis was promoted to the Wing Commander. On March 27, 1945, he flew cover for the bomber Mosquitos raiding the Gestapo HQ in Copenhagen. After the war he commanded the No. 234 Squadron and the No. 266 Squadron flying the jet Meteors Mk.III. In May 1948 he retired from RAF and returned to Rhodesia. During his wartime carrier John Plagis shot down 15 aircraft individually, two in the cooperation and became the most successful Greek pilot of WWII.

   

  Spitfire Vc Trop, BR387, P/O John W. Yarra, No. 185 Squadron, RAF Hal Far, Malta, June 1942
  

  John William “Slim” Yarra was born in Stanthorpe in Queensland on August 24, 1921 and before joining RAAF in October 1940 he made living as a printing apprentice. He completed his training in Canada between May and August 1941 and then he was dispatched to the Great Britain where he was attached to the No. 55 OTU. In October he was transferred to Gibraltar. Consequently, he took part in two attempts to fly Spitfires to Malta. On March 7, during the Operation Spotter, as a replacement pilot, he had to return to his aircraft carrier and back to Gibraltar. On March 21, during the Operation Picket I he flew Spitfire AB333 and after landing on Malta he was attached to the No. 249 Squadron. After several successful combat missions, he was ordered to the No. 185 Squadron which was short of pilots. In its ranks, he became one of the most successful pilots in the defense of Malta. In the course of three months he shot down 12 enemy aircraft, out of which five while at the controls of his personal Spitfire BR387. Yarra’s personal Spitfire BR387 landed in Malta on June 9 during the Operation Salient. BR387 camouflage complied with the recommended Malta scheme in Dark Mediterranean Blue on the upper surfaces and Sky Blue color on the lower surfaces. On July 14, Yarra logged his last flight over Malta and after that flew back to the Great Britain. After some rest he was assigned as a flight B leader to the No. 453 Squadron RAAF. On December 10, 1942, he led his flight in the attack on the convoy at the Dutch coast, north of Vlissingen, but his Spitfire was hit by the enemy AA fire and crashed into the sea. His brother became a fighter pilot as well and same as brother “Slim” was killed in action.

   

  Spitfire Vc, BR498, W/Cdr Peter P. Hanks, Luqa Wing, Malta, August 1942 – February 1943
  

  Spitfire BR498 was delivered to Malta on August 17, 1942, during the Operation Baritone in the new camouflage scheme required by AHQ Malta dated June 1942. It resulted in the adoption of the disruptive pattern of two shades for the upper surfaces, Deep Sky and Dark Slate Grey and Light Mediterranean Blue for the lower surfaces. W/Cdr Peter Prosser Hanks, Luqa Wing commanding officer chose this airplane as his personal mount. At the controls of BR498, W/Cdr Hanks scored four confirmed kills, two probables and damaged four aircraft. Another pilot who was successful in BR498 was the No. 126 Squadron member, F/Lt William “Bill” Rolls who, during the month of October 1942, shot down five Axis airplanes (three Ju 88 and two MC.202). BR498 served from the middle of February 1943 at the No. 185 Squadron carrying GL-K code letters and was equipped with the Vokes desert air filter. In this configuration it was most frequently flown by the No. 185 Squadron commander, S/Ldr H. A. Grafts. Peter Prosser Hanks was born on July 29, 1917 and in 1935 joined RAF. After he completed his pilot training at No. 6 FTS, in September he was assigned to the No. 1 Squadron. During the Battle of France and Britain he shot down seven aircraft. Consequently, he flew with the No. 257 and No. 56 Squadrons. From February to July 1942, he commanded a Spitfire Wing at Coltishall. In August he was transferred to Malta where he assumed command of a Spitfire Wing at the airport Luqa. Until the end of war, and afterwards, he held several service posts. In 1964 he retired from RAF.

   

  Spitfire Vc Trop, JK715, S/Ldr Evan D. Mackie, No. 243 Squadron, RAF Hal Far, Malta, June – July 1943
  

  In the middle of 1943, when the air battle for Malta was won, the island became a key base for the supporting air operations. On June 11, the No. 243 Squadron was transferred from Tunisia to the Hal Far airport. The unit, under the leadership of one of the most successful pilots in the Mediterranean, S/Ldr Evan Mackie, during the following month supported the Allied landing on Sicily during the Operation Husky. With the change of the strategic environment, the special Malta camouflages were not necessary anymore and became history. The incoming No. 243 Squadron however was an exemption as the unit altered coloration of its Spitfires. According to the memoires of its pilot in his book Spitfire Leader, before the arrival to Malta his new personal Spitfire Mk.Vc JK715, which until then sported the classic “desert“ camouflage, was repainted in olive green color on the upper surfaces which matched Dark Slate Grey frequently used on Malta. During his tenure at the No. 243 Squadron, Mackie at the controls of his JK715 flying out of the Hal Far airport, shot down five enemy aircraft. Makie’s original occupation was a mechanic, so he was always interested in the maintenance of his Spitfire. He obtained a set of exhausts from Spitfire Mk.IX and was pleased with the improved performance. For the first time those exhausts had been installed on his previous Spitfire ES347. After it crash landed, Mackie removed the priceless exhausts and installed them on his new JK715. He finished his war career with a score of 23 kills including 3 shared victories, 2 probables and 11 aircraft damaged.

• Marking MiG-21MF Interceptor 1/72

  1 Squadron, 9 Fighter Bomber Air Regiment, Bechyně, Czech Republic, September 1993 

  MiG-21MF serial number 96002410 was manufactured on June 25, 1975. It flew with the 1 Fighter Air Regiment, 4 Fighter Air Regiment and for a longest time with the 9 Fighter Air Regiment, respectively the 9 Fighter-Bomber Air Regiment. In 1992 the striking colorful markings were applied on this airframe consisting of the white triangle shaded in red and number 9 on the rudder in reverse colors. The stripe in the colors of the Czech tricolore (blue–red–white) was spanning across the wing and widening toward the fuselage. On its ridge it was shaped into an arrow. The “Twenty-ones“ painted this way were part of the display unit Delta Team. On September 10, 1993, this MiG flew its last sortie and then flew over to the Plzeň-Líně airport for permanent storage. Consequently, it was struck off the military register and handed over to the depository of the Prague-Kbely Aviation Museum.
  

   

  116 CBP (116 Combat Training Center), Privolzhsky, Soviet Union, May 1990
  

  Despite the MiG-21MFs manufactured at Gorky were intended for client states of the Soviet Union several of these aircraft made it into Soviet service, nonetheless. The only unit known to have flown the type was the 116 Combat Training Centre, based at Privolzhsky Air Base, near Astrakhan. The aircraft was camouflaged on the upper surfaces in two shades of green and brown, supplemented by a sand shade. The bottom surfaces were in blue-grey. This unit used the aircraft for combat training of pilots on completion of their basic part of the curriculum.

   

  10 Pułk Lotnictwa Myśliwskiego, Airport Łask, Poland, 1986–1993
  

  The coloration of MiG-21MF number 8055 reflects the customs from 1980s. On the nose it is decorated with the insignia created in 1986 by the initiative of the 10 Regiment‘s Headquarters. The regimental insignia adopts its symbolism from the “Cracowian” times and depicts the stylized dragon with hat Krakushka (a part of the Polish national costumes). The dragon also holds the shield with the white-red checkerboard and a yellow light bolt. The insignia was painted on both sides of the aircraft nose. Over the time several modifications appeared differing from each other by small details such as missing eyes, teeth, white mottles painted on the wings or dragon’s body painted in white.
  

   

  Mogadishu Airport, Somali Air Force, Somalia, 1991
  

  Somali AF MiG-21MFs sported the standard camouflage of the Soviet aircraft delivered to Near East and North Africa – the upper surfaces painted in light sand color with green mottles and lower surfaces in light blue color. The MiG-21MF carrying bort number 226 was among a few survivors of the Ogaden war and was fairly well preserved until the beginning of 1990s. In 1992 the international forces found it abandoned at the Mogadishu airport.

• Markings Bf 109F-4 1/48

  Bf 109F-4/Trop, WNr. 8673, Hptm. Hans-Joachim Marseille, CO of 3./JG 27, Quotaifiya, Egypt, September 1942

  Hans-Joachim Marseille used this plane after his return from Rome and achieved 49 victories with this last of “Friedrichs” he used from August 24, 1942, to September 25, 1942. On September 30, 1942, he flew the Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2/Trop as he led escort mission of the 3. Staffel to cover a squadron of Ju 87 Stukas. On the return leg, a smoke filled the cockpit, and Marseille was forced to bail out. Hitting the rudder after the emergency exit of the plane, he lost consciousness, and his parachute did not open. Seconds later, Marseille died from the impact on the ground. After his death, WNr. 8673 was used by 1./SG 2 but was hit by flak and lost southward of El Alamein on October 22, 1942. The aircraft had the upper camouflage color RLM 79 sprayed all over the fuselage sides as a non-standard finish. The lower surfaces were sprayed with RLM 78 and the camouflage was complemented by the markings of the aircraft operating on the Southern front, i.e., white wingtips, white propeller cone and a band on the aft fuselage of the same color. The engine cowling bore the emblem of I. Gruppe JG 27 on both sides.
  

   

  Bf 109F-4, Lt. Hans-Joachim Heyer, 8./JG 54, Siverskaya, Soviet Union, April 1942 
  

  The recipient of the Knight’s Cross, Hans-Joachim Heyer, was born on April 20, 1922, in Rehungen. He served his entire aviation career as a member of 8./JG 54 and scored his first kill on the first day of the invasion to Soviet Union on June 22, 1941. His victim was a Polikarpov I-15. Heyer’s “Black 9”, which he flew from the spring of 1942, was camouflaged with RLM 74/75/76 colors and the fuselage sides were completed with RLM 70 and RLM 71 patches. The upper surfaces of the wing, the rear fuselage behind the cockpit and the horizontal tail surfaces were all painted in white overpaint made by washable color. The III./JG 54 emblem was painted below the windshield on both sides of the fuselage. More to it, on the left side under the cockpit there was painted the JG 54 emblem – a green heart. On the rudder, there were kill marks painted on both sides. Hans-Joachim Heyer was shot down and killed near Leningrad on November 9, 1942. He was posthumously awarded the Knight’s Cross on November 25, 1942. His score stopped at 53 aerial victories, all achieved on the Eastern Front.

   

  Bf 109F-4/Z, WNr. 7420, Lt. Hermann A. Graf, CO of 9./JG 52, Kharkov-Rogan, Soviet Union, May 1942
  

  Hermann Anton Graf was born on October 24, 1912. He trained as a locksmith and was a keen football player in his youth. Later he took up sailing and entered the army in 1939. In the spring of 1940, he served in JG 51 and participated in the Battle of France. In April 1941, he fought over Greece and Crete, but did not record any victories during this period. His first kill came on August 4, 1941, near Kiev and things changed. At the end of January 1942, he received the Knight’s Cross for 45 kills, in May 1942, he achieved his 100th aerial victory and received Oak Leaves and Swords in addition to the Cross. He was the fifth in line of pilots to be awarded the Diamonds to the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords on September 29, 1942. Graf became part of propaganda campaigns, even a member of the Luftwaffe football team. At the end of the war, he was leading JG 52 and retreated with the unit from East Prussia, through Silesia and into Bohemia. He surrendered on May 8, 1945, in Písek (South Bohemia) to the Americans. They promptly handed him over to the Russians and Graf spent more than four years in captivity.

   

  Bf 109F-4/Trop, WNr. 10145, Fw. Rudolf Müller, 6./JG 5, Petsamo, Finland, June 1942
  

  Rudolf “Rudi” Müller was born on November 21, 1920, in Frankfurt am Main. During 1940 he underwent pilot training and was assigned to 1./JG 77 in August 41. He scored his first kill on September 12, 1941. His victim was a Soviet I-16. On March 21, 1942, the 6./JG 5 was formed and the number of Müller’s victories over Soviet pilots was steadily rising during this time. Encounters took place during Luftwaffe attacks on convoys to and from Murmansk and during multiple combats with Soviet forces in the area of the Vayenga airfield or over the base of the JG 5 at Petsamo-Luostari. Rudolf Müller was awarded the Knight’s Cross on June 19, 1942, but was shot down and captured by Soviet forces on April 19, 1943. He did not survive, as he was shot while attempting to escape from a prison camp in Mordvinsk on October 21, 1943. 

• Markings Fokker Dr.I 1/48

  425/17, Rtm. Manfred A. Freiherr von Richthofen, CO of JG 1, Cappy, France, April 1918 

  The Great War highest scoring ace and respected commander of Jagdgeschwader 1 achieved his last two victories flying this Dreidecker No. 425/17 on April 20, 1918. The aircraft had already the national insignias adjusted according to the regulation issued by Luftstreitkräfte on March 18, 1918, calling for the adoption of the Balkenkreuz instead of Iron Cross. The penultimate and last victims of “Red Baron” were two Camels of No. 3 Squadron RAF: Maj. R. Raymond-Baker as 79th victim and Capt. D. G. Lewis as 80th. Just a day later, von Richthofen was in combat again. As he was hunting the Camel flown by Lt. May of No. 209 Squadron, Captain Arthur “Roy” Brown came to the latter’s aid, while at the same time, infantrymen opened machine gun fire on the red triplane. It is not known who shot the fatal bullet which hit the “Red Baron”. The autopsy conducted by a field surgeon indicated the mortal bullet was shot by ground machine gun because of the angle of the hit in the chest of Manfred Richthofen. In any case, on April 21, 1918, at 11.50, the final page in the life of Manfred von Richthofen had been written … The aircraft depicted here had the crosses already changed, but on the bottom of the lowest wing the paintjob was either not finished or it was slovenly done. As red paint had to be used for crosses adaption, it is likely the typical scratches on the port side of the cockpit were overpainted during the process.      
  

   

  577/17; Lt. Rudolf Klimke, Jasta 27, Halluin-Ost, France, May 1918
  

  As a member of FFA 55, Rudolf Klimke got his first kill on the Russian Front in 1916. In May 1917, flying an Albatros C.VII with FA 19, along with his observer, he conducted a lone night attack on London. After being transferred to Kasta 13/KG 3, he was flying big Gotha bombers. A Sopwith fighter was shot down by crew of Klimke, Leon and Reintrop over London on June 7, 1917. After that, Klimke underwent training at Jastaschule I and was assigned to Jasta 27 in September 1917. There he gradually increased his kill count to seventeen. On the same day he shot down his 17th victim, September 21, 1918, he was also seriously wounded by enemy fighter fire. Klimke managed to land on the German side of the front but was nearly killed during a bombing of the hospital, where he was treated. He did not return to a combat unit before the war ended.

   

  479/17; Lt. August Raben, Jasta 18, Montingen (Montoy-Flanville), France, October 1917 
  

  August Raben was born on December 2, 1892. After the outbreak of War, he first served with the Feldartillerie Regiment Nr 55. He was transferred to Luftstreitkräfte on April 18, 1916, and after completion of pilot training, he was assigned to Kasta 25 in August 1916. His first fighter unit was Jasta 36, which he joined on February 17 and after he gained experience, he was transferred to the newly formed Jasta 39 to become its CO on August 2. The unit was then sent to Italy, where Raben achieved his first two victories on September 26. He was then wounded by AA fire on November 17. After recovery, he took over the lead of Jasta 15, part of JG II, on March 14, 1918. It was just six days prior to the “big swap” with Jasta 18, which ended with Raben as CO of Jasta 18 and out of the JG II assembly. As the “original” Jasta 18 kept their colors after becoming Jasta 15, Raben’s unit had to opt for new ones: red for front of the fuselage and wings and white for the rest. Raben shot down two more enemies and continued as a member of Freikorps after the war. His aircraft always sported black or white stylized raven for apparent reason, as rabe is the German word for raven. This Dr.I was no exception. It is not sure which color were the wing struts. They lacked the stenciling and seemed to be of a lighter shade than red surfaces but darker than white ones. The original white fields surrounding the older type of the crosses were overpainted with red, but the white background made the red look a little bit lighter.

   

  213/17; Lt. Friedrich P. Kempf, Jasta 2, Bavichove, Belgium, February 1918 
  

  Friedrich Paul Kempf was born on May 9, 1894, in Freiburg. He entered military service in 1913, interrupting his technical studies. In May 1915, he was transferred from the infantry to the Luftstreitkräfte and served with bombing unit Kagohl 4 on both the Western and Balkan Fronts. In April 1917, he was assigned to Jasta Boelcke with which he served his entire career as a fighter pilot (twice interrupted by stints with Jastaschule I). Fritz Kempf distinguished himself more with his two Fokkers Dr.I than with his four kills (BE2e, Pup and two Camels). His planes were similar in appearance and carried the taunting inscription “Kennscht mi noch?” on the medium wing. The meaning is “Do you remember me?” and these words were his typical zinger. He asked this way even people he never met … More to it, he put his name on the top wing to distinguish his Dr.I from the others even more. The aircraft depicted here is the first from two “Kennst mi noch?” ones. Friedrich Kempf survived both world wars and died in 1966.

   

  425/17 flown by Rtm. Manfred A. Freiherr von Richthofen, CO of JG 1, Lechelle, France, March 1918
  

  Manfred Albrecht von Richthofen is rightfully considered the greatest fighter pilot of the First World War as he knocked eighty enemies down prior to his death on April 21, 1918. No one knows what his score might be, if the things went a different way and he had the opportunity to fly the Fokker D.VII in combat- a new fighter he liked very much. On contrary to the general perception, the Fokker Dr.I was not his typical mount, as he shot down only 17 out of his 80 victims while flying the Dreidecker for the  short period of March and April 1918. He was assigned to the Luftstreitkräfte on his own request in 1915 after his service with a cavalry unit. He became an observer but when he met Oswald Boelcke, the impr fighter ace charisma made him to request pilot training. On completion of that, he became pilot of observer aircraft, but after another meeting with Boelcke he joined the ranks of the newly formed Jasta 2. In January 1917, von Richthofen was awarded the highly coveted Pour le Mérite and was subsequently made CO of Jasta 11. In June 1917, he received orders to form Jagdgeschwader 1 from Jasta 4, 6, 10 and 11 units. He led this “wing” until his death on April 21, 1918. Von Richthofen had his aircraft painted red from January 1917 when he led Jasta 11 and flew the Albatros D.III. He carried this practice over to the Fokker Dr.I which he flew as JG 1 Commanding Officer.

   

  564/17; Lt. Werner Steinhäuser, Jasta 11, Avesnes-le-Sec, France, February, 1918 
  

  Werner Steinhäuser was born on June 29, 1893. As a wartime pilot he first served with FA(A) 261 where he achieved his first kill, when he shot down an observing balloon on August 20, 1917. Four months later he was reassigned to Jasta 11, where he started his career by destroying another balloon on January 13, 1918, and gradually increased his count to ten victories. He was wounded when forced to land on March 17, 1918, but recovered and got back to the action. In the morning of June 26, 1918, he was shot down in his Fokker D.VII and killed in combat with French SPADs from either Spa 124 or Spa 93. Steinhäuser flew at least two Dreideckers. The first had the fuselage band red with yellow crosses, on the other one the colors were reversed as they were for the horizontal stabilizer and elevator. 

• Markings Fw 190F-8 1/72

  5./SG 77, Cottbus, Germany, early March 1945 

  This aircraft was photographed at Cottbus airport in early 1945. It bore a standard camouflage scheme consisting of the RLM 74 and 75 colors on the upper surfaces. The lower surfaces were sprayed in RLM 76, which was complemented on the fuselage bottom by a green-blue shade of the RLM 76. The black horizontal stripe indicates the aircraft belonged to 5. Staffel SG 77. The significance of the red flash on the engine cowling is unknown.
  

   

  SG 2, Huingary, Winter 1944/1945
  

  The standard camouflage of this aircraft of RLM 74 and 75 colors was covered with irregular white patches on the upper and side surfaces. The yellow band around the fuselage was complemented by yellow stripes forming a V on the wing. This marking was introduced by Fliegerkorps IV after Romania had crossed over to the other side of the conflict and it was necessary to visually distinguish its own German aircraft from the same types of Romanian aircraft, which became enemies.

   

  1./SG 4, Piacenza, Italy 1944
  

  During the time Schlachtgeschwader 4 operated in Italy, where the unit was part of efforts to slow down advancing Allied forces, its Fw 190F-8s sported an interesting appearance. The upper surfaces were painted over with sandy brown color complemented with irregular olive spots. This modification was done hastily in field conditions and led to partial respray of the insignia. Also, the white stripe on the upper side of the fuselage which indicated the unit operating in the Mediterranean theatre was resprayed. The aircraft belonged to the I. Gruppe and sported unit´s emblem on the nose. The propeller cone was probably black, complemented with a white spiral.

   

  WNr. 584592, SG 2 or SG 10, Neubiberg, Germany, May 1945
  

  The yellow 14, belonging to II. Gruppe SG 2 or SG 10 and left behind by Luftwaffe personnel at the end of the war at Neubiberg, represents the Fw 190F-8 of the last production series. The upper surfaces were painted in RLM 75/76/81/83, while the lower surfaces were partly sprayed in RLM 76. Similar to the Fw 190D-9s produced at the end of the war, part of the lower wing surfaces were left in bare metal for example, while the flaps, ailerons and fuselage bottom were sprayed with RLM 76. The bottom of the elevator appears dark in the photo, but this is down to the different angle of its surface to the light source. A yellow band was sprayed around the nose, indicating attack aircraft of the Luftwaffe at the time.

   

  SG 10, České Budějovice, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, May 1945
  

  One of the aircraft left by Stab SG 10 and some of its Gruppe at the airfield in České Budějovice was the Fw 190F-8 marked with a yellow letter K. It sported signs of camouflage modifications of some SG 10 aircraft at the end of the war. The entire upper surfaces were brushed over with dark green RLM 83 or a very similar color. As it was made in field conditions the green color interfered irregularly with the lower surfaces. The insignia on the upper side of the wing and on the fuselage partially perished under the new paint. Shortly afterwards the yellow K got a replacement tail surfaces in the standard grey-gray camouflage from a destroyed Fw 190. This was the reason for the mismatch in the style of the applied crosses and swastikas. By May 1945, the brush-painted green color was considerably worn. The identifying yellow Jabo stripe wrapped around the engine cowling. Inconsistent interpretation of the regulation on the application of this stripe led to different widths of the stripe and also to different positions of its application. For this scheme, the yellow stripe appearance was reconstructed according to the most common occurrence within SG 10. It is worth noting the removal of the lower main landing gear wheel covers, which was intended to prevent operational difficulties on muddy airfields. The aircraft carried ETC 50 hangers for four 50 kg bombs under the wings.

• Decal Set Angel of Mercy 1/48 HKM

  B-25J-10-NC, 43-35982, 428th BS, 310th BG, 12th AF, Ghisonaccia, Corsica, France, April 1945  

  The 310th Bombardment Group was activated in March 1942 and designated as a medium bomber Group consisting of four squadrons. Delivered in June 1944, the 43-35982 ship nicknamed “Angel of Mercy” was flying with the 428th bomb squadron. She was one of 15 aircraft of the unit to fly the mission to the Rovereto on April 19, 1945. She was hit by shell fragments from AA fire and badly damaged prior to the bomb dropping. Pilot-in-command, 1/Lt. W. S. McMillan managed to keep the ship on course with help of his co-pilot W. D. McLean, enabling the bombardier to drop the bombs on the target, the railroad bridge. The hits knocked out the hydraulic system and main gear, rear gunner A. S. Hatfield was wounded. The crew decided not to risk the overseas flight to the home base at Corsica and opted for another base of the 310th BG at Fano, Italy, where they managed to land the ship with only nose landing gear open. The “Angel of Mercy” ship was left in natural metal finish, so it had the horizontal band on the vertical tail surfaces separated by black bands. The colors for 310th BG as well as for the 428th BS were yellow. The propeller spinner and the front of the engine covers were of the same color. The nose art of the nurse with a bomb under her arm was not accompanied by mission symbols on this aircraft.         
  

  
  

  B-25J-1-NC, 43-27716, 445th BS, 321st BG 12th AF, Solenzara, Corsica, France, April 1945

  Constituted as 321st Bombardment Group (Medium) on June 19, 1942 and activated on June 26, the crews of the unit prepared for overseas duty with B-25s. The 43-27716 ship got rather amusing nickname “Shit house mouse” and had the missions marked by black mice. On the engine cowl there was an inscription “Quaketown” (the town in Pennsylvania). The pilot of the ship and the Airplane Commander was 1/Lt. R. S. Elmer from December 1, 1944, to March 29, 1945. On the March 30 Elmer overhanded her to 1/Lt. R. G. Rice, who brought “Shit house mouse” to the end of the war. Until its 73rd mission the aircraft had only the Roman numeral I on the tail, after then Latin number 7 was added on the vertical fin on December 14, 1944. The ship sported Olive Drab color over the upper and side surfaces, as was a common practice. Other surfaces were left in natural metal finish. The outhouse was of brown color.
  

  
  

  B-25J-1-NC, 43-3890, 82nd BS, 12th BG, 10th AF, Fenny, India, December 1945 

  Constituted as 12th Bombardment Group (Light) on November 20, 1940, the unit was activated on January 15, 1941. The crews trained with B-18, B-23 and PT-17 aircraft and patrolled the west coast after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour. The group was redesignated as Medium in December 1941 and started flying the B-25s early in 1942. After spell with 9th AF in Mediterranean theater the group, nicknamed “Earthquakers”, moved to India in February 1944 and was assigned to 10th AF. The 43-3890 was nicknamed “Milk Run” with paintings of five small, adorable bulldogs. Bulldog was a squadron´s mascot, the term “Milk Run” was used for easy, low-risk missions and several other aircraft were named similarly. The painting was a job of Capt. Norman L. Harms, one of the second pilots of the unit. The “Milk Run” ship was painted in standard camouflage of Olive Drab upper and side surfaces with Neutral Gray from bottom. 
  

  
  

  B-25J-10-NC, 43-28152, 501st BS, 345th BG, 5th AF, Luzon, Philippines, February 1944 

  The 345th Bomb Group was first activated at Columbia Army AB in November 1942 and was christened the “Air Apaches” in July 1944. It was the first Air Force Combat Group to be sent to the Pacific in WWII. The group consisted of four squadrons, as usual with the medium bomber groups, one of them, the 501st squadron, had the nickname “Black Panthers”. The 43-28152 was assigned to the unit on October 22, 1944, and shortly afterwards nicknamed “Apache Princess” and assigned to pilot Roman Ohnemus. The ship was lost on May 27, 1945, when piloted by 2/Lt Ted. U. Hart on the mission against Ensui airfield and rail yard on Formosa. Due to a navigational error and bad weather the squadron missed the target and attacked sugar refinery and a brick plant at Mizukami and Meiji instead. The “Apache Princess” was hit by AA fire during attack and her left engine caught fire. After releasing the bombs, Hart feathered the damaged engine, but the fire spread to the bomb bay and the aircraft crash landed into the rice field. SSgt. Robert E. Bever was fatally wounded, the rest of the crew survived and became POW. There is no photo evidence of the port side of the ship, it is believed the beautiful and large nose art was only on the starboard side (although the warbird with both sides painting of heavily modified theme exists). The original painting was a masterpiece of work of gifted Sgt. George M. Blackwell. The aircraft sported the older variant of the Group´s badge, the head of the Indian. It is possible it might be already replaced by later simplified badge at the time it reached its sour end.    
  

  
  

  B-25J-5, 43-27952, 823rd BS, 38th BG, 5th AF, Morotai, Indonesia, November 1944 

  The 38th Bombardment Group (Medium) was constituted on November 20, 1940, and activated on January 15, 1941, at Langley Army Air Base, Virginia. The initial personnel were transferred from the 22nd Bombardment Group. The 38th BG consisted of four squadrons, but two of them were assigned to the 42nd BG after the Battle of Midway. The 823rd Bomb Squadron was constituted and assigned to the 38th BG in New Guinea on April 20, 1943, as well as the 822nd BS, the two bringing the 38th BG to the full strength of four squadrons again. The 823rd BS adopted the name „Terrible Tigers“ and started to decorate their aircraft correspondingly. It was also the case of the No. 952 ship, which was one of few with glass cockpit left, as many B-25Js of the 38th BG were either original strafers with solid nose or modified with the glass nose painted over. The “952” was assigned to Lt. John W. Lupardus as a pilot. The tiger´s head was partly painted over the glass part of the nose of the ship, the camo colors were standard Olive Drab and Neutral Gray. The lower part of the fin was either green or blue. The blue was assigned to the squadron, but the green was also used on some aircraft as it did not intervene with markings of other squadrons (the 405th BS used also green color, but on the upper part of the fins
  

• One shade of Gray

  
  

  Text: Richard Plos

  Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz

  Cat. No. 7469

  
  

  It´s August 28, 1992. I´m standing next to one of the five Mi-24Vs of our Pilsen display box as we are preparing to our choppers´ startup procedure prior to the general rehearsal of our performance for tomorrow´s Airshow in České Budějovice. The first APU sounds, but as I am in the fifth solo chopper there is still some time for us to follow. With my foot on the footrest under the cockpit, gripping the edge of it, I can´t resist to watch the dynamic performance of a MiG-21MF. It roars through the air on full throttle with the afterburner and starts a spectacular steep bank roll through the reverse position. The seconds which follow are like a slow-motion movie. In the reverse position, the aircraft pitches the nose sharply and descends rapidly. The pilot tries to get the aircraft back to normal position but having not enough speed it is now flat-falling rather than flying. The MiG disappears behind the edge of the distant forest and suddenly the big explosion cloud rises and its sound hits us a split second later … It´s clear there would be no point to start our engines. The crash was disastrous as Lt. Col. Jiří Moutvička was killed. He was a member of the Delta team, the group of three pilots and aircraft which was performing MiG-21MF displays. He died in the cockpit of aircraft number 7709, the camouflaged one and also the only standard MiG-21MF of the team. The other two aircraft were examples of the last 20-aircraft delivery of this type to Czechoslovakia. As they were delivered in a light grey color, the nickname “Greyish” was logical. They all were produced by Plant No. 21 in Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod), which by that time was already producing a more advanced version MiG-21bis. Czechoslovakia decided not to introduce the latter, as it had already its fighter regiments on full strength with MiG-21MFs. These were all produced by Znamaya Truda Plant No. 30 in Moscow. However, at the time of the order for the last MiG-21MFs the latter was already producing MiG-23s. And, as the Gorky plant no longer produced the MFs either, the MiG-21bis being the standard product there, they manufactured the “Grayishs” as side products for last-call MiG-21MF orders by several countries.

  The “Grayishs” actually represented a kind of intermediate type, as they carried several features of the MiG-21bis version. For example, they differed from the standard MFs by a different “periscope” (rear-view mirror), a different cockpit layout, in which a modernized KM-1M ejection seat was installed, a slightly different gun cover, and a different location of the cartridge belt covers. In addition, oval panels were missing on the upper side of the wing. This change was related to a different technological procedure for sealing the wing integral tanks. The Moscow plant first assembled the wing and then injected the liquid seal into the tank through the hole under the panels. However, at Gorky they applied the seals during the assembly of the wing and so they did not need the hole under the oval panels.

  The Delta team was founded in the spring of 1992 by Lt. Col. František Hlavnička (who died in a car accident on August 13, 2019). This excellent pilot and later inspector of piloting techniques at the Air Force Headquarters (already as a Full Colonel) had been demonstrating the MiG-21s since 1988, and it was his idea to spray paint the wing and fuselage of one camouflaged aircraft (7709) and two “Grayishs” (2410 and 2205) with winged arrows in the colors of the Czechoslovak tricolor. In addition, the Delta team emblem was painted on the vertical stabilizer and the number 9 on the rudder represented the 9 Fighter-Bomber Regiment based in Bechyně. Together with František Hlavnička, who even at the end of his flying career considered himself a “young pilot” (in the sense that he still had a lot to learn), the members of Delta team were Lt Col. Jiří Moutvička and Lt. Col. František Bittner.

  The disaster in which Jiří Moutvička died was the first nail in the coffin of the Delta team. The next was the disbanding of the 9 Fighter-Bomber Regiment and the overhaul of the no. 2205 aircraft in November 1992. Subsequently it served with the 82 Independent Fighter Squardon in Mošnov and then in Čáslav, there already in the MFN version. Aircraft No. 2410 also served briefly in Mošnov, but it did not see overhaul nor upgrade to the MFN version and was handed over to the museum in Kbely, where it is still located today.

  As part of the repairs carried out at the beginning of the 1980s in the Aviation Repair Shop Kbely, the “Grayishs” were repainted with a similar shade of a gray paint, the exception being aircraft No. 4175, which for unknown reasons was painted in a slightly blue-gray shade. However, some of the standard MiG-21MFs also received gray paint as a part of repairs, so not every MiG-21MF in a gray color is a “Grayish”. This nickname belongs only to the aircraft with fuselage numbers 2205, 2410, 2500, 3008, 4003, 4008, 4017, 4038, 4101, 4127, 4175, 4405, 4421, 5494, 5508, 5512, 5581, 5603, 5612 and 9307. The 2205, 2500, 3008, 4003, 4017, 4127,4175, 4405, 5581 and 5603 were converted to the MFN version. Aircraft 3008 and 4127 were destroyed in the crash on October 10, 2000, while No.  5494 was also lost in a previous crash (1980).

  One of the two “Grayihs”" with striking Delta team graphics is depicted on Piotr Forkasiewicz´s boxart for the kit Cat. No. 7469 in a low pass over the base. It may just be leaving for an airshow, and the pilot is determined to show what this aircraft can do despite its age...

• The Star of Africa

  
  

  Text: Jan Bobek

  Illustration: Marek Ryś

  Cat. No. 84188

  
  

  Hans-Joachim “Jochen” Marseille was born in 1919 in Berlin and was a descendant of Huguenot immigrants. He came from a difficult family background and had strong ties to his younger sister Ingeborg, who was murdered in 1941, and “Jochen” was reportedly unable to cope with her death. With 158 victories, he became the most successful German fighter pilot fighting against the Western Allies. In 1938, he joined the Luftwaffe and one of his instructors was Julius Arigi, one of the most successful Austro-Hungarian fighters of the First World War.

  On August 10, 1940 Marseille was assigned to 1.(Jagd)/LG 2, which at that time fought in the Battle of Britain. He flew as wingman (Kaczmarek) of StFw. Helmut Goedert and achieved his first victory on 24 August. He gradually added six more enemy kills to his tally with this unit, but his Staffelkapitän, Oblt. Adolf Buhl had difficulty with him. A report he prepared on the young airman on 6 September, after four weeks with the unit, shows that the undisciplined Marseille had been reprimanded, given three days of light imprisonment and five days of detention. According to Buhl, however, Marseille flew with wisdom and courage. He was honest and friendly with his colleagues and was above average intelligence. In difficult situations he handled himself with poise and aggressiveness, and after four weeks he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class. The Gruppenkommandeur Herbert Ihlefeld also gave him a positive assessment in December 1940.

  In December, Marseille was transferred to 4./JG 52 under the command of Johannes Steinhoff. Among “Jochen's” colleagues in this Staffel was Gerhard Barkhorn. But “Jochen” did not stay there long either, apparently the reason again being disciplinary problems. Steinhoff later commented: “Marseille was constantly undisciplinned, but he was an excellent flier. Something was wrong in his family. He never wanted to see his father again.”

  In February 1941 he was transferred to 3./JG 27. He had a brief deployment in the Balkans with his new Staffel, but by April he had already scored his first victory in Africa. When Marseille told his new Staffelkapitän, who was Hans-Arnold Stahlschmidt, about the difficulties he had had with his previous units, his new superior asked him, “And you want to become a big eagle here?” Marseille answered quite frankly, “The biggest!”

  By the end of 1941 he had 36 victories to his credit. He often scored several kills in one day. After achieving his 50th aerial victory on 21st February 1942, he was awarded the Knight's Cross. He received the Oak Leaf Cluster in early June after achieving his 75th victory, and in the same month he also received the Swords for his 101st aerial victory. In June 1942 he was appointed commander of 3./JG 27. In early September 1942, after achieving 126 victories, he received the Diamonds to the Knight's Cross. Between 31st August 1942 and September 26, he achieved 57 victories, 17 of these were achieved in a single day, on 1st September. In September 1942, he was promoted to the rank of Hauptmann. Marseille had versatile skills in both piloting and gunnery. He did not hesitate to maneuver in enemy formation at low speed and to perform deflection shooting. He also tried to rescue downed enemy airmen in the desert and dropped news of their fate on the other side of the front. Marseille was killed on 30th September 1942 at Sidi Abd el Rahman while jumping from his machine with damaged engine. News of his death was carried even by the Allied press. A small pyramid was erected at the site of the tragic end. He was nicknamed the “Star of Africa” and Adolf Galland called him “the unrivalled virtuoso among fighter pilots”. Marseille was known for his bohemian life, his relationships with famous female artists. He ran a bar in the desert outposts called “The Blue Cave” and his favorite song was “Rumba Azul”. In 1957, a German-Spanish feature film “Der Stern von Afrika” was made about him.

  The question remains, of course, how successful a fighter Marseille actually was. Researchers Dan Case and Nick Hector conclude that 135 kills can be documented out of the Marseille´s total of 158 officially certified and five unconfirmed victories. Marseille thus has an 82.8 % accuracy rate for his claimed victories.

• The last victim

  
  

  Text: Richard Plos

  Illustration: Adam Tooby

  Cat. No. 8162

  
  

  The September morning of April 20, 1918, is still shrouded in a foggy haze when the cough of an engine, revved up for the morning engine warm-up, cuts through the silence. Another hectic day of the German spring offensive starts at Cappy airfield for the JG I and its commanding officer Manfred von Richthofen. At Val Heureux airfield, just some 30 miles to the northwest, members of No. 3 Squadron RAF, led by twenty-four-year-old Major Richard Raymond-Barker, are carrying out similar procedures. In the evening, these units will fight an air battle and Manfred von Richthofen will achieve his last two victories. One of his victims will be the commander of the British unit...

  Camels of No. 3 Sqn took off from Val Heureux under the lead of Capt. Douglas Bell, C Flight leader, although Raymond-Barker was also on patrol. When the formation was less than three miles behind the front line, it was spotted by pilots from Jasta 11. The fight began with a frontal attack by both formations and at 18:40, just seconds after the rivals engaged each other, the main fuel tank of Raymond-Barker´s Camel exploded after a direct hit. The one who fired the bullet was none other than the Red Baron. Three minutes later, von Richthofen was attacking another opponent. It was  Camel number B7393 . And here we start with our story...

  Lieutenant David Lewis notices his commander´s plane explodes, but doesn´t have time to watch his fate. He attacks one of the enemies, but suddenly splinters fly off of one of his Camel´s struts. He kicks the pedals, full throttle and sends his aircraft into a steep-bank turn. He finds himself facing the red Dreidecker that fired at him. He tries to escape with even more violent maneuvering, and at one point manages to get the red machine in his gunsight. He knows all too well who he´s dealing with, and after some of his bullets hit the fuselage of the opponent´s aircraft, he wonders how great it would be if he, a rookie who´s only been at the front for three weeks, was the one to shoot down the famous ace. But the fortunes are to change. The enemy is an all-too-experienced pilot. He escapes and within seconds the hunter is the prey. One of Red Baron´s bullets shatters the compass, another miraculously misses David´s head, hits his aviation goggles and knocks them off. Just as miraculously, another bullet gets through his pant leg, but only grazes the pilot himself. Then a few bullets hit the fuel tank. Even so, it´s a stroke of luck anyway, as only a small reserve tank is hit. Instead of a devastating explosion, it “only” catches fire and Lewis immediately dives his Camel. He plummets to the ground as flames consume the fuselage´s canvas covering. It´s a race against time to get to the ground before the fire destroys the controls! A hard emergency “landing” at around 60 mph rips the poor Camel apart and the impact throws David out of the cockpit. He briefly loses consciousness and when he regains it, he lies motionless for a moment. Perhaps he´s reluctant to believe he´s alive. He gets up and is astonished to find that, apart from minor burns, he is unharmed. A miracle! Less than 50 yards away, the wreckage of the Raymond-Barker´s Camel is burning. David runs towards it, but the heat of the flames won´t let him near the wreckage. The body of his CO is not inside and will never be found ... Then a red Dr.I flies over the grim scene and waves. Is Manfred von Richthofen honoring his victims, or is he trying to attract the attention of the nearby German soldiers for future verification of his victories? We don´t know. He himself cannot know that the man on the ground was his last victim, nor would he ever know that he was a barely twenty-year-old David Greswolde “Tommy” Lewis from Southern Rhodesia. A native of Bulawayo who, as soon as his age allowed, made his way to the UK and joined the ranks of the RFC. He graduated from pilot school in April 1917, was promoted to officer rank in June and served with No. 78 (HD) Squadron before being transferred to No. 3 Squadron at the end of March 1918. After being shot down over enemy territory, he spent the rest of the war in a prisoner of war camp at Graudenz (now Grudziądz, Poland) and then returned to Southern Rhodesia. He farmed and also worked in government administration and died on August 10, 1978, outliving his conqueror, who died the day after their duel, by more than sixty years...

  Adam Tooby´s boxart captures the moment after Lewis´s Camel was hit. The young pilot turns his burning machine into a steep dive as the Red Baron watches his victim. The Dr. I of Werner Steinhäuser, who also took part in the battle on April 20, can be seen in the background hunting another Camel. His Dreidecker is also part of the markings offered in the box.

• Editorial

  
  

  
  

  Good Day, Dear Friends

  We are at the beginning of May, and so the competition season is revving up nicely. We have just had the traditional Moson event and the Kit Show takes place in Kopřivnice on Saturday, so it´s a good time to talk about this year´s E-day. E-day 2023 takes place on Saturday, September 23 at the Tankodrom in Milovice and we will be following the same scheme as last year, meaning that exhibiting modelers begin on Friday afternoon and will include the early evening program. We haven't exactly defined what that will be yet, but we have interesting possibilities and I have no doubt that Friday's program will be at least as good as last year's. It will be the same on Saturday, and we will be sticking to our long-standing tradition of holding our “The Pot” Q and A session, a “one on one” with a special guest, and a flight demonstration which is bound to be very popular as it always is. This is also being discussed right now and the options are attractive. These are the parts that were successful last year and we will not make any fundamental changes to them. Then there are the points that were not quite as successful. This was the shuttle service from the railway station in Lysá nad Labem, and this year we will improve it and pay more attention to its organization. Another point to improve on is the management of the upper parking lot for exhibiting modelers, where the surface quality should be better this year. This year we will take more control over who parks where, and after last year's experience we will limit the freedom of choice of a parking spot to a certain extent. It may sound dramatic, but it will be of general benefit. And thirdly, we will push for the improvement of the catering, which is not under our control, but we will still push for an increase in its quality, as well as the speed of service. And that is about it for E-day for now, so on to May news.

   

  KITS

  We don´t have any super-hot off the presses premieres for May, but you will still find some noteworthy pieces in the collection of four new releases and two reissues. In the ProfiPACK 1:48th range, we have prepared a new edition of the Hellcat, a late version of the F6F-5. There is a new collection of color markings, five of the six are Hellcats from various US Navy aircraft carriers, deployed in the last year of the war in the Pacific, the sixth machine is a 1951 French Indochina Hellcat.

  In the Limited Edition 1:48th range, we have probably the last of this type dedicated to the Spitfire Mk.V. Maybe not the very last, as there is still another Spitfire Mk.V themed LE kit in the game, dedicated to Czechoslovak pilots in the RAF, but it certainly won´t be this year. Likewise, there is also a similar Limited Edition item dedicated to Poles, but the same applies here, too. So “Malta”, as this item is called, is definitely the last Spitfire Limit Edition release this year. The story of the defense of Malta is a magnificent one of monumental proportions, interspersed here with other types of aircraft, such as the Bf 109. And also, next month, when we release our long-awaited Bf 109 F in 1:72nd, in the Limited Edition Wunderschöne Neue Maschinen boxing, something else Malta related will appear as well. Maltese Spitfires are colorful not only in the stories of the planes and their pilots, but also in their camouflage schemes and markings, as you can judge on the pages dedicated to this item in today´s edition of the newsletter. If Maltese Spitfires interest you, you can expand your knowledge about them thanks to one of today´s historical articles. Its author, Michal Krechowski, was, among other things, the product manager responsible for the development of this kit. He did this job enthusiastically and very well, because Spitfires in general, including Spitfires in Malta, are his lifelong passion.

  We also have two Weekend releases. In 72nd scale, returning to the MiG-21MF Interceptor version, lovingly dubbed “the Greyishs” here in the Czech Republic. The nickname naturally comes from the grey coloring of these MiGs as delivered, which were the most powerful fighters of the Czechoslovak Air Force at the time. They were also the longest-serving of all the MiGs here, and the best maintained airframes were upgraded to MiG-21MFN standard in the 1990s and served until the arrival of the Gripen.

  The second May Weekend release is the 48th scale Bf 109 F-4. The striking boxart image shows one of the four marking options, an airplane flown by Hans-Joachim Marseille, the Star of Africa, and another star is included as well, that of Hermann Graf. There are a further two equally colorful machines. Now, you can argue that there are already God knows how many 109s out there, but the simple fact that you can’t ignore is that there is a market for all of them, and they just don’t get old. After all, the main reason for releasing this Weekend kit is the fact that at the moment all our Bf 109 F kits in 48th are sold out, and the same is true of the Bf 109 G-2 and G-4. So in the coming months you can expect these types as well among new items. I just hope it won´t cause confusion with the pending wave of 72nd scale Fredericks and Gustavs. And they´re even nicer than the current quarter scale kits, believe me. I´m building one of the first ones here right now.

  As a reissue, we have the Fw 190 F-8 in 1:72nd, which is a straight reissue in the current type of packaging, and we did not make any major changes to it compared to the original release. The 1:48th scale Fokker Dr.I didn´t see any radical changes either, but it does feature new box art, depicting the last aerial victory of the Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen.

   

  ACCESSORIES

  In the Brassin range, this month we have, for the first time in our history, all new products made exclusively by 3D printing. They range from small items such as magazines for Vickers 97 machine guns in 1:48th, exhausts for the Spitfire Mk.IX in 1:24th, and German rudder pedals in 32nd, to large kits such as the engine for the F4F-3A Wildcat, and a cockpit, flaps and engine for the Rufe. Prints everywhere you look. For me, this is a nice result of our campaign for innovation. In addition to the mentioned sets, in today´s collection you will find an exhaust nozzle and a seat for the F-35A in 1:48th from Tamiya, a radar for the 48th scale F-16 from Kinetic and a gun bay for our Wildcat covering the F4F-4 variant. There are also two small 1:35th scale AFV sets and some new LööK items as well.

  In the Space range, we have eight new sets, mainly for 48th scale models. Among photoetched and masks, there are collections that are geared to the F-86D and PV-1 kits from Academy, the Mi-17 from AMK and flaps for our Rufe, all in 1:48th scale, as well as the CH-54 in 1:35 from ICM and the P-40B in 1:32nd by GWH. There is one set is for the USS Missouri in 1:350, and there is also one single set in 72nd, a ZOOM for the MiG-21MF, which is, of course, intended to complement the Weekend kit mentioned above in the new kit release paragraph. Additionally, there are four new BigEds, two BigSins and three LöökPlus sets to consider. As usual, you can find a thorough description of all sets on the pages dedicated to May releases.

   

  ARTICLES

  The article section of our newsletter, dedicated to history and technology, is probably its most popular feature today. This month, we have an article by Miro Barič about the fate of the USS Hornet and other aircraft carriers during the battles for the Solomon Islands. Next, we have an article “The Red Baron” by Jörn Leckscheid, bringing several new insights relating to the personality of the most successful fighter pilot of the Great War, Manfred von Richthofen. I have already mentioned the Malta Spitfire project by Michal Krechowski, in addition there are three Boxart stories: One shade of Gray about the MiG-21MF, The Last Victim about the scene depicted on the Profipack Fokker Dr.I box (both by Richard Plos) and Star of Africa about Hans-Joachim Marseille by Jan Bobek.

  And that will be it for me for this month. I wish you a pleasant evening and hope that our newsletter will be a good reading companion to you.

   

  Happy modeling!

  Vladimír Šulc

• Tail End Charlie

  Note: This article was not written using Artificial Intelligence

  I ask all those who know the author to kindly refrain from asking themselves the question whether or not the following was written with any form of intelligence at all. And for those that can refrain from such a folly, the following article is meant for you….

  It has become very apparent that a lot of us are asking the question how far will the IT technology craze of artificial intelligence impact our hobby. I don’t want to get into philosophical debates on the theme of how close these things approach actual intelligence with self-replicating capability and self reliance and to what extent they are ‘just’ sophisticated algorithms of data neural networks with vast amounts of data sources to draw from.  Rather than that, I want to reflect upon the outputs of AI and its potential applications to us. In the current fashion boom, many systems are called artificial intelligence, which, although very advanced, are not actually self-learning or self-improving systems.

  The boundary, when it comes to ‘artificial intelligence’ (or ‘artificial’ intelligence... or artificial ‘intelligence’ - the attentive reader will surely recognize the nuances of these formulations) can probably best be demonstrated by OCR, i.e. systems with the ability to recognize writing from a source in the form of an image. These systems have been around for some time now, and most of the more readily accessible ones are not, in reality, actual AI. The more common, simpler ones lack a substantial self-learning element. In order for a system to be able to self improve and learn, it needs feedback, where it is told ‘... but the letter you read as Z is actually a slightly skewed 2’, and the system takes that into account when making decisions, and adapts when a similar situation is subsequently encountered. Neural data networks have been able to do such things for many years, and many articles can be found on the subject. And that can already be called artificial intelligence, although ‘self-learning system’ seems more adequate to me.

  Still, I don't want to give the impression that I am underestimating artificial intelligence. Development is very rapid and I believe that we will see things within its scope the likes of which we can’t even fathom right now. As with everything, however, I am somewhat skeptical when it comes to hyped up headlines and various impetuous statements. Nevertheless, I can certainly imagine that AI systems will gradually find their applications in a natural way in production technologies that are used in the design and production of models and accessories.

  Due to AI being in vogue, we often come across attempts to create published articles with the help of AI. Know that as far as I am concerned, our articles will be written by real authors with real knowledge, and historical facts or technical data will come from our own sources, books, archives, knowledge. This is the case with most of what is, particularly in our historical articles, printed in our monthly newsletter. They are based on the author’s own research, often the result of many years of work, information gathered from many experts from all over the world, and is not information that can simply be extracted from Internet sources and compiled using AI.

  Of course, I can't rule out that one of our authors will help themselves by having AI advise them on better sentence formulation, a more graceful word flow - which, after all, these systems can do quite well. However, as far as this particular article is concerned, if you find the style acceptable and with a relatively graceful flow to it, praise should not be showered on AI, but rather on our proofreaders... :-)

  I currently see three areas of AI (or advanced IT) that can be used in plastic modeling that I would like to outline with this article and I will discuss them in the following paragraphs (although surely some of you may come up with other possible uses and for your feedback, we will be grateful).

  
  

  OCR (Optical Character Recognition)

  The first area is the study and further processing of historical documents. This is where OCR is very useful, so I won't go into more detail about it as mentioned above, but I will show an example instead.

  Excerpt from the combat report of Lt. Francis M. Matney of the 55th FG, on 11/2/1944:

  Here is the unaltered OCR rewrite:
  

  I was flying Hellcat White 4 on Lt. Jowell's wing at an altitude of 32,000 feet when 15 plus Me109's and FW190's came in on the bombers below us at 27,000 foot. We immediately dro'ped our belly tanks and dove on them from r o'clock. Lt. Jewell nicked out one Me109 and I stayed on his wing. The E/A started a steep diving turn to the left and ended in a vortical dive.

  A few misinterpreted letters are obvious, but after minor editing the text is very usable for further processing. Advanced OCR systems can deal with written text to a certain extent, but the already mentioned self-learning element with feedback from the user must be applied... and you simply have to ‘get used to’ such a system taking into account any given handwriting.

  
  

  OpenAI/ChatGPT Type Text Compilers

   I don't want to knock these systems or underestimate them. I am playing around with ChatGPT myself, and I was really amazed recently when I asked it for advice on, among other things, an issue with radio navigation, while preparing for theoretical PPL exams. However, it should be noted that although the sources from which it compiled and formulated its outputs are very extensive, they do have their limitations. Sometimes we are given some pretty absurd answers, which this AI is able to offer with staggering confidence.

  I tentatively touched on one of my fundamental topics – the air battle over the Ore Mountains of September 11, 1944, with the question of why this battle started. I wouldn't be surprised if the system was not able to provide an answer. Surprisingly (and misleading for the unaware), the answer is wrong, but presented with a high level of confidence:

  ‘The air battle over the Ore Mountains on September 11, 1944, was a part of a larger operation known as the ‘Schweinfurt-Regensburg mission.’ The mission was an Allied bombing campaign against German industrial targets, specifically the factories producing ball bearings, which were essential for the German war effort.’

  Of course, the Schweinfurt/Regensburg mission took place on August 17, 1943…

  On other examples, though, the system should be congratulated, and I found it impossible to mislead it.

  Question: What was role of Adolf Galland on liberation of Prague?

  Answer: Adolf Galland did not have a role in the liberation of Prague on May 9, 1945.

  Galland was a German fighter pilot during World War II and a high-ranking officer in the German Luftwaffe. He was involved in many significant battles and operations throughout the war, including the Battle of Britain and the defense of Germany against the Allied bombing campaigns.

  However, by the time of the liberation of Prague, Galland had been relieved of his command and was under house arrest by the Nazi authorities for his outspoken criticism of the leadership of the Luftwaffe. Therefore, he was not involved in any military operations during the final days of the war in Europe, including the liberation of Prague.

  The insight to be gained is clear - similar systems, whether we agree that they are artificial intelligence or not, can be very helpful. However, we must be very careful about what they present to us and not leave out our own sense of reason.

  
  

  Historical Photo Analysis and Color Recognition

  Systems for defining the colors of objects in historical photographs will certainly find considerable applications in our field. Not that I think the end is near for debates over beer between modelers about  the actual shade of RLM 66 or the fact that technology could so easily determine the exact shades of camouflage colors, but it is already clear that the potential for its help is there, and it is significant

  Of course, limitations will apply here too, and we must not lose our ability to be reasonably skeptical or critical. The quality of the input material also plays a very important role here. In a completely different way, this system will be able to deal with a high-quality scan of an original historical photograph and in a different way with an image downloaded from the Internet and resampled and color-converted or corrected many times.

  The outputs we are offered - and I stress again - we need to be careful with them and apply due scrutiny, interesting insights. And even if the color solution is wrong, the colorization itself in the sense of what the AI sees can draw our attention to interesting details that we would have missed when studying these photos in the original black and white. I can certainly imagine such an aid utilized by our experts dealing with camouflage schemes for kits. But everything in moderation….

  As in the previous examples, there is a wide qualitative range of systems in this area. From web applications to professional systems used, such as, for example, color films. You can now incorporate feedback from users and really learn and advance your approach when analyzing shades of black and white photos. One more example:

  This example is a portion of a photo of a Bf 109G flown by Fhj.Fw. Hans-Theo Ableiter of III./JG 4. At the far left is a scan of the original photograph, in the middle and at the right are two color reproductions made using two different AI systems. Although the quality is different (one system is a professional film system, the other is a commercially available converter), the color reproductions in both cases match fairly well. The colors of RLM 75 and RLM 76 can be quite clearly distinguished against a light background, which logically should probably be the rather gray variant of RLM 76. Note how each system reproduces the individual spots. The simpler one (on the right) made 74 even from some stains, which the first system identified as RLM 75.
  

  So that it all isn’t too easy, I'm attaching one more picture showing how AI coped with color resolution in another case. Many of you know that this airplane is supposed to be all red with a black spinner…

  It is obvious that the tools at our disposal today, whether correctly or otherwise considered artificial intelligence, can be of tremendous help and will increasingly be so as time goes on. However, we should not turn off our own judgment and ability to draw conclusions. To end in style, I asked ChatGPT to say hello to the readers of our newsletter:
  

  
  

  Dear readers of Info Eduard magazine,

  I hope this message finds you well and that you continue to find the content of this publication informative and engaging. Thank you for your continued support and readership, and I wish you all the best in your personal and academic pursuits.

  Best regards, ChatGPT

  
  

  Jan Zdiarský 

• The Red Combat Flyer

  When asking a regular person on the street to name a famous soldier from the First World War, the answer is most likely going to be “The Red Baron”.

  
  

  Text: Jörn Leckscheid

  
  

  Manfred von Richthofen

   

  When asking a regular person on the street to name a famous soldier from the First World War, the answer is most likely going to be “The Red Baron”.

   

  The full name and title of the person behind this moniker was Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen, who was born on May 2, 1892, in Breslau as the second child and first son of Kunigunde and Albrecht von Richthofen. The term “Red Baron” was bestowed upon as the Anglo-American translation of his Prussian rank of nobility: The male members of the von Richthofen family were actually “Freiherren”. The translated term gained popularity in post-war times, especially when cartoonist Charles M. Schulz had his cartoon character “Snoopy” fighting imaginary dogfights against the “Red Baron” in his equally imaginary Sopwith Camel in the 1960s and 70s.

  Manfred and his sister Elisabeth (born 1890), more commonly called “Ilse”, were to be joined by two more brothers: Lothar was born two years after Manfred, and Karl Bolko Alexander, usually called by his second name, completed the quartet in 1903. By then, the von Richthofen family had moved from Breslau to Schweidnitz.

  In August of the same year, at the age of 11, Manfred was obliged to join the Cadet Academy at Wahlstatt, about 50 kilometers west of Breslau, at the explicit wish of his father. While viewed from todays´ perspective, this decision may seem harsh. However, for the firstborn son of a Prussian nobleman, this was a pretty common start into a military career in Imperial Germany.

  Manfred von Richthofen (left) chats with Jasta 10 commander and fellow Pour le Mérite ace Lt. Hans Klein during the First Fighter Competition in Berlin-Adlershof in January 1918. Von Richthofen held Klein in high regard and valued his leadership qualities. Photo: author's collection

  
  

  Young Manfred was, by his own accounts, not overly keen on the strict discipline that was demanded there from the young cadets. Moreover, the Cadet Academy was located in a former monastery, which must have been somewhat intimidating on an 11-year old boy. Besides, being a very small town with the total population numbering just a few hundred, Wahlstatt was not the most inviting of places. Manfred was blessed with a very sturdy physical constitution and generally good health Bolko recalled after the war. Much to his dismay, this meant that he never missed one day of school due to illness. So, after having completed his six years there, he was relieved to advance to the Prussian Main Senior Cadet Academy at Groß-Lichterfelde, just south-west of Berlin, in 1909. There he felt much more like a human being, as he described it himself. For example, the Royal Botanical Garden was located there, and Berlin was just a stone throw away. Two years later he graduated as an officers candidate, and at Easter 1911 he became a professional soldier, having joined the Ulanen-Regiment Nr. 1 “Kaiser Alexander III. von Rußland”. There he was commissioned on 19 November 1912, and he described this event as being the proudest moment of his life.

  Manfred had enjoyed horse riding since his childhood and had plenty of opportunity to practice his skills during the holidays at his much-beloved Grandmother´s estate. During the summer holidays, which he and brother Lothar usually spent there, they were greeted with the words “here you are free to do whatever you want”. Of course, this was a more than welcome change from life at the Cadet Academy, and the boys made the very best of their freedom while they could. Besides riding, young Manfred also developed a strong inclination for hunting, and the combination of these two traits would serve him well while later flying single-seater aircraft.

  Major Albrecht von Richthofen visited his sons at their unit on numerous occasions. Here he is enjoying a cigar while speaking to Manfred. Photo: author's collection

  
  

  425/17, Rtm. Manfred A. Freiherr von Richthofen, CO of JG 1, Cappy, France, April 1918

  This is the appearance of Richthofen’s Dr.I 425/17, in which the Red Baron achieved his last two victories on April 20, 1918. The aircraft by that time already had the insignia repainted in accordance with the order issued by the Luftstreitkräfte on March 18, 1918. This called for a change from “Iron” crosses to the “Balkenkreutz”. The day after the final victory Germany’s most famous fighter was killed. The aircraft depicted here did have the crosses repainted, but the modification on bottom of the lowest wing was either not yet completed or was done carelessly. Since red paint must have been used in the modification of the crosses, it is likely that the typically shaped scratches on the port side of the cockpit were also painted over when the crosses were changed.

  
  

  Early military career

  As a young cavalry officer, he was posted to the front with his regiment soon after the outbreak of hostilities. Serving initially on the Eastern Front, he was quickly transferred to Belgium. But the initial war of movement turned into trench warfare within months, and the cavalry officer found this kind of warfare not to be to his liking. He was actively looking for a change. And, like many other soldiers serving in his branch of the military, he keenly eyed the fast-moving new weapons above their heads that were now carrying out the reconnaissance missions that were previously the task of the cavalry. He longed to joined one of the new flying units. His application for transfer to the “Fliegertruppe” was approved, and he found himself at Flieger Ersatz Abteilung 6 on 10. June 1915 for observer´s training. This course was rather short, as he was posted to Feldflieger-Abteilung 69 on the Eastern front as an observer just eleven days later. His next posting as an observer took him to Brieftauben-Abteilung Ostende, back on the Western front, following in the footsteps of some of his former comrades from FA 69.

  While he greatly enjoyed his time up in the air, he soon decided that occupying the back seat of an aeroplane was not totally to his liking. He longed to be really in control of the “winged horses”, and the only place where he could accomplish this was in the pilot´s seat. Pilot training was the next logical step for him, and before long he was given unofficial flight training at his unit.

  During his time at the Brieftauben-Abteilung, he had a chance to meet a certain Leutnant Oswald Boelcke on 1 October 1915. At the time, Boelcke had been credited with four aerial victories and was already quite a bit of a celebrity, both at the front as well as in the homeland. Meeting this accomplished young flyer left a lasting impression on Manfred, and the two would meet again in the future.

  But before that meeting would come about, he was obliged to undergo formal pilot training in order to fulfill his dream. On November 15, 1915, he began pilot training at Flieger-Ersatz-Abteilung 6 at Döberitz, and he passed his exams on Christmas Day.

  His first posting as a pilot brought him to Kampfstaffel 8 of Kagohl 2 on 16. March 1916. The unit was then stationed at Mont, near Verdun, and he would initially fly various types of aircraft there, initially mostly two-seaters. But soon after his arrival at the unit, a few Fokker Eindecker single-seaters were taken on charge. This was then a fairly new type of aircraft which was in short supply, and von Richthofen was more than happy to fly one of these. Unfortunately, on an early flight the Oberursel engine failed, and the precious fighter was destroyed in the resulting crash. Luckily, the pilot escaped without severe injury.

  To make matters worse, his unit was transferred – so it was back to the Eastern Front for him on 28 June, and there he would find himself piloting two-seaters again. Instead of carrying out fighter vs. fighter combat, his duty in the east consisted mostly of dropping bombs on Russian soldiers who were positioned roughly 30 Kilometers to the east of his airfield at Kowel (now Kovel/Ukraine). By his own accounts, he greatly enjoyed observing the effects caused by his bombs on the Russian soldiers below, as well as peppering them with his machine gun during the odd strafing run.

  While the transfer to the East may have seemed as a deal-breaker for his career as a fighter pilot at this point, a lucky coincidence caused it to have exactly the opposite result.

  
  

  Finally becoming a fighter pilot

  A major reorganization was taking place in the Fliegertruppe in the summer of 1916. The first Jagdstaffeln, units solely equipped with single-seater fighter aircraft, were to be formed. The obvious choice of leadership for one of the first of these new formations was Hauptmann Oswald Boelcke, by then the far highest scoring pilot in Germany.

  His status allowed him to hand-pick the pilots that would serve in his new Jagdstaffel, and one of his trips to pick those pilots resulted in another meeting of the two men.

  Oswald Boelcke´s older brother Wilhelm was the commander of Kampfstaffel 10 of Kagohl 2, a neighboring unit of Richthofen´s outfit near Kowel. And on a particularly hot summer day in August 1916 Boelcke and von Richthofen met again there. The great ace must have seen quite a bit of potential in the young Ulan pilot, as he was one of two Kagohl 2 pilots he selected as new members for his own Jagdstaffel, the other choice fell on Lt. Erwin Böhme.

  Needless to say that the first available example of the Fokker Triplane was made available to Manfred von Richthofen. Here Fokker F.I 102/17 is seen soon after arrival at Jasta 11 during the last days of August 1917, with Anthony Fokker himself in the cockpit. MvR is seen third from right. Photo: author's collection

  
  

  Just three days later Manfred boarded the train for yet again trip towards the Western Front, and he arrived at the airfield of Boelcke´s newly formed Jagdstaffel 2 at Vélu on 1. September 1916.

  On the very same day, the first three aircraft were also taken on charge by the new Staffel: a Fokker D.III and a Fokker D.I were shipped over from the local Armee-Flug-Park, while Vfw. Reimann was transferred over to Jasta 2 from Jasta 1 and brought with him an Albatros D.I. While it is possible that the unit also had a single Halberstadt D-type on hand in early September, no photographic evidence of this has yet been found. And while further new pilots seemed to arrive on a nearly daily basis, the unit had to make do with these three or four aircraft during the first half of September.

  Then, on 16. September, six additional Albatros fighters were delivered to the unit, and the unit was finally able to really commence operations then. Besides conducting frontline flights, flying as a unit had to be practiced first, and Boelcke was instrumental in teaching his pilots all they needed to know.

  On 30 October 1917, he crashed one of the early production examples of the Dr.I that had reached Jasta 11 just recently. He walked away from this incident without injury. Photo: via Alex Imrie

   
  

  His tenure was to be tragically short, for he was killed as the result of a crash-landing that was caused by a mid-air collision with the above-mentioned Lt. Erwin Böhme on 28. October.

  Yet the roughly eight weeks under Boelcke´s leadership were enough to turn Manfred into a highly competent fighter pilot. And from all we know about von Richthofen, he not only passed on his knowledge to other pilots like his mentor Boelcke did, but he also adapted Boelcke´s style of leadership. 

  Lothar (left) and Manfred von Richthofen show off their “Pour le Mérite” in front of one of Jasta 11´s Fokker Dr.Is, likely in the spring of 1918.  Photo: author's collection

  
  

  Taking command of Jagdstaffel 11

  The chance to do just that arose for him when he was given command of Jagdstaffel 11 on January 15, 1917, three days after having been awarded the “Pour le Mérite”, with his score standing at 16 confirmed victories. Already while he was a member of Jasta 2, he had begun to use red as his personal color on at least one of his fighters. He carried over this color to “his” Staffel, which soon adopted red noses as their unit markings. And soon his personal aircraft had larger and larger sections painted red.

  The definitive history of this celebrated Jagdstaffel will see the light of day sooner or later and going into the many achievements of Manfred von Richthofen as the commander of this unit, and later as the leader of Jagdgeschwader I, would go far beyond the scope of this article. But it is safe to say that he transformed an entirely unsuccessful formation of pilots into the most élite and highest scoring German Jagdstaffel of the war.

  During the roughly 15 months that he lead Jasta 11 and Jagdgeschwader I he added another 64 victories to his tally, in spite of being away from the front on several occasions for various reasons, and sometimes for fairly prolonged periods of times. The victories that he claimed, and that were confirmed to him, have come under an unparalleled level of scrutiny over the past century. While in some cases it was only possible to find “likely” matches to his claims, it has not been possible to categorically prove that one or more them were illegitimate. One cannot help but wonder what would be left of the total number of victories credited to some Entente fighter pilots if someone would take the trouble to put them under the same microscope.

  The iconic Fokker Dr. I 425/17 in its initial stage of decoration, marked with Iron Cross national insignia. The smooth opaque application of the red paint indicate that it was most likely spray-painted in this color at the Fokker factory.  Photo: author's collection

  
  

  In the post-war years, and even fairly recently, some authors have described Manfred von Richthofen as ruthless, selfish, focused on collecting awards and even bloodthirsty. This author has been lucky to know some historians who still had the chance to speak to many of the man who served with and under him during the war. And none of these witnesses described him in any such way. On the contrary, the attribute seemingly most commonly attributed to him was modesty. Very few photographs show him wearing more decorations than the Iron Cross, Pilots badge and the Pour le Mérite, even during visits of high-ranking officers at his unit. Had he been an avid collector of decorations he would have certainly been keen to show them off. And flying single-seat aircraft with the purpose of shooting down enemy airplanes had to result in the deaths of many of his opponents – especially since the Entente commanders had chosen to deny their pilots the luxury of parachutes. He was quite simply a product of the era that he grew up in, and the same is true for the combatants on the other side. Judging these men by the standards of our current society after the passage of more than a century seems somewhat presumptuous.

  Following the issue of the order that instituted the change of the national marking to the straight-sided Balkenkreuz insignia, these markings were modified accordingly. Photo: author's collection 

  
  

  Much has been made of the fact that his final score of 80 confirmed victories made him the highest scoring pilot on either side, even though he died almost seven months before the Armistice. While this is undeniably true, one has to keep in mind that he was also an extremely talented instructor who passed on his knowledge to those who served under him. Besides this, he was instrumental in constantly pushing aircraft manufacturers and the Inspectorate of the German Flying Forces to develop more advanced single seaters.

  Ever since joining Jasta 2 he had mostly flown Albatros fighters, upgrading with each new generations of these fighters from the D.I onwards. On 23. January 1917, just as he was scoring his 18th victory, the spar in the lower wing of his new Albatros D.III broke, and he was lucky to get to the ground alive. This problem occurred on a number of other aircraft of the same type, and similar problems resurfaced on the later D.V soon after it reached the front. He was thus forced to switch back to one of the older Halberstadt fighters which had previously served with Jasta 11 until a fix to the wing problem could be worked out. Besides the structural problems, the fact that new variants of the Albatros failed to bring about noticeable performance improvements also lead him to be increasingly disenchanted with the type. 

  Supposedly taken in the morning of 21. April 1918, this would be one of the last photos of Manfred von Richthofen (fourth from right) before his fatal flight. Note the alarm bell just visible in the background of the photo, beween the pilots and the tent on the right side. Photo: author's collection

  
  

  425/17 flown by Rtm. Manfred A. Freiherr von Richthofen, CO of JG 1, Lechelle, France, March 1918

  Von Richthofen had his aircraft painted red since January 1917, when he flew an Albatros D.III, which he called “Le Petit Rouge”. He continued this practice after switching to Fokker Dr. I, which he used as commander of Jagdgeschwader 1. The famous Dr.I 425/17 was probably painted red at the factory. The quality of the paintwork is evident in the photographs and would be hardly achieved at the combat unit level. The area under the cockpit on the left side bore significant scuffs. 

  
  

  Influence on aircraft development
  

  Photographs taken during 1917 document that he visited the Fokker, Pfalz and Roland factories in order to keep himself informed about the latest developments of these companies. One cannot help but wonder if he was actively looking for a potential successor to the Albatros D-types, which had essentially become the standard fighter of the Jagdstaffeln during 1917. While he scored many victories flying various Albatros fighters, he always had reservations related to the single-spar lower wing design of the D.III – D.Va. As early as July 1917 he wrote: “…Fokker… has two machines which are superior to the Albatros, but they are not in production.” Here he is relating to the Fokker V.1 and V.2 prototypes, which he must have seen or even test-flown during a visit to the Fokker works in Schwerin during either May or June. These aircraft never went into production, but the ground-breaking cantilever wing design was the main feature of all Fokker fighters that would enter series production later.

  It was thanks to Manfred von Richthofen that the newly developed types that were evaluated during the three fighter competitions in 1918 were to be test-flown by frontline pilots on those occasions. This turned out to be the preferable way to ensure that the types that were chosen for production would actually meet pilots expectations. This was especially true for the Fokker D.VII, a type that was put into production at three factories (Fokker, Albatros and O.A.W.) as a result of his approval. Unfortunately, he never had a chance to fly this aircraft in combat, as the first production examples of the new Fokker biplane arrived at JG I just days after his fatal last mission. Abrupt ending to a stellar career

  While the Triplane most commonly associated with MvR is his all-red Fokker Dr.I 425/17, he apparently only flew this particular aircraft for a very short period of time. His last two victories were scored at the controls of this plane on 20. April 1918, but from late 1917 to early 118 he flew a surprisingly large number of Triplanes. Besides this one, and the F.I prototype (102/17) that was shipped to him directly from the Fokker factory in late August 1917, he is documented to have flown at least six further Dr. Is at various times: Dr. I 114/17, 119/17, 127/17, 152/17, 161/17 and 477/17. This listing does not claim to be conclusive, but as far as current research shows, of these triplanes only 425/17 may have been painted in an “overall red” scheme. And it was this particular plane in which the “Red Baron” was mortally wounded in on 21. April 1918, after being hit by a bullet while flying at low altitude. By now, general consensus is that the fatal shot was fired at him by an Australian machine gunner from the ground, a fate that befell several pilots on both sides of the front. 

  The souvenir hunters had thoroughly taken apart Dr.I 425/17 when this picture was taken. The inner surface of the remaining fuselage fabric show no sign of streaking, supporting the theory that at least the upper and side surfaces of this plane were just painted red at the factory. Photo: author's collection

  
  

• Spitfires for Malta

  
  

  Text: Michal Krechowski

  Foto: IWM 

  
  

  Due to its strategic location at the crossroads of the shipping lines between Gibraltar and Alexandria as well as Italy and North Africa, Malta became a target of the continuous enemy air attacks. During the WWII, in order to defend the island, the British were forced to constantly deploy more and more fighters and pilots to its “unsinkable aircraft carrier”.

   

  Initially the air defense was provided by the obsolete Gladiators and Hurricanes. The much-desired Spitfires could only be transferred to the island during the spring months of 1942. Newly delivered Spitfires Mk.Vb/Vc ultimately earned their greatest glory defending this extremely strategically important island.

  Battle of Malta took place from June 1940 till November 1942 and went down in history as the battle for the “unsinkable aircraft carrier”. In the beginning of the WWII this overlooked Mediterranean island became one of the key spots of the battle for the Mediterranean and the battle of Africa as well as its strategic importance was paramount. The aircraft, submarines and ships operating out of there were able to interrupt the supply routes to the Rommel’s Afrika Korps and in this manner to defend Africa, Suez Channel, and valuable oil fields behind it. It is well known fact that the mistaken political and strategic judgement of the air commanders lead to the situation that in June 1940 there were almost no fighter aircraft based on Malta. Had not four crated Sea Gladiators been accidentally discovered the whole island’s air defense would have been non existing. One of the aircraft was soon heavily damaged and the pilots bravely defended Malta with those three remaining airplanes against the enemy attacks for eighteen days until four Hurricanes arrived as a reinforcement. Consequently, the British, now fully aware of Malta’s importance and its strategic value, started gradually to reinforce the island defense with more Hurricanes.

  For the whole year of 1941, Malta had to be defended against the concentrated enemy attacks. The Axis powers bombed the island’s infrastructure focusing on the port, airport and storage facilities. In the meantime, the convoys headed for Malta were mercilessly pursued and destroyed which in fact put the island under the siege. On December 4, 1941, at night the German Luftwaffe launched the continuous bombing which lasted five long months and intended to break the resistance of the Royal Navy and Air Force finally. At the end the plan to invade Malta, code named Hercules, was hastily prepared. The Field Marshall Albert Kesselring was put in charge of the attacks on Malta. His forces were clearly numerically superior over the defenders. The frequent bombing raids destroyed a major part of the British aircraft on the ground and in the middle of February 1942 the defenders were left with only eleven airworthy Hurricanes. At the same time the pressure to re-equip the fighter squadrons defending the island with Spitfire mounted.

  Keith Park in his personal Spitfire Mk.Vb at Safi Airport on the occasion of the opening of the new runway on May 15, 1943.

  
  

  Spitfires over Malta

  In the middle of 1941 the Spitfire production in its latest version Mk.V was not yet meeting the Fighter Command squadrons re-equipment requirements therefore the British aviators in the Mediterranean and (later) in the Pacific had to make do with the obsolete types. Only in September 1941 the decision was made to dispatch the first two Spitfire squadrons to North Africa. The transfer started in February of the following year. A portion of these aircraft was re-directed to Malta. After a year and half of the fighting the procedure of the fighters transportation to the besieged island was well established. First the crated, dismantled aircraft were transported to Gibraltar where they were assembled and boarded on the aircraft carrier. After the approach to Malta, the airplanes took off directly from the decks of the aircraft carriers Eagle, USS Wasp (CV-7) or Furious which immediately after turned back. Except of one instance when Eagle and USS Wasp (CV-7) sailed together (Operation Bowery) only a single aircraft carrier sailed to Malta at a time.

  In order to get Spitfire airborne off the mere 200 m (660 ft) long flight deck it had to place the landing flaps into the take-off setting. However, the Spitfire’s pneumatically controlled flaps had only one setting – 85 degrees which was actually a breaking setting for slowing down the aircraft during the landing. The solution was quite simple – wooden shims were inserted into the space between flap and wing that prevented the flaps to close and in this rather primitive manner assured some 25 degrees setting. Once Spitfire was safely airborne, the pilot fully dropped the flaps for a moment and the shims fell off. After that he retracted the flaps and continued in cruising flight.

  The first fifteen Spitfires were delivered to Malta on March 7 as a part of the Operation Spotter. Two weeks later another nine Spitfires followed (Operation Picket I). In order to increase the transportation capacity, the American aircraft carrier USS Wasp (CV-7) was on loan to the Britons. As a part of the Operation Calendar further 48 Spitfires were delivered to Malta. However, very few of the freshly delivered aircraft survived more than several weeks, sometimes they were lost in couple of days after the landing and there were instances when the aircraft was lost on the same day. The intensity of the fighting was tremendous and peaked during March–April 1942. During this period, the tonnage of the bombs dropped on Malta surpassed the bombs tonnage dropped on London during the Battle of Britain.

  On May 9, during the following Operation Bowery, another 61 Spitfires were safely delivered. Immediately after the landing, those were refueled, rearmed and took off to counter the anticipated attacks. In the following days the heaviest dogfighting took place up until then and Spitfires inflicted the heavy losses to the Axis powers.

  The first Spitfire leaves the deck of HMS Eagle on March 7, 1942. Codenamed Spotter, the operation sent fifteen Mk.Vb Spitfires to the island, which were received by No. 249 Squadron upon landing.

  
  

  German obstinacy

  Despite this, Kesselring was convinced that the danger coming from Malta defenders to German supply routes to North Africa had been eliminated and reported to the German High Command that “there is nothing left to bomb”. The invasion of the island was thus postponed, and a substantial part of the Luftwaffe was redeployed in the second half of May to support Rommel’s offensive in Libya. Any further air offensive was thus laying primarily with the Italian Air Force.

  The neutralization of Malta continued to be maintained mainly by the naval blockade of the island, where defenders were running low on supplies. The lack of fresh water was unpleasant and food rations were being reduced. Despite this desperate situation, however, Malta was not about to surrender.

  When, during June, the Axis forces experienced a resurgence of losses on the supply routes to Africa, a renewed air offensive was ordered. However, the island managed to replenish Spitfire numbers in the intervening time provided during Operations Style and Salient, and so once again the attackers met stiff resistance from the defenders and again suffered heavy losses. During July, the Italian bomber air force was withdrawn from the attacks, and in the second half of the month only German bombers appeared over Malta with a combined Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica fighter escort.

  Spitfire Mk.Vb, BP844, the first of nine Spitfires to reinforce the RAF in Malta during Operation Picket I, takes off from the deck of HMS Eagle on March 21, 1942. In its cockpit sits the commander of E Squadron. J. “Jumbo” Gracie. BP844 was shot down over Malta on April 2, 1942.

  
  

  Spitfire Mk.Vc, BR344, 3oM, during an engine test aboard USS Wasp during the delivery of Spitfires to Malta under the code name Operation Bowery.

  
  

  Here comes Park

  The failure of the renewed air offensive was also significantly affected by the change of the air force high command on the island in mid-July. The command of the air force defending Malta was taken over by AVM Keith Park. Park’s adversary, coincidentally, became Albert Kesselring again. Park had been pitted against him in the Battle of Britain as commander of No. 11 Group. In his new position Park immediately introduced a new tactic, the aim of which was to attack enemy bomber formations over the sea between Sicily and Malta and force them to drop bombs before reaching their target. The change in tactics later proved to be a turning point, as it was very successful and forced the Luftwaffe to stop bombing in daylight. By the end of July, one hundred Axis aircraft had been destroyed, greatly reducing the strength of the bombing offensive. When the enemy then switched to high-flying fighter patrols, Park showed keen tactical insight. He limited the Spitfire patrols to 20,000 feet (6,100 m), so that the Bf 109s had to drop to an altitude where the defenders with Spitfires had the advantage in terms of the performance of their aircraft.

  By August, however, the stock situation on the island was critical. The defenders were running out of fuel and other necessary stuff again and if they were not delivered to Malta by September, the island would probably have to surrender. With fuel in short supply, Park was forced to instruct his pilots to save as much as possible. When a Spitfire landed, it did not proceed with engine on. The pilot immediately shut it down and the aircraft was pushed onto its stand. If the plane made an emergency landing, it had to be pushed off the runway immediately, even if there was a risk of further damage, just so that others didn’t have to circle the airfield and waste valuable fuel.

  With all this in mind, the convoy of the operation Pedestal was dispatched during August with a hitherto unprecedented supplies load carried by 14 British and American merchant ships loaded with ammunition, aircraft spare parts, fuel and food. They were escorted by 36 warships, including three aircraft carriers. The Axis powers understood the strategic importance of this convoy and responded with a coordinated air and naval attack to prevent it from reaching Malta. Despite significant losses of merchant and escort ships, including the sinking of the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle, sufficient supplies were eventually managed to reach the besieged island. Thus, in late August, three squadrons of Spitfires were able to make a highly effective attack on three Sicilian airfields, in which they shot down ten enemy aircraft and destroyed 29 on the ground with the loss of only two Spitfires.

  A Spitfire Mk.Vc is transported by lift aboard the aircraft carrier USS Wasp bound for Malta during Operation Bowery.

  
  

  An RAF ground crew refuels and rearms a Spitfire Mark Vc from No. 603 Squadron RAF at Ta Kali airfield. The protective wall was raised from empty fuel cans and sandbags.

  
  

  Indomitable Defenders

  September became the calmest period of the whole year 1942. The number of attacks on the island dropped significantly, and for the whole month Spitfires took off for only 38 scramble sorties. The important things, however, took place at sea. Thanks to the success of the Pedestal convoy and ample fuel supplies in Malta, British offensive operations aimed at supply routes for Rommel’s “Panzerarmee Afrika” were once again in full swing. While the British were successfully building up supplies in advance of the decisive battle, the Axis forces gradually lost 20 per cent of all supplies sent by sea from Italy during September and as much as 44 per cent of supplies in October. Fuel shortages were particularly critical. It was therefore decided to carry out another bombing offensive against Malta with the aim of re-securing safe shipping routes and eliminating it once and for all. 

  The offensive, also known as the October Blitz, was launched on October 11, and once again there were “dogfights” between Spitfires Mk.V, German Bf-109F/Gs and Italian C.202s and Re.2001s. However, air superiority over Malta was by then clearly in the hands of the re-enforced British squadrons, while considerable fatigue was already showing on the German-Italian side, as well as frustration and wear and tear from the previous battles. The spectacularly planned October Blitz lasted only seven days and was a clear defeat for the Axis forces. During those days, RAF pilots flew nearly 2,400 combat sorties with their Spitfires, shooting down 99 confirmed enemy aircraft, 51 probably and 122 aircraft damaged with the loss of 24 Spitfires and thirteen pilots. In addition, 40 aircraft were damaged and 13 Spitfires were destroyed on the ground.

  In November the number of Luftwaffe raids dropped significantly, with only 29 alerts during the month. With the intensity of hostilities so drastically reduced, Allied convoys bringing essential supplies found it easier to reach the island and also brought material for repairs and airfield construction. Malta’s survival was essential to the victory at El Alamein and the subsequent success of the land battle in North Africa.

  So much desired Spitfires therefore ultimately achieved the air superiority over the battlefield and thanks to them Malta held on. Until the middle of November, when the air raids on Malta were recalled, 385 Spitfires were dispatched to Malta during thirteen operations off the aircraft carriers, 367 of them flew over to the island. During the heavy fighting, the Spitfire pilots were credited with at least 600 aerial victories. The most successful of them all, Canadian George “Screwball” Beurling scored 28 confirmed kills.

  He was followed in distant second place by “Paddy” Schade with 14 kills, Canadian Wally McLeod with 13 kills and “Slim” Yarra with 12 kills. A total of 41 Spitfire pilots scored five or more kills during the fighting for Malta, earning ace status. Almost one hundred of Spitfire pilots paid the ultimate price during the combat.

  Mechanics of the special assembly group at the Spitfire Mk.V at Gibraltar. Behind them the fuselages of Hawker Hurricanes can be seen in their shipping crates. The Special Assembly Group was set up at Gibraltar in July 1942 to assemble and test fly aircraft transported from Britain and destined for Malta. The two earliest Mk.Vb Spitfires, EP720 and EP791, became part of the Operation Train, the last delivery of Spitfires to Malta.

  
  

  Spitfires Mk.Vb from No. 249 Squadron at Ta Kali airfield, autumn 1942.

   

  After the battle

  During the first months of 1943 the air battle for Malta ceased. The defenders won having destroyed more than a thousand of the enemy aircraft in combat. Another sign of the change in the situation of Malta’s defenders was the arrival of new Mk.IX Spitfires at the end of March. The Mediterranean Island was transformed from the besieged base to the “spring board” for the Operation Husky, i.e., invasion of Sicily. On the eve of the operation there were 35 squadrons with 600 aircraft based in Malta. The capacity of the four existing airfields at Luqa, Ta Kali, Hal Far and Qrendi was expanded, and a fifth airfield, Xewkija, was temporarily built for USAAF on the adjacent Gozo archipelago. On July 10, 1943, this operation opened the way to the liberation of the whole continent. In just couple of days, the Allies captured the solid supporting base on the Sicilian soil and soon after the Allied aircraft were transferred from Malta bases to the liberated airfields in Sicily and Southern Italy. Due to these changes the special Malta camouflages became history. Spitfires flew their further missions carrying the standard camouflage patterns only.

  A trio of Mk.Vc Spitfires from No. 249 Squadron waiting on the main runway at Ta Kali for scramble, while a Bristol Beaufighter lands in the background.  

  
  

• Spitfire supplies and their camouflage

  There is still no definitive information about the precise color shades applied in 1942 however, based on the available data analysis, study of the period photographs and factoring in the camouflage standards, the most probable aircraft appearance can be determined. The camouflage schemes of the Spitfires flown off the island varied quite a bit. Initially the most suitable color was considered the Dark Mediterranean Blue but due to the shortage of this paint there were aircraft painted in different shades of blue. The lighter shade, Light Mediterranean Blue, originally intended for the biplanes, was also used, then the naval Extra Dark Sea Grey, American Blue Gray M485 and various colors from the ships‘ stocks, initially not intended to be applied on the airplanes. Spitfires from the later deliveries mostly received the “Malta” camouflage either at Gibraltar before embarking or immediately upon their arrival on the island. The quality of the paint application was rather inferior to the factory finish. The coat of paint sometimes fully covered the original paint work, in other cases it was rather thin, and the original coloration showed through so the new coating was more of the blue filter rather than fully covering coat of paint.

   

  March 7, 1942

  Operation Spotter

  The first Spitfires that reached Malta, and the first ones deployed outside of Britain, took off on March 7 off the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Eagle. During the operation code-named Spotter fifteen Spitfires Mk.Vb were dispatched carrying 340 l (90 gal) drop tanks which enabled them to extend their range for more than 1,000 km (650 miles) long flight to Malta. All fifteen Spitfires safely landed at Ta Kali airfield. No. 249 Squadron was the first to receive the new Spitfires and three days later, on March 10, it flew its first combat missions against the Ju 88 formation escorted by Bf 109.
  

   

  March 21, 1942

  Operation Picket

  Two weeks later another nine Spitfires Mk.Vb reached Malta in the same manner. Spitfires arriving in Malta during the operations Spotter and Picket were camouflaged in the standard desert scheme of Dark Earth and Middle Stone on the upper surfaces, the lower surfaces were painted in either Sky or Azure Blue. The lower surfaces color depended on the factory: the aircraft manufactured at Supermarine had Sky, those completed at Aircraft Servicing Units (ASU) had the lower surfaces in Azure Blue. Upon the arrival in Malta the Middle Stone patterns were overpainted in a grey color which is said to have been a mixture of various shades. The exact color of this mixture remains unknown, but it’s believed it was very similar to Extra Dark Sea Grey.

   

  March 29, 1942

  Operation Picket II

  The rather strong contrast of the desert camouflage colors did not seem the best scheme for flying over the sea. Therefore, before embarking on the aircraft carrier at Gibraltar, the third batch of seven Spitfires Mk.Vb had their upper surfaces overpainted in the dark grey-blue color, probably Extra Dark Sea Grey.

   

  April 20, 1942

  Operation Calendar

  The oldest document promulgating the requirement for the new camouflage for the Spitfires delivered to Malta was the supplement Nr. 1 to M.E. Air Movement Instruction No. 1 dated March 30, 1942. It stated that the Spitfires destined for Malta were to be camouflaged in the new scheme of Dark Mediterranean Blue on the upper surfaces and Sky Blue on the lower surfaces. At the same time, the No. 601 and No. 603 Squadrons personnel in Great Britain was getting ready to be dispatched to Malta with the full complement of 47 new Spitfires Mk.Vc (including reserves). These aircraft were to be painted in the new Malta camouflage but upon relaying the instructions they were simplified to the “sea camouflage“ which was, logically anticipated as the camouflage applicable to the Fleet Air Arm aircraft and the aircraft were painted in that way at the factory. Once this mistake was noticed at Gibraltar the stocks of Dark Mediterranean Blue and Sky Blue were loaded together with the aircraft. The supplies however were sufficient for repainting only the portion of the aircraft to be delivered. Out of forty seven Spitfires on board of USS Wasp during the Operation Calendar twenty seven were camouflaged at ASU with Royal Navy colors, the remaining twenty were repainted with new “Malta” colors of Dark Mediterranean Blue and Sky Blue. The Spitfires on board received markings in white numerals 1 and 2 and a code lettter.
  

   

  May 9, 1942

  Operation Bowery

  For years, based on the archive photographs, it was speculated what color was applied to Spitfires Mk.Vc transported on board of the USS Wasp carrier during the Operation Bowery. Photographic evidence from the embarking of the Spitfires confirms both the desert camouflage in Dark Earth, Middle Stone, Azure Blue or Sky and the Navy camouflage in Extra Dark Sea Grey, Dark Slate Grey and Sky. According to the veterans’ recollections most of the Spitfires were repainted on board in some kind of blue or blue-grey color. The application of the USN colors seems the most probable. Those are M-485 Non-Specular Blue Gray, applied to the upper surfaces of the twelve F4F Wildcats assigned to the USS Wasp (CV-7) CAP duties, and Deck Blue 20-B color applied to the exterior steel deck as a part of the aircraft carrier camouflage scheme.
  

  There is a third option: both colors, M-485 Non-Specular Blue Gray and Deck Blue 20-B could have been applied to maintain the upper surfaces camouflage pattern on some Spitfires. In that manner the two-tone blue-grey camouflage scheme would have been consistent with the scheme on the upper surfaces of the aircraft operating on Malta at that time. The lower surfaces color remained the standard shade of Azure Blue or Sky. 46 Spitfires aboard USS Wasp and 18 aboard HMS Eagle were marked in the same way as the Spitfires from the Operation Calendar. The white numerals 3 or 4 on one side of the cockade and the code letter on the other one.

  An interesting event worth mentioning occurred during the Operation Bowery when the Spitfires took off from the USS Wasp. After the take off in his Spitfire BR126 X-3, the Canadian pilot, P/O Jerrold Alpine “Jerry” Smith found out that his drop tank was inoperable, and he was not able to reach the airfield on Malta. He jettisoned his tank and received order to bail out of his Spitfire. Instead Jerry inquired about the attempt to save the aircraft by landing it on the aircraft carrier deck. After the captain approved, he indeed tried to do it. His first approach was too high and too fast however his second attempt was successful and he safely landed his Spitfire and stopped mere six feet from the end of the flight deck. He managed, as the first in the world, to land a Spitfire on the aircraft carrier and even without an arresting hook! For his deed P/O “Jerry” Smith was unofficially awarded the American Navy Wings from the flight deck officer David McCampbell, the future most successful USN fighter pilot who, as a LSO (Landing Signal Officer) directed the whole operation.

   

  May 19, 1942

  Operation LB

  Even though no known photographs of seventeen Spitfires Mk.Vc flying during the Operation LB came to light it is assumed, that they were repainted at Gibraltar in Dark Mediterranean Blue on the upper surfaces and probably the Azure Blue on the lower surfaces was also repainted with Sky Blue color. Thanks to the pilots’ logbooks we know that these Spitfires were marked with the code letter C in front of the fuselage cockade and two-digit numeral behind it. For example, Spitfire BR107, delivered during the Operation LB, was coded C-22 while BR108 carried the code C-20 and BR175 was marked C-51.

   

  June 3, 1043

  Operation Style

  Altogether 31 Spitfires Mk.Vc were embarked on the HMS Eagle deck for the Operation Style. Of them, 27 reached Malta. Many surviving photographs of Spitfire BR305, which was delivered during the Operation Style, show that it had been finished in the Dark Mediterranean Blue/Sky Blue.
  

   

  June 9, 1942

  Operation Salient

  Salient was the last operation during which the Spitfires camouflaged in Dark Mediterranean Blue and Sky Blue were delivered. In total 32 Spitfires Mk.Vc were delivered during the June. After that, the air command on Malta (AHQ Malta) requested the change in the coloration to be applied to the newly delivered Spitfires.
  

   

  July 15, 1942

  Operation Pinpoint

  It is not exactly clear why the AHQ Malta decided to change their camouflage requirements from a single blue color on the upper surfaces to the two colors pattern which included the lighter blue color shade. It might have somehow been related to the appearance of some Spitfires delivered during the Operation Bowery which carried two tone blue-gray scheme on the upper surfaces. The new camouflage scheme, required by the AHQ Malta as of June 1942, resulted in the adoption of two colors pattern for the upper surfaces: Deep Sky Blue and Dark Slate Grey. Light Mediterranean Blue was to be applied on the lower surfaces. Based on the surviving photographs it is quite probable that some of eight Spitfires Mk.Vc and 24 Spitfires Mk.Vb participating in the Operation Pinpoint could have been camouflaged in these new colors.

   

  July 21, 1942

  Operation Insect

  Surviving photographs of three Spitfires Mk.Vc and 27 Spitfires Mk.Vb, which are confirmed to have been delivered during the Operation Insect, support the fact that they could have been finished in the Malta scheme of Deep Sky and Dark Slate Grey camouflage.

   

  August 11, 1942

  Operation Bellows

  Operation Bellows was the third mission during which the Spitfires were transported from the United Kingdom directly to Malta, bypassing Gibraltar. The operation was an integral part of the convoy Pedestal, the famous mission to supply Malta. On August 11, 38 Spitfires Mk.Vb took off off the HMS Furious flight deck. All of them, except one, which was forced to make an emergency landing on HMS Indomitable, reached Malta safely. Typically for Spitfires destined for Malta, the coloration of the aircraft participating in the Operation Bellows is questionable. Most of the airplanes were finished in the desert scheme with Azure Blue on the lower surfaces, a part of them however received the naval camouflaged in Extra Dark Sea Grey, Dark Slate Grey and Sky. The photographs of Spitfires delivered to Malta during the Operation Bellows confirms repainting of the “desert” upper surfaces in the workshops of the local Maintenance Command. It is highly probable that the upper surfaces repainting was done with only one shade of Deep Sky or Extra Dark Sea Grey or the new standard camouflage scheme in Deep Sky and Dark Slate Grey was applied.
  

   

  August 17, 1942

  Operation Baritone

  HMS Furious returned to Gibraltar from her latest mission on August 12 and immediately embarked two Hurricanes and 32 Spitfires. On August 16, she set sail again and a day later 32 Spitfires took off from her flight deck, 14 of them in version Vc and 18 in version Vb. Twenty-nine of them managed to reach Malta shores. According to the period pictures the camouflage of these Spitfire varied from the new scheme of Deep Sky and Dark Slate Grey to the upper surfaces finished in Dark Mediterranean Blue.
  

   

  October 30, 1942

  Operation Train

  The aircraft loaded on the decks of the OG.85 convoy ships were originally destined for the Operation Torch (the Allied landing in the North Africa). With the General Eisenhower approval, however, 44 Spitfires were diverted to Malta (32 in Mk.Vb on board of HMS Furious while 12 aircraft in the version Mk.Vc flew directly from Gibraltar). Operation Train was the last mission to reinforce Malta with Spitfires flying off the aircraft carrier. These were finished in the standard camouflage scheme of Deep Sky and Dark Slate Grey on the upper surfaces and Light Mediterranean Blue on the lower surfaces.

  
  

  Sources: 

  
  

  Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 082 – 

  Malta Spitfire Aces

  
  

  Air Marshal Sir Keith Park: Victor 

  of the Battle of Britain, Defender 

  of Malta – Murray Rowlands

  
  

  Sniper of the Skies: The Story of George Frederick “Screwball” Beurling, DSO, DFC, DFM – Nick Thomas

  
  

  Scale Aviation Modeller; May 21; 

  A Malta Story Reprised – The Malta Spitfires of 1942 by Paul Lucas

  
  

  Scale Aviation Modeller; Nov 18; 

  A Malta Story concluded – The Malta Spitfires November 1942 – July 1943 

  by Paul Lucas

  
  

  Scale Aviation Modeller; Oct 18; 

  A Malta Story concluded – The Malta Spitfires June – October 1942; 

  by Paul Lucas

  
  

  Scale Aviation Modeller; Sep 17; 

  A Malta Story Continued – Colloquial Camouflage Malta Spitfires delivered 

  via Gibraltar 18 May to 17 August 1942 

  by Paul Lucas

  
  

  Scale Aviation Modeller; Aug 17; 

  A Malta Story Continued – Operations Oppidan, Hansford and Bowery. USS Wasp’s Second Spitfire Delivery to Malta 24 April to 9 May 1942 by Paul Lucas

  
  

  Scale Aviation Modeller; Jan 16; 

  A Malta Story – Spitfire Vc’s of Operation Newman & Calendar 13–20 April 1942 (Part 2) by Paul Lucas

  
  

  Scale Aviation Modeller; Dec 15; 

  A Malta Story – Spitfire Vc‘s of Operation Newman & Calendar 13–20 April 1942 (Part 1) by Paul Lucas

  
  

  Malta Spitfire Vs – 1942: Their Colours and Markings by Brian Cauchi

• In a year and one week

  Aircraft carrier shortly after completion at Hampton Roads, Virginia, October 27, 1941

  Source: Naval History & Heritage Command

  
  

  Text: Miro Baric 

  
  

  Searching for the lost ships with Paul Allen

  
  

  We spoke about the naval battles around Guadalcanal in the previous article. The aircraft carriers also participated in them, however they fought from the distance. Some of them were lost during the fighting. One such loss was the USS Hornet, the last American aircraft carrier completed before the attack on Pearl Harbor. She sank exactly one year and one week after entering the service.

   

  The first American carrier was USS Langley (CV-1) that entered service in 1920. She came to life by rebuilding the coal transporting ship USS Jupiter which had been in service since 1913. During the rebuild, eight double cranes were removed as well as both smokestacks, which up until then had stood next to each other, were relocated to the port side where they stood in-line. In that manner the space for the flight deck, mounted on the tall supports, was created.

  While Jupiter coal transport had 19 670 tons displacement, Langley aircraft carrier featured 14 100 tons displacement only. The vessel length was 165 meters and the crew accounted for 468 sailors. Langley carried 36 aircraft which could use one lift and one catapult. The armament consisted of 127 mm caliber cannons – two on the bow and two on the stern. They however could not be used for the AA defense. Another obsolete feature was a pigeon cage located between two rear cannons. The idea was that the aircraft taking off of Langley will take a postal pigeon on board which will deliver the message back to the ship. The pigeons were trained while Langley was being rebuilt at Norfolk shipyards and all seemed to work. After that, however, when the ship set sail and the pigeons were released near Tangier Island they returned to Norfolk. After this blunder the pigeon cage was eliminated. It was also deleted from the plans of the future carriers, USS Lexington and USS Saratoga.

  Langley holds several “firsts” for the US Navy. On October 17, 1922, the first take off from the aircraft carrier in the USA took place from her deck as well as, on November 18, 1922, the first catapult launched take off. Even though she was extremely slow (15.5 knots only) to perform efficient operations while Naval aviation was technically advancing rapidly, she helped trained the first generations of naval aviators. After she was completely outdated during 1936-37, she was re-built as a seaplanes’ carrier. She was seriously damaged by the Japanese G4M1 Betty bombers on February 27, 1942, while she was transporting Curtiss P-40 fighters to Java. After the crew abandoned her, she was sunk by the escorting destroyers.

  US aircraft carriers Langley, Saratoga and Lexington (from bottom to top) Source: Naval History & Heritage Command

  
  

  USS Ranger in the 1930s. Source: Naval History & Heritage Command

  
  

  Bermuda Triangle

  Langley sank as the last of her sister ships. She was the only aircraft carrier (the second planned vessel was cancelled after the decision was made to rebuild Lexington and Saratoga) but as a former coal ship she had three sister ships. And all of them disappeared without trace in Bermuda Triangle. Sometime after Mach 4, 1918, it was USS Cyclops with 306 sailors and passengers on board. She was sailing from South America to Baltimore, Maryland. She made a stopover in Barbados, and it was the last time she was seen. In the end of 1941, in the same area and on the same route, within two and half weeks two remaining sister ships disappeared. First, some time after November 23, 1941, USS Proteus was lost and after December 10, 1941, the sea swallowed USS Nereus. There are several theories about the ships’ demise. The design fault which weakened the hull, and it broke under the combination of a storm and cargo overload was considered. Or they could have become victims of the German submarines which themselves were sunk and could not report their success. In neither case the Germans recorded an attack on the ship that would resemble any of those three vessels. Their disappearance may remain without clarification forever.

  The aircraft carrier USS Wasp as she enters Hampton Roads, Virginia, May 26, 1942. In the background is the destroyer USS Edison. Source: Naval History & Heritage Command

   

  Learning on the run

  Another two vessels were full-fledged aircraft carriers even though completed through a re-build. The Washington Treaty from 1922, about limitations of the Naval armament, practically excluded building of new battleships and battle cruisers. However, redesigning of some of the half-built ships to the aircraft carriers was permitted. In the USA this was true about Lexington and Saratoga which entered the service in 1937 as CV-2 and CV-3. Initially the Navy was not clear about their purpose either. Besides the airplanes they carried heavy anti-shipping weaponry in the form of 203 mm caliber cannons. However, the variety of exercises performed on the regular basis taught the Navy a lesson and they gradually worked out the correct tactics for the aircraft carriers’ deployment. It was learnt, for example, that these ships needed to avoid encounter with the enemy surface vessels therefore the 203 mm caliber cannons were deleted. On May 8, 1942, Lexington was sunk in the Battle of Corral Sea. We spoke about her fate in the previous articles. Despite various damages, Saratoga survived the war and on July 25, 1946, was sunken at Bikini atoll during the nuclear bomb tests. The explosion took place barely 370 meters from the aircraft carrier and despite her size (length 270.7 meters, displacement 37 000 tons) the whole ship was lifted off the water surface. The wreck lies in shallow waters and is accessible to scuba divers.

  The first American vessel, designed and built from the beginning as an aircraft carrier was USS Ranger (CV-4). The construction begun in 1931 and the ship entered service in 1934. The design, however, had been under way since 1925, it is before Lexington and Saratoga were completed. Also based on the prior experience Ranger’s design changed several times. Initially the flight deck was to be clean, same as on Langley. To eliminate chimneys’ smoke interfering with the aircraft operations six smokestacks (three on each side) were designed as collapsible. During the construction, however, the bridge was added. The smokestacks were already completed at that time and their re-design would have been too expensive, so they were left in the original configuration. Ranger was relatively small, 222.5 meters long, her standard displacement was less than 15 000 tons and full displacement less than 18 000 tons. It was also slower, 29.5 knots. Lexington and Saratoga could reach the speed of 33 knot. Therefore, Ranger was considered unsuitable for the Pacific battlefield and for the most part of the war operated in the Atlantic. The German navy was considered a weaker opponent than the Japanese navy. Ranger took part in the operation Torch (landing in the North Africa) and attacks on the German targets in the Norwegian waters. She was the only pre-war American aircraft carrier which did not participated in the fight against Japan. In 1946 she was struck of charge and in January 1947 sold to the scrap yards.

  The USS Wasp was the first aircraft carrier with an elevator at the edge of the flight deck. The aircraft, in this case an SB2U-2 Vindicator from VS-72 in June 1940, was lifted in a semicircle by two arms on the sides of the elevator platform. Source: U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation

  
  

  USS Wasp burning shortly before sinking on Sept. 15, 1942 Zdroj: United States Library of Congress

  
  

  Yorktown class

  The Navy applied the experience from building and deploying the previous vessels into building the next Yorktown class. The war games analysis clearly showed the necessity of fast aircraft carriers equipped with the large aircraft group on board. In addition, good anti-torpedo protection of the hull was required. Therefore, USS Yorktown (CV-5), USS Enterprise (CV-6) and USS Hornet (CV-7) were all built based on these principles. The construction of the first two was launched in 1934, right after completion of Ranger. In addition, the USA managed to put USS Wasp (CV-7) on the building schedule between Enterprise and Hornet. After Langley was rebuilt to the seaplanes’ carrier, the tonnage limit opened and based on the treaties in place at that time the USA could use it for building the aircraft carriers. It was not enough for the full-fledged Yorktown class and the result was kind of her down-scaled version. The weight was saved at the cost of the anti-torpedo protection which later proved costly for USS Wasp. Hornet’s construction begun in September 25, 1939, after WWII broke out in Europe. She was launched on December 14, 1940, and entered service on October 20, 1941. The ship was 251 meters long, her standard displacement was 20 000 tons and full displacement reached 26 000 tons. The powerplant, consisting of nine boilers and four steam turbines possessed 120 000 HP (89 000 kW). Thus, Hornet could reach the speed of 32.5 knots. The flight deck measured 248x26 meters. The hangar below measured 166x19 meters and was connected to the flight deck by three lifts. Hornet could carry 72 aircraft and the flight personnel accounted for 851 people. The ship’s crew was comprised of 86 officers and 1280 sailors. Initially her armament was comprised of eight single barrel, 127 mm caliber cannons, four twin barrel 28 mm caliber cannons and 24 12.7 mm caliber machine guns. In January 1942, the machine guns were removed and gradually replaced by 32 single barrel 20 mm caliber cannons. Later a single four-barrel, 28 mm caliber cannon was added increasing the total number of weapons of this caliber to twenty.

   

  Into the action in the Pacific

  All the ships of these class, together with Lexington and Saratoga, bore the brunt of the fighting in the Pacific during the opening stages of the war. Wasp operated in the Atlantic where she, in the summer of 1941, transported the American P-40 fighters to Iceland and in April and May 1942 the British Spitfire fighters to Malta. Only in June 1942 she transferred to the Pacific. At the time of the Pearl Harbor attack, Hornet was going through training at Norfolk. In February 1942, during one of her training voyages, two twin-engine US Army AF B-25 Mitchell bombers were embarked. To the great surprise of the crew these two bombers took off while the ship was on the open sea. The sailors understood the actual reason of this experiment on April 2, 1942, when Hornet set sail from Alameda, California, with 16 B-25 bombers on the flight deck. Skipper Marc A. Mitscher informed the crew that they were going to bomb Japan. Hornet had her own aircraft stored under the deck and on this raid deep into the enemy waters was escorted by Enterprise. The plan was to take off 400 nautical miles (740 km) from Japan. On April 18, 1942, however, the American fleet was spotted by a Japanese patrol ship and 16 bombers led by Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle took off 600 nautical miles (1110 km) from Japan. It was the first Hornet’s combat mission. On April 30, 1942, Hornet set sail from Pearl Harbor to participate in the Battle of Corral Sea, which was brewing and during which, on May 8, 1942, Lexington sank. Hornet could not make it on time, however, together with Enterprise and Yorktown was part of the task force that set up the trap for Japanese at Midway. On June 7, 1942, Yorktown was sunk but Japanese Navy, but the enemy lost four large aircraft carriers and their advance in the Pacific was stopped.

  127 mm gun on the sunken USS Wasp. Source: R/V Petrel / Vulcan

  
  

  28 mm four-barrel gun aboard the USS Wasp. Source: R/V Petrel / Vulcan

  
  

  Sunken Grumman Avenger aircraft near the wreck of the USS Wasp. Source: R/V Petrel / Vulcan

  
  

  Dangerous submarines

  In the previous article we spoke about the Allied counterattack in the Solomon Islands and naval battles around Guadalcanal. The aircraft carriers took part in this campaign on both sides. The American carriers were Enterprise, Saratoga, Wasp and Hornet. The first three covered the Guadalcanal landing on August 7, 1942. At that time Hornet stayed in Pearl Harbor in reserve in case she was needed elsewhere. While supporting the landings Wasp lost one Dauntless and three Wildcats. One aviator was killed and another wounded. In exchange the aircraft from Wasp destroyed 15 flying boats and seven Rufe floatplane fighters on anchor and a Rufe and a Zero in the air. The Avengers and Dauntlesses attacked the ground targets with bombs.

  In the evening of August 8, 1942, the American aircraft carriers withdrew to refuel. Between August 15 and 20, 1942, Enterprise and Saratoga returned to cover the aircraft delivery to Henderson airfield on Guadalcanal. Simultaneously the Japanese navy tried to transport the reinforcements to the island. Several task forces set sail with the mission not to only cover the transportation ships but also counterattack and destroy the American ships around the island. The large aircraft carriers Shōkaku, Zuikaku and light carrier Ryūjō were assigned to this mission. On August 24 and 25, 1942 the encounter at the eastern Solomon Island took place which came down in the history as the third aircraft carriers’ battle ever.

  Similar to the Battle of Corral Sea the Americans first discovered the light aircraft carrier. Ryūjō was sailing ahead of the main force with the task of attacking the Henderson airfield. Saratoga launched 38 aircraft against her and scored several bomb hits and possibly a torpedo one. The seriously damaged ship sank during the night. The main Japanese force in the meantime attacked the American carriers. They focused on Enterprise which was hit by three bombs dropped by Val dive bombers. However, thanks to the rescue teams in an hour the fires were put out and the flight operations resumed. The American aviators managed to locate Shōkaku and Zuikaku and ultimately the enemy fleet retreated from the area.

  Wasp rushed to help Enterprise and Saratoga. Her airplanes shot down two Jake floatplanes and one flying boat, but they failed to locate the Japanese aircraft carriers. The disaster struck in the coming days. First, on August 31, 1942, Saratoga was hit by a torpedo and had to withdraw for repairs. She was hit by I-26 submarine which later sank the cruiser USS Juneau about which we spoke in the previous article. On September 15, 1942, ever bigger loss occurred. I-19 submarine launched six torpedoes against the American group of ships. One hit the battleship USS North Carolina, and another hit the destroyer USS O’Brien, which sank later. Three torpedoes struck Wasp and caused large fires and a series of explosions below the deck. When it became clear that the fires could not be put out the ship evacuation commenced. In the end 193 crew members and 45 aircraft went down to the bottom of the ocean.

  Japanese heavy cruiser Chikuma during an attack by U.S. aircraft on October 26, 1942. Source: Naval History & Heritage Command

  
  

  The last battle before 1944

  During October 25 through 27, 1942, the Japanese and American aircraft carriers clashed again in the Battle of Santa Cruz. Shōkaku and Zuikaku, as well as two light carriers Zuihō and Junyō faced Enterprise and Hornet. In the morning of October 26, 1942, while searching for the enemy fleet two reconnaissance Dauntlesses from Enterprise found Zuihō and hit her with two bombs which seriously damaged the Japanese ship and eliminated her from the further fighting. The aircraft from both task forces clashed on the way to attack each other’s ships and a series of dogfights took place. The American aircraft attacked in smaller groups. Ten Dauntlesses from Hornet carpeted Shōkaku with bombs and hit her at least three times (rather optimistic estimate was six times). At Midway such a punishment would have meant ship’s demise, however, she escaped this time. The bombs destroyed her flight deck and hangar below it, but there were no fully fueled and armed aircraft as at Midway. Thus, the ship avoided the large fires.

  Another nice Dauntlesses from Hornet hit the heavy cruiser Chikuma with two bombs. Three Dauntlesses from Enterprise added another hit, and nine Avengers scored a torpedo hit. The seriously damaged cruiser had to withdraw from the battle. The Japanese, for a change, attacked in large formations. The Enterprise task force was covered by rain showers so the whole strength of the first wave of attack concentrated on Hornet. She was hit by three bombs, two torpedoes and in addition two damaged Japanese bombers dived into her on purpose. Hornet stopped without power, but the fires were put out with the help of escorting destroyers and the cruiser Northampton attempted to tow the ship.

  Convinced that Hornet was already sinking the Japanese concentrated their second attack wave on Enterprise. She was hit by two bombs and retreated with her escorts. Finally, Hornet started to be towed and the crew feverishly worked to reinstate her own power. And then the third wave of attacks arrived. The ship was hit by another torpedo and two bombs. The Japanese surface vessels were approaching so the decision was made to sink the ship. It was not that easy, however. While the rest of the American ships retreated, the destroyers USS Mustin and USS Anderson fired several torpedoes and more than 400 127 mm caliber shells into her hull. Not even that was enough. Both destroyers had to retreat as well while Hornet was still afloat and, in an hour and half, the main Japanese force arrived at the burning wreck. The possibility to capture an American aircraft carrier was tempting but then the Japanese realized it was too late. On October 27, 1942, at 01:35 the ship went to the bottom. It happened exactly a year and seven days since she entered service. 140 dead sailors and 21 aircraft went down with the ship.

  Enterprise remained the only American combat capable aircraft carrier in the whole Pacific Ocean. Her crew even painted Enterprise vs. Japan on her deck. After the temporary repairs she fought in the area around Solomon Islands until the spring 1943. During the fighting for Guadalcanal her aircraft were involved in sinking of 16 Japanese ships. The Japanese navy had more carriers at their disposal, however, many of them were also damaged. Worse yet, there was a shortage of well-trained pilots. Most of them were lost in the fighting in eastern Solomon Islands and Santa Cruz Islands. Therefore, the Japanese did not rush into action neither and the next aircraft carriers clash in the Pacific took place as late as in the summer of 1944.

  A damaged Val dive bomber rushes at the USS Hornet on October 26, 1942. The torpedo bomber Kate takes off after launching a torpedo. Source: Naval History & Heritage Command

  A Japanese Val bomber shot down directly over the bridge of the USS Enterprise on August 24, 1942. Source: Naval History & Heritage Command

  
  

  The wrecks were found at almost the same time

  Paul Allen was searching for USS Wasp wreck since 2017. The search continued after his sudden death on October 15, 2018. In 2019 R/V Petrel research ship sailed several times and her crew first announced that in January 2019 they discovered the USS Hornet wreck. It was preceded by extensive research in the archives where the reports from nine ships, which witnessed Hornet demise, were found. This information was plotted on the map and a grid created which made it possible to deduce the aircraft carrier position. R/V Petrel launched an autonomous underwater robot and a remotely controlled device equipped with a camera. Both devices can submerge up to 6000 meters. The Hornet’s wreck was discovered at the first attempt. It lies upright at a depth of 5330 meters. Only a part of the stern had broken off and lies nearby. The pictures were taken of the International Harvester tractor which was used to tow the aircraft. It survived not only the ship’s fire and the trip to the sea bottom but after 80 years under the water looked in a good condition.

  Only after a month later the R/V Petrel crew announced that during the voyage in January 2019 they also discovered the USS Wasp wreck. She lies in the depth of 4345 meters. The search for her was more complicated since the precise location was not known. The underwater robot moved along the programmed six-mile route and was emitting a low frequency sonar signal from both sides. In one run the robot was able to cover an area of 40 nautical miles. After the robot was retrieved, the obtained data were analyzed, and the crew returned to the promising locations with another device equipped with the camera. Wasp too lies upright on the sea bottom but in the very muddy area. The hull was buried up to the water line therefore the torpedo hit could not be determined. There are several Avenger bombers to be found around the ship. They slipped from the deck while the ship was sinking.

  Wildcat of the Hornet on the seabed. Source: R/V Petrel / Vulcan

  
  

  127 mm gun aboard the USS Hornet. Source: R/V Petrel / Vulcan

  
  

  The International Harvester tractor for towing aircraft remained aboard the USS Hornet after her sinking. Zdroj: R/V Petrel / Vulcan

  
  

  28 mm four-barrel cannon on the wreck of the Hornet. Source: R/V Petrel / Vulcan

  
  

  Source:

  Hubáček, M.: Vítězství v Pacifiku. Praha 2003

  Hrbek, I./Hrbek, J.: Námořní válka vrcholí; Praha 1995

  
  

  Cbsnews.com

  warbirdnews.com

  nytimes.com

  news.usni.org-wasp

  news.usni.org.hornet

  history.navy.mil