08/2023

Dear Friends Welcome to the August edition of our newsletter and greetings from Corpus Christi, Texas, where my colleagues and I are passing through on our way to San Marcos for the traditional summer IPMS USA Nats. We will be in Texas for two weeks, after the Nats we will move north to Dallas where our main goal is to study three P-40 Warhawks.

• Page 1

  INFO Eduard

  # 162

  e-magazine FREE Vol 22 August 2023

• Page 2

  INFO Eduard

  # 162

  e-magazine FREE Vol 22 August 2023

  © Eduard - Model Accessories, 2023

  FREE FOR DOWNLOAD, FREE FOR DISTRIBUTION!

  This material may only be used for personal use. No part of the text

  or graphic presentations can be used in another publication in any other media

  form or otherwise distributed without the prior written

  permission of Eduard - Model Accessories and authors involved.

  Editorial and Graphics - Marketing department, Eduard - Model Accessories, Ltd.

• Page 3

  eduardeduard

  AUGUST 2023

  CONTENTS

  EDITORIAL

  KITS

  BRASSIN

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED SETS

  BIG ED

  BUILT

  ON APPROACH

  –

  September 2023

  TAIL END CHARLIE

  HISTORY

  BOXART STORY

  Bf 109F-4 ProfiPACK 1/72

  THE ZIPPER Limited 1/48

  WILDER CAT Limited 1/48

  A6m3 Zero Type 32 Weekend 1/48

  MiG-21MF Fighter bomber ProfiPACK 1/72 Re-release

  WUNDERSCHÖNE NEUE MASCHINE 1/72

  MIDWAY 1/48

  Spitfire Mk.IXc early 1/48

  FM-2 Wildcat

  -

  “FM” as “fine modification“

  FM-2 Wildcat

  Najhlbšie vraky

  Air war over Ukraine

  -

  Ukrainian Offensive,

  Prigozhin Coup

  The Magic Hundred

  Loose formation

  A surplus star

  4

  6

  30

  34

  58

  74

  92

  102

  108

  125

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

  Mírová 170, Obrnice 435 21

  support@eduard.com www.eduard.com

• Page 4

  EDITORIAL

  Dear Friends

  Welcome to the August edition of our newsletter

  and greetings from Corpus Christi, Texas, where my

  colleagues and I are passing through on our way to

  San Marcos for the traditional summer IPMS USA

  Nats. We will be in Texas for two weeks, after the Nats

  we will move north to Dallas where our main goal is to

  study three P-40 Warhawks. We want to check some

  details and shapes and possibly scan some sections,

  so we’re bringing along our trusted chief designer Stan

  Archman and his amazing scanner, which already

  afforded us a few rather interesting situations at the

  beginning of our journey. And we haven't even scanned

  the tip of the spinner yet! We don’t really need much;

  basically, we have the bulk of the thing ready. We

  just want to make sure we don't have a design flaw

  and also see the plane in person to develop a proper

  personal feel for it, you understand.

  In the morning we will view the USS Lexington

  and we’ll move on from there. And time is running

  out, so we won't waste any of it and go straight to the

  presentation of our new releases for August. For many

  of you this will be a bit of a bummer because we've

  actually been selling them for a few days now and

  many of you already have them. So, I’ll at least give you

  some background information that might interest you.

  Kits

  In the Limited Edition line, we have an item called

  “Wilder Cat”, in which you’ll find an FM-2 Wildcat kit,

  a modernized and powerful version of the Wildcat,

  built by the Eastern Aircraft Division factory, a branch

  of General Motors. Compared to Wildcats built by

  Grumman, it had a number of changes, mainly

  a more powerful engine, a nine-cylinder Wright

  R-1820-56/56W with a power rating of 1350 hp,

  which means a changes on the nose section, and at

  the rear, featured a higher vertical fin and rudder.

  There are also changes to the wing and other parts

  of the aircraft, and you’ll find mention of this in other

  sections further down in this newsletter. Ten marking

  options are offered, one of which is British. The

  FM-2 served in the Royal Navy as the Wildcat Mk.VI,

  and this version set it apart from others through its

  relatively extensive service outside of the Pacific, i.e.

  the Atlantic. This brings about an expansion of color

  variants, since in the Atlantic, Wildcats were not blue

  as in the Pacific. The FM-2 has also not been actively

  paid attention to by other manufacturers in 1/48th

  (with just one exception). On the other hand, I am

  concerned about the extent to which the technical and

  operational history of this interesting aircraft is known

  to modelers. For the most part, retailers do not seem

  to have an extensive knowledge of the type, frankly.

  Some debate has been stimulated by the fact that

  this Limited Edition kit is not released as a Dual Combo

  boxing, but is a single kit with one set of plastic in the

  package. We decided on this version because we don't

  want to force customers to buy a relatively expensive

  kit with two sets of moldings. To the contrary, we have

  put the range of color versions available to ten aircraft;

  the decals are then designed in such a way that the

  stencil data and national markings cover two complete

  models. So if someone wants to build two FM-2

  Wildcats, they can obtain the Overtrees components

  and basically create a Dual Combo boxing from the kit

  for very reasonable money. Deciding which way to go

  and how many Wildcats you realistically want, or even

  need, is up to you! In the future, the key to deciding

  whether a Limited Edition kit will be released as

  a Dual Combo or a classic single kit will be the technical

  make-up of the kit. If it contains two technically

  different sub variants of a given type, the kit will be

  a Dual Combo, as for example in Wunderschöne neue

  Maschinen, where there are a Bf 109 F-2 and an F-4,

  and there are two different sprues with fuselages and

  wings. The next WnM edition, dedicated to the Bf 109

  G-2 and G-4, will also be a Dual Combo, although the

  sprues will be identical, there will again be technical

  differences, this time more or less only in the wing.

  In the end, all the Limited Edition kits covering the

  Bf 109F/G/K series will be Dual Comb kits, not only

  those covering a specific type, but also the kits whose

  concept runs more along the lines of a theme, such

  as the 1/72nd scale Africa, Barbarossa or Wilde Sau

  concepts. Frankly, in these cases there is a risk of

  even more extensive sets. Among the other Limited

  Editions being prepared, we have the Dual Combo

  kit of the L-39 Albatros, which will be presented in

  a renewed premiere at E-day with a new canopy,

  as well as another 1/48th scale Zero, this time the

  A6M5/5a Zero Model 52. There is also a difference in

  the wing here. The following Dual Combo will be the

  “Mezek”, which as most of you will know, is the S-199.

  Here, it is clear that there are different fuselages, and

  later, the P-51B/C, where it’s also about fuselages.

  Single kit Limited Edition kits will then continue to be

  all repackaged kits, which will apply to the Su-25K in

  the near future. It has always been that way with these

  items and it will continue that way. From our own

  production, the closest to becoming a reality is the

  Kurfürst, Bf 109 K-4, where there will be nine marking

  options, but technically all the machines will be the

  same. Well … not completely, but for taller rudders

  and tailwheel variations, we don’t need to include two

  sets of moldings. This is just a typical example of a kit,

  where Overtrees will solve the possible desire or need

  of the modeler to build more than one model.

  The second August Limited Edition item, dubbed

  “Zipper”, a 1:48th scale F-104C from the Vietnam

  War, is also designed as a single kit. The plastic this

  time, unlike our previous Starfighters, come from

  Kinetic, and in addition to the standard photoetching

  and masks, it also includes resin parts, and offers up

  seven marking options that focus on the 479th and

  8th TFW aircraft, operating in the Vietnam in the 1960s.

  Our series of 1:72nd scale ProfiPACK kits dedicated

  to the many countless versions of the Bf 109 F, G and

  K begins in August with the Bf 109 F-4. If you are left

  with the impression that we forgot about the Bf 109

  F-2, don’t worry, we didn’t. September will tell. The

  first reviews of the new 109s have already appeared,

  mostly positive, which makes us happy. However, some

  criticisms also emerged from them. For example, the

  need to repair a small step between the vertical tail

  surface and its transition to the fuselage. There, after

  gluing the fuselage and fin assemblies together, which

  must be glued there before the fuselage is closed up,

  a small step is created. Please note that contrary

  to how this has been widely reported, this is in fact

  supposed to be there and is not a mistake. We modeled

  it rather painstakingly and carefully watched over the

  mold making to make sure it was there. On the real

  plane, there was a cover plate in this section, which

  passed into the keel in the form of just such a step.

  So please don’t fix it, no matter how tempting it is!

  With respect to 1/72nd scale ProfiPACK kits, the

  MiG-21MF is back on sale in the fighter-bomber version.

  In the Weekend line, we have the A6M3 Zero Model 32,

  also known under the Allied code name Hamp. I have

  a personal connection to this kit because this time last

  year we had a unique opportunity to get up close and

  personal with one of the Hamps undergoing extensive

  restoration in Lafayette, Louisiana. At the time, we had

  no idea that it was an even more interesting machine

  than we thought, nor that this very machine would be

  included in the color options of one of our kits. The

  unexpected has become reality, and the Lafayette

  Hamp is actually, in two of its development guises,

  included in the new Weekend release, in addition to

  the very special insignia featuring the red Hinomaru in

  a white square. This is also why this Zero is interesting,

  INFO Eduard4

  August 2023

• Page 5

  and that’s why it was worth breaking tradition and

  adding five marking options to this Weekend release.

  ACCESSORIES

  As usual, there are dozens of accessory items

  available in the new item listing. I will mention only

  a few that I think would grab my attention, such as the

  F-35B 1/48th RAM Panel masks for the Italeri kit. We

  have recently started to deal more with these masks

  for surface areas and high-quality markings, because

  spraying them has become an increasingly popular

  modeling technique. Of course, classic canopy masks

  are also on the list. In the LööK line, I would like to

  point out the A-20G Havoc 1:32nd set for the HKM kit.

  In the SPACE line, we have, among other things, the

  Bf 110 G-4 and FM-2 sets for the Eduard kits, and the

  A-10C from Academy, all in 1:48th scale.

  In the Brassin department, we have sets designed

  for our own August releases such as bronze landing

  gear legs, exhausts and aileron mass balance weights

  for the Bf 109F in 1:72nd. We have several sets for the

  48th FM-2, and these include a cockpit, bronze landing

  gear legs, a wing fold and several smaller sets, and

  for the F-104C, an exhaust nozzle and speedbrakes.

  For the 1:48th scale Bf 109F we have a newly designed

  3D printed cockpit, in this case with an older version

  of the seat, that was the same as that found in the

  Bf 109E. A number of the types mentioned are also

  covered in photoetching, but again, you can find much

  more on that by reading further on down through this

  newsletter.

  Historical articles

  It is clear to me that the most popular part of any

  of our monthly newsletters are the historical and

  technical articles. As I already indicated above, the

  Wildcat, in its FM-2 version, was a uniquely interesting

  aircraft, and we would like to coax modelers who

  have neglected this “Wilder Cat” to draw the same

  conclusion. For this reason, there are two articles this

  month focused on the topic of the FM-2. The first one

  was written for us by the renowned American author

  Thomas McKelvey Cleaver, who describes probably

  the most interesting, intensive and successful

  deployment of these aircraft. This was in the Battle

  of Samar Island, referred to by historians as “The US

  Navy’s Finest Hour”. Given that a large Japanese group

  led by Admiral Kurita aboard the gigantic battleship

  Yamato, with two other battleships, eight cruisers, and

  eleven destroyers in tow, was driven off the island by

  a few destroyers and escort carriers, this is probably

  not an overstatement. The second article was written

  by Richard Plos, and it is focused on the creation of

  the FM-2 and its technical differences compared to

  the preceding F4F-4 and, by extension, the FM-1. Miro

  Barič’s miniseries about the search for lost ships

  ends with the fourth volume in this edition. Here the

  topics crossed a bit. He also mentions, among other

  things, the Battle of Samar and the survey of wrecks

  connected to it. The series about the air battles

  over Ukraine by the same author continues with its

  seventeenth edition. In this case, unfortunately, the

  ending of the series is neither in the author’s nor our

  hands ... The section of historical articles is rounded

  out by Boxart Story, a series of short articles that

  describe the historically real events depicted on our

  boxarts. The Bf 109 F-4 and A6M3 Zero Type 32 topics

  were taken up by Jan Bobek and the third was added

  by Richard Plos. This is an article relevant to our

  reissue of the MiG-21MF, the box art of which depicts

  a future Vietnamese astronaut shooting down an

  American B-52. Or maybe not …

  In closing, Wednesday marks the start of the

  IPMS USA National Convention, this year in San

  Marcos, Texas. As every year, we organize an Internet

  Afterparty to go with it, this year it started already on

  the weekend that has just passed. As you may have

  guessed, my colleagues and I are heading to San

  Marcos. I am finishing this introduction with sweat

  running down my face during this leg of the trip, and

  I will finish it off in Corpus Christi, a few hundred

  meters from the USS Lexington, which is moored here

  as a museum piece. Just note that writing an intro to

  the newsletter on the road is always hell, and if I have

  forgotten anything important, I am certain that you will

  find in the flowing pages!

  Happy Modeling!

  Vladimir Sulc

  INFO Eduard

  5

  August 2023

• “FM” as “fine modification”

  The Wildcat was the first single-wing fighter aircraft produced by Grumman for active service. It bore the main burden of battles in the Pacific from the attack on Pearl Harbor until around February 1943, when the significantly more powerful F4U-1 Corsair and Wildcat’s direct successor, the F6F Hellcat, entered the scene. It was expected that the days of the Wildcat would be numbered with the arrival of these new powerful beasts, but the opposite turned out to be true. Thanks to the highly modernized version, FM-2, the Wildcat continued to participate in combat operations almost until the end of the war.

  HISTORY

  Due to the Navy’s dissatisfaction with the

  Corsair’s landing characteristics on aircraft

  carrier decks, the Hellcat became the Navy’s

  main fighter type until the second half of 1944,

  when the Navy accepted the improved Corsairs

  that were previously serving with the USMC

  units. Both types were powered by the big and

  exceptionally powerful Pratt & Whitney R-2800

  Double Wasp engine, an eighteen-cylinder,

  double-row engine, which designers decided to

  install into quite volumious airframe. In June 1943,

  squadrons equipped with the F4F-4 Wildcats still

  represented a significant combat force, and by

  that time, a version that aimed to address several

  issues of its predecessor at once, was already in

  production.

  The Successor Worse Than Its Predecessor

  The F4F-4 represented the worst-performing

  version among all the Wildcat variants. The

  aircraft, burdened with an additional pair of

  machine guns and with significantly reduced

  ammunition per barrel compared to the F4F-3,

  required around 50 minutes to climb to an altitude

  that would allow it to attack Japanese bombers

  flying at about 20,000 ft. Moreover, with only 250

  rounds of ammunition per gun, the pilots found

  themselves facing a shortage of ammo even in

  relatively short dogfights.

  It became clear early on that the F4F-4

  version was not a wise step, but by mid-1942,

  when the F4F-4 was being introduced into

  service, Grumman was fully occupied with the

  development of the Hellcat, as well as the mass

  production of Wildcats, Avengers, Ducks, and

  Widgeons. They simply did not have the capacity

  for further development of a type that was

  supposed to be replaced soon. The preparations

  for Hellcat production had the highest priority,

  The Wildcat was the first single-wing fighter aircraft produced by Grumman

  for active service. It bore the main burden of battles in the Pacific from the

  attack on Pearl Harbor until around February 1943, when the significantly more

  powerful F4U-1 Corsair and Wildcat’s direct successor, the F6F Hellcat, entered

  the scene. It was expected that the days of the Wildcat would be numbered

  with the arrival of these new powerful beasts, but the opposite turned out to be

  true. Thanks to the highly modernized version, FM-2, the Wildcat continued to

  participate in combat operations almost until the end of the war.

  Text: Richard Plos

  The second production FM-2, BuNo. 15953, during flight tests.

  Photo: NHHC

  FM-2 WILDCATFM-2 WILDCAT

  “FM” as

  “fine modification“

  INFO Eduard6

  August 2023

• Page 7

  HISTORY

  leading to the decision to entrust the production

  of the first two mentioned types to another

  manufacturer.

  Aircraft Instead of Cars

  Shortly after the outbreak of war with Japan,

  General Motors halted production at its five

  automobile factories on the East Coast. The

  company’s management was prepared to put

  them to use for wartime production, especially

  to produce aircraft components. As early as

  1942, the Navy organized a meeting between

  General Motors representatives and people from

  Grumman, a key supplier to the Navy’s aviation.

  Grumman’s factory in Bethpage, New York, was

  operating at full capacity, so a solution was

  sought to shift the production of Wildcats and

  Avengers. GM representatives were somewhat

  surprised when they were asked to take over

  the entire production of aircraft instead of just

  manufacturing parts and subassemblies for

  Grumman. To their credit, they accepted the

  challenge. Numerous delegations and work

  teams followed. Grumman’s teams prepared

  the automotive factories for aircraft production,

  while GM personnel learned about aircraft

  production in Bethpage. The advantage was the

  proximity of all the factories. Trenton was about

  160 km from Bethpage, and Linden was roughly

  halfway along this route. In the vast country’s

  terms, these plants were nearly neighbors ...

  By June 1942, all five GM factories had been

  fully converted and ready to start aircraft

  production as an independent division called

  Eastern Aircraft Division. The Trenton factory

  in New Jersey was responsible for producing

  Avengers. Unlike Grumman’s production,

  designated TBF, the Avengers from Trenton

  were labeled as TBM. The second factory in New

  Jersey, located in Linden, was to manufacture

  F4F-4 Wildcats under the designation FM-1

  (F for Fighter, M for General Motors, and 1 as the

  manufacturer’s first type). The remaining three

  Eastern Aircraft Division factories in Bloomfield

  and Baltimore supplied both final manufacturers

  with the necessary parts.

  The Eastern Aircraft Division received

  a contract to produce 1800 Wildcats on April

  18, 1942, and Grumman subsequently delivered

  prototype subassemblies and parts for

  assembling the first ten F4F-4s. At the same time,

  the factory received training examples marked

  as PK, where the joints were not riveted but

  rather connected with Parker-Kalon fasteners

  for repeated assembly and disassembly. These

  examples were used to train the workers.

  Before the war, the modern factory in Linden

  had produced cars for Buick, Oldsmobile, and

  Pontiac and it was capable of a takt time one

  car per minute. After the transition to Wildcat

  production, during the period when the parallel

  production was ongoing at Grumman, the factory

  had to maintain strict technological discipline to

  A Wildcat FM-2 landing on the deck of the escort aircraft carrier USS Anzio (CVE-57).

  Photo: NHHC

  Parameter F4F-4 FM-2

  Maximum Speed 318 mph 332 mph

  Initial Climb Rate 2,190 ft/min 3,650 ft/min

  Service Ceiling 33,700 ft 34,700 ft

  Range 1,275 mi 1,310 mi

  Combat Radius 830 mi 900 mi

  Comparison of F4F-4 and FM-2 Performance

  While the Grumman F6F Hellcat is widely regarded

  as one of the most successful and effective fighter

  aircraft of World War II, with an impressive victory-to-

  loss ratio of 19:1, the FM-2 Wildcat actually surpassed

  it with an even higher ratio of 33:1!

• Page 8

  ensure that parts from both manufacturers were

  interchangeable. Many parts manufactured by

  GM factories were sent to Grumman’s assembly

  line and vice versa.

  The First “Fine Modification” (FM-1)

  The first Wildcat produced in Linden had

  its maiden flight on August 31, 1942, i.e., at the

  time of the intense battles for Guadalcanal,

  which exposed the shortcomings of the F4F-4

  version. Its poor climb rate and significantly

  reduced ammo supply per gun compared to the

  F4F-3 did not win much favor among the pilots.

  The first ten FM-1 aircraft were assembled

  from Grumman parts in their original form, but

  starting with the eleventh aircraft, it was decided

  to remove the external machine guns to reduce

  the aircraft’s weight, resulting in improved

  climbing performance. After solving some

  problems related to the wing folding system,

  the ammunition supply was almost restored to

  the original level. While the F4F-3 carried 1800

  rounds (450 per gun), FM-1 pilots had 1720 rounds

  available (430 per gun). This was a significant

  improvement compared to the mere 250 rounds

  per gun on the F4F-4.

  In May 1943, Grumman ceased the production

  of Wildcats entirely. By that time, Linden’s

  production was running relatively smoothly,

  although out of the initial order for 1800 aircraft,

  only 839 were produced. Some of them were

  assigned to Composite Squadrons, which

  combined fighter and attack aircraft, i.e., Wildcats

  and Avengers. Many of FM-1s were allocated to

  training units, and 311 aircraft were delivered to

  the British Fleet Air Arm (FAA) under the initial

  designation Martlet V, which was later changed

  to Wildcat V in January 1944.

  With the introduction of Hellcats and Corsairs,

  it seemed that the fate of the aging Wildcat was

  sealed. However, the enormous need for air cover

  for numerous task forces and transport convoys

  required more aircraft carriers than the Navy

  had available. Building one Essex-class aircraft

  carrier took at least 20 months (pre-war periods

  could take up to 37 months) despite increased

  war efforts. Due to the required construction

  time and limited shipyard capacity, it was not

  possible to expect any significant increase in the

  number of conventional aircraft carriers before

  the end of 1944, which was too late. However,

  a solution was found. At the end of 1942, the

  Navy began to receive the first escort aircraft

  carriers of the Casablanca and Bogue classes.

  These were mostly conversions of merchant

  and cargo ships that received flight decks and

  other necessary equipment for carrying up to 27

  aircraft in composite squadrons (although there

  were exceptions, and some operated purely

  fighters, such as VF-26).

  Compared to Essex-class carriers, the

  escort carriers were more than 110 yards

  shorter, lacked armor, multiple elevators for

  rapid flight deck and hangars exchanges, and

  other amenities. As a result, their designation

  CVE was ironically interpreted by the crew as

  Combustible, Vulnerable, Expendable. They were

  slow vessels with limited space on the flight

  FM-2 from the aircraft carrier USS Card (CVE-11) of the Bogue class. The aircraft, in its typical Atlantic

  camouflage, was photographed on February 10, 1944, and belonged to VC-55.

  One of the aces on FM-2 was Lt. Thomas B. Sedaker. In the photo,

  he poses with a cake baked by the cooks of the USS Makin Island

  to celebrate the 2,000th catapult launch from the deck of that ship.

  Thomas Sedaker was the one who performed the launch.

  Squadron Aircraft Carrier

  Number of

  Victories

  VC-27 USS Savo Island 61.5*

  VF-26 USS Santee 31

  VC-81 USS Natoma Bay 21*

  VOC-1 USS Wake Island/USS Marcus Island 20

  VC-84 USS Makin Island 19*

  VC-21 USS Nassau/USS Marcus Island 18

  VC-3 USS Kalinin Bay 17

  VC-75 USS Ommaney Bay 17

  VC-93 USS Shamrock Bay 17

  VC-5 USS Kitkun Bay 16

  VC-10 USS Gambier Bay/USS Tacloban Field 16

  VC-80 USS Manila Bay 16

  Top-Performing FM-2 Squadrons

  *Plus one victory achieved by a TBM Avenger pilot.

  Photo: NHHC

  Photo: NHHC

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard8

  August 2023

• Page 9

  deck, where at least nine or ten Avengers had

  to be accommodated as part of the composite

  squadron. This left little space for fighters,

  and the large Hellcats were not suitable for

  these carriers. The Navy demanded a small

  and lightweight fighter that could operate from

  these ships, but there was no time to develop

  an entirely new type. Although the development

  of the Bearcat, which was to meet all the

  requirements, began in 1943, it did not reach

  combat in time. Therefore, the only option was

  to continue producing Wildcats, preferably in

  a more powerful version. Grumman thus prepared

  two prototypes of the XF4F-8, the precursor to

  the following FM-2 production version.

  Lightened, Strengthened, and Ready

  The FM-2 version of the Wildcat is often

  overlooked among its counterparts, as the

  F4F-3 and F4F-4 versions gained greater

  fame due to the heroic performances of their

  pilots during the battles in the Coral Sea, at

  the Midway or Guadalcanal. These successful

  operations produced a whole series of famous

  fighter aces from both the Marine Corps and

  the Navy. However, the purpose and operational

  deployment of the FM-2 were different; it was no

  more the Navy’s main fighter type. Nevertheless,

  at least five more pilots achieved ace status

  with the FM-2 (compared to 54 aces flying

  earlier versions), and the most successful of

  all squadrons flying the FM-2, VC-27 “Saints,”

  eventually became the second most successful

  unit operating Wildcats, regardless of the combat

  area or period. Its pilots managed to shoot down

  a total of 61.5 enemy aircraft during the four-

  month battle for the Philippines. Only VF-5 with

  79 kills surpassed them. In this respect, the FM-2

  ultimately made its mark.

  The increase in the Wildcat’s performance was

  mainly achieved by installing a more powerful yet

  230 lb lighter Wright R-1820-56 engine instead of

  the Pratt & Whitney R-1830-86. Along with other

  modifications, the FM-2 was “slimmed down” by

  500 lb and gained a power improvement of 150

  hp compared to the F4F-4 version. As the new

  engine was supercharged by a single-stage, dual-

  speed compressor, the FM-2 lost its performance

  advantage at higher altitudes. However, this was

  not an issue since these aircraft were primarily

  intended for anti-submarine operations, convoy

  protection from low-level air threats, and attacks

  against ground or surface targets. High-altitude

  combat was not considered part of their combat

  activities. Additionally, most of the FM-2s were

  equipped with engines in versions 56W or 56WA,

  featuring water injection to temporarily boost the

  engine output for up to ten minutes.

  The cooling system underwent a fundamental

  change. The two protruding radiators on the

  lower wing were removed, and their function was

  taken over by a compact radiators located in the

  lower and upper part of the fuselage behind the

  engine. The wing openings were covered with

  shaped metal panels.

  The engine change and cooling system

  redesign necessitated alterations to the nose

  cowlings. The exhaust outlets were not combined

  for the new engine; instead, each cylinder had

  its individual exhaust. Three exhausts ended on

  the right side, two on the left, and two pairs on

  the bottom of the fuselage. The second fuselage

  tank was removed, leaving the FM-2 with only

  one 117 gallons volume. Due to this, FM-2 aircraft

  often flew with additional drop tanks (each of

  58 gallons volume). Starting with aircraft BuNo.

  57044, the fuselage tank was slightly enlarged

  to 126 gallons.

  The glass windows under the cockpit were

  covered, and a new universal tailwheel with

  a larger tire was developed for the FM-2. But the

  most noticeable change compared to all previous

  versions was the taller vertical tail fin and

  rudder to eliminate the increased torque from

  the propeller driven by more powerful engine.

  However, even with more power and more

  efficient propeller, the flight decks of escort

  aircraft carriers were too short for a conventional

  takeoff, and catapults had to do most of the job.

  Nevertheless, the FM-2’s dimensions were very

  advantageous. With folded wings, it was only 14

  ft wide, allowing an entire composite squadron

  to be accommodated on a single ship’s deck.

  While up to 12 Avengers could be carried, the

  number of FM-2s typically ranged from 12 to 14.

  “Wilder Wildcat”

  The Wildcat aircraft modified into the FM-2

  version quickly won the favor of pilots. It was

  a nimble and reasonably fast aircraft that

  retained one of its typical characteristics –

  the ability to withstand significant damage in

  combat. Additionally, the pilot was protected by

  a new armor plate behind their back (though not

  all aircraft were equipped with it). No wonder the

  new version earned the nickname Wilder Wildcat.

  USS Makin Island (CVE-93) sailing in the South Pacific.

  Pilot Squadron Aircraft Carrier

  Number of

  Victories

  Lt. Ralph E. Elliott, jr. VC-27 USS Savo Island 9

  Lt. Cdr. Harold. N. Funk VF-26 USS Santee 6.5

  Lt. Kenneth G. Hippe VC-3 USS Kalinin Bay 5

  Ens. Joseph D. McGraw VC-10/VC-80

  USS Gambier Bay/

  Manilla Bay

  5

  Lt. Thomas B. Sedaker VC-84 USS Makin Island 5*

  Aces on FM-2

  *Some sources report 4.83 victories.

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard

  9

  August 2023

• Page 10

  Deliveries of the FM-2 began in the first half of

  1944, and squadrons operating both in the Pacific

  and the Atlantic received them. However, their

  main tasks were different. In the Pacific, the FM-2s

  were often used to support ground units during

  landing operations, aided by their ability to carry

  two 250 lb bombs under the wings (from BuNo.

  74359, FM-2s could also carry HVAR rockets).

  In the Atlantic, they primarily provided air cover

  for supply convoys from the US coast to Europe

  and often assisted Avengers in hunting German

  submarines. Of course, in the Pacific, FM-2 pilots

  also provided cover for supply ships or engaged

  in anti-submarine operations.

  The FM-2 scored its first kill on March 20, 1944,

  when Lt.(jg) J. H. Dinnen and Ens. R. P. Kirk of

  VC-63 encountered and shot down a Japanese

  Ki-61 Tony. The most intense aerial combat for

  FM-2 pilots occurred during the two-day Battle

  of Leyte Gulf. On the first day of the battle,

  October 24, 1944, all American carrier-based

  fighters claimed a total of 270 kills, with FM-2

  pilots achieving 65 of them.

  During the Philippine campaign, the Wilder

  Wildcat pilots were also known for providing

  close air support and air cover over the invasion

  beaches. During the Battle of Samar, they directly

  attacked Japanese ships.

  Many Japanese pilots underestimated the

  FM-2 based on its familiar silhouette and were

  subsequently unpleasantly surprised. Several

  Japanese pilots fell victim to their misjudgment,

  and until the surrender of Japan, FM-2 pilots

  achieved a total of 432 kills. Lt. Kenneth G. Hippe

  became the last American “ace in a day” when

  he shot down a total of five Ki-48 Lily bombers

  on October 24, 1944. On the same day but slightly

  earlier, Lt. Cdr. Harold N. Funk achieved the same

  feat, shooting down five enemy aircraft with his

  FM-2, adding one more kill in the afternoon.

  And the most intriguing fact: While the Hellcat

  is generally considered the fighter aircraft with

  the best victory-to-loss ratio, 19:1, there was one

  type that significantly surpassed it. Yes, it was

  the FM-2. Its ratio of aerial victories to losses in

  air combat was 432:13, or 33:1! For comparison,

  the F4F-3 and F4F-4 versions recorded a ratio of

  5.9:1 in 1942.

  In British service, FM-2s were designated as

  Wildcat VI. They were the only version of this

  type that did not receive the Martlet designation.

  They performed similar tasks as in the US Navy.

  In addition to providing air protection for their

  own ships and covering bombers, they also

  conducted ground attacks. For example, during

  Operation Dragoon, to support the Allied landings

  in southern France in August 1944, Wildcat VI

  aircraft carried out bombing attacks with 250

  lb bombs, carried on the modified racks used

  for drop tanks. They also used RP-3 rockets. In

  the North Sea, Wildcat VI pilots engaged in air

  combat with German aircraft and scored several

  kills. Perhaps the most interesting encounter

  occurred on March 26, 1945, when aircraft from

  No. 882 Squadron of HMS Searcher clashed with

  eight Bf 109G planes. German fighters catch the

  opponents with surprise and shot down one

  Wildcat, but subsequently, British pilots used

  the agility of their planes and, according to

  reports, shot down four Bf 109Gs and damaged

  one. Although none of the British pilots became

  aces flying Martlets and Wildcats, it was a highly

  popular type.

  With a total of 4,437 produced units, the

  FM-2 became the most numerous version of the

  Wildcat (a total of 7,905 Wildcats of all versions

  were produced). Production only ceased in May

  1945 when Grumman began manufacturing the

  Bearcat, which was meant to replace the FM-2.

  The first operational squadrons of this type were

  enroute to the Japanese islands when the enemy

  surrendered, and the war ended.

  While the Bearcat represented a significant

  increase in performance compared to the FM-2, it

  ultimately did not leave as remarkable a mark in

  history as the FM-2 did. It was the Wilder Wildcat

  that made sense for escort aircraft carriers of

  the Casablanca and Bogue classes, ensuring

  the safety of millions of tons of material and

  hundreds of thousands of transported personnel

  in the Pacific and Atlantic. In some respects, the

  FM-2 can thus be considered the most significant

  Wildcat version of them all.

  Sources:

  F4F Wildcat in detail & scale, Bert Kinzey, SQUADRON/

  SIGNAL PUBLICATIONS, INC.

  F4F Wildcat in action, Richard S. Dann, SQUADRON/

  SIGNAL PUBLICATIONS, INC.

  Fleet Air Arm, British Carrier Aviation 1039–1945, Ron

  Mackay, SQUADRON/SIGNAL PUBLICATIONS, INC.

  Wildcat Aces of WW2, Barrett Tillman, Osprey Pub-

  lishing, 1995

  The most successful FM-2 pilot with nine confirmed victories was Ralph Earle Elliott Jr.

  Photo: Patricia Elliott family collection

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard10

  August 2023

• Page 11

  Different shapes of the exhaust pipes framing.

  1. Taller vertical tail surfaces

  2. Different cooling flaps

  3. Distinct exhaust system

  4. Different location of the gun camera port

  5. Reduced armament to four machine guns

  6. Relocated landing light

  7. Ability to install HVAR or RP-3 rockets

  8. Upright antenna mast

  9. Removal of the second fuel tank

  and its filling port

  10. Wright R-1820-56 engine

  11. Different propeller

  12. Different metal skin shaping under

  the exhausts

  13. Removed wing-mounted radiators

  14. Blanked windows under the cockpit

  15. New tailwheel

  Main differences of FM-2 compared to F4F-4:

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard

  11

  August 2023

• FM-2 WILDCAT

  By the fall of 1942, production of the F4F Wildcat, which was seen as a useful aircraft for the composite squadrons operating from escort carriers that would provide anti-submarine cover and close air support for coming invasions, was transferred to General Motors Eastern Aircraft Division. However, Grumman was not completely through with the Wildcat. The possibility of developing a lighter version specifically for operation from escort carriers had been considered before production was taken over by General Motors.

  HISTORY

  The main difference of the new version of

  Wildcat was substitution of the 1,200 h.p. R-1830-

  86 with a 1,350 h.p. Wright R-1820-56 Cyclone

  that was 230 lbs. lighter. The XF4F-8 had four

  guns like the FM-1; it was visually distinguished

  an enlarged rudder and vertical stabilizer to

  counteract the increased torque of the more

  powerful engine. The airplane was 530 lbs. lighter

  than the F4F-4. Initial climb rate was nearly

  doubled, service ceiling was boosted to 36,400

  ft. All in all, this was a “wilder” Wildcat. It went

  into production in early 1943; between then and

  August 1945 4,437 FM-2s were delivered, making

  it the most numerous Wildcat of all.

  In the Pacific, the FM-2 showed up in the new

  Composite Squadrons (VC) in the fall of 1943.

  During the invasions of the Marshalls, Carolines,

  Marianas, and the Philippines, ten more Wildcat

  pilots became aces.

  The U.S. Navy’s Finest Hour

  The FM-2’s most memorable day came on

  October 25, 1944. Task Group 77.4, composed of

  three Task Units 77.1, 77.2, and 77.3 known as

  Taffy One, Two and Three for their radio callsign

  “Taffy,” were operating off the island of Samar to

  provide air support to the invasion of Leyte; each

  Task Unit was composed of six escort carriers,

  with two or three destroyers and four or five

  destroyer escorts for support. Each TU had 48

  TBM-1C Avengers and around 100 FM-2 Wildcats

  between the six carriers.

  The previous day, October 24, the Wildcats

  defended the fleet against the many Japanese air

  attacks. The Wildcats of VC-10 aboard the carrier

  USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73) – part of “Taffy Three”

  – were the most successful squadron in the

  entire Task Group. VC-10’s Wildcat pilots, who had

  By the fall of 1942, production of the F4F Wildcat, which

  was seen as a useful aircraft for the composite squadrons

  operating from escort carriers that would provide anti-

  submarine cover and close air support for coming

  invasions, was transferred to General Motors Eastern

  Aircraft Division. However, Grumman was not completely

  through with the Wildcat. The possibility of developing

  a lighter version specifically for operation from escort

  carriers had been considered before production was

  taken over by General Motors.

  By THOMAS McKELVEY CLEAVER

  FM-2 Wildcat fighter on combat air patrol

  during the Leyte Invasion.

  Photo: NHHC

  INFO Eduard12

  August 2023

• Page 13

  HISTORY

  first experienced air combat during the Marianas

  invasion, when pilots shot down three attacking

  Japanese aircraft during the main battle on June

  18, 1944, shot down seven enemy aircraft. Ensign

  Courtney assisted in breaking up an attack

  on American transports by more than 15 twin

  engine bombers. He was credited with assisting

  in destroying one Ki-21 Sally and the probable

  destruction of one Ki-48 Lily. Lieutenant R. W.

  Roby shot down one Lily and assisted in shooting

  down one Sally and Lieutenant Seitz shot down a

  Sally. Lieutenant (jg) Phillips probably destroyed

  two Zekes and Lieutenant(jg) Dugan shot down

  two Sallys. Lieutenant Joe McGraw and others

  in a CAP flight intercepted a group of 15–20 twin

  engine bombers escorted by six to eight Oscars

  he mistakenly identified as Zekes. McGraw

  destroyed two Lilys and damaged a third.

  The next morning, the men, ships and aircraft

  of Taffy One, Two, and Three fought the Battle off

  Samar, which has been called “the Navy’s Finest

  Hour.” This was the last surface engagement ever

  fought by the U.S. Navy against an enemy fleet. In

  the words of Samuel Eliot Morrison, the Pacific

  War’s official historian: “In no engagement of its

  entire history has the United States Navy shown

  more gallantry, guts and gumption than in those

  two morning hours between 0730 and 0930 off

  Samar.” The Battle off Samar involved ships that

  should never have been in the same ocean with

  their opponents, fighting against the greatest

  surface fleet the Empire of Japan ever sent to

  sea.

  On October 24, the First Mobile Striking Force,

  commanded by Admiral Takeo Kurita, lost the

  giant battleship Musashi, sunk by American carrier

  aircraft in the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea. Following

  Musashi’s loss, Kurita broke off his advance, which

  was spotted by American aircraft; Third Fleet

  commander Admiral Willian F. Halsey decided the

  enemy had been defeated and ordered the Fast

  Carrier Task Force to head north to attack the

  Japanese carrier fleet that had been found off Cape

  Engano. However – unknown to the Americans

  – Kurita was ordered to resume his attack. The

  Japanese transited San Bernardino Strait that

  night and emerged into the Philippine Sea at dawn.

  Kurita, aboard Yamato – the world’s most powerful

  battleship – ordered the fleet to head south to attack

  the American invasion fleet in Leyte Gulf.

  Taffy 3, northernmost of the three escort carrier

  groups, included USS St Lo (CVE-63), White Plains

  (CVE-66) Kalinin Bay (CVE-68), Fanshaw Bay

  (CVE-70), Kitkun Bay (CVE 71) and Gambier Bay

  (CVE-73), commanded by Rear Admiral Clifton

  Sprague; the carriers were escorted by three

  Fletcher-class destroyers USS Johnston (DD-

  557), Hoel (DD-533) and Heerman (DD-532), and

  four Butler-class destroyer escorts USS John C.

  Butler (DE-339), Dennis (DE-405), Raymond (DE-

  341) and Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413).

  At 0630 hours, a TBM-1C Avenger flown by

  Ensign Bill Brooks took off from St. Lo on the

  morning patrol. He spotted smoke on the horizon

  to the northwest at 0647 hours. It was the First

  Mobile Striking Force, 17 miles from Taffy-3 and

  bearing down on the CVEs at 30 knots.

  At about the same moment, lookouts on

  St. Lo reported the unmistakable shapes of

  “pagoda masts,” a sure identification of Japanese

  battleships. At 0700 hours, Avenger pilot Ensign

  Hans Jensen sighted the fleet; this was soon

  confirmed by shipboard radar.

  Kurita’s ships had just changed to a circular

  antiaircraft formation when smoke was spotted

  on the horizon. At 0700 hours, Yamato opened

  fire with her 18-inch main battery. On Yamato’s

  bridge, no one could identify the silhouettes of

  the American carriers in the manuals. Kurita

  mistakenly assumed he had a task group of

  the Third Fleet under his guns. He immediately

  ordered “General Attack.”

  The Americans Respond

  With the CVEs limited to a top speed of 18

  knots, Taffy-3 had no hope of outdistancing their

  pursuers. There was no possibility of out-shooting

  them; each carrier had only one 5-inch/38-

  caliber gun on its stern. Admiral Sprague ordered

  the force to turn south toward the others and

  ordered the destroyers to make smoke to provide

  cover while the carriers launched their aircraft.

  Gambier Bay managed to launch most of

  her aircraft while battleship shells rumbled

  overhead. LCDR Edward J. Huxtable, CO of VC-10,

  boarded his Avenger and asked his plane captain

  if he had a bomb load. “He said no, so I told him

  to call LCDR Buzz Borries, the air officer, to see

  USS Kitkun Bay (CVE-71) prepares to launch FM-2 Wildcats fighters during the action.

  FM-2s of Composite Squadron 10 at Tacloban

  Photo: USN via Thomas Cleaver

  Photo: NHHC

  INFO Eduard

  13

  August 2023

• Page 14

  HISTORY

  if I had time to get a load. We had not turned up

  engines yet and I could not see going off without

  some ordnance. I saw Borries talking to Captain

  Viewig, who made a sweeping motion with his

  arm – ‘Get ‘em off!’”

  “About this time, I was startled by what seemed

  like a rifle shot. I looked out and saw it was

  a salvo of heavy-caliber stuff splashing alongside

  White Plains. Until this moment, I had no idea the

  enemy was so near. Now I was more than ready

  to get on that catapult! Three TBMs launched

  ahead of me. The ceiling was at 1,200 feet. I called

  up Admiral Sprague and asked what our orders

  were. ‘Attack immediately!’”

  Following the catapult launches of the

  Avengers, the FM-2 Wildcats were hurriedly

  launched; some were armed with rockets for

  strikes ashore, but most were armed only with

  their four .50-caliber machine guns.

  Huxtable broke out into better visibility.

  “I spotted four cruisers nearby and what appeared

  to be four battleships further back in the gloom.

  There was no possibility of making a high-altitude

  attack. I pulled up into the ceiling and started for

  the cruisers. I had no idea what loads the other

  planes had, but at least we would give them

  a good scare.”

  Huxtable was joined by his Annapolis classmate,

  LCDR Richard Fowler, who led Kitkun Bay’s VC-

  5. They attempted coordinated “hot” and “dry”

  attacks, with FM-2s strafing the ships ahead of

  the Avengers, which dropped their 500-pound

  general purpose bombs. “Our bombs had no effect

  on the ships, but possibly the explosions scared

  the crewmen.”

  The Wildcats and Avengers of Taffy-3 kept an

  unrelenting string of aircraft over Kurita’s fleet,

  giving the admiral the impression the Americans

  had far greater resources than they did.

  Lt(jg) Norman Johnson of Fanshaw Bay’s

  Composite Squadron 68 piloted an Avenger

  with four 500-pound general-purpose bombs.

  He later remembered: “Climbing at full throttle,

  I penetrated the lower cloud cover and leveled off

  at 11,000 feet. I took a final look at the enemy ships,

  which were firing on our ships. When I was about

  five miles away, I nosed down to pick up speed.

  The Japanese battle force was at that moment

  occupied in anti-aircraft protection against an

  air attack. Varied colored bursts mushroomed at

  several levels. It was quite dense and something

  I had to penetrate. I kept my bomb doors closed

  as speed increased. I saw three large battleships

  with rudders hard over and guns spitting flame. At

  7,000 feet, I pushed over into my attack, selecting

  the lead battleship as my target. My radioman

  reminded me ‘Open the bomb bay doors!’ I opened

  the doors and the immediate drag was apparent

  as the airplane was really barreling along now.

  “I was intent on adjusting the target in my

  sight. Suddenly the airplane corkscrewed, and

  the right-side sliding part of the canopy peeled

  off. I pressed the bomb release at what seemed

  the best altitude and concentrated my effort on

  pulling out. The target was so large the bombs

  couldn’t miss. It was a close call as I leveled off

  50 to 100 feet over the water. I pulled up to avoid

  more AA and then hid in the clouds in case there

  were any enemy aircraft around.”

  Over the next 30 minutes, aircraft from the six

  squadrons made repeated bombing and rocket

  runs on the enemy ships, strafing their decks

  as they pulled out. At Tacloban, the field became

  a muddy bog; landing aircraft were damaged as

  they ground-looped in the mud and slammed

  into other planes. By mid-day the airfield was

  covered with wrecked Avengers and Wildcats.

  The Naval “Charge of the Light Brigade”

  While the pilots desperately attempted to

  distract the enemy, Taffy-3’s “small boys” moved

  to defend the carriers after Admiral Sprague

  ordered the three destroyers to attack despite

  the hopeless odds.

  At 0700 hours USS Johnston made smoke in

  response to the incoming shell fire that bracketed

  the carriers. Ten minutes later, Gunnery Officer

  Robert Hagen opened fire at a range of 18,000

  yards and registered several hits on the leading

  heavy cruisers with his radar-directed gunfire.

  After five minutes, Hagen concentrated

  fire on heavy cruiser Kumano. At maximum

  range, Johnston scored several hits on her

  superstructure, which erupted in flame. Kumano

  then targeted Johnston in turn and she was

  soon bracketed by colorful shell splashes.

  Johnston made smoke and zigzagged while she

  accelerated to flank speed and headed toward

  the enemy fleet alone, firing over 200 rounds

  nearly continuously.

  Captain Evans brought Johnston to 9,000 yards

  from the enemy and fired all ten torpedoes. Two

  hit Kumano at 0724 hours and blew her bow off.

  The four other torpedoes continued on toward the

  enemy fleet and battleship Kongô was forced to

  turn away north to avoid them, which took her

  out of the fight. Heavy cruiser Suzuya, which had

  suffered damage from air attacks, stopped her

  pursuit of the Americans to assist Kumano.

  Johnston’s audacious attack confused Admiral

  Kurita, who thought he had been engaged

  by American cruisers. When the rest of the

  Japanese ships were forced to turn away to avoid

  the torpedoes, the carriers gained more precious

  minutes to launch aircraft.

  Evans turned back into his own smoke, but at

  0730 hours, the enemy guns found him. Firing

  at a range of 17,000 yards, Kongô, hit Johnston

  with three 14-inch shells which penetrated into

  her port engine room, where the explosions cut

  her speed in half and disrupted power to the aft

  USS GAMBIER BAY (CVE-73) and two destroyer escorts making smoke at the start of the battle off Samar,

  October 25, 1944. Japanese ships are faintly visible on the horizon.

  Photo: Phi Willard Niet via NHHC

  INFO Eduard14

  August 2023

• Page 15

  HISTORY

  gun mounts. Moments later, three 6-inch shells

  from Yamato struck Johnston’s bridge. Everyone

  was wounded and Commander Evans’ fingers

  of his left hand were traumatically severed by

  shrapnel. Johnston was badly mangled with

  dead and dying sailors strewn across her bloody

  decks. She found refuge in a rain squall, while the

  damage control parties restored power to two of

  the three aft mounts and repair the fire control

  radar. With repairs completed at 0735 hours, she

  opened fire on Japanese destroyers while hidden

  in the smoke.

  Johnston then retired to the Task Group.

  Minutes later, she encountered Heermann and an

  already-damaged Hoel headed in to attack. Evans

  could have continued back to the fleet and no one

  would have faulted him. Instead, he reversed

  course and made smoke to help obscure the two

  as they headed toward the onrushing Japanese.

  Samuel B. Roberts, known to her crew as “Sammy

  B” followed. The attack was a naval “Charge of

  the Light Brigade” that actually happened on the

  90th anniversary of the event immortalized in

  Tennyson’s poem.

  Over the next 40 minutes, Evans engaged in

  several duels with the enemy. At 0830 hours,

  Johnston opened fire on the cruiser Chokai,

  which was firing at the helpless Gambier Bay.

  She then closed to 6,000 yards and traded fire for

  ten minutes with the battleship Haguro, scoring

  numerous hits. At 0840 hours, she intercepted

  a formation of seven destroyers spotted closing in

  on the carriers. Evans attempted to pass in front

  of the enemy, “crossing the T” as gunnery officer

  Hagen opened fire. Johnston was hit several

  times by return fire. The lead enemy destroyer

  turned away to the west and took a dozen hits

  from Johnston as she did so. Hagen quickly

  shifted fire to the next in line and scored five hits

  before it too veered off and the entire squadron

  turned west to avoid Johnston. Three destroyers

  fired their torpedoes at the carriers from 10,500

  yards but no hits were scored. The Japanese

  and American ships were now intertwined in

  a confused jumble.

  More Avengers and Wildcats from the other

  task groups appeared out of the cloudy skies and

  attacked the enemy, while destroyer Hoel headed

  toward the battleship Kongô and took a salvo of

  14-inch shells in her bridge. She closed to 9,000

  yards and fired five torpedoes - none hit, but the

  torpedoes forced Kongô to turn away. Despite

  having three of her five gun mounts as well as

  her port engine knocked out, Hoel drew Japanese

  fire for the next hour as she chased shells and

  distracted the enemy from the carriers. An 8-inch

  shell stopped her at 0830 hours. Having taken 40

  hits, Hoel went down with 259 of her crew. Only

  86 survived, including 19-year old Bob DeSpain, a

  former lifeguard from San Pedro, California, who

  over the next hours swam from group to group

  and gathered the survivors together (this writer

  was privileged to know Bob over the last six

  years of his life; he worked as a docent aboard

  the battleship Iowa in San Pedro).

  Samuel B. Roberts closed to 4,000 yards of

  the cruiser Chôkai, moving at 28 knots after the

  chief engineer, Lieutenant “Lucky” Trowbridge

  bypassed all the safety mechanisms in the

  engines. Her captain, LCDR Robert W. Copeland,

  USNR, announced over the ship’s public address:

  „This will be a fight against overwhelming odds

  from which survival cannot be expected. We

  will do what damage we can.“ Chôkai could

  not lower the guns sufficiently to hit the little

  destroyer escort. Sammy-B launched her three

  torpedoes. One blew off Chôkai’s bow. The little

  ship then showed why she would be known ever

  after as “the destroyer escort that fought like a

  battleship.” She battled on for another hour, firing

  more than 600 5-inch shells from her two guns.

  Maneuvering at very close range, she mauled

  Chôkai with her 40mm and 20mm AA guns. At 0851

  hours, she was hit twice and lost her after 5-inch

  gun when a breech explosion killed and wounded

  several of the crew. She then engaged Chikuma,

  which was also under fire by Heerman. The two

  American ships ripped Chikuma‘s superstructure

  with salvo after salvo: armor-piercing shells,

  high-explosive shells, anti-aircraft shells, and

  even star shells which created chemical fires in

  metal plates hit the cruiser.

  Firing her remaining 5-inch gun, Sammy-B

  devastated Chikuma’s bridge. Fires spread

  through the cruiser’s superstructure. Sammy-B’s

  last shot put the number three gun turret out of

  action just as three 14-inch shells from Kongô

  hit her. The order “Abandon Ship” was given at

  0935 hours and Sammy-B sank 30 minutes later,

  taking 89 of her crew. The 120 survivors clung to

  three life rafts. It would be 50 hours before 80

  were finally rescued from the open sea.

  Cruisers Tone and Chikuma, followed by the

  damaged Chôkai and Kumano, closed in on

  Taffy-3. As they opened fire, Heermann fired her

  main 5-inch battery at Chikuma, then launched

  five torpedoes. Again, they all missed but flagship

  Yamato was now forced to turn away which put

  her out of the fight. With one gun mount knocked

  out, Heermann continued to engage Chikuma.

  Two Avengers and several Wildcats launched

  from Taffy-1 and Taffy-2 attacked the cruiser. Just

  as she turned away, a single shot from Heerman

  struck in her aviation gasoline stowage. Chikuma

  blew up and sank.

  From Defeat to Victory

  Gambier Bay was hit in her starboard engine

  room at 0847 hours. The second hit set fueled

  aircraft afire on the hangar deck. Enormous

  shells passed through her without exploding

  because her thin steel wasn’t enough to stop

  them. She went dead in the water at 0900 hours

  as Tone, Chikuma, and the damaged Chôkai

  closed in. At 0907 hours she capsized, sending

  700 survivors into the water. Gambier Bay was

  the only American aircraft carrier ever sunk in

  a surface engagement.

  Chokai sped past the sinking carrier and took

  aim at White Plains. The little carrier’s 5-inch gun

  crew manned their weapon on her stern. Opening

  fire on Chokai at maximum range, the third shot

  hit the cruiser in her torpedo stowage and Chokai

  exploded, sinking in less than two minutes and

  leaving no survivors. White Plains became the

  only aircraft carrier in history to sink an enemy

  warship with surface gunfire.

  Japanese battleship Musashi under attack

  Photo: USN via Thomas Cleaver

  INFO Eduard

  15

  August 2023

• Page 16

  HISTORY

  At 0940 hours, Johnston, which had come under

  attack from several enemy destroyers, lost all

  power from the hits and went dead in the water.

  The enemy surrounded her and continued their

  fire. Evans was finally forced to order “Abandon

  Ship” at 0945 hours. At 1005 hours, Johnston

  sank with 186 of her crew going down with her.

  Evans managed to get into the water with other

  crewmen but was never seen again. While he was

  posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, it was

  the Japanese themselves who first recognized

  his courage. Seaman Robert Billie and several

  other crewmen in a raft watched an enemy

  destroyer cruise slowly past as her captain stood

  on his bridge, saluting the sinking Johnston as an

  honorable opponent.

  Aboard Yamato, Admiral Kurita became

  convinced by the renewed air attacks by the

  Wildcats and Avengers that his fleet had stumbled

  into contact with the U.S. Third Fleet. Expecting

  American battleships to come over the horizon

  at any moment and realizing that his ships were

  so dispersed from their evasive maneuvers that

  it was impossible for them to return to a fighting

  formation to take on the expected enemy, he

  signaled to his fleet to break off action and turn

  back to San Bernardino Strait at 0945 hours.

  American sailors struggling in the sea, and

  those manning their battle stations aboard

  the ships, were amazed as the gunfire faded

  away and the enemy soon disappeared over the

  horizon. Had Admiral Kurita continued on, there

  was nothing stopping his fleet from sinking all

  the escort carriers and moving into Leyte Gulf

  to attack the invasion fleet. The reservists who

  manned the carriers and destroyers and aircraft

  squadrons – most of whom had never seen an

  ocean before they went aboard the ships in which

  they fought and died – had saved the invasion of

  the Philippines.

  After the sinking of Gambier Bay, VC-10

  Wildcat pilot Ensign McGraw was among the

  surviving aircrews who landed on Manila Bay.

  That afternoon, he was launched with other pilots

  from that ship to intercept a formation Val dive

  bombers escorted by Zeke fighters attempting

  to attack the escort carriers. McGraw shot down

  one Val and one Zeke to become VC-10’s only ace.

  A bit more than an hour after the Battle off

  Samar concluded, the U.S. Navy was introduced

  to the power of a new and deadly enemy when

  the Shikishima Unit of the 201st Air Group found

  the surviving carriers of Taffy-3 at 1047 hours. At

  1052 hours, a Zeke believed flown by Lieutenant

  Seki dived on the escort carrier St. Lo. The

  airplane hit the center of the flight deck. The

  250-kilogram bomb penetrated the flight deck

  and exploded on the port side of the hangar deck

  in the midst of several aircraft in the process

  of being refueled and rearmed. A gasoline fire

  quickly broke out, followed by six secondary

  explosions that ended with the detonation of the

  torpedo and bomb magazine. Engulfed in flame,

  St. Lo sank 30 minutes later. From an 889-man

  crew, 113 were killed or missing. Thirty survivors

  later died of their wounds. The 434 survivors

  were rescued from the water by Heermann and

  the destroyer escorts John C. Butler, Raymond,

  and Dennis. The U.S. Navy’s most deadly foe had

  entered the battle.

  Exploze na USS St. Lo (CVE-63) poté, co byla zasažena 25. října 1944 útokem Kamikaze u Samaru.

  Foto: Phi Willard Niet via NHHC

  product page

  #11175

  INFO Eduard16

  August 2023

• Page 17

• Searching for lost ships with Paul Allen

  In this last installement of searching for the lost ships with Paul Alled we will talk about the shipwrecks lying in the greatest depths of the world. They sank to the bottom of the ocean during the Battle of Samar. These are the American destroyers which, heavily outnumbered, bravely faced the enemy for whom this battle was a swan song.

  HISTORY

  The Battle of Santa Cruz, during which the

  aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-8) was sunk

  in October 1942, was for a long time the last

  carriers encounter. While the Allies gradually

  took over the strategic initiative, the Japanese

  carriers were recovering from the losses.

  The damaged ships needed repairs but above

  all the lost aircraft had to be replenished and

  new pilots trained. During the whole 1943 no

  further aircraft carriers battle took place. The

  Japanese Navy was saving the resources and

  preparing for the so-called decisive battle.

  The opportunity arrived in June 1944 when the

  US carriers attacked the Mariana Islands. The

  Japanese threw all they had into the counter

  attack – 1st Mobile Fleet formed by total of 83

  vessels, including 3 large aircraft carriers,

  6 light aircraft carriers and 5 battleships.

  They faced the American 5th Fleet composed

  of 139 ships. The backbone of the US fleet

  was formed by 7 large aircraft carriers,

  8 light aircraft carriers and 7 battleships. The

  American dominance was to be compensated

  by deployment of further 300 Japanese aircraft

  operating from the land bases.

  The result of the Battle of Philippine Sea

  doesn’t need a detailed description, its first day

  went down in the history as a Great Mariana

  Turkey Shoot. The great lack of quality in

  Japanese aircraft and pilots‘ training was

  aparent and the Japanese aircraft were falling

  of the skies in hundreds. One of the American

  pilots described the combat after landing as

  shooting turkeys back home in old times. The

  greatest American fighter aces increased their

  scores thanks to it. Cdr. David McCampbell, who

  up until then was credited with two kills (out of

  total 34), on June 19, 1944, during his first sortie,

  shot down fine D4Y Judy dive bombers and

  during the next sortie added two A6M fighters.

  Lt. Alexander Vraciu, whose score stood at 12

  kills at that time (out of total 19), on the same

  In this last installement of searching for the lost ships with Paul Alled

  we will talk about the shipwrecks lying in the greatest depths of the

  world. They sank to the bottom of the ocean during the Battle of Samar.

  These are the American destroyers which, heavily outnumbered,

  bravely faced the enemy for whom this battle was a swan song.

  SEARCHING FOR LOST SHIPS

  WITH PAUL ALLEN

  SHIPWRECKS IN THE

  GREATEST DEPTHS

  Text: Miro Barič

  USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413)

  photographed in the beginning of

  summer 1944. It is the deepest

  lying shipwreck known currently in

  the world.

  Photo: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command

  Lt.(jg) Alexander Vraciu shows his six fingers for the aerial kills he scored on June 19, 1944.

  Photo: National Archives

  INFO Eduard18

  August 2023

• Page 19

  HISTORY

  day during one sortie shot down six D4Y Judy

  bombers. It took him eight minutes and he spent

  360 12.7 mm caliber rounds.

  While the American pilots fought the Japanese

  aircraft, on that day the Japanese ships were

  only attacked by the American submarines.

  They fared very well indeed. USS Cavalla hit

  Shokaku with three torpedoes and sank her.

  USS Albacore hit the new carrier Taiho with

  only a single torpedo but a poor execution of

  the rescue operations caused the fuel fumes to

  accumulate under the deck which later caused a

  series of explosions and Taiho sank as well. The

  aircraft from the American carriers attacked

  the Japanese vessels on June 20, 1944, at the

  limit of their range and almost at night. They

  sank light carrier Hiyo and two tankers. They

  also damaged several other ships. However,

  they paid the price by loosing 100 aircraft,

  only 20 were shot down in combat tough. The

  remaining 80 had to crash land due to the lack

  of fuel and the crews were mostly rescued.

  The Japanese losses were significantly higher.

  The air forces they had gathered during the

  whole previous year, were lost in two days. The

  remaining Japanese aircraft carriers without

  airplanes could not longer play an active role

  and in the following battle they were used as

  decoy.

  Four battles in one

  It took place during the Philippines landing

  in October 1944. Actually there was a series

  of several naval battles which became to be

  known under the common name, the Battle of

  Leyte Gulf. The Japanese Navy did not recover

  from the preceding defeats but had to react

  to the Allied invasion. The Japanese deployed

  the old samurai tactics of the feign attack.

  The Northern Force, commanded by Vice

  Admiral Ozawa, assumed the role of a decoy.

  On the paper it looked strong composed of two

  battleships, aircraft carrier Zuikaku and three

  light carrier Zuiho, Chiyoda and Chitose, however

  they altogether carried 108 aircraft only. In the

  meantime, the Center Force led by Viceadmiral

  Kurita and Southern Force consisting of two

  groups led by Viceadmirals Nishimura and

  Shima were to approach the Allied invasion

  fleet through different passages. They were

  at the disadvantage though due to the strict

  radio silence and the admirals were unable to

  coordinate their actions and each of them acted

  individually. Therefore they gradually clashed

  with the US Navy in four battles.

  The first one took place in Sibuyan Sea. First,

  on October 23, 1944, Kurita’s Center Force

  was spotted and attacked by the American

  submarines USS Darter and USS Dace. They

  sank two heavy cruisers and damaged another

  one. Then, on October 24, 1944, the Japanese

  ships became targets of five waves of the

  American carrier-borne aircraft. Those sank

  the battleship Musashi and damaged several

  other ships. Kurita therefore turned around

  180 degrees and started to retreat, and the

  Americans took the bait. Musashi’s wreck was

  one of the first Paul Allen found. It happened

  in March 2015 using his older ship Octopus.

  Musashi lies 900 meters deep and Allen’s

  expedition discovered that she had exploded

  while sinking. The bow stands upright on the

  ocean’s bottom and the stern is turned upside

  down. The main superstructure and stack lie on

  the sides.

  Nine kills in one sortie

  In the meantime, three waves of Japanese

  airplanes from the land bases attacked the

  American ships. During their defenses Cdr.

  David McCampbell distinguished himself again.

  Only in a pair formation, just with his wingman,

  he attacked the formation of 60-80 airplanes

  approaching the American ships. In the combat,

  which lasted an hour and 35 minutes, he shot

  down 9 Japanese fighters and two probables.

  His wingman, Lt. Roy Rushing was credited with

  another six kills. They completely dismantled

  the Japanese formation. After the landing

  the mechanics did not find any fuel left in

  Campbell Hellcat’s tanks and there were two

  12.7 mm caliber rounds left for his machine

  guns. For this achievement, as well as the

  previous success in the Battle of Philippine Sea

  four months ago , McCambell was decorated

  with the highest American award, Medal of

  Honour. The rare success by the Japanese side

  was scored by a D4Y Judy dive bomber which

  penetrated the defences and suddenly appeared

  Photo: U.S. Navy

  Photo: U.S. Navy

  Cdr. David McCampbell in the cockpit of his Hellcat on board of USS Essex

  in the beginning of October 1944. At that time his score stood at 21 kills.

  McCampbell is posing in the cockpit of his Hellcat for a propaganda photograph in the end

  of October 1944. By scoring additional 9 kills in a day, he raised his score to 30 victories.

  INFO Eduard

  19

  August 2023

• Page 20

  USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413) in October 1944, couple of days before her sinking.

  USS Johnston (DD-557) in October 1943, right after her entry in the service.

  USS Hoel (DD-533) in August 1944.

  Cdr. Ernest Evans, commanding officer of destroyer

  Johnston.

  LCdr. Robert Copeland, commanding officer of Samuel

  B. Roberts escort destroyer.

  Photo: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command

  Photo: U.S. Naval History and Heritage CommandPhoto: U.S. Naval History and Heritage CommandPhoto: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command

  Photo: U.S. Navy

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard20

  August 2023

• Page 21

  above the light aircraft carrier USS Princeton.

  Its bomb exploded in the hangar among fully

  fueled Avenger bombers. The result was a fire

  which after several hours caused an enormous

  explosion of the stored bombs. The ship was

  impossible to rescue and she sank with 108 souls

  lost. Further 233 American sailors perished

  on board of the light cruiser USS Birmingham

  which was at the time of Princeton explosion at

  her side helping with putting out the fires.

  Battle of Surigao Str ait

  In the meantime the Japanese Southern Force

  tried to fight its way through Surigao Strait. On

  October 24, 1944 the American airplanes barely

  caused any damage to Nishimura’s ships but the

  American vessels set up a trap for him in the

  strait. First he faced the attack of the torpedo

  boats and destroyers. Those sank the battleship

  Fuso. Six battleships and eight cruisers under

  the command of Admiral Oldendorf waited for

  the Japanese at the exit from the strait. On

  December 7, 1941, five of these battleships were

  sunk or damaged at Pearl Harbor. California,

  Maryland, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and West

  Virginia then underwent the extensive repairs

  and rebuilds. On the night of October 24-25,

  1944, time of their revenge arrived. Their radar-

  controlled cannon fire sank Yamashiro and

  damaged the cruiser Mogami. It was the last

  battleship encounter in the history.

  The second part of the Southern Force did

  not engage in this battle because it lagged

  behind Nishimura. When Shima realized that

  the first part had been massacred, he ordered

  a retreat. At that moment, Mogami collided

  with the heavy cruiser Nachi and was further

  damaged. This heavy cruiser met a similar fate

  in the Battle of Midway when it collided with

  its sister ship, Mikuma. The collision slowed

  down both ships, making them vulnerable to

  the dive bombers, and Mikuma was eventually

  sunk. Though Mogami survived Midway, it was

  so severely damaged that they had to remove

  its rear turrets and rebuild it as a hybrid cruiser

  – a seaplane carrier. Now, after the collision

  with Nachi, its fate was sealed. The pursuing

  American cruisers inflicted further damage on

  Mogami, and in the morning, it was finished off

  by bombs from an Avenger bomber.

  The wrecks of Yamashiro and Fusō were

  discovered by Paul Allen and his ship RV Petrel

  on November 25, 2017. Both ships lie upside

  down at a depth of around 200 meters. On May

  8, 2019, RV Petrel also found the wreck of the

  cruiser Mogami, which lies at a depth of 1450

  meters.

  Battle of Cape Engaño

  Although Ozawa’s Northern Force with

  aircraft carriers tried to attract the attention of

  the Americans, they only discovered it last, in

  the evening of October 24, 1944. However, this

  turned out to be coincidentally perfect timing for

  the Japanese. At the same time, Kurita's Center

  Force had turned back in retreat. American

  Admiral William Halsey was convinced that

  Kurita’s ships were out of action and focused on

  Ozawa.

  The final battle of the aircraft carriers took

  place on October 25, 1944. Early in the morning,

  Ozawa launched an attack wave of 75 aircraft.

  That was all the Japanese aircraft carriers

  could muster, having been decimated in previous

  battles. Most of these planes were shot down,

  and Ozawa had no more left. Subsequently,

  he had to face six waves of American attacks,

  which sank all four Japanese aircraft carriers.

  The Battle of Samar Island

  The Japanese original plan almost

  succeeded. While the Japanese aircraft

  carriers were being used as a bait and being

  massacred, the core of Kurita’s Center Force

  appeared near the invasion beaches. Kurita

  had feigned a retreat and then turned back to

  his original course, sneaking through the San

  Bernardino Strait unnoticed during the night.

  USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73) in April 1944.

  The American destroyers and escort destroyers laying the smoke screen during the Battle of Samar.

  Photo: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command

  Phto: U.S. Navy

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard

  21

  August 2023

• Page 22

  American Admiral William Halsey sent his main

  forces north against Ozawa, leaving the strait

  unguarded. Another mistake made by Halsey

  was his delayed reaction to reports of the

  Japanese battleships' penetration; he was too

  eager to destroy the enemy’s aircraft carriers.

  Unfortunately, this exposed the entire Philippine

  landing to a deadly risk.

  Against four Japanese battleships, six

  heavy cruisers, and eleven destroyers, there

  were only three groups of small and slow

  escort aircraft carriers providing support to

  the landing forces – Taffy 1, Taffy 2, and Taffy

  3. When the Japanese ships appeared on the

  horizon, Taffy 3, commanded by Admiral Clifton

  Sprague, was the closest to them. The group

  consisted of six escort carriers (Fanshaw Bay,

  Gambier Bay, Kalinin Bay, Kitkun Bay, St. Lo,

  and White Plains), three destroyers (Heermann,

  Hoel, and Johnston), and four escort destroyers

  (Dennis, John C. Butler, Raymond, and Samuel B.

  Roberts). The destroyers of the Fletcher class,

  armed with five 127mm guns and ten torpedo

  tubes, were the most heavily armed ships in

  Taffy 3. The escort destroyers were smaller and

  slower, carrying only two 127mm guns and three

  torpedo launchers. To put it in perspective, the

  battleship Yamato had a larger displacement

  than the entire American force combined!

  In the ensuing battle of David against Goliath,

  the Japanese cruisers Chōkai, Chikuma, and

  Suzuya were sunk, while on the American side,

  the destroyers USS Johnston, USS Hoel, and USS

  Samuel B. Roberts were lost. The escort carrier

  USS Gambier Bay was destroyed by gunfire

  from the cruisers Tone and Chikuma. It was the

  only American aircraft carrier sunk by surface

  gunfire. After the battle with Kurita's forces, the

  heavily tested Taffy 3 group had to face the first

  organized kamikaze attack. Several ships were

  damaged, and the escort carrier USS St. Lo was

  sunk when a Zero carrying a bomb crashed into

  its flight deck and exploded in the hangar among

  refueling aircraft.

  The total American losses in the Battle of

  Samar Island were nearly 1,200 sailors and

  aviators, which is more than the casualties

  in the Battles of Midway and the Coral Sea

  combined. It is no wonder that Clifton Sprague

  harshly criticized Halsey's actions.

  The Battle of Samar Island is renowned as

  the “finest hour of the U.S. Navy,” and more

  detailed information about it can be found in

  Tom Cleaver’s article on page 12 of this issue.

  Now, let’s focus on the wrecks of the ships left

  behind after the battle...

  In the Philippine Trench

  The Battle of Samar Island took place on the

  edge of the Philippine Trench, and as a result, all

  the sunken ships rest in great depths. The wreck

  of USS St. Lo was discovered by the research

  vessel RV Petrel in May 2019, lying at a depth of

  4,736 meters. In the same month, researchers

  also located the cruiser Chōkai at a depth of

  5,173 meters.

  However, in October 2019, RV Petrel found

  parts of a ship believed to be from USS Johnston.

  They were located at a depth of 6,218 meters,

  USS Gambier Bay photographed from the deck of USS Kalinin Bay during the Battle of Samar.

  Gambier Bay lagged behind the rest of the group. In the

  picture we can see as the Japanese grenades exploding

  aorund her.

  Saving the survivors of the Battle of Samar.

  Photo: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command

  Photo: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command

  Photo: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command

  HISTORY

• Page 23

  making it the deepest known shipwreck at that

  time. The discovery included a gun, a propeller

  shaft, and several other fragments. Indications

  on the seabed suggested that the rest of the

  ship had sunk even deeper, beyond the reach of

  the exploration robot.

  Enter Victor Vescovo, an entrepreneur and

  investor who served in the U.S. Navy for 20

  years and now dedicates himself to deep-sea

  expeditions. He has dived to the deepest points

  in all the world's oceans, including reaching

  the bottom of the Mariana Trench's Challenger

  Deep in April 2019. It was only the third manned

  mission to this location in history.

  On March 31, 2021, Vescovo’s research

  vessel DSV Limiting Factor found the remaining

  wreckage of USS Johnston at a depth of 6,469

  meters, definitively identifying it. This discovery

  set a new record for the deepest known

  shipwreck.

  However, this record was broken again in

  June 2021 when Vescovo and his team found

  the wreck of the escort destroyer USS Samuel

  B. Roberts at a depth of 6,895 meters. According

  to their observations, the ship descended in

  one piece before crashing onto the seabed with

  its bow first, causing hull deformations and

  the detachment of the stern, which now lies

  5 meters away from the main wreck. The hull

  also bears visible damage caused by Japanese

  shelling, including a broken mast.

  Currently, the USS Samuel B. Roberts holds

  the title of the deepest known shipwreck.

  Still, it is believed that some of the ships

  sunk in the Battle of Samar Island lie even

  deeper. Searching for them in the depths of the

  Philippine Trench is extremely challenging. USS

  Gambier Bay and USS Hoel are yet to be found,

  with the destroyer potentially resting at a depth

  of up to 7,300 meters. Even deeper is presumed

  to be the Japanese cruiser Suzuya, which is

  believed to lie at a depth of up to 8,400 meters.

  End of RV Petrel?

  The fate of the research vessel RV Petrel has

  become a symbolic conclusion to the series

  of discoveries mentioned earlier. After Paul

  Allen's passing on October 15, 2018, the RV

  Petrel continued her work. Its crew discovered

  many wrecks mentioned in our articles

  published in 2019. At the beginning of 2020,

  several expeditions were undertaken as part

  of a partnership between the National Oceanic

  and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the

  Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.

  In June 2020, the RV Petrel underwent

  modernization and was equipped with new

  instruments. However, due to the COVID-19

  pandemic, it was put into indefinite storage in a

  dry dock in Scotland. In October 2022, the United

  States Navy purchased the vessel for $12.4

  million. Nonetheless, it remained in the dry dock

  at the port of Leith in Edinburgh.

  Tragedy struck on March 22, 2023, during

  strong winds, when the RV Petrel broke free

  from its moorings and capsized at a 45-degree

  angle. 33 people were injured, but luckily there

  were no fatalities. The extent of the damage and

  the future of the vessel remain unknown at this

  time.

  Number 413 seen on the shipwreck of

  escort destroyer USS Samuel B. Roberts.

  USS Samuel B. Roberts‘ bow.

  Broken stern of USS Samuel B. Roberts.

  The number 557 can be seen on the hull of destroyer USS Johnston.

  The rear gun turret of USS Samuel

  B. Roberts featuring the 127 mm caliber

  cannon.

  The captain‘s bridge of USS Samuel

  B. Roberts. Twin barrel of the 40 mm

  caliber cannon can be seen on the

  starboard and 20 mm cannon on the port.

  A gun turret featuring 127 mm caliber

  cannon on board of USS Johnston.

  Photo: Victor VescovoPhoto: Victor Vescovo

  Photo: Victor VescovoPhoto: Victor Vescovo

  Photo: Victor Vescovo

  Photo: Victor Vescovo

  Photo: Victor Vescovo

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard

  23

  August 2023

• Air war over Ukraine - Ukrainian Offensive, Prigozhin Coup

  June was an extremely hot month in Ukraine, and we’re not referring to global warming. Events unfolded on the front lines that laid the groundwork for significant changes in the future – not only for Ukraine but also for Russia. The Ukrainian offensive began, which, though seemingly progressing slowly, was steady. In Russia, the Wagner Group revolted, but they quickly changed their minds, yet the regime remained shaken. Things were set in motion.

  HISTORY

  Text: Miro Barič

  Photos: Ukrainian

  armed forces, social

  media and other public

  sources

  Air war over Ukraine

  Ukrainian Offensive, Prigozhin Coup

  Ukrainian Mi-24P at a field base.

  June was an extremely hot month in Ukraine, and we’re not referring

  to global warming. Events unfolded on the front lines that laid the

  groundwork for significant changes in the future – not only for Ukraine

  but also for Russia. The Ukrainian offensive began, which, though

  seemingly progressing slowly, was steady. In Russia, the Wagner

  Group revolted, but they quickly changed their minds, yet the regime

  remained shaken. Things were set in motion.

  In this part of the series, we’ll follow events

  from June 1 to July 1, but first, let’s revisit an

  event from the previous period. On May 13, an

  attack group of Russian aircraft, consisting

  of Su-34, Su-35, and 2 × Mi-8 helicopters,

  was shot down in the Bryansk region near

  the Ukrainian border. When the previous part

  was being completed, the exact details of

  what happened had not been confirmed, and

  various possibilities were being considered.

  However, the Ukrainian Armed Forces later

  released a video in which they boasted of their

  successes in air defense. The footage showed

  a Patriot system with markings indicating the

  score, confirming that they were responsible

  for that mentioned Russian group. On the

  side, there are painted silhouettes of aircraft

  and helicopters with the date May 13. By the

  way, they have three Mi-8 helicopters painted

  there, but officially only two were confirmed.

  The Ukrainians, therefore, claim one more.

  It is possible that the Russian group at that time

  consisted of two Mi-8MTPR-1 helicopters for

  electronic warfare and a third Mi-8 prepared

  for search and rescue in case of the attack

  bomber being shot down.

  In addition to this group, the aforementioned

  Patriot system has an impressive collection of

  missiles, including Kinzhals, missiles with a low

  flight path, and drones painted on its side. The

  Ukrainians also demonstrated decent scores

  against the S-300 and NASAMS systems.

  The Patriot system excelled, especially

  during the intensive attacks on Kyiv in May. The

  Russian shelling of the capital decreased in

  June. They probably realized that their attacks

  were just wasting rockets - but officially, they

  accomplished their mission because, according

  to Putin’ְs words, they destroyed five or six

  Patriot systems near Kyiv. Never mind that

  Ukraine received only two of them ...

  Ukrainian Offensive

  Another reason for shifting the Russian

  command’s attention away from Kyiv was the

  Ukrainian counteroffensive. After prolonged

  anticipation, it began in early June in the

  Zaporizhzhia Oblast, southern Ukraine. The

  INFO Eduard24

  August 2023

• Page 25

  Shot of the Patriot system in a video released by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

  NASAMS system score.

  Detail showing silhouettes of two aircraft and three Mi-8 helicopters with the date

  May 13, 2023.

  The S-300 battery marked with four aircraft, 21 missiles with a flat flight path,

  and 15 rockets kills.

  HISTORY

  Ukrainian Armed Forces started pushing in

  three directions – from Velyka Novosilka

  near Vuhledar towards Mariupol, from Orikhiv

  towards Tokmak and Melitopol, and near Lobova

  on the banks of the Kakhovka Reservoir.

  For Russian propaganda, this was a welcome

  change. In anticipation of the Ukrainian

  offensive, they began publishing various false

  footage of Western military equipment being

  destroyed. There was an instance of using

  a photo of a destroyed Turkish Leopard 2 tank

  from Syria and a video of a Russian helicopter

  destroying combine harvesters and other

  agricultural machinery that didn't resemble

  tanks at all. After the actual start of the

  Ukrainian offensive, true losses of Western

  equipment were, of course, revealed.

  The Russians had been building fortifications

  in southern Ukraine for almost a year. These

  include several lines of trenches and, most

  importantly, extensive minefields. These

  minefields proved to be the most challenging

  obstacle. In one attack attempt, a group of

  Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and several

  Leopard 2 tanks got stuck on the mines. The

  Russians filmed this group from multiple angles

  and repeatedly published the footage until the

  Ukrainians made progress and withdrew the

  damaged vehicles for repair. Unlike Russian

  equipment, Western military vehicles fulfill

  their primary purpose – protecting the crew.

  Most Leopard and Bradley machines did not

  explode after being hit; their crews survived,

  and the vehicles can be repaired later.

  Although the Ukrainian advance is slow, it is

  steady – they have liberated more territory in

  a month than the Russians occupied during their

  winter offensive in six months. In addition to

  the mines, Russian helicopters initially slowed

  down the Ukrainians. Ka-52 helicopters were

  deployed to perform long-range missile strikes

  on enemy equipment since the Ukrainian side

  couldn't get air defense systems close enough

  to the frontlines, and portable Stinger missiles

  have limited range. The Ukrainians reported

  shooting down one to two Ka-52 helicopters

  almost daily, but only one was officially

  confirmed. The confirmed one was captured on

  video flying with a damaged tail. The Russian

  side claimed that the tail was damaged due

  to the firing of their own missile, but this is

  unlikely. It is more plausible that it was hit by

  a Ukrainian surface-to-air missile. Thanks to its

  two counter-rotating rotors, the helicopter was

  able to continue flying and make an emergency

  landing.

  The Ka-52 helicopters primarily operated

  from the Berdiansk base, where satellite

  imagery captured them. However, for unknown

  If there were no war, this shot of the Mi-8 on a field base would be downright idyllic. Notice the machine gun in the

  helicopter’s nose.

  INFO Eduard

  25

  August 2023

• Page 26

  HISTORY

  reasons, the Ukrainians attacked this airfield

  only on June 30, several weeks after the satellite

  imagery was published. Prior to that, they had

  repeatedly targeted other military facilities

  in Berdiansk with Storm Shadow missiles.

  After the airfield attack, Russian helicopters

  departed from there, and their activity on the

  frontlines decreased. The reduction in activity

  is also related to the change in Ukrainian tactics

  – they deploy less equipment on the front lines

  and use consequent infantry attacks in groups.

  This lack of targets makes it impractical for

  the Ka-52s to risk further losses. At least 39

  helicopters of this type have been destroyed

  during the war in Ukraine.

  Since the beginning of the offensive, the

  Ukrainian advance has been supported by

  strong artillery and missile attacks. These

  attacks not only destroy Russian trenches but

  also target logistical and command centers

  in the rear, as well as Russian artillery. Last

  summer, Russian artillery played a significant

  role in their offensive, but now it’s merely

  a shadow of what it used to be.

  Destroyed Dam

  However, what significantly altered

  Ukrainian plans was the destruction of the

  Kakhovka Dam on the Dnieper River. Its 3.2 km

  long wall exploded in the central part early

  in the morning on June 6, just two days after

  the start of the Ukrainian offensive. The dam

  held back over 18 cubic kilometers of water,

  which flooded the city of Kherson and another

  40 villages downstream on both sides of the

  Dnieper. Approximately 60 civilians lost their

  lives, and the floodwaters took several days to

  recede.

  Although both sides blamed each other

  for the dam’s explosion, it is certain that the

  Russians had control over it. The massive dam

  The destruction of the Kachovska dam caused enormous damage.

  A Russian Ka-52 helicopter with a damaged tail was

  captured on video on June 19.

  INFO Eduard26

  August 2023

• Page 27

  HISTORY

  could not be threatened from the outside with

  weapons accessible to Ukraine; it had to be

  destroyed by an explosion from inside the dam,

  where only the Russians had access. They blew

  it up to prevent the Ukrainians from attempting

  to cross the river. The flooded and waterlogged

  areas made it impossible for some time.

  However, the result is also a huge

  environmental disaster. A significant amount

  of chemicals has been released into the river

  and subsequently into the sea, causing the

  death of many animals. What is even worse,

  four irrigation canals that were fed by the

  dam have dried up. This will negatively affect

  agricultural production and access to drinking

  water for hundreds of thousands of people for

  many years.

  The emptying of the Kakhovka Dam also

  poses a threat to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear

  Power Plant. The dam water also served as

  a reservoir for cooling the nuclear reactors.

  Furthermore, the Russian forces have laid

  mines in the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant

  complex and are refusing to allow inspectors

  from the International Atomic Energy Agency

  (IAEA) into some areas.

  Prigozhin’s Coup

  After all the events in Ukraine, the Russians

  turned against each other. On the evening of

  June 23, an attempted coup by the Wagner

  Group mercenaries began. Its leader, Yevgeny

  Prigozhin, called it the "March of Justice," citing

  alleged shelling of the base of mercenaries in

  eastern Ukraine by the Russian army, which

  tried to take control of the group. In reality,

  Prigozhin had been planning this uprising for

  a long time and had been amassing vehicles,

  ammunition, and fuel for it, as western

  intelligence agencies discovered from satellite

  images.

  Prigozhin’s goal was to capture Russian

  Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of

  the General Staff Valery Gerasimov at the

  command center in Rostov, near the Ukrainian

  border, both of whom he had publicly criticized

  for a long time. However, Shoigu and Gerasimov

  managed to escape Rostov in time. Prigozhin

  only caught their deputies at the command

  center. The Wagner Group occupied Rostov

  and subsequently started advancing towards

  Moscow on Saturday, June 24th. They took over

  Voronezh and got within about 200 km of the

  capital. Their columns faced little resistance on

  the ground, as their path was only obstructed

  by roadblocks that could be easily overcome.

  The Russian Air Force attempted to resist.

  Helicopters, for instance, destroyed a fuel

  depot in Voronezh, which the Wagner Group

  had occupied. However, the mercenaries

  also had air defense systems, which caused

  another bleak day for the Russian Air Force. Six

  Funeral of the Il-22M crew in Ivanovo.

  The wreckage of the Il-22M carrying the registration RF-75917 near Kantemi-

  rovka in the Voronezh region. It was also shot down by the Wagner Group on

  June 24th.

  Mi-8MTPR-1 shot down by the Wagner Group on June 24 in the Voronezh

  region.

  Ka-52 registered RF-13418 with

  bort number “yellow 72” from the

  15th brigade of the Russian Army

  Aviation was shot down by the

  Wagner Group on June 24th near the

  village of Komintern in the Voronezh

  region. Lieutenant Colonel Alexey

  Vorozhtsov and Lieutenant Denis

  Oleynikov were killed.

  Burning Il-22M shortly before

  crashing into the ground. The tail,

  the outer wing parts, and both outer

  engines were torn off during the fall.

  INFO Eduard

  27

  August 2023

• Page 28

  HISTORY

  helicopters and one airplane were destroyed,

  and according to various sources, 15 to 30 of

  their crew members lost their lives.

  Two shot-down attack helicopters were

  Mi-35 and Ka-52, and four Mi-8 helicopters

  included three Mi-8MPTR-1 versions for radio-

  electronic warfare. The destroyed plane was

  an IL-22M, a flying command post based on the

  transport aircraft Il-18. The aircraft belonged

  to the 610th Combat Training and Conversion

  Aviation Center located in Ivanovo, northeast

  of Moscow. The dramatic video captured the

  aircraft's last moments. The burning plane

  spiraled violently as it crashed, resulting in

  its tail, wing parts, and two external engines

  being torn off. The entire crew of ten people

  perished. The names of eight of them were

  released - Lieutenant Colonel Artem Milovanov

  (43), the deputy chief of the mentioned 610th

  center, Captain Artem Sharoglazov (31), the

  aircraft commander, Major Gennady Belyakin

  (50), the navigator, Captain Viktor Polov (43),

  the flight engineer, Captain Igor Volochilov (49),

  the airborne technician, Senior Warrant Officer

  Sergey Starushok (49), the airborne radio

  operator, Senior Sergeant Viktor Podrepny

  (42), the airborne radio operator, and Senior

  Sergeant Alexey Skrykov (29), the airborne

  mechanic. Most of them were buried together in

  Ivanovo, while Milovanov was buried separately

  in Tambov.

  End of the Coup

  The Wagner Group was advancing towards

  Moscow smoothly until the evening of June

  24, when Prigozhin ordered them to halt and

  retreat. The next day, they also left Rostov,

  which they had fully controlled. Allegedly, the

  agreement to stop the action was brokered by

  Belarusian dictator Lukashenko in exchange

  for impunity for the Wagner Group and their

  exile in Belarus. Putin agreed to it, although

  he had declared in a morning TV speech that

  severe punishment awaited the rebels.

  Paradoxically, it turned out that in Russia,

  you can drive tanks, occupy government

  buildings in cities, and shoot down aircraft and

  helicopters of the Russian Air Force without

  any consequences officially. However, if you

  try to protest against the war or even hold up

  a blank piece of paper without any inscription

  in public, you may be imprisoned for several

  Mi-24P carrying the registration RF-92501 and bort number “red 27” crashed on June 22 in Belarus.

  A new shot of the wreckage of the Su-34, which was

  shot down last year in May on the banks of the Oskil

  River near Izyum.

  Shots of the Ka-52, which was destroyed last year

  in September at the Melitopol airbase.

  INFO Eduard28

  August 2023

• Page 29

  HISTORY

  years on charges of extremism ... It is likely

  that Prigozhin hoped that a portion of the army

  would join him or that he could sway part of

  the population to his side. He also wanted to

  capture Shoigu and Gerasimov and use them as

  hostages. None of this worked out for him, so he

  decided to retreat.

  A side effect of this action is that the Wagner

  Group is no longer fighting at Bachmut or

  anywhere else in Ukraine. The Ukrainian army

  is advancing north and south of Bachmut, trying

  to encircle the city. After averting the coup,

  purges also began in the Russian army. Several

  generals and other officers were dismissed,

  transferred, or arrested and interrogated.

  Further Russian Losses

  In addition to the helicopters and aircraft

  destroyed during Prigozhin’s coup, the Russian

  Air Force suffered more losses. On Thursday,

  June 22, a Russian Mi-24P helicopter with the

  registration RF-92501 and bort number “Red

  27” crashed near the village of Lesnaya in the

  Brest Region of Belarus. The helicopter went

  down on the edge of a forest beside the road,

  and all three crew members were injured.

  On Friday, June 23, in the Luhansk Region,

  a Mi-8MPTR-1 helicopter was shot down. Out of

  the four crew members, only one managed to

  parachute to safety. The other three perished,

  and one of them was identified as officer Kirill

  Babayev.

  On Thursday, June 29, soldiers of the

  Ukrainian 10th Mountain Assault Brigade

  successfully used a portable Igla missile to

  shoot down a Russian Su-25 attack aircraft.

  The hit was captured on video. The Ukrainians

  also claimed to have shot down another Su-25

  on Wednesday, June 7, but that one remains

  unconfirmed.

  During the observed period, previously

  unknown footage of destroyed aircraft from

  both sides emerged. For example, the wreckage

  of a helicopter, likely a Ka-52, destroyed on

  the ground during a Ukrainian rocket attack

  on the Melitopol base on September 1, 2022,

  was captured on video. It was filmed by a crew

  member of another Russian helicopter during

  takeoff from that base.

  Ukrainian Losses

  During the observed period, the Ukrainian

  Air Force suffered two confirmed losses. On

  Friday, June 2nd, a MiG-29 was shot down near

  Pokrovsk in the Donetsk Region. It was piloted

  by Major Vladyslav Saveliev with the call

  sign “Nomad” from the 114th Tactical Aviation

  Brigade. He had previously participated in a U.S.

  training program at Columbus Air Force Base

  in Mississippi. Unfortunately, he did not survive

  the destruction of his fighter jet.

  In the Kharkiv Region, on Friday, June 9,

  a Mi-8 helicopter from the 18th Independent

  Army Aviation Brigade of the Ukrainian Army

  was lost under unknown circumstances. At

  least one crew member, Lieutenant Vladyslav

  Zozulya, did not survive the accident.

  Tragically, civilian populations in Ukraine

  have also suffered losses. An example is the

  attack on a pizzeria in the city of Kramatorsk

  in eastern Ukraine, where Russian rockets

  struck on Tuesday, June 27, killing 13 people.

  Among the victims were three children,

  including 14-year-old twin sisters. Writer

  Viktoria Amelina, who was injured in the

  attack, succumbed to her injuries a few days

  later. Ukrainian forces detained an informant

  responsible for providing the Russians with

  coordinates for the attack. The Russians

  claimed that they targeted a military objective

  and killed 200 foreign mercenaries and

  50 Ukrainian generals and high-ranking officers.

  However, the casualties reported were highly

  exaggerated and implausible for the size of

  a pizzeria.

  In June, there were also increasing

  discussions about the possible training of

  Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets. This

  initiative, which required significant efforts

  from both sides and considerable funding, came

  late in the conflict (considering the ongoing

  offensive without air cover). Some argue that

  it would be more pertinent to invest in artillery

  and missile munitions and enhance air defense

  capabilities. More on this topic will be covered

  in the next part of the series.

  Mi-24 helicopter delivered to Ukraine from the Czech Republic.

  This Mi-14PS carrying the bort number “yellow 34”; from the 10th brigade of the Ukrainian Naval Aviation was shot down last year in May by a Russian Su-35S fighter

  in the Odessa region. Photos of its wreckage surfaced only recently.

  INFO Eduard

  29

  August 2023

• Page 30

  BOXART STORY

  With 158 victories, he became the most

  successful German fighter pilot fighting

  against the Western Allies. Marseille had

  versatile skills in both piloting and gunnery.

  He did not hesitate to manoeuvre at low speed

  in enemy formation and to perform deflection

  shooting. He often scored several kills in

  one day. 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.

  From the end of May 1942 and in the first

  half of June his unit, I./JG 27, was deployed

  in support of ground forces during the Battle

  of Gazala. Its pilots also escorted bombers

  over Crete and after the fall of Tobruk, the

  operations concentrated on the fight for

  the air base of Gambut. June 1942 was an

  important month in the young fighter pilot's

  career. He was appointed commander of

  the 3rd Staffel and as he increased his

  score, the magic mark of 100 aerial victories

  approached. He surpassed this milestone on

  June 17.

  Around noon of that day, a four fighters

  flight (Schwarm) of Messerschmitts

  Bf 109 under Marseille’s command attacked

  a formation estimated by the Germans to be

  twenty Curtiss P-40s and ten Hurricanes.

  This was fighter escort of Bostons, which

  actually consisted of three Kittyhawks from

  No. 250 Sqn RAF and twelve Hurricanes from

  No. 73 Sqn RAF. Although outnumbered by

  the enemy, the Germans still confidently

  threw themselves into the fight. Within

  minutes Marseille was battling the allied

  fighters while the other three German pilots

  covered him. Attacking from above, he hit

  his first opponent, then shot down another

  while performing an evasive manoeuvre

  with RAF fighters behind him. He then

  spotted the Hurricanes conducting defensive

  circle around their colleague, who deployed

  parachute and descended to the ground.

  Marseille joined the circling formation and

  shot down two more aircraft. After while

  he targeted a Hurricane flying at about 100

  meters above Gambut airfield and under his

  fire the British machine crashed in flames

  into an anti-aircraft defence position. The

  coveted 100th kill was achieved.

  Marseille in this fierce aerial combat

  reported as shot down two Curtiss P-40s

  and three Hurricanes. In fact, none of the

  Curtisses were hit, but four Hurricanes from

  No. 73 Sq RAF fell victim to Marseille. Sqn Ldr

  D. H. Ward and P/O G. J. Wooley were killed

  while Sgt. Goodwin and P/O Stone bailed out,

  however, both were wounded. Two of their

  colleagues each claimed one damaged Bf 109.

  On their return to base, Marseille and

  his three colleagues spotted two Spitfires

  near Sidi Barrani. These were Mk.IV photo

  reconnaissance Spitfires from 2 PRU.

  “Jochen” Marseille climbed up to the

  unsuspecting pair and with accurate fire sent

  F/Lt F. Spicer down, killing him in his machine.

  Upon landing, the exhausted Marseille

  was immediately withdrawn from combat

  operations and flown to Berlin. From the

  hands of Adolf Hitler, he received the Swords

  to the Knight’s Cross with oak leaves. A Nazi

  propaganda machine awaited him, as well

  as a visit to the Messerschmitt company in

  Augsburg. For the first time, he was able to try

  out the new G version of the Messerschmitt

  Bf 109. He returned to fighting in Africa at

  the end of August 1942. A month later he

  was killed when bailing out from a Bf 109

  G-2 after its engine caught fire. In November

  1942, I./JG 27 was withdrawn to Germany and,

  after replenishing losses and resting, was

  deployed in January 1943 to fight over France.

  This “African” unit fought in Western Europe

  until the end of the war.

  New Zealander Derek Harland Ward,

  DFC & Bar, who may have been Marseille's

  100th victim, was a veteran of the Battle of

  France and the Battle of Britain. He became

  commander of No. 73 Sq RAF in September

  1941 and had six victories to his credit. The

  fateful 17 June was marked as “tragic” in

  the unit diary. On the same day the unit had

  to withdraw from Gambut in the face of the

  advancing Germans. However, it continued

  fighting in North Africa and in December 1942

  recorded its 300th air victory.

  Illustration: Marek Ryś

  The Magic Hundred

  Text: Jan Bobek

  #70155

  INFO Eduard30

  August 2023

• Page 31

  #84191

  BOXART STORY

  The B-17 bomber played a key role in the

  European and Mediterranean theater of

  operations, but also figured prominently

  during the early years of the Pacific War.

  However, in the Pacific, B-17s flew less than

  two percent of the total combat sorties of

  this type. In contrast to Europe, where B-17s

  served with thirty-three bomber groups,

  there were only five in the Pacific. Neither the

  number of available planes per Group within

  the Pacific units was comparable to the ETO.

  Particularly early in the conflict, Pacific BGs

  had only five to twenty planes available per

  unit. B-17s were involved in combat as early

  as the attack on Pearl Harbor, albeit more

  as casualties. At this time, the series of B-17

  (B, C, and D) that rarely made it to Europe

  were in service.

  In the early period of B-17 service in the

  PTO, mostly versions without a tail turret

  were used. This influenced the development

  of combat boxes. In the event of an attack by

  Japanese fighters from the rear, B-17B/C/D

  pilots would bring the aircraft into an

  S-style turn, giving their waist gunners the

  opportunity for more effective defensive

  fire. That caused necessity of larger space

  between planes in formation. That spacing was

  maintained later when B-17 versions E and F,

  which already had a tail turret, predominated.

  Unlike in the ETO, where it was attempted to

  keep the formation as tight as possible, in the

  Pacific, individual aircraft were given more

  freedom to maneuver, resulting in formations

  that appeared relatively disorganized. While

  the basis of formations in the Pacific was

  also the V-shape element of three machines,

  formations here tended to be much smaller,

  usually consisting of only 10 to 15 aircraft.

  The B-17, despite its obvious advantages,

  proved to be not quite suitable for the PTO.

  In the early phases of the conflict, when they

  targeted marine convoys and other targets at

  sea, they achieved marginal success. Such

  targets were much more suitable for dive and

  torpedo bombers. Later, when land targets

  became more numerous, B-17 service in the

  PTO was past its zenith. Beginning in early

  1943, they were replaced by faster, longer-

  range B-24s. And by the time Japan itself

  began to be bombed, the more modern B-29s

  bore the brunt of the attacks.

  Two missions of B-17 bomber crews,

  whose route took them around the east

  coast of New Guinea on August 14, 1942,

  were characteristic of this battlefield. First,

  a B-17E crew from the 435th BS, 19th BG, took

  off from Port Moresby in the early morning

  hours on a reconnaissance flight to Rabaul

  and Kavieng. The machine was named “Chief

  Seattle”, the crew was commanded by 1st Lt.

  Wilson L. Cook and one RAAF member was

  on board. The bomber was paid by citizens of

  Seattle through war bond campaign and its

  nom de guerre honoured the memory of Chief

  Seattle, who was the leader of the Suquamish

  and Duwamish tribes.

  Unfortunately, the reconnaissance

  machine encountered nine patrolling Zeros

  of the Tainan Kōkūtai under the command of

  Lt.(jg) Jōji Yamashita. Their mission was to

  provide cover for two cargo vessels and their

  escorting warships. Cook’s outnumbered

  machine was shot down during a five-minute

  air battle with no survivors. One Zero was

  damaged by defensive fire and, together with

  its wingman, its pilot returned to Buna, New

  Guinea.

  The remaining seven Zeros continued

  to cover the convoy, which was partially

  protected by cloud cover. Six B-17s from the

  19th BG searched for the Japanese vessels.

  The formation was led by the CO of the 30th

  BS, Maj. Dean C. Hoevet. Just as the Americans

  were about to drop their bomb load, they

  were attacked by Yamashita’s Zeros. During

  the five-minute battle, four bombers were

  damaged, one of them severely. The American

  gunners managed to shoot down a Zero flown

  by PO3c Masami Arai, who was killed in his

  machine. The Japanese pilots reported that

  the bombers dropped eight bombs, but in

  the bad weather, the crews of the Japanese

  vessels didn’t even notice the bombers’

  attack . Piotr Forkasiewicz captured the

  opening part of this encounter in his painting.

  Tainan Kōkūtai was deployed to the fighting

  over Guadalcanal from August 1942. This unit

  retained the new A6M3 Type 32 Zeros with

  shorter range on New Guinea. The fighting

  over the New Guinea at the end of August

  was disastrous for Tainan Kōkūtai, which is

  described in the article Headhunters over

  Buna in the January 2023 issue of INFO

  Eduard magazine.

  Text: Jan Bobek and Jan Zdiarský

  Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz

  Loose formation

  INFO Eduard

  31

  August 2023

• Page 32

  BOXART STORY #70142

  The last major offensive of the Vietnam War

  was launched by the North Vietnamese Army

  on March 30, 1972, under the name Nguen Hue.

  In response to this “Easter Offensive,” President

  Nixon suspended the ongoing peace talks and

  ordered the launch of the airborne Operation

  Linebacker. Intended to disrupt supplies to enemy

  troops, it was conducted from May 9 to October

  23, 1972, when it was suspended on the promise

  of further peace talks. But these collapsed again,

  and so Linebacker II was launched. Beginning on

  December 18, an intensive twelve-day bombing

  campaign began, during which more than

  20,000 tons of bombs were dropped on military

  and industrial targets. Fifteen B-52s were shot

  down in the process, mostly by SAM anti-aircraft

  missiles. One Stratofortress was claimed by

  Pham Tuan, future Vietnam’s first astronaut, who

  took off against the enemy on the night of 26–27

  December in MiG-21MF No. 5121 from Noi Bai

  base. The GCI directed him to a B-52 formation,

  and he was given permission to attack with two

  missiles and withdraw immediately.

  It was the ninth day of Operation Linebacker

  II and a total of 57 B-52s were sent to the

  airstrikes that night. These were to bomb railway

  stations at Lang Dang, Due Noi and Trung Quan,

  six were to target warehouses at Van Dien and

  three formations of three aircraft were to attack

  three different SAM missile sites. Over Due Noi,

  Black 03 suffered minor damage but returned to

  Utapao base without incident. Much worse was

  the situation over Trung Quan, where 12 bombers

  were targeted by 45 SAM missiles and one of

  them hit the Cobalt 01 of Capt. Frank D. Lewis.

  All crew members suffered injuries, navigator

  1/Lt. Ben. L Fryer being mortally wounded. The

  machine was engulfed in flames, electrical

  systems failed. Shortly after the hit, the pilot

  ordered all crew members to eject. In the

  process, Maj. Allen L. Johnson, EWO, lost his life.

  This was the last B-52 shot down with its crew

  captured.

  The event, which occurred during an attack on

  a SAM site VN-243, had a happier ending despite

  its drama.

  The Ash 02 of Capt. John D. Mize was one of

  a trio bombing that target and one of the 15 SAM

  missiles fired at them hit his left wing while he

  was executing a steep turn away from the target

  after dropping the bombs. Shrapnels injured

  the pilot’s left leg and arm. The badly damaged

  B-52 lost all its left engines, one of which was

  on fire. The bomber fell several thousand feet

  before Mize was able to get it levelled off. It was

  almost superhuman effort, as the big bomber

  had lost most of its boosters, not to mention the

  asymmetrical thrust of the engines. Morerover,

  Mize was wounded, as was the navigator,

  1/Lt William L. Robinson, who anyway was able

  to give his pilot a heading to leave the target

  area without navigational equipment. “It was

  not a question of making it back to the base, but

  one of how far we could get before we had to

  abandon the aircraft”, Mize later said, flying the

  crippled bomber only by his skills and instincts

  as all he had left of his flight instruments were

  the airspeed indicator and altimeter.

  A rescue ship HC-130 joined Ash 02 on the

  border with Laos and, sitting on its right wing,

  gave it cross-check and directed Mize and his

  men to a safe area. But the badly wounded B-52

  was literally disintegrating in mid-air. Mize was

  about to give the order to eject, but the navigator

  cautioned him that they were over mountains,

  and if they could stay airborne for some thirty

  miles, they would have flat rice-paddy fields

  under them. With the last of his strength

  Capt. Mize kept his aircraft in the air, but after

  a while he had to give up and order the crew to

  eject. Lt. Robinson suffered an ejection system

  malfunction and informed his Captain he would

  attempt to jump out through the hole made by

  ejection of radar navigator. Mize gave him three

  minutes, knowing that once the navigator left

  his seat, he would lose contact with him. Almost

  exactly after that time elapsed, all electrical

  systems failed, and Mize had no choice but to

  eject himself as well. But, to his relief, the whole

  crew landed safely on parachutes and was

  rescued. Capt. Mize was awarded the Air Force

  Cross for his heroic performance. He was later

  promoted to rank of Major and stayed in service

  until August 1, 1984. He passed away on June 15,

  2012. Other crew members were awarded the

  DFC and the Purple Heart.

  And what about Pham Tuan? It is highly unlikely

  that his missile could have caused such extensive

  damage to a B-52, nor does the testimony of the

  crew itself add up. The Vietnamese fighter fired

  his missiles, but they probably didn’t hit anything.

  His MiG-21MF is now on display in a museum with

  eight kill stars under the cockpit, but at least one

  of them is surplus ...

  Illustration: Adam Tooby

  A surplus star

  Text: Richard Plos

  INFO Eduard32

  August 2023

• Page 33

• Page 34

  #70155

  Bf 109F-4

  1/72

  The ProfiPACK edition kit of German WWII fighter

  plane Bf 109F-4 in 1/72 scale.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 6

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard34

  August 2023

• Page 35

  Bf 109F-4/Trop, WNr. 10137, Oblt. Hans-Joachim Marseille,

  CO of 3./JG 27, Ain-el-Gazala, Libya, June 1942

  Bf 109F-4, WNr. 7183, Hptm. Hans Hahn, III./JG 2,

  St. Pol, France, October 1941

  Bf 109F-4, Maj. Hannes Trautloft, CO of JG 54, Relbitsy,

  the Soviet Union, March 1942

  Hans-Joachim “Jochen” Marseille became the

  most successful German fighter pilot fighting

  against the Western Allies. He was awarded the

  Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and

  Diamonds. As an excellent pilot, and master

  of gunfire and dogfighting, he also shoved

  a respect and grace to his opponents as he tried

  to save downed enemy airmen in the desert by

  dropping news of their fate on the other side of

  the front. 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. 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 spinner 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.

  Hans “Assi“ Hahn, a fighter ace and recipient of the

  Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves was in command

  of 4./JG 2 from December 1939. From October 1940

  he overtook the lead of III./JG 2. Fifty kill marks on

  the rudder of his aircraft represented his combat

  success on the Western Front. Hahn added the

  fiftieth kill to his tally on October 13, 1941, when

  he shot down a Spitfire near Boulogne-sur-Mer.

  Altogether he destroyed 66 enemy aircraft in the

  West. In late 1942 “Assi” Hahn moved to the East

  and commanded II./JG 54 from November 1, 1942.

  On February 21, 1943, he was downed, captured

  and spent seven years in captivity, returning back

  to Germany in 1950. He wrote a book about his

  life in prison “Ich spreche die Wahrheit” (I Speak

  the Truth). Hahn’s total score stands at 108 kills.

  The rooster head painted on the fuselage was the

  crest of III./JG 2, based on Hahn’s family name

  (“der Hahn” means “the rooster” in English).

  Hannes Trautloft entered combat in the Spanish

  Civil War. He flew the Bf 109 and participated

  in the development of tactics for this fighter

  aircraft. He fought in the Polish campaign as well

  as in France and managed to achieve at least one

  victory in every campaign. On August 25, 1940, he

  assumed command of JG 54. He led this fighter

  unit through Operation Barbarossa, the attack

  on the Soviet Union, and in subsequent combat

  till July 5, 1943. Trautloft was credited with 58

  victories and he was awarded the Knight’s Cross

  on July 27, 1941. His personal aircraft wore a non-

  standard camouflage scheme. It is not clear which

  colors were used by JG 54 during its deployment

  to the Soviet Union.

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard

  35

  August 2023

• Page 36

  Bf 109F-4/Z, WNr. 13325, Oblt. Viktor Bauer, 9./JG 3, Shchigry,

  the Soviet Union, June 1942

  Bf 109F-4/B, Oblt. Frank Liesendahl, 10.(Jabo)/JG 2,

  France, June 1942

  Bf 109F-4, WNr. 13169, Fw. Heinrich Bartels, 8./JG 5,

  Petsamo, Finland, September 1942

  This aircraft was flown by Viktor Bauer, the holder

  of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves and an ace

  with 106 kills. He achieved most of them in combat

  with Soviet pilots. Bauer flew this particular

  aircraft in the summer of 1942, when German

  Group of Armies A advanced on Stalingrad. The

  unit received Messerschmitts originally intended

  for service in North Africa, thus camouflaged in

  RLM 78/79 colors. The segments of RLM 74/70

  (some sources state RLM 75/71) were added

  to the desert camouflage scheme to make the

  camouflage more effective in the Eastern Front

  environment. The yellow wingtips, fuselage band

  and lower cowling were typical for airplanes

  flown in the East Front. The name Ellen referred

  to Bauer’s wife, the III./JG 3 emblem was painted

  on the nose of the aircraft. Bauer achieved his

  106th and last kill on August 9, 1942, northwest of

  Stalingrad. The very next day he was hit by enemy

  fire, wounded, and had to belly-land his crippled

  plane. After rescue, Bauer served in various posts

  of Ergänzungs (replacement) units.

  During late 1941, the Luftwaffe considered

  renewing bombing of Great Britain and coastal

  shipping. Each fighter unit fighting against the

  Great Britain was ordered to single out one

  Staffel for this purpose. The 10. (Jabo) Staffel

  played this role within JG 2. Under command of

  Oblt. Frank Liesendahl pilots sank 20 vessels

  (total tonnage 630,000 BRT) over a four-month

  period. Liesendahl was killed when attacking

  cargo vessels near Brixham on July 17, 1942.

  Posthumously he was promoted to Hauptmann

  rank and was awarded the Knight’s Cross as well.

  Liesendahl’s personal mount wore a standard day

  fighter camouflage consisting of RLM 74/75/76.

  The ship-munching fox was a 10. (Jabo) Staffel

  badge. Note the symbols of vessels damaged or

  sunk by Liesendahl on the rudder.

  The Austrian Heinrich Bartels, a German ace

  with 99 kills achieved during some 500 combat

  sorties and holder of the Knight’s Cross served

  on all fronts the Luftwaffe units were engaged.

  Half of his kills were gained in the north while

  with JG 5 against Soviet pilots. He met his fate on

  December 23, 1944, against P-47s of the USAAF’s

  56th FG in the Battle for the Ardennes. The wreck

  of his aircraft was discovered in 1968 near the

  town of Bad Godesberg in Germany. He flew this

  aircraft in the second half of 1942 during fighting

  in northern Finland. The aircraft was camouflaged

  in RLM 75/71/76 in a non-standard style dictated

  by operational conditions. In September 1942, the

  rudder displayed 29 kill marks, corresponding to

  his score. After Bartels was awarded the Knight’s

  Cross and after reaching 45th victory, his crew

  chief painted the award on the rudder of the

  airplane.

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard36

  August 2023

• Page 37

  Recommended:

  for Bf 109F-4 1/72

  672313 Bf 109F propeller early PRINT (Brassin)

  672314 Bf 109F propeller late PRINT (Brassin)

  672315 Bf 109F gun barrels PRINT (Brassin)

  672316 Bf 109F wheels PRINT (Brassin)

  672317 Bf 109F undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  672318 Bf 109F radio compartment PRINT (Brassin)

  672321 Bf 109F/G external fuel tanks (Brassin)

  672322 Bf 109F wheel bays rounded PRINT (Brassin)

  672323 Bf 109F/G wheels bays angular PRINT (Brassin)

  672324 Bf 109 SC250 bomb (Brassin)

  672325 Bf 109F/G exhaust stacks PRINT (Brassin)

  672326 Bf 109F/G/K gun pods PRINT (Brassin)

  672329 Bf 109 balance weights PRINT (Brassin)

  3DL72018 Bf 109F SPACE (3D Decal Set)

  #672329

  #672318

  #672326

  #672317

  OVERTREES

  #70155X

  Bf 109F-4

  1/72

  Product page

  OVERLEPT

  #70155-LEPT

  Bf 109F-4 PE

  -

  Set

  1/72

  Product page

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard

  37

  August 2023

• Page 38

  THE ZIPPER

  The Limited edition of the kit of the US jet fighter plane F-104C

  Starfighter in 1/48 scale. The selection of aircraft is focused

  on the units taking part in the Vietnam War.

  plastic parts: Kinetic

  marking options: 7

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: yes, senzor, wheels and seat

  #11169

  1/48

  Product page

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard38

  August 2023

• Page 39

  F-104C-5-LO, 56-0891, Maj. Charles H. Drisko, 435th TFS, 479th TFW, Udorn RTAFB, Thailand, 1967

  F-104C-5-LO, 56-0891, Col. George Laven Jr., 479th TFW, George AFB, California,

  United States, 1959

  F-104 serial number 56-0891 arrived in Udorn,

  Thailand, in January 1967. In the following months

  it was a personal mount of Major Herb Drisko,

  who had the ground personnel paint on the port

  side a cartoon of Snoopy wearing brown leather

  jacket and yellow scarf flying on the 20mm Vulcan

  Gatling Gun with its barels blasting. Under Snoopy

  there was an inscription “SNOOPY SNIPER“. The

  airplane’s starboard was decorated with Herb’s

  wife name Nancy J. After the operations were

  over, in June 1967 F-104 was flown over to the

  USA, to Muniz AFB in Puerto Rico. Charles Herbert

  Drisko, called Herb by his friends, was borne on

  October 26, 1928, in Bartlesville, OK and after

  he graduated from the high school, during the

  period after the war, he worked in the oil fields in

  Wyoming. In July 1951 he joined the Air Force and

  after completing the training and receiving his

  officer‘s commission he served in the Korean War

  as a radar operator on F-89 out of Okinawa. After

  that he completed his pilot training and during

  the Vietnam war flew F-104. He left the Air Force

  in 1971 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Herb

  Drisko passed away on October 26, 2000.

  “SNOOPY SNIPER“ history was very colorful. The

  aircraft serial number 56-0891 was received on

  October 15, 1958 as the first C-version airframe

  at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, Nevada. The aircraft

  was christened Really George as its home base

  was supposed to be 479th TFW at George AFB,

  California. The aircraft was assigned to the

  commander, Col. George Laven Jr., who was

  a WWII ace credited with five kills. Same as his

  previous personal aircraft. Laven’s new F-104

  sported rather gaudy coloration which gradually

  developed to the point that the superior officers

  ordered its removal as it was deemed too wild.

  It was followed by the more moderate blue coat

  with four stripes representing colors of all four

  479th TFW squadrons. George Laven Jr. was

  a self-confident Texan known for his daring

  style of flying. He joined the USAAF in the end of

  December 1940 and completed his pilot training

  in August 1941. He gained his fame during his

  service with 343rd FG flying P-38s and 54th FG

  in Alaska where he guided P-39s. During this

  period he scored four aerial victories and he

  destroyed almost two dozens of locomotives in

  Europe. In March 1945 he was assigned to the

  49th FG Headquarters but regardless he flew

  combat as much as possible and on April 26,

  1945 he shot down H8K2 as his fifth kill. After the

  war he continued in the service. At George AFB

  he commanded several groups and wings. In the

  end of 1950s he was in the command of the 479th

  TFW. He retired as a veteran of three wars and in

  1969 he became a McDonnell Douglas consultant

  in Israel. He continued flying F-4 Phantom II and

  F-15 Eagle.

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard

  39

  August 2023

• Page 40

  F-104C-10-LO, 57-0923, Lt. Col. Robert A. Preciado, 435th TFS,

  479th TFW, Udorn RTAFB, Thailand, July 1967

  F-104C-5-LO, 56-0886, 476th TFS, 479th TFW, Da Nang AB,

  South Vietnam, April 1965

  F-104 serial number 57-0923 arrived in Udorn

  on September 19, 1966. It was assigned to the

  flight commander Lt. Col. Robert Preciado who

  let both sides of his aircraft nose painted with

  the nickname of his wife Dolly Hellooo Dolly,

  long Hellooo coming from the famous musical

  Hello Dolly starring Barbra Streisand. After the

  operations in Udorn were completed, the aircraft

  was flown back to the USA where, in July 1967,

  it arrived in Muniz AFB in Puerto Rico. Starting

  in August 1968 it was assigned to the 198th TFS.

  Robert Preciado was a veteran of three wars.

  During WWII he flew in the Pacific with the Air

  Transport Command and continued his aviation

  career in Korea and Vietnam.

  In 1965 Starfighter serial number 56-0886 flew

  out of Da Nang airbase in the South Vietnam.

  Its nose was decorated with the red inscription

  Fannie and it was one of few 479th TFW planes

  that had their nicknames painted on the fuselage.

  In April 1965, the 479th TFW dispatched 28 F-104C

  to Da Nang airbase. They flew the combat patrols

  over the bay of Tonkin to protect EC-121 Warning

  Star nicknamed College Eye or Disco. The effect

  of the F-104 deployment on the North Vietnamese

  and Chinese MiG operations was immediate. The

  Vietnam Peoples Republic‘s pilots learned very

  soon to avoid any contact with EC-121 airplanes

  which were escorted by F-104. During the whole

  479th TFW deployment in 1965 only two brief

  encounters between F-104C and MiGs took place.

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard40

  August 2023

• Page 41

  F-104C-5-LO, 56-0910, Capt. James B. Trice, 435th TFS,

  479th TFW, Udorn RTAFB, Thailand, 1967

  F-104C-5-LO, 56-0938, Maj. Bobby D. Betsworth, 435th TFS,

  479th TFW, Udorn RTAFB, Thailand, June-August 1967

  One of the first F-104 delivered to the Udorn AFB

  on June 6, 1966 was Starfighter serial number

  56-0910. It was assigned as a personal mount to

  Capt. James Trice who had his Starfighter nose

  decorated with a nose art with the inscription

  PUSSYCAT. Initially the noseart consisted of the

  cat caricature only, the text was applied later.

  After the operations in Udorn ceased, in July 1967

  the aircraft was flown back to the USA to the

  Muniz AFB in Puerto Rico and starting in August

  1967 it was assigned to the 198th TFS.

  This Starfighter was one of the first eight aircraft

  of this type delivered to the Udorn AFB on June

  6, 1966. It was typically flown by Maj. Bobby

  Bedsworth who hailed from Missouri nicknamed

  Show Me State. For that reason the nose of his

  aircraft was decorated with a mule and this

  inscription. After the operations in Udorn ceased,

  on August 20, 1967 the airplane was flown back to

  the USA to the Muniz AFB in Puerto Rico.

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard

  41

  August 2023

• Page 42

  F-104C-5-LO, 56-0898, Maj. Hugh B. Spencer, 435th TFS,

  479th TFW, Udorn RTAFB, Thailand, 1967

  This Starfighter took part in the very first mission

  in Vietnam in 1965. After the overhaul it was one

  of twelve aircraft which on July 22, 1966 landed

  at Udorn. During the following combat missions it

  was mostly flown by Maj. Hugh Spencer. In March

  1967 the pin up girl named SEX MACHINE was

  painted on the aircraft’s nose. After the operations

  in Udorn were completed, in July 1967 the aircraft

  was flown back to the USA to the Muniz AFB in

  Puerto Rico and in August 1967 it was assigned

  to the 198th TFW. Currently the aircraft is on

  display in the Kalamazoo Air Zoo Aviation History

  Museum in its original markings carried while

  flying at 434th TFS, the large fuselage number

  FG-898 and red markings.

  Recommended:

  for F-104C 1/48

  FE1270 F-104A/C seatbelts STEEL (PE

  -

  Set)

  644158 F-104C LööK (Brassin)

  644168 F-104C LööKplus (Brassin)

  648028 AIM-9B Sidewinder (Brassin)

  648188 M 117 bomb early (Brassin)

  648231 LAU-3/A (Brassin)

  648389 BLU-27 (Brassin)

  648891 F-104A/C airbrakes PRINT (Brassin)

  648892 F-104A/C exhaust nozzle PRINT (Brassin)

  3DL48064 F-104C SPACE (3D Decal Set)

  EX851 F-104A/C TFace (Mask)

  #648892

  #648891

  #648231

  #648389

  #648168

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard42

  August 2023

• Page 43

  1/48

  WILDER CAT

  The Limited edition of the kit of the US WWII aircraft carrier-based fighter FM-2 Wildcat

  in 1/48 scale. This version of the Wildcat was built by the Eastern Aircraft Division

  of General Motors and was easily recognizable thanks to taller fin. It was also the

  most potent of all Wildcats thanks to the more powerful engine.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 10

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  #11175

  Product page

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard

  43

  August 2023

• Page 44

  FM-2 - new sprues in detail

  Sprue D

  Sprue K

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard44

  August 2023

• Page 45

  Sprue P

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard

  45

  August 2023

• Page 46

  Ens. Darrell C. Bennett, VC-10, USS Gambier Bay, August 1944

  Lt. Leopold M. Ferko, VC-4, USS White Plains, November 1944

  The Composite Squadron 10 was established

  on September 23, 1943 and adopted the name

  Mallards. The unit served on board the carrier

  USS Gambier Bay from April 5 and after her

  sinking in the Battle off Samar on October 25,

  the unit operated from airfields in Leyte. In

  January 1945, VC-10 was reformed and prepared

  for further deployment, but this never happened

  and it was inactivated at the end of the war. Ens.

  Darrell Bennett was born in Hamburg, Iowa, on

  March 30, 1924 and entered the Navy as an air

  cadet on October 1, 1943. Ten months later he

  was sent on his first operational tour with the

  VC-10 aboard the USS Gambier Bay. On the day

  he arrived, he had his picture taken in front of

  the FM-2 with a painting of two girls on the port

  side of the engine cowling. The first was based

  on a painting called Patriotic Gal by the famous

  Antonio Vargas. It is not known who had the two

  girls painted on the aircraft, but the paintings

  already bore signs of modification and wear. It is

  possible that Bennett only had “Smokey’s” added

  to the inscription “Lucky Witch”, as the “Smokey”

  was his nickname. He fought heroic battles with

  VC-10 during the Battle of Leyte Gulf and narrowly

  escaped sinking with the USS Gambier Bay, which

  was shot up by Japanese cruisers at the Battle

  off Samar. Bennett survived the war and stayed

  in the Navy afterwards. He flew combat missions

  in Korea and later trained recruits. During his

  career, he rose to command Fleet Air Miramar.

  After retirement in 1965 he flew as a private pilot.

  He died in December 2020.

  Leopold Martin Ferko was born to Slovak parents

  on January 29, 1915, in Great Falls, Montana. He

  earned his bachelor’s degree from Stanford

  University, where he was also a star of the

  American football team there. He then taught

  math and English at San Francisco High School

  and also coached the local football team before

  signing up with the Navy and beginning flight

  training on February 3. He then continued as an

  instructor at Corpus Christi, Texas, before being

  transferred to Pearl Harbor in June 1943, where

  he embarked with the VC-4 on the USS White

  Plains. The unit consisted of 16 FM-2s and 12 TBM

  Avengers. During the three days of the Battle of

  Leyte Gulf, he scored all five of his kills, although

  the first two may have been his last. After shooting

  down two Oscars he was in fact attacked himself

  and his FM-2 took one hit after another before the

  attacking enemy was shot down by the Ens. Pool.

  Ferko then had to make an emergency landing at

  Tacloban due to a damaged elevator. There, the

  aircraft was repaired, and he was able to return

  in time to score three more kills. Leopold Ferko

  retired from the Navy with the rank of Lieutenant

  Commander and died on May 16, 1992, in San

  Francisco. This FM-2 was the second one he used

  and the kill symbols were probably only on the

  right side. However, the decals also offer the

  option of placing the symbols on the left side.

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard46

  August 2023

• Page 47

  BuNo. 55643, VC-69, USS Guadalcanal, spring/summer 1944

  BuNo. 74626, VC-8, Lt.(jg) Harry N. O’Connor, USS Nehenta Bay, August 1945

  FM-2s played a significant role in the Atlantic,

  where the Composite Squadrons focused on

  support of anti-submarine missions as the

  German U-boats were a major threat to supply

  convoys. The Composite Squadrons operated

  from small Casablanca or Sangamon class

  escort carriers and consisted usually of the TBM

  Avengers and the FM-2 Wildcats. Smaller size of

  FM-2 suited better to the cramped conditions on

  board than the massive Hellcats. USS Gadalcanal

  was converted from the freighter Astrolabe

  Bay and entered service in September 1943.

  During her maiden voyage she destroyed three

  submarines. As a flagship of the Task Group 22.3

  USS Guadalcanal added two more U-boats to her

  score on the second tour. More to it, the TG 22.3

  managed to capture lightly damaged German

  submarine. After that tour the VC-8 was replaced

  by VC-69 in the fall. The unit was activated on

  July 1, 1943 and first was placed on board of USS

  Bogue from May to July 1944. During this cruise,

  pilots were credited with the destruction of the

  Japanese submarine I-52, which was on a secret

  mission to German-occupied Lorient, France.

  No further similar successes were recorded

  by this squadron aboard USS Guadalcanal, and

  the unit was inactivated on June 22, 1945. Her

  FM-2s bore the later Atlantic livery of Dark Gull

  Gray and white. The inner part of the propeller

  blades were painted white to lighten the

  appearance of the “dark hole” in the nose of the

  aircraft. The unit’s emblem was a wolf’s head

  with aviator’s goggles; VC-69 aircraft sported it

  on both sides of the nose.

  Combined Squadron VC-8 operated aboard the

  aircraft carrier USS Nehenta Bay from May to

  September 1945. Prior to that, it had operated

  from the decks of USS Mission Bay and USS

  Guadalcanal. With USS Nehenta Bay, she left the

  Atlantic theater and moved to the Pacific. USS

  Nehenta Bay had been operating in the area since

  June 1944, when she joined with TF-51 aboard

  for offensive operations against the Marianas.

  Subsequently, from August 1944 to January 1945,

  she escorted and protected, with VC-11 aboard,

  tankers for refueling at sea, allowing for more

  efficient use of naval forces. She returned to the

  U.S. on February 19, 1945, for repairs at San Diego,

  and on May 9, already with VC-8 aboard, she

  arrived at Ulithi, where she prepared for attacks

  on Okinawa as part of Task Unit 52.1. She then

  protected tankers again from late June until early

  August, and after the fighting ceased, anchored at

  Pearl Harbor on September 24. There, VC-8 was

  inactivated on October 8. This aircraft, with Lt.(jg)

  O’Connor in the cockpit, crashed on landing on

  August 5, striking the aircraft on board. Two other

  FM-2s (BuNos. 75081 and 74508) were destroyed.

  The aircraft bore the identifying markings of the

  carrier and Task Unit, i.e., white fields on the

  ailerons (extending slightly into the wing) white

  aft under the horizontal tail surfaces, and twin

  yellow stripes on the wing and fuselage in front

  of the tail surfaces.

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard

  47

  August 2023

• Page 48

  VC-80, USS Manila Bay, autumn 1944

  Lt. O’Neill, VC-13, USS Tripoli, spring 1944

  Composite Squadron VC-80 was established on

  December 16, 1943 and, after embarking on USS

  Manila Bay, participated in the battles of Leyte

  and Luzon. The ship operated during the Battle

  of Leyte as part of Task Group TG 77.4.2 (call

  sign Taffy 2) of Rear Admiral Felix B. Stump and

  VC-80 contributed significantly to the success

  of American forces in the largest naval battle

  in history. Then, during the fighting in Lingayen

  Gulf, the USS Manila Bay was hit by a kamikaze

  attack at 1750 hours on January 5. It damaged her

  radar and communications equipment, caused

  a fire, and most importantly, cost the lives of

  14 men. The resulting fire was quickly dealt

  with by firefighters, and some 24 hours later

  VC-80 aircraft were already beginning limited

  operations from her deck. The aircraft depicted

  bore the typical three-color Pacific livery, the

  markings complementing the symbol assigned

  to units operating from USS Manila Bay, a white

  chevron on the vertical tail surfaces.

  VC-13 was established on January 3, 1944 and on

  February 16 of that year embarked on the new

  escort carrier USS Tripoli. The ship suffered a fire

  shortly after her maiden cruise when an acetylene

  torch ignited fuel that was inadvertently dumped

  into the water on the starboard bow. Two seamen

  were killed. After repairs, USS Tripoli departed

  San Diego on January 31 for her new homeport in

  Norfolk, Virginia. She arrived there on February

  16 and sailed for her first mission on March 15

  as the flagship of Task Group 21.15, in which she

  was accompanied by five destroyers. The group

  patrolled west of Cape Verde, disrupting the

  refueling of German submarines. On April 19, an

  Avenger crew spotted German U-513 awaiting her

  “Milch Cow” (a refueling submarine). Subsequent

  attacks were unsuccessful, and the submarine

  escaped. VC-13 thus returned from the cruise

  without success and was replaced on board by

  VC-6 on April 29. New duty station of VC-13 was

  USS Anzio (formerly USS Coral Sea), which the

  squadron embarked on March 22 to engage in

  support of the invasion of Okinawa. The aircraft

  depicted here is from the Atlantic mission

  period. Lt. O’Neill had his photograph taken with

  this FM-2, but it was probably not his personal

  aircraft. Interesting is the white paint extending

  over the leading edges to the upper surfaces. On

  either side of the engine cowling was painted the

  squadron emblem, a black cat with its front paws

  in an obscene gesture. It might have blue or gray

  background. The decals offer both options.

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard48

  August 2023

• Page 49

  VC-93, Lt.(jg) Robert Sullivan, USS Petrof Bay, Okinawa, April–May 1945

  VC-14, USS Hogatt Bay, November 1944

  VC-93 was established on February 23, 1944 and

  its personnel was first to be trained aboard the

  USS Matanikau (from October 14, 1944). During its

  cruises off the Californian coast, this ship trained

  1,332 pilots in the following months until June

  1945. VC-93 replaced VC-76 aboard USS Petrof

  Bay on March 10, 1945 and sailed from Guam on

  March 21 to prepare for the Battle of Okinawa as

  part of Task Unit 52.1.2. VC-93 pilots supported the

  Marines first in the capture of the Kerama and

  Keise Shima archipelagos and then in the main

  operation on Okinawa. Beginning on April 13, the

  pilots then focused on neutralizing Japanese

  airfields on the Sakashima Archipelago, from

  which the Kamikaze pilots were taking off. By the

  end of their mission on May 26, VC-93 pilots had

  destroyed many enemy aircraft on the ground

  and shot down 17. Two of these kills were credited

  to Lt.(jg) Robert Sullivan. For her next mission,

  VC-93 sailed aboard USS Steamer Bay on June

  10, 1945 and, as part of the 3rd Fleet, assisted

  in the neutralization of Japanese airfields in

  the Sakishima Gunto Archipelago beginning

  June 14. This was followed by a return to San

  Diego and the end of the war. VC-93 aircraft

  operating from aboard USS Perof Bay bore the

  distinguishing symbol of a four-leaf clover on the

  vertical tail surfaces and on the upper right and

  bottom left wing halves. The all-blue livery was

  complemented by a photographically documented

  symbol of Sullivan’s first kill on the right side

  below the cockpit. It is uncertain whether it was

  also on the port side.

  Composite Squadron 14 was established on

  October 12, 1943 and deactivated on October 1, 1945.

  Its history is associated solely with the escort

  carrier USS Hogatt Bay, which was commissioned

  on January 11, 1944 and, after a necessary test

  cruise and one transport mission to and from

  Pearl Harbor, took aboard VC-14’s equipment and

  personnel. Training flight operations followed

  from March 26, with the first landing aboard

  USS Hogatt Bay conducted by Captain William

  Vincent Saunders. The ship embarked on her first

  operational tour on May 1, 1944 and was assigned

  to Task Unit 16.14.6. VC-14 pilots subsequently

  conducted anti-submarine operations and air

  cover for destroyers in the Western Pacific area

  until late November. They were then replaced by

  VC-88 on board and VC-14 did not see further

  operational deployment. This Wildcat is shown

  here in its late service form on the USS Hogatt

  Bay. Of interest is the Judy inscription on the right

  side of the engine cowling, as well as the non-

  standard appearance of the ENCLOSURE RELEASE

  stencil on the right side below the windshield. The

  pilot’s name is difficult to read in the available

  photographs, it might be Lt.(jg) Newburn.

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard

  49

  August 2023

• Page 50

  VC-27, Lt. Ralph Elliot, Jr., USS Savo Island, January 1945

  JV640, Sub-Lt W. Park, No. 881 Squadron FAA, HMS Pursuer, August 1944

  Although the FM-2 Wildcats were the most

  powerful and most numerous version of this type,

  they were less frequently engaged in combat

  with enemy aircraft than the previous F4F-3s

  and F4F-4s. Nevertheless, ten pilots managed

  to achieve fighter ace status flying them, and the

  most successful squadron with the FM-2 in terms

  of kills was VC-27, called “The Saints”. Its pilots

  managed to shoot down a total of 61.5 enemy

  aircraft in aerial combat, making it the second

  most successful Wildcat squadron regardless of

  version or period. They were surpassed only by

  the VF-5 with 79 kills. VC-27 was established in

  May 1943 and operated from the escort carrier

  USS Savo Island from July 1944 to January 1945.

  During this time, she participated in five major

  operations, including the epic naval battle off

  Samar, where a small task force repelled a much

  stronger Japanese fleet. Under the command of

  Lt. Cmdr. Percival Jackson, pilots of VC-27 shot

  down more than twice as many enemies as any

  other composite squadron. The commander of the

  VF-27 fighter division, Lt. Ralph Elliott Jr., was the

  most successful ace on FM-2 with nine confirmed

  kills. In addition to its success in aerial combat,

  VC-27 also sank or destroyed 30 Japanese vessels

  and destroyed or damaged over 250 objects such

  as bridges, buildings, fuel or ammunition depots,

  vehicles, and the like. In March 1945, Ralph Elliott,

  Jr. took command of the entire squadron, but

  the war ended before VC-27 could rejoin the

  fighting. Elliott’s FM-2 was emblazoned with the

  inscription BALDY, documented on the right side,

  which also featured nine kill marks.

  The British Fleet Air Arm used Wildcat FM-2s

  under the designation Wildcat Mk. VI, as the

  Martlet name was dropped for the last F4F

  versions. The British Navy used these aircraft

  for similar duties as the American ones, i.e., for

  service on escort carriers, from whose decks they

  provided air cover for convoys and also operated

  against ground or surface targets. Under the Lend

  Lease program, 340 FM-2s were delivered to the

  FAA (220 in 1944 and the rest in 1945), and the first

  of these were received by No. 881 Sqn, which took

  part in the invasion of southern France in August

  1944 aboard HMS Pursuer (Operation Dragoon).

  The unit also took part in actions off the coast

  of Norway before being rearmed with Grumman

  Hellcat Mk.II aircraft in March 1945. In total,

  FM-2s served with 22 FAA combat squadrons,

  with others assigned to non-combat squadrons

  as trainers. The JV640 aircraft sported a drawing

  of a tiny hare with a sword and a Viking shield on

  the right side of the engine cowl and had a non-

  standard rear-view mirror on the windshield.

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard50

  August 2023

• Page 51

  Recommended:

  for FM-2 1/48

  481119 FM-2 landing flaps (PE

  -

  Set)

  644222 FM-2 LööK (Brassin)

  648061 HVAR rockets (Brassin)

  648886 FM-2 undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  648887 FM-2 wheels (Brassin)

  648888 FM-2 seat PRINT (Brassin)

  648889 FM-2 folding wings PRINT (Brassin)

  648890 FM-2 gun barrels PRINT (Brassin)

  648895 FM-2 cockpit PRINT (Brassin)

  3DL48128 FM-2 SPACE (3D Decal Set)

  OVERTREES

  #82205X

  FM-2 Wildcat

  1/48

  Product page

  OVERLEPT

  #11175-LEPT

  Wildcer Cat PE

  -

  Set

  1/48

  Product page

  #648895

  #648886

  #644222

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard

  51

  August 2023

• Page 52

  A6M3 Zero Type 32

  The Weekend edition kit of Japanese WWII naval fighter plane A6M3 Zero

  Type 32 in 1/48 scale. This version of Zero had wing of reduced span and

  the folding wingtips were eliminated.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 4

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: no

  painting mask: no

  resin parts: no

  #84191

  1/48

  Product page

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard52

  August 2023

• Page 53

  c/n 3028, Tainan Kōkūtai, Buna airfield, New Guinea, August 1942

  c/n 3305, Kōkūtai 204, Buin, Bougainville island, January 1943

  Warrant Officer Matsuo Hagiri, Rabaul, New Britain, July 1943

  This aircraft, released by Mitsubishi on June 28,

  1942, was assigned to Lt. Inano, commander of

  Buna detachment of Tainan Kōkūtai. It was donated

  by citizens of Hongwon County in North Korea,

  captured by Allied units at Buna on December 27,

  1942 and selected for further evaluation as well

  as rebuild. Allied personnel at Eagle Farm Field

  built a flyable A6M3 Zero using parts of three

  Zeros transported from Buna Airfield. Inano’s

  surname was originally Takabayashi, but he

  changed that before mid-1941. In late November

  1941, smaller part of Tainan Kōkūtai under his

  command was transferred to French Indochina

  and temporarily became part of 22. Kōkū Sentai

  HQ fighter squadron. Lt. Inano returned to Tainan

  Kōkūtai in July 1942 to participate in combat over

  New Guinea and Guadalcanal. From January 1943

  he was involved in evaluation of weapons for new

  naval aircraft. From October 1944 he served as

  Hikōtaichō of Tainan Kōkūtai (II) in Taiwan.

  This aircraft was manufactured by Mitsubishi,

  probably on November 25, 1942. The radio equipment

  has been dismantled due to weight reduction. At the

  same time, it was equipped with long-barrel guns

  and a later type rudder trim that could be operated

  from the cockpit. Previously known aircraft of this

  unit with yellow fuselage markings had identification

  numbers of values under 148. The wreckage of this

  aircraft was recovered by the Allies in May 1944 off

  Kolombangara Island. The camouflage and markings

  would indicate that its pilot was leader of Chūtai of

  Kōkūtai 204 in early 1943. The first candidate could

  be Lt. Tatenoshin Tanoue, who was shot down in

  a dogfight with Wildcats from VMF-121 on January

  15, 1943, while covering a convoy. However, the

  crash site is too far from the area where combat

  took place. The pilot of the aircraft may have been

  a Lt(jg) Kiyoharu Shibuya, who was lost on January

  23, 1943, in dogfight with the Wildcats of VMO-251

  while escorting the cargo vessel Toa Maru 2 and the

  destroyer Oshio.

  This aircraft was painted in green camouflage

  applied in field conditions and had radio equipment

  removed to reduce weight. Kōkūtai 204 appears to

  have been the only unit in the area to apply green

  field camouflage plus white outline of Hinomaru

  on fuselage and upper wing surfaces. Its pilot was

  Matsuo Hagiri. He was born in 1913 in Shizuoka

  Prefecture and served with the Yokosuka Kōkūtai

  from 1935. In 1937 and 1938 he served on the aircraft

  carrier Sōryū and took part in battles in China. In

  1940, he was among the pilots of the 12th Kōkūtai

  who first tested the Zero in combat conditions. In

  the raid on Chengtu on October 4, 1940, he was one

  of four pilots who landed at an enemy base and set

  its equipment afire. More to it, Hagiri shot down

  three Chinese fighter aircraft after take off from

  the burning enemy base. After further service with

  Yokosuka Kōkūtai, including tests of the Raiden and

  Zero Model 32, he was assigned to Kōkūtai 204 in

  July 1943. In a dogfight on September 24 over Vella

  Lavella, he managed to score two victories, but

  suffered injuries himself and had to be transported

  to Japan. In April 1945, he was wounded again, this

  time in combat against a B-29. In all, he achieved

  13 victories. After the war, he became a Fuji City

  Councilor and a member of the Shizuoka Prefectural

  Council. He died in January 1997.

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard

  53

  August 2023

• Page 54

  Recommended: A6M3 Zero Type 32 1/48

  481091 A6M3 Zero landing flaps (PE

  -

  Set)

  481092 A6M3 Zero (PE

  -

  Set)

  644185 A6M3 LööK (Brassin)

  644189 A6M3 Zero LööKplus (Brassin)

  648695 A6M undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  648786 A6M3 seat PRINT (Brassin)

  648787 A6M3 tailwheel PRINT (Brassin)

  648788 A6M3 cannon barrels & cockpit

  guns PRINT (Brassin)

  648799 A6M3 wheels (Brassin)

  648800 A6M3 cockpit PRINT (Brassin)

  648801 A6M3 exhausts PRINT (Brassin)

  648802 A6M3 Type 32 landing flaps PRINT (Brassin)

  648808 A6M wheels w/smooth tire (Brassin)

  648883 A6M3 gun bays short barrel (Brassin)

  648884 A6M3 gun bays long barrel (Brassin)

  3DL48088 A6M3 SPACE (3D Decal Set)

  EX899 A6M3 Zero TFace (Mask)

  c/n 3285, Rabauru Kōkūbuntai, Rabaul, New Britain, August 1943

  c/n 3285, Rabauru Kōkūbuntai, Ballale Airfield, Ballale Island,

  Solomon Islands, October 1943

  This aircraft was manufactured by Mitsubishi

  in November 1942 and early the following year

  received field camouflage consisting of elongated

  green spots on the factory paint of light grey.

  Its markings were changed several times. The

  reconstruction of both markings of this aircraft

  is based on parts of the wreck that have been

  photographically documented. The tail apparently

  first bore the designation T2, which would place

  it with Kōkūtai 204. In mid-1943, it bore the white

  code 3-174 and a white square was painted around

  Hinomaru on the side of both sides of the fuselage.

  This is the only Zero so far where such a marking

  was photographically documented. The exact

  purpose of the white square is unknown and it was

  removed in August 1943. In the second half of that

  year, the tail codes of the aircraft of the Rabaul

  fighter units changed and numerals ranging from

  1 to 9 began to be used. The assignment of the

  numerals to individual units is still not reliably

  determined. Aircraft with these markings are

  unofficially assigned to a combat group called

  Rabauru Kōkūbuntai (Rabaul Air Force). There are

  several theories to explain the meaning of these

  numerical designations. The only unit that used

  several A6M3 Model 32s in the area in the second

  half of 1943 was the aforementioned Kōkūtai 204.

  In August 1943, the white squares on the side of

  this aircraft were repainted and its marking was

  later changed from white 3-174 to yellow code

  5-136. In September and October 1943, Kōkūtai

  204 operated in this area with the last two Model

  32s. It is likely, therefore, that despite the change

  of the tail code this Zero was still in service with

  this unit. Most of unit’s armament consisted of

  A6M2 Model 21 and A6M3 Model 22, and it also

  received its first A6M5 Model 52 during this period.

  Following the neutralization of the Ballale base,

  the unit lost one Model 32. This was apparently

  aircraft with serial number 3285, which was

  salvaged from Ballale in 1968 by Robert Diemert.

  It showed the strafing damage that occurred

  while the aircraft was on the ground. Zero 3285

  was stored at Friendship Airfield in Canada and

  some of its parts were used to rebuild other

  Zeros. It was later purchased by John and Earl

  Calverley of the Blayd Corporation. After that,

  3285 was in a collection in Australia where John

  Fallis purchased it several years ago with the

  help of Graham Orphan of New Zealand’s Classic

  Wings magazine and is restoring it to airworthy

  condition at his company CHUZY SUZY LLC in

  Lafayette, Louisiana. In 2022, the aircraft parts

  were photographed by Eduard staff and with the

  help of researcher Ryan Toews a reconstruction

  of both forms of this unique aircraft was made.

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard54

  August 2023

• Page 55

  MiG-21MF Fighter bomber

  The ProfiPACK edition of Soviet Cold War jet

  aircraft MiG-21MF in 1/72 scale.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 5

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  #70142

  1/72

  Product page

  Re-release

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard

  55

  August 2023

• Page 56

  No. 5121, Phạm Tuân, 921 Fighter Regiment, Noi Bai AB, Democratic Republic of Vietnam, December 1972

  No. 9712, 9 Fighter Regiment, Bechyně, Czechoslovakia, 1989–1993

  No. 127, 812th Training Air Regiment, Kharkiv Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots,

  Kupyansk Airfield, the Soviet Union, August 1991

  MiG-21MF with tactical number 5121 is currently on

  display in the museum of the Vietnam People’s Air

  Force in Hanoi. Reportedly, on December 27, 1972,

  Phạm Tuân flew this aircraft when he shot down

  an American B-52 which took part in bombing

  operations during the Linebacker II offensive. It

  would be the only MiG-21MF kill of a Stratofortress,

  but American sources claim the bomber was lost

  to anti-aircraft SAM system. Phạm Tuân would

  later become the only Vietnamese astronaut.

  He was a crewmember of Soyuz 37 mission

  and orbited the earth 142 times in the Salyut 6

  space station. For his accomplishments, he was

  awarded high Vietnamese commendations and

  was one of a few foreigners to be awarded the

  Hero of the Soviet Union.

  This aircraft with serial number 969712 was

  built in 1974 and subsequently delivered to

  Czechoslovakia, where it served with the 4 slp

  (stíhací letecký pluk - Fighter Regiment) based

  in Pardubice. It was handed over to 9 Fighter

  Regiment in Bechyně in May 1989. There it flew

  with the coat of arms of the Bechyně town on

  the left side of the nose. After the dissolution of

  Czechoslovakia the aircraft was assigned to the

  Slovak Air Force, and is currently in the collection

  of the air museum at Trenčín, Slovakia. The

  aircraft still has the original camouflage scheme

  from the Soviet Union delivery.

  This aircraft, adorned with a shark mouth and

  eyes, served with the 812. UAP (812 Training Air

  Regiment) operating within the structure of the

  Kharkiv higher training facility, which was in

  2003 named after the famous fighter ace and

  triple Hero of the Soviet Union Ivan N. Kozhedub

  (who was in fact Ukrainian). This one was among

  the aircraft that were displayed during the open

  house on August 18, 1991.

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard56

  August 2023

• Page 57

  No. 127, 812th Training Air Regiment, Kharkiv Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots,

  Kupyansk Airfield, the Soviet Union, August 1991

  No. 8447, No. 46 Squadron, Egypt, 1973

  No. 9111, 3 Squadron of Tactical Aviation, Poznań Krzesiny, Poland, 2002

  This is an aircraft from No. 46 Squadron as it

  appeared during combat exercises prior to the

  Yom Kipur War in 1973. To allow quick identification,

  aircraft carried a large black letter with white

  outline on the fin. The nose sported painting of

  the goddess Nekhbet, protector of Upper Egypt.

  Aircraft coded 8447 survived the Yom Kipur War

  and was photographed with this camouflage and

  markings at Cairo in October 1975.

  The 3 ELT (Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego –

  Squadron of Tactical Aviation) was formed at

  Poznań Krzesiny on January 1, 2001. The unit was

  equipped with MiG-21MF, bis and UM aircraft, but

  the MiG-21MFs were used for two years only, i.e.,

  till the end of 2002. The MiG-21bis version stayed

  until 2003 when it was decided to replace them

  with F-16s. On April 1, 2008, the 3 ELT, 6 ELT and

  the 31 Baza Lotnicza (31 Air Base) were disbanded

  and the 31 Baza Lotnictwa Taktycznego (31 Tactical

  Air Base) was formed. Since 2007, this aircraft

  has been displayed at Poznan Krzesiny. It is

  camouflaged in the same shades of grey as used

  on F-15s and F-16s. The raven’s head marking

  on the finwas applied in 2002 on the occasion of

  a gathering of commanding officers in Berlin.

  The emblem of 3 Squadron, the predecessor of

  the 3 ELT, is painted below the windscreen.

  Recommended:

  for MiG-21MF Fighter bomber 1/72

  72689 MiG-21MF (PE

  -

  Set)

  672181 MiG-21MF exhaust nozzle (Brassin)

  672182 MiG-21MF wheels (Brassin)

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

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

  672193 MiG-21MF airbrakes (Brassin)

  672197 MiG-21MF ejection seat (Brassin)

  SIN67217 MiG-21MF armament (Brassin)

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

  CX511 MiG-21MF (Mask)

  OVERTREES

  #70142X

  MiG-21MF

  1/72

  Product page

  Product page

  OVERLEPT

  #70142-LEPT

  MiG-21MF

  PE

  -

  Set 1/72

  KITS 08/2023

  INFO Eduard

  57

  August 2023

• Page 58

  BRASSIN

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and STEEL

  seatbelts for A-20G in 1/32 scale. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: HKM

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and

  STEEL seatbelts for Hurricane Mk.I in 1/48 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Hobby Boss

  Set contains:

  - resin: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  634039

  A-20G LööK

  1/32 HKM

  644220

  Hurricane Mk.I LööK

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard58

  August 2023

• Page 59

  644222

  FM-2 LööK

  1/48 Eduard

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and STEEL

  seatbelts for FM-2 in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - resin: 1 part

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  BRASSIN

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard

  and STEEL seatbelts for MiG-17F in 1/48 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: AMMO

  Set contains:

  - resin: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  644223

  MiG-17F LööK

  1/48 AMMO

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  59

  August 2023

• Page 60

  BRASSIN

  Collection of 4 sets for Spitfire Mk.Ia in 1/32 scale.

  Recommended kit: Kotare

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

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  - exhaust stacks

  Collection of 4 sets for Do 335A in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Tamiya

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

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  - exhaust stacks

  634040

  Spitfire Mk.Ia LööKplus

  1/32 Kotare

  644221

  Do 335A LööKplus

  Tamiya

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard60

  August 2023

• Page 61

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - radio equipment for Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf. C

  in 1/35 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Academy

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 14 parts

  - resin: 1 part

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for A-20G

  in 1/32 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

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: yes

  632197

  A-20G wheels

  1/32 HKM

  Product page

  Product page

  635033

  Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf. C radio equipment PRINT

  1/35 Academy

  INFO Eduard

  61

  August 2023

• Page 62

  635034

  WWII German fire extinguishers PRINT

  1/35

  648875

  Bf 109F cockpit w/ early seat PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - fire extinguishers for German

  WWII AFV in 1/35 scale. The set consists

  of 6 extinguishers. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

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

  Made by direct 3D printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 17 parts

  - resin: 1 part

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  - SPACE 3D decals: no

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard62

  August 2023

• Page 63

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - angular wheel bays for Bf 109F

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

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  648881

  Bf 109F wheel bays angular PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  Brassin set - rounded wheel bays for Bf 109F

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

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  648880

  Bf 109F wheel bays rounded PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  63

  August 2023

• Page 64

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for F-4E

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

  and nose wheels. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic

  parts. Recommended kit: Meng

  Set contains:

  - resin: 4 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  Brassin set - gun bays for A6M3 in 1/48 scale. Designed

  for Zeroes Type 32 and 22 with short-barreled wing guns

  (guns not protruding from the leading edge of the wing).

  Made by direct 3D printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 22 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  648883

  A6M3 gun bays short barrel PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  648882

  F-4E wheels

  1/48 Meng

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard64

  August 2023

• Page 65

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for FM-2

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

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

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - resin: 9 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: yes

  648887

  FM-2 wheels

  1/48 Eduard

  Brassin set - the undercarriage legs for

  FM-2 in 1/48 scale. The legs are made of bronze.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 4 parts

  - bronze: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  648886

  FM-2 undercarriage legs BRONZE

  1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  65

  August 2023

• Page 66

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - the seat for FM-2 in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: yes

  Brassin set - folding wings for FM-2 in 1/48 scale.

  The set consists of parts for both wings.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 10 parts

  - plastic: 4 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  648889

  FM-2 folding wings PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  648888

  FM-2 seat PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard66

  August 2023

• Page 67

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - airbrakes for F-104A/C in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Kinetic/Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  648891

  F-104A/C airbrakes PRINT

  1/48 Kinetic/Eduard

  Brassin set - gun barrels for FM-2

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

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 4 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  648890

  FM-2 gun barrels PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  67

  August 2023

• Page 68

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - exhaust nozzle for F-104A/C

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

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Kinetic/Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 4 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - cockpit for FM-2

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

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  - SPACE 3D decals: no

  648895

  FM-2 cockpit PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  648892

  F-104A/C exhaust nozzle PRINT

  1/48 Kinetic/Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard68

  August 2023

• Page 69

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - gun pods for Bf 109F/G/K

  in 1/72 scale. Easy to assemble, replaces

  plastic parts. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 8 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  672326

  Bf 109F/G/K gun pods PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  Brassin set - the undercarriage legs for Bf 109F

  in 1/72 scale. The legs are made of bronze.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - bronze: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  672317

  Bf 109F undercarriage legs BRONZE

  1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  69

  August 2023

• Page 70

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - wing balance weights for Bf 109F in 1/72 scale.

  The set consists of 10 balance weights. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 10 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for MiG-29

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

  and nose wheels. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Great Wall Hobby

  Set contains:

  - resin: 4 parts

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  672330

  MiG-29 wheels

  1/72 Great Wall Hobby

  672329

  Bf 109 balance weights PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard70

  August 2023

• Page 71

• Page 72

  BRASSIN

  Collection of 4 sets for F-35A in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Tamiya

  - cockpit

  - exhaust nozzle

  - undercarriage wheel

  - Remove Before Flight tags SPACE

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

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

  SIN648108

  F-35A

  1/48 Tamiya

  Product page

  INFO Eduard72

  August 2023

• Page 73

  BRASSIN

  Collection of 7 sets for F-4E in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Meng

  - AGM-65 Maverick (3 sets)

  - AIM-7M Sparrow

  - AN/ALQ-131 (shallow) ECM pod

  - GBU-10 Paveway I

  - 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 %.

  SIN648109

  F-4E armament

  1/48 Meng

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  73

  August 2023

• Page 74

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  AUGUST 2023

  A-20G bomb bay

  1/32 HKM

  32484

  INFO Eduard74

  August 2023

• Page 75

  A-20G main wheel wells

  1/32 HKM

  BRASSIN 02/2022

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  32485

  INFO Eduard

  75

  August 2023

• Page 76

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  A-20G

  1/32 HKM

  A-20G

  33355

  INFO Eduard76

  August 2023

• Page 77

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard

  77

  August 2023

• Page 78

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  USS Nimitz CVN-68 part 1

  1/350 Trumpeter

  53295

  INFO Eduard78

  August 2023

• Page 79

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard

  79

  August 2023

• Page 80

  OV-10A

  1/72 ICM

  73805

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard80

  August 2023

• Page 81

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard

  81

  August 2023

• Page 82

  3DL48127 Bf 110G-4 SPACE 1/48 Eduard

  3DL48128

  FM-2 SPACE 1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  easy

  application

  INFO Eduard82

  August 2023

• Page 83

  3DL48129 F-16D Block 30 SPACE 1/48 Kinetic

  3DL48130

  F-16D Block 40 SPACE 1/48 Kinetic

  SPACE

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  83

  August 2023

• Page 84

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  3DL48131 F-16D Block 50 SPACE 1/48 Kinetic

  3DL48132

  A-10C SPACE 1/48 Academy 3DL72020 OV-10A SPACE 1/72 ICM

  SPACE

  INFO Eduard84

  August 2023

• Page 85

  3DL72020 OV-10A SPACE 1/72 ICM

  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 86

  EDDIE THE RIVETER

  ER32001

  Single riveting rows

  1/32

  ER72001

  Single riveting rows

  1/72

  ER48006

  Single riveting rows

  1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard86

  August 2023

• Rivet the Eddie way

  Working instructions

  Rivet the Eddie way

  EDDIE THE RIVETER

  Assemble the model and prepare the model for

  the painting. Spray with Mr. Finishing Surfacer

  1500, add drops of Super Gloss Clear to the

  mixture so that the sprayed model has glossy

  surface (same grade of smoothness of the surface

  like for decal application).

  INFO Eduard

  87

  August 2023

• Page 88

  EDDIE THE RIVETER

  Prepare mixture of water

  (100 ml) and dishwashing

  saponite (2–3 drops). Soak

  the dishwashing sponge in the

  mixture.

  Cut off a section with rivets

  from the decal paper with

  scissors or sharp modeling

  knife.

  Put it on the sponge then push

  the sponge so that the decal

  is wet.

  INFO Eduard88

  August 2023

• Page 89

  EDDIE THE RIVETER

  Wait until the decal could

  be released from the paper.

  Put drops of water/saponite

  mixture on the model surface

  where you want to place the

  decal, then place the decal on

  its position.

  Placed decal.

  Press the applied decal to the

  surface with dry dishwashing

  sponge and remove all water.

  Do not move the sponge!

  Just apply gentle press and

  then draw the sponge apart

  from the surface vertically.

  Otherwise, the decal might get

  deformed.

  INFO Eduard

  89

  August 2023

• Page 90

  EDDIE THE RIVETER

  After all the decals are on their positions,

  allow at least 24 hours for drying. Then

  spray 3–5 very thin layers of Mr. Finishing

  Surfacer 1500 over the whole model using

  airbrush. Do not use spray in can!

  Continue with painting and final assembly

  of the model. Pay maximum attention to

  masking when using masking tape. The

  adhesion of the tape must be reduced to

  avoid damage of the Surfacer layer or even

  the decal!

  INFO Eduard90

  August 2023

• Page 91

  DECAL SET

  D72045

  Bf 109F stencil

  1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  91

  August 2023

• Page 92

  BIG ED

  All sets included in this BIG ED are available separately,

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

  BIG33152 CH-54A 1/35 ICM

  BIG49373

  B-24D PART II 1/48 Revell

  321008 CH-54A 1/35

  32482 CH-54A exterior 1/35

  33348 CH-54A seatbelts STEEL 1/35

  JX307 CH-54A 1/35

  481102 B-24D exterior 1/48

  481104 B-24D bomb bay 1/48

  491339 B-24D nose interior 1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard92

  August 2023

• Page 93

  All sets included in this BIG ED are available separately,

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

  BIG ED

  BIG49374 Mi-17 1/48 AMK

  BIG49375

  F-86D 1/48 Revell

  BIG49376

  PV-1 PART I 1/48 Academy

  481110 Mi-17 cargo floor 1/48

  491352 Mi-17 1/48

  491353 Mi-17 cargo seatbelts 1/48

  FE1353 Mi-17 seatbelts STEEL 1/48

  EX942 Mi-17 1/48

  491350 F-86D 1/48

  FE1351 F-86D seatbelts STEEL 1/48

  EX940 F-86D 1/48

  491348 PV-1 1/48

  FE1349 PV-1 seatbelts STEEL 1/48

  EX944 PV-1 1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  93

  August 2023

• Page 94

  MASKS

  IT FITS!

  EX964 A-10C TFace

  1/48 Academy

  EX965 FM-2 TFace

  1/48 Eduard

  EX966 F-16D Block 30/40/50

  1/48 Kinetic

  EX967 F-16D Block 30/40/50

  TFace

  1/48 Kinetic

  EX968 F-35B RAM coating

  1/48 Italeri

  EX969 A6M2-N Rufe

  national insignia

  1/48 Eduard

  EX970 A6M3 Zero Type 32

  Weekend

  1/48 Eduard

  CX650 OV-10A

  1/72 ICM

  EX966 F-16D Block 30/40/50

  EX966 F-16D Block 30/40/50

  EX967 F-16D Block 30/40/50 TFace

  EX967 F-16D Block 30/40/50 TFace

  EX967 F-16D Block 30/40/50 TFace

  EX967 F-16D Block 30/40/50 TFace

  EX964 A-10C TFace EX964 A-10C TFace

  EX964 A-10C TFaceEX964 A-10C TFace

  INFO Eduard94

  August 2023

• Page 95

  EX968 F-35B RAM coating EX968 F-35B RAM coating

  CX650 OV-10A CX650 OV-10A

  MASKS

• Page 96

  RELEASES

  AUGUST 2023

  KITS

  PE

  -

  SETS

  ZOOMS

  MASKS

  70155 Bf 109F-4 1/72 ProfiPACK

  11169 THE ZIPPER 1/48 Limited

  11175 WILDER CAT 1/48 Limited

  84191 A6M3 Zero Type 32 1/48 Weekend

  70142 MiG-21MF Fighter bomber Re-release 1/72 ProfiPACK

  53295 USS Nimitz CVN-68 part 1 1/350 Trumpeter

  32484 A-20G bomb bay 1/32 HKM

  32485 A-20G main wheel wells 1/32 HKM

  481118 F-16 reinforcement straps STEEL 1/48 Kinetic

  481119 FM-2 landing flaps 1/48 Eduard

  481120 A-10C formation lights 1/48 Academy

  491369 F-16D Block 30 1/48 Kinetic

  491370 F-16D Block 40 1/48 Kinetic

  491371 F-16D Block 50 1/48 Kinetic

  491373 A-10C 1/48 Academy

  73805 OV-10A 1/72 ICM

  FE1369 F-16D Block 30 1/48 Kinetic

  FE1370 F-16D Block 40 1/48 Kinetic

  FE1371 F-16D Block 50 1/48 Kinetic

  FE1372 F-16D Block 30/40/50 seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Kinetic

  FE1373 A-10C 1/48 Academy

  FE1374 A-10C seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Academy

  FE1375 A6M3 Zero Type 32 Weekend 1/48 Eduard

  SS805 OV-10A 1/72 ICM

  EX964 A-10C TFace 1/48 Academy

  EX965 FM-2 TFace 1/48 Eduard

  EX966 F-16D Block 30/40/50 1/48 Kinetic

  EX967 F-16D Block 30/40/50 TFace 1/48 Kinetic

  EX968 F-35B RAM coating 1/48 Italeri

  EX969 A6M2-N Rufe national insignia 1/48 Eduard

  EX970 A6M3 Zero Type 32 Weekend 1/48 Eduard

  CX650 OV-10A 1/72 ICM

  DECAL

  EDDIE THE RIVETER

  D72045 Bf 109F stencils 1/72 Eduard

  ER32001 Single riveting rows 1/32

  ER48006 Single riveting rows 1/48

  ER72001 Single riveting rows 1/72

  INFO Eduard96

  August 2023

• Page 97

  BIG-EDBIG-ED

  BIG ED

  BIG33152 CH-54A 1/35 ICM

  BIG49373 B-24D PART II 1/48 Revell

  BIG49374 Mi-17 1/48 AMK

  BIG49375 F-86D 1/48 Revell

  BIG49376 PV-1 PART I 1/48 Academy

  RELEASES

  BRASSIN

  LöökPLUS

  BIG SIN

  SPACE

  634039 A-20G LööK 1/32 HKM

  644220 Hurricane Mk.I LööK 1/48 Hobby Boss

  644222 FM-2 LööK 1/48 Eduard

  644223 MiG-17F LööK 1/48 AMMO

  632197 A-20G wheels 1/32 HKM

  635033 Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf. C

  radio equipment PRINT 1/35 Academy

  635034 WWII German fire extinguishers PRINT 1/35

  648875 Bf 109F cockpit w/ early seat PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648880 Bf 109F wheel bays rounded PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648881 Bf 109F wheel bays angular PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648882 F-4E wheels 1/48 Meng

  648883 A6M3 gun bays short barrel PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648886 FM-2 undercarriage legs BRONZE 1/48 Eduard

  648887 FM-2 wheels 1/48 Eduard

  648888 FM-2 seat PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648889 FM-2 folding wings PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648890 FM-2 gun barrels PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648891 F-104A/C airbrakes PRINT 1/48 Kinetic/Eduard

  648892 F-104A/C exhaust nozzle PRINT 1/48 Kinetic/Eduard

  648895 FM-2 cockpit PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  672317 Bf 109F undercarriage legs BRONZE 1/72 Eduard

  672326 Bf 109F/G/K gun pods PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672329 Bf 109 balance weights PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672330 MiG-29 wheels 1/72 Great Wall Hobby

  634040 Spitfire Mk.Ia LööKplus 1/32 Kotare

  644221 Do 335A LööKplus 1/48 Tamiya

  SIN648108 F-35A 1/48 Tamiya

  SIN648109 F-4E armament 1/48 Meng

  3DL48127 Bf 110G-4 SPACE 1/48 Eduard

  3DL48128 FM-2 SPACE 1/48 Eduard

  3DL48129 F-16D Block 30 SPACE 1/48 Kinetic

  3DL48130 F-16D Block 40 SPACE 1/48 Kinetic

  3DL48131 F-16D Block 50 SPACE 1/48 Kinetic

  3DL48132 A-10C SPACE 1/48 Academy

  3DL72020 OV-10A SPACE 1/72 ICM

  AUGUST 2023

  INFO Eduard

  97

  August 2023

• Page 98

  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 99

  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 100

  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 101

  DOBŘÍŠSKÁ ŠELMA

  Více informací: www.facebook.com/dobrismodel/ • www.dobrismodel.cz • modelari.dobris@gmail.com • tel. 728 074 851

  PLASTIKOVÉ A PAPÍROVÉ MODELY OD MODELÁŘŮ Z CELÉ ČR • PRODEJCI MODELŮ A MODELÁŘSKÝCH POTŘEB

  DOPOLEDNE DOPROVODNÁ VÝSTAVA AUTO A MOTO VETERÁNŮ • OBČERSTVENÍ • VSTUPNÉ DOBROVOLNÉ

  SOBOTA 19. SRPNA 2023 OD 10:00 DO 15:00

  MODELÁŘSKÁ SOUTĚŽNÍ VÝSTAVA

  • Online přihlašování modelů:

  dobris.ipmscz.eu

  • Přejímka modelů:

  19. srpna od 8:00 do 10:00

  • Startovné: děti zdarma, dospělí 100 Kč

  • Otevřeno pro veřejnost: 10:00 – 15:00

  SPORTOVNÍ HALA, ŠKOLNÍ 36, DOBŘÍŠ – BOČNÍ VCHOD

• Page 102

  built by Robert Szwarc

  #2142

  KAMO M

  BUILT

  Product page

  INFO Eduard102

  August 2023

• Page 103

  Bf 109F-4, Uffz. Hans Döbrich, 6./JG 5, Petsamo, Finland, September 1942

  This aircraft was flown by Hans Döbrich, a fighter

  ace credited with 65 victories. He was downed

  three times and seriously wounded during the

  last incident. He never flew a combat sortie

  again. During the second half of 1942, II./JG 5

  was equipped with “Friedrichs” manufactured

  for service in a tropical environment. The desert

  camouflage colors consisting of RLM 79 and

  RLM 78 were applied at the factory. Feldflugpark

  (Repair Field Unit) in Pori added segments of RLM

  74/70 (some sources state RLM 75/71) which

  helped to camouflage effect over the northern

  territory. The green shamrock on the cowling was

  a crest of 6./JG 5.

  BUILT

  INFO Eduard

  103

  August 2023

• Page 104

  F4F-3 & F4F-4 Wildcat

  BUILT

  1/48

  built by Jan Baranec

  #11166

  KAMO C

  Product page

  Accessories used:

  644171 F4F-3 early LööK (Brassin)

  648766 F4F-3 exhausts PRINT (Brassin)

  648767 F4F-3 wheels early (Brassin)

  648769 F4F gun barrels PRINT (Brassin)

  648777 F4F-3 cockpit w/ reflector gun sight PRINT (Brassin)

  648795 F4F-3 wheel bay PRINT (Brassin)

  648827 F4F-3A engine PRINT (Brassin)

  648767 F4F-3 wheels early (Brassin)

  648827 F4F-3A engine PRINT (Brassin)

  INFO Eduard104

  August 2023

• Page 105

  F4F-3A, BuNo. 3920, Lt. James Seton Gray, VF-6, USS Enterprise (CV-6), February 1942

  Milwaukee, Wisconsin native, James Seton Gray

  loved the flying since the childhood. In 1930, at

  the age of sixteen years he became the youngest

  pilot license holder. After he graduated from the

  United States Naval Academy in 1936, he served

  on the ships. In 1938 he started his pilot training

  and after its completion he was assigned to VF-6

  on board of USS Enterprise (CV-6). After the USA

  entered the war, he took part in the first Navy

  raid against the Japanese on Taroa island in

  Marshall Islands. During the raid he shot down

  two A5M Claude fighters. During the Battle of

  Midway he commanded the whole VF-6 escorting

  VT-6 Devastators on their attacks against the

  Japanese carriers. During the afternoon CAP on

  that day he shot down E13A Jake floatplane. Gray

  added further kills to his score while commanding

  the night fighters aboard USS Enterprise in 1944

  and became a fighter ace. Lt. Gray’s Wildcat

  in which he fought over Marshall and Gilbert

  archipelagos was camouflaged in Light Gray and

  Blue Gray. The rudder sports nine red and white

  stripes. The national markings on the fuselage

  and wings were already supposed to be enlarged

  however the aircraft photograph shows that the

  large insignia were painted on the fuselage and

  starboard wing only. The port wing retained the

  original size insignia.

  BUILT

  644171 F4F-3 early LööK (Brassin)

  648795 F4F-3 wheel bay PRINT (Brassin)

  648766 F4F-3 exhausts PRINT (Brassin) 648769 F4F gun barrels PRINT (Brassin)

  648777 F4F-3 cockpit w/ reflector

  gun sight PRINT (Brassin)

  INFO Eduard

  105

  August 2023

• Page 106

  BUILT

  built by Angelo Lodetti

  Accessories used:

  48765 Spitfire Mk.IXc landing flaps (PE

  -

  Set)

  SIN64808 Spitfire Mk.IXc ESSENTIAL (Brassin)

  Supermarine Spitfire MK IX 101° Gruppo, 5° Stormo - Vicenza/Italy 1950

  Used aftermarket decals.

  Spitfire Mk.IXc early

  1/48

  INFO Eduard106

  August 2023

• Page 107

  BUILT

  INFO Eduard

  107

  August 2023

• Page 108

  ON APPROACH

  SEPTEMBER 2023

  644224

  F-4E LööK

  1/48 Meng

  644225

  A-10C LööK

  1/48 Academy

  644227

  Bf 109K-4 LööK

  1/48 Eduard

  BIG33153 Spitfire Mk.I 1/32 Kotare

  BIG33154 AH-64E 1/35 Takom

  BIG49377 PV-1 PART II 1/48 Academy

  BIG49378 Mi-8MT 1/48 Trumpeter

  BIG49379 Mi-8MT CARGO INTERIOR 1/48 Trumpeter

  644224 F-4E LööK 1/48 Meng

  644225 A-10C LööK 1/48 Academy

  644227 Bf 109K-4 LööK 1/48 Eduard

  635035 Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf. C radio equipment dark yellow PRINT

  1/35 Academy

  648884 A6M3 gun bays long barrel PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648893 F-16D ejection seats PRINT 1/48 Kinetic

  648894 Bf 109 balance weights PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648896 FM-2 cockpit w/ armoured headrest PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648897 Hurricane Mk.I wheels 1/48 Hobby Boss

  648898 Hurricane Mk.I exhaust stacks PRINT 1/48 Hobby Boss

  648899 MiG-17 wheels 1/48 AMMO

  648900 FM-2 gun bays PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648902 Bf 109K-4 engine 1/48 Eduard

  648903 Bf 109K-4 propeller PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648913 Bf 109K-4 exhaust stacks PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648914 Bf 109K-4 wheels 1/48 Eduard

  672327 Bf 109F cockpit PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672331 MiG-29A ejection seat PRINT 1/72 Great Wall Hobby

  672332 MiG-29 exhaust nozzles PRINT 1/72 Great Wall Hobby

  634041 A-20G LööKplus 1/32 HKM

  644226 FM-2 LööKplus 1/48 Eduard

  SIN648110 Anson Mk.I 1/48 Airfix

  SIN648111 A-10C armament 1/48 Academy

  BIG ED (September)

  BRASSIN (September)

  LöökPlus (September)

  BIGSIN (September)

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboards

  and STEEL seatbelts for F-4E in 1/48 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Meng

  Set contains:

  - resin: 5 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard

  and STEEL seatbelts for A-10C in 1/48 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Academy

  Set contains:

  - resin: 2 parts

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard

  and STEEL seatbelts for Bf 109K-4 in 1/48 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - resin: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  INFO Eduard108

  August 2023

• Page 109

  635035

  Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf. C radio equipment dark yellow PRINT

  1/35 Academy

  ON APPROACH

  Brassin set - radio equipment for Sd.Kfz. 251/1

  Ausf. C in 1/35 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Academy

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 14 parts

  - resin: 1 part

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  648884

  A6M3 gun bays long barrle PRINT

  1/48

  648893

  F-16D ejection seats PRINT

  1/48 Kinetic

  Brassin set - gun bays for A6M3 in 1/48 scale.

  Designed for Zeroes Type 32 and 22 with long-

  -barreled wing guns (guns protruding from the

  leading edge of the wing). Made by direct 3D

  printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 18 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - ejection seats for F-16D in 1/48 scale.

  The set consists of 2 seats. Made by direct 3D

  printing. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Kinetic

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 10 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  INFO Eduard

  109

  August 2023

• Page 110

  ON APPROACH

  SEPTEMBER 2023

  648894

  Bf 109 balance weights PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  648896

  FM-2 cockpit w/ armoured headrest PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  648897

  Hurricane Mk.I wheels

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  Brassin set - wing balance weights for Bf 109F

  in 1/48 scale. The set consists of 10 balance weights.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts. Made by

  direct 3D printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 10 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - cockpit for FM-2 in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 13 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  - SPACE 3D decals: no

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for

  Hurricane Mk.I in 1/48 scale. The set consists

  of the main wheels and a tail wheel.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Hobby Boss

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  INFO Eduard110

  August 2023

• Page 111

  ON APPROACHSEPTEMBER 2023

  648898

  Hurricane Mk.I exhaust stacks PRINT

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  648899

  MiG-17 wheels

  1/48 AMMO

  648900

  FM-2 gun bays PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  Brassin set - exhaust stacks for Hurricane Mk.I

  in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Hobby Boss

  Set contains:

  - resin: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels

  for MiG-17 in 1/48 scale. The set consists

  of the main wheels and a nose wheel.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: AMMO

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  Brassin set - gun bays for FM-2 in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 16 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  INFO Eduard

  111

  August 2023

• Page 112

  ON APPROACH

  648902

  Bf 109K-4 engine

  1/48 Eduard

  648903

  Bf 109K-4 propeller PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  648913

  Bf 109K-4 exhaust stacks PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  Brassin set - the engine for Bf 109K-4 in 1/48 scale.

  The cowling are included. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - resin: 72 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - the propeller for Bf 109K-4

  in 1/48 scale. The spinner could be removed.

  Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - resin: 4 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - exhaust stacks for Bf 109K-4

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

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  SEPTEMBER 2023

  INFO Eduard112

  August 2023

• Page 113

  672327

  Bf 109F cockpit PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  648914

  Bf 109K-4 wheels

  1/48 Eduard

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

  Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 9 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  - SPACE 3D decals: no

  ON APPROACH

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for Bf 109K-4

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

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

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - resin: 4 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  672331

  MiG-29A ejection seat PRINT

  1/72 Great Wall Hobby

  Brassin set - ejection seat for MiG-29A in 1/72 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces

  plastic parts. Recommended kit: Great Wall Hobby

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  SEPTEMBER 2023

  INFO Eduard

  113

  August 2023

• Page 114

  ON APPROACH

  672332

  MiG-29 exhaust nozzles PRINT

  1/72 Great Wall Hobby

  Brassin set - exhaust nozzles for MiG-29 in 1/72 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic

  parts. Recommended kit: Great Wall Hobby

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  Collection of 3 sets for A-20G in 1/32 scale.

  Recommended kit: HKM

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

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  634041

  A-20G LööKplus

  1/32 HKM

  SEPTEMBER 2023

  INFO Eduard114

  August 2023

• Page 115

  ON APPROACH

  Collection of 4 sets for FM-2 in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

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

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  - gun barrels

  644226

  FM-2 LööKplus

  1/48 Eduard

  SEPTEMBER 2023

  INFO Eduard

  115

  August 2023

• Page 116

  SIN648110

  Anson Mk.I

  1/48 Airfix

  Collection of 4 sets for Anson Mk.I in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Airfix

  - undercarriage wheels

  - radiators

  - guns

  - engines

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

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

  ON APPROACH

  SEPTEMBER 2023

  INFO Eduard116

  August 2023

• Page 117

  SIN648111

  A-10C armament

  1/48 Academy

  Collection of 9 sets for A-10C in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Academy

  - AGM-65 Maverick

  - TER

  - LAU-3/A

  - GBU-10 Paveway II

  - AIM-9M/L Sidewinder

  - Mk.82 bombs w/airbrake early

  - GBU-12 bomb

  - Sniper ATP

  - AN/ALQ-131 (deep) ECM pod

  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 APPROACHSEPTEMBER 2023

  INFO Eduard

  117

  August 2023

• Page 118

  PE

  -

  SETS

  53296 USS Nimitz CVN-68 part 2 1/350 Trumpeter

  53297 USS Nimitz CVN-68 part 3 1/350 Trumpeter

  36504 StuG IV (Sd.Kfz. 167) 1/35 Zvezda

  36505 StuG IV (Sd.Kfz. 167) schurzen 1/35 Zvezda

  36506 Sd.Kfz. 164 Nashorn 1/35 Border Model

  36507 Sd.Kfz. 164 Nashorn ammo boxes 1/35 Border Model

  481121 F-4G reinforcement straps & formation lights 1/48 Meng

  491376 Yak-9T 1/48 Zvezda

  491378 F-4G 1/48 Meng

  72731 PBY-5A exterior 1/72 Hobby 2000/Academy

  73806 PBY-5A 1/72 Hobby 2000/Academy

  73807 B-29 interior 1/72 Hobby 2000/Academy

  ZOOMS

  FE1376 Yak-9T 1/48 Zvezda

  FE1377 Yak-9T seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Zvezda

  FE1378 F-4G 1/48 Meng

  FE1379 F-4G seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Meng

  FE1380 Spitfire Mk.Vc Weekend 1/48 Eduard

  FE1381 Bristol F.2B Fighter Weekend 1/48 Eduard

  SS806 PBY-5A 1/72 Hobby 2000/Academy

  SS807 B-29 1/72 Hobby 2000/Academy

  MASKS

  EX971 FM-2 US national insignia 1/48 Eduard

  EX972 F-4G 1/48 Meng

  EX973 F-4G TFace 1/48 Meng

  EX974 Yak-9T 1/48 Zvezda

  EX975 Yak-9T TFace 1/48 Zvezda

  EX976 Bf 109K TFace 1/48 Eduard

  EX977 Spitfire Mk.Vc Weekend 1/48 Eduard

  EX978 F-4G surface panels 1/48 Meng

  EX979 F-4G wheel bays 1/48 Meng

  SPACE

  3DL48133 Yak-9T SPACE 1/48 Zvezda

  3DL48134 F-4G SPACE 1/48 Meng

  3DL48135 Bf 109K SPACE 1/48 Eduard

  3DL72022 PBY-5A SPACE 1/72 Hobby 2000/Academy

  3DL72023 B-29 SPACE 1/72 Hobby 2000/Academy

  ON APPROACH

  SEPTEMBER 2023

  INFO Eduard118

  August 2023

• Page 119

  PE

  -

  SETS

  53296 USS Nimitz CVN-68 part 2 1/350 Trumpeter

  53297 USS Nimitz CVN-68 part 3 1/350 Trumpeter

  36504 StuG IV (Sd.Kfz. 167) 1/35 Zvezda

  36505 StuG IV (Sd.Kfz. 167) schurzen 1/35 Zvezda

  36506 Sd.Kfz. 164 Nashorn 1/35 Border Model

  36507 Sd.Kfz. 164 Nashorn ammo boxes 1/35 Border Model

  481121 F-4G reinforcement straps & formation lights 1/48 Meng

  491376 Yak-9T 1/48 Zvezda

  491378 F-4G 1/48 Meng

  72731 PBY-5A exterior 1/72 Hobby 2000/Academy

  73806 PBY-5A 1/72 Hobby 2000/Academy

  73807 B-29 interior 1/72 Hobby 2000/Academy

  ZOOMS

  FE1376 Yak-9T 1/48 Zvezda

  FE1377 Yak-9T seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Zvezda

  FE1378 F-4G 1/48 Meng

  FE1379 F-4G seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Meng

  FE1380 Spitfire Mk.Vc Weekend 1/48 Eduard

  FE1381 Bristol F.2B Fighter Weekend 1/48 Eduard

  SS806 PBY-5A 1/72 Hobby 2000/Academy

  SS807 B-29 1/72 Hobby 2000/Academy

  MASKS

  EX971 FM-2 US national insignia 1/48 Eduard

  EX972 F-4G 1/48 Meng

  EX973 F-4G TFace 1/48 Meng

  EX974 Yak-9T 1/48 Zvezda

  EX975 Yak-9T TFace 1/48 Zvezda

  EX976 Bf 109K TFace 1/48 Eduard

  EX977 Spitfire Mk.Vc Weekend 1/48 Eduard

  EX978 F-4G surface panels 1/48 Meng

  EX979 F-4G wheel bays 1/48 Meng

  SPACE

  3DL48133 Yak-9T SPACE 1/48 Zvezda

  3DL48134 F-4G SPACE 1/48 Meng

  3DL48135 Bf 109K SPACE 1/48 Eduard

  3DL72022 PBY-5A SPACE 1/72 Hobby 2000/Academy

  3DL72023 B-29 SPACE 1/72 Hobby 2000/Academy

  ON APPROACH

  Bf 109F-2 #70154 1/72

  WNr. 8117, Maj. Günther Lützow, CO of JG 3,

  Polonnoye, The Soviet Union, Summer 1941

  WNr. 6797, Hptm. Hartmann Grasser,

  CO of II./JG 51, Orel-North, The Soviet Union,

  Autumn 1942

  Hptm. Dietrich Hrabak, CO of II./JG 54,

  Ostrov, The Soviet Union, July 1941

  WNr. 6720, Oblt. Egon Mayer, CO of 7./JG 2,

  St. Pol-Brias, France, September 1941

  WNr. 8326, Maj. Günther von Maltzahn, CO of JG 53,

  Bila Tserkva, The Soviet Union, July 1941

  Hptm. Hans Philipp, CO of I./JG 54, Krasnogvardeysk,

  The Soviet Union, March 1942

  SEPTEMBER 2023

  INFO Eduard

  119

  August 2023

• Page 120

  ON APPROACH

  KURFÜRST 1/48#11177

  SEPTEMBER 2023

  INFO Eduard120

  August 2023

• Page 121

  ON APPROACHSEPTEMBER 2023

  INFO Eduard

  121

  August 2023

• Page 122

  ON APPROACH

  Bristol F.2B Fighter 1/48#8452

  Bristol F.2B Fighter

  BBrriissttooll FF..22BB

  1/48

  Bristol F.2B

  Scale Plastic Model Kit

  Eduard - Model Accessories

  Mírová 170

  435 21 Obrnice

  Czech Republic

  1/48

  SCALE PLASTIC MODEL KIT

  FOR ADVANCED MODELLERS

  plastic parts for one scale model

  decals for 4 marking options

  MADE IN CZECH REPUBLIC

  Collectible item for adult collectors only

  © Eduard-Model Accessories 2023

  29,95

  Bristol Bristol F.2B FighterF.2B Fighter

  8452

  item

  Bristol F.2B

  Scale Plastic Model Kit

  8452

  item

  item

  www.eduard.com

  1/48

  1/48

  scale

  scale

  scale

  www.eduard.com

  1 48

  8452

  item

  PLASTIKOVÁ STAVEBNICE

  PRO POKROČILÉ MODELÁŘE

  plastové díly pro stavbu jednoho modelu

  obtisky pro 4 markingy

  VYROBENO V ČESKÉ REPUBLICE

  Sběratelská položka pro dospělé modeláře

  8452

  FFiigghhtteerr

  Fighter

  Fighter

  BVFV 4 31 49 CB

  AWA

  BVFV 4 31 49 CB

  AWA

  BVFV 4 31 49 CB

  AWA

  BVFV 4 31 49 CB

  AWA

  Capt. Andrew E. McKeever;

  2Lt. Leslie A. Powell, No. 11 Squadron,

  Fére-en-Tardenois, France, November 1917

  Capt. Arthur A. Peck;

  Capt. John J. L. Williams,

  No. 111 Squadron, Deir el-Balah,

  Palestine, October 1917

  Capt. Sydney Dalrymple;

  2Lt. G. Beagle, No. 139 Squadron,

  Villaverla, Italy, September 1918

  Lt. Sydney A. Oades;

  Lt. D. N. G. Brampton, No. 22 Squadron,

  Villeneuve-des-Vertus, France,

  January 1918

  A7288, Capt. Andrew E. McKeever;

  2Lt. Leslie A. Powell, No. 11 Squadron,

  Fére-en-Tardenois, France,

  November 1917

  A7194, Capt. Arthur H. Peck; Capt. John

  J. Lloyd-Williams, No. 111 Squadron,

  Deir el-Balah, Palestine, October 1917

  A7300, Lt. Sydney A. Oades; Lt. D. N. G.

  Brampton, No. 22 Sqn., Villeneuve-des-Vertus,

  France, January 1918

  D8084, Capt. Sydney Dalrymple;

  2Lt. G. Beagle, No. 139 Squadron,

  Villaverla, Italy, September 1918

  SEPTEMBER 2023

  INFO Eduard122

  August 2023

• Page 123

  ON APPROACH

  Spitfire Mk.Vc #84192 1/48

  AB216, S/Ldr Robert W. Oxpring,

  No. 91 “Nigeria“ Squadron, RAF Hawkinge,

  Great Britain, April–June 1942

  Lt. Robert C. Curtis, 2nd FS, 52nd FG,

  12th AF, Corsica, December 1943

  EE613, S/Ldr Michel G. B. Donnet,

  No. 350 Squadron, RAF Friston,

  Great Britain, June 1944

  JK661, Cne. Georges Valentin,

  No. 326 Squadron (GC.II/7), Armée de l'Air,

  Corsica, September 1943

  SEPTEMBER 2023

  INFO Eduard

  123

  August 2023

• Page 124

  MiG-21bis

  1/48

  #84130Re-release

  ON APPROACH

  MiG-21bisD, Eskadrila borbenih aviona,

  HRZ i PZO, Zagreb – Pleso, Croatia,

  December 2016

  MiG-21BIS, HävLLv 31, Suomen ilmavoimat,

  Kuopio-Rissala AB, Finland, 1980

  MiG-21bis, 115th GIAP, Soviet VVS,

  Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, 1980

  MiG-21bis, C2283, No.3 Squadron „Cobras“, Pathankot AB, India, early ´90s

  SEPTEMBER 2023

  INFO Eduard124

  August 2023

• Tail End Charlie

  Each of us needs some form of relaxation. For instance, two years ago, I started two small vineyards in our family garden in Prague. The original vineyard in the area apparently disappeared in the 18th century, but there are still local names associated with wine production. I purchased young plants of the Cabernet Cortis (red) and Solaris (white) varieties and planted the vines following the advice of an experienced neighbourhood winemaker.

  Each of us needs some form of relaxation.

  For instance, two years ago, I started two

  small vineyards in our family garden in Prague.

  The original vineyard in the area apparently

  disappeared in the 18th century, but there are still

  local names associated with wine production.

  I purchased young plants of the Cabernet Cortis

  (red) and Solaris (white) varieties and planted

  the vines following the advice of an experienced

  neighbourhood winemaker. My winemaker

  friends amicably assure me that I won’t make

  my first good wine for another ten years or so.

  Since I had never grown anything in my life

  besides food mold, no one in my family believed

  anything would grow under my hands. I must be

  doing something right, because the vines are

  thriving and not suffering from mold or other

  diseases and pests. And I don’t use chemical

  sprays, I’ve only applied nettle leachate once.

  Anyway, I’m happy with the vines, although

  I don’t have much time for them this year due

  to the failing health of a family member. When

  I can work in the vineyard, it's a surprisingly

  relaxing experience. Thanks to the vines,

  I have also had several positive experiences

  with winemakers from Moravia, Austria and

  Germany. When I mentioned that I had started

  a small vineyard, they immediately wanted to see

  photos and started passing on helpful advice.

  They took me as a junior colleague, whereas

  I saw myself more as a disoriented beginner.

  I found the winemakers to be a very friendly

  international community. But unlike them, I have

  the advantage that my micro-vineyards are

  a hobby and not a source of livelihood.

  Plastic modelling is a source of income for

  our company and should also bring relaxation

  to our customers, although in this case with

  abundant use of chemistry. In addition, there

  is a community associated with our hobby that

  is mostly friendly and supportive, although

  there are sometimes individuals who take it too

  personally and should probably use some other

  form of relaxation.

  A former colleague of mine from another

  field, named Štěpán, didn’t pick up plastic

  modelling as a hobby until he was about thirty

  years old. He works as a process engineer and

  when he gets off work, he has a full head of

  worries. So, he started looking for a pastime to

  clear his head. He did something of a selection

  procedure and plastic modelling came out the

  winner. Building model jet fighters keeps his

  mind so busy that it really helps him relax. We

  just don’t have enough kits on offer to suit his

  taste unfortunately.

  Many modellers may not see plastic modelling

  as a relaxation because they simply like history,

  or they have been involved in the hobby since

  they were young and they keep enjoying it.

  But I think they still relax with it, even if they

  don’t know it. Plastic modelling can even have

  a positive influence in serious life situations.

  In some countries it is part of the therapy for

  war veterans suffering from post-traumatic

  stress disorder. My admiration in this regard

  goes to the people who are involved in our field

  in Ukraine, whether they are manufacturers,

  traders or modellers. They are trying to carry

  on in wartime conditions that are in many ways

  unparalleled since the Second World War.

  Recently I read in a Facebook group comments

  under the post of a Ukrainian modeller who

  is sharing this hobby with his son. He posted

  a photo of a new model with the comment

  that they continue modelling regardless of the

  terrorist attacks by the Russian state. In his

  opinion, thanks to this relaxation, they are more

  able to cope with the war induced anxiety and

  stress. Surprisingly, one discussant from across

  the Atlantic objected to the Ukrainian modeller

  bringing politics into the group. He got a rather

  intense response from other discussants to the

  fact that plastic modelling as a means of mental

  relaxation from cruise missile raids is not really

  about politics.

  In the area where these Ukrainian modellers

  live, there have been over 1,300 air raid alerts

  since February 24, 2022, each lasting about

  one hour on average. Statistics show that the

  Russians conduct airstrikes evenly on any

  day of the week, with most being declared

  around midnight and around noon. Perhaps this

  discussant from across the Atlantic could visit

  Ukraine and try out forms of relaxation when he

  has to take refuge in an air-raid shelter two or

  three times a day ...

  RELAXATION Text: Jan Bobek

  INFO Eduard

  125

  August 2023

• Page 126

• Page 127

• Editorial

  
  

  Dear Friends

  Welcome to the August edition of our newsletter and greetings from Corpus Christi, Texas, where my colleagues and I are passing through on our way to San Marcos for the traditional summer IPMS USA Nats. We will be in Texas for two weeks, after the Nats we will move north to Dallas where our main goal is to study three P-40 Warhawks. We want to check some details and shapes and possibly scan some sections, so we’re bringing along our trusted chief designer Stan Archman and his amazing scanner, which already afforded us a few rather interesting situations at the beginning of our journey. And we haven't even scanned the tip of the spinner yet!  We don’t really need much; basically, we have the bulk of the thing ready. We just want to make sure we don't have a design flaw and also see the plane in person to develop a proper personal feel for it, you understand.

  In the morning we will view the USS Lexington and we’ll move on from there. And time is running out, so we won't waste any of it and go straight to the presentation of our new releases for August. For many of you this will be a bit of a bummer because we've actually been selling them for a few days now and many of you already have them. So, I’ll at least give you some background information that might interest you.

   

  Kits

  In the Limited Edition line, we have an item called “Wilder Cat”, in which you’ll find an FM-2 Wildcat kit, a modernized and powerful version of the Wildcat, built by the Eastern Aircraft Division factory, a branch of General Motors. Compared to Wildcats built by Grumman, it had a number of changes, mainly a more powerful engine, a nine-cylinder Wright R-1820-56/56W with a power rating of 1350 hp, which means a changes on the nose section, and at the rear, featured a higher vertical fin and rudder. There are also changes to the wing and other parts of the aircraft, and you’ll find mention of this in other sections further down in this newsletter. Ten marking options are offered, one of which is British. The FM-2 served in the Royal Navy as the Wildcat Mk.VI, and this version set it apart from others through its relatively extensive service outside of the Pacific, i.e. the Atlantic. This brings about an expansion of color variants, since in the Atlantic, Wildcats were not blue as in the Pacific. The FM-2 has also not been actively paid attention to by other manufacturers in 1/48th (with just one exception). On the other hand, I am concerned about the extent to which the technical and operational history of this interesting aircraft is known to modelers. For the most part, retailers do not seem to have an extensive knowledge of the type, frankly.

  Some debate has been stimulated by the fact that this Limited Edition kit is not released as a Dual Combo boxing, but is a single kit with one set of plastic in the package. We decided on this version because we don't want to force customers to buy a relatively expensive kit with two sets of moldings. To the contrary, we have put the range of color versions available to ten aircraft; the decals are then designed in such a way that the stencil data and national markings cover two complete models. So if someone wants to build two FM-2 Wildcats, they can obtain the Overtrees components and basically create a Dual Combo boxing from the kit for very reasonable money. Deciding which way to go and how many Wildcats you realistically want, or even need, is up to you! In the future, the key to deciding whether a Limited Edition kit will be released as a Dual Combo or a classic single kit will be the technical make-up of the kit. If it contains two technically different sub variants of a given type, the kit will be a Dual Combo, as for example in Wunderschöne neue Maschinen, where there are a Bf 109 F-2 and an F-4, and there are two different sprues with fuselages and wings. The next WnM edition, dedicated to the Bf 109 G-2 and G-4, will also be a Dual Combo, although the sprues will be identical, there will again be technical differences, this time more or less only in the wing. In the end, all the Limited Edition kits covering the Bf 109F/G/K series will be Dual Comb kits, not only those covering a specific type, but also the kits whose concept runs more along the lines of a theme, such as the 1/72nd scale Africa, Barbarossa or Wilde Sau concepts. Frankly, in these cases there is a risk of even more extensive sets. Among the other Limited Editions being prepared, we have the Dual Combo kit of the L-39 Albatros, which will be presented in a renewed premiere at E-day with a new canopy, as well as another 1/48th scale Zero, this time the A6M5/5a Zero Model 52. There is also a difference in the wing here. The following Dual Combo will be the “Mezek”, which as most of you will know, is the S-199. Here, it is clear that there are different fuselages, and later, the P-51B/C, where it’s also about fuselages. Single kit Limited Edition kits will then continue to be all repackaged kits, which will apply to the Su-25K in the near future. It has always been that way with these items and it will continue that way. From our own production, the closest to becoming a reality is the Kurfürst, Bf 109 K-4, where there will be nine marking options, but technically all the machines will be the same. Well … not completely, but for taller rudders and tailwheel variations, we don’t need to include two sets of moldings. This is just a typical example of a kit, where Overtrees will solve the possible desire or need of the modeler to build more than one model.

  The second August Limited Edition item, dubbed “Zipper”, a 1:48th scale F-104C from the Vietnam War, is also designed as a single kit. The plastic this time, unlike our previous Starfighters, come from Kinetic, and in addition to the standard photoetching and masks, it also includes resin parts, and offers up seven marking options that focus on the 479th and 8th TFW aircraft, operating in the Vietnam in the 1960s.

  Our series of 1:72nd scale ProfiPACK kits dedicated to the many countless versions of the Bf 109 F, G and K begins in August with the Bf 109 F-4. If you are left with the impression that we forgot about the Bf 109 F-2, don’t worry, we didn’t. September will tell. The first reviews of the new 109s have already appeared, mostly positive, which makes us happy. However, some criticisms also emerged from them. For example, the need to repair a small step between the vertical tail surface and its transition to the fuselage. There, after gluing the fuselage and fin assemblies together, which must be glued there before the fuselage is closed up, a small step is created. Please note that contrary to how this has been widely reported, this is in fact supposed to be there and is not a mistake. We modeled it rather painstakingly and carefully watched over the mold making to make sure it was there. On the real plane, there was a cover plate in this section, which passed into the keel in the form of just such a step. So please don’t fix it, no matter how tempting it is!

  With respect to 1/72nd scale ProfiPACK kits, the MiG-21MF is back on sale in the fighter-bomber version. In the Weekend line, we have the A6M3 Zero Model 32, also known under the Allied code name Hamp. I have a personal connection to this kit because this time last year we had a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with one of the Hamps undergoing extensive restoration in Lafayette, Louisiana. At the time, we had no idea that it was an even more interesting machine than we thought, nor that this very machine would be included in the color options of one of our kits. The unexpected has become reality, and the Lafayette Hamp is actually, in two of its development guises, included in the new Weekend release, in addition to the very special insignia featuring the red Hinomaru in a white square. This is also why this Zero is interesting, and that’s why it was worth breaking tradition and adding five marking options to this Weekend release

   

  ACCESSORIES

  As usual, there are dozens of accessory items available in the new item listing. I will mention only a few that I think would grab my attention, such as the F-35B 1/48th RAM Panel masks for the Italeri kit. We have recently started to deal more with these masks for surface areas and high-quality markings, because spraying them has become an increasingly popular modeling technique. Of course, classic canopy masks are also on the list. In the LööK line, I would like to point out the A-20G Havoc 1:32nd set for the HKM kit. In the SPACE line, we have, among other things, the Bf 110 G-4 and FM-2 sets for the Eduard kits, and the A-10C from Academy, all in 1:48th scale.

  In the Brassin department, we have sets designed for our own August releases such as bronze landing gear legs, exhausts and aileron mass balance weights for the Bf 109F in 1:72nd. We have several sets for the 48th  FM-2, and these include a cockpit, bronze landing gear legs, a wing fold and several smaller sets, and for the F-104C, an exhaust nozzle and speedbrakes. For the 1:48th scale Bf 109F we have a newly designed 3D printed cockpit, in this case with an older version of the seat, that was the same as that found in the Bf 109E. A number of the types mentioned are also covered in photoetching, but again, you can find much more on that by reading further on down through this newsletter.

   

  Historical articles

  It is clear to me that the most popular part of any of our monthly newsletters are the historical and technical articles. As I already indicated above, the Wildcat, in its FM-2 version, was a uniquely interesting aircraft, and we would like to coax modelers who have neglected this “Wilder Cat” to draw the same conclusion. For this reason, there are two articles this month focused on the topic of the FM-2. The first one was written for us by the renowned American author Thomas McKelvey Cleaver, who describes probably the most interesting, intensive and successful deployment of these aircraft. This was in the Battle of Samar Island, referred to by historians as “The US Navy’s Finest Hour”. Given that a large Japanese group led by Admiral Kurita aboard the gigantic battleship Yamato, with two other battleships, eight cruisers, and eleven destroyers in tow, was driven off the island by a few destroyers and escort carriers, this is probably not an overstatement. The second article was written by Richard Plos, and it is focused on the creation of the FM-2 and its technical differences compared to the preceding F4F-4 and, by extension, the FM-1. Miro Barič’s miniseries about the search for lost ships ends with the fourth volume in this edition. Here the topics crossed a bit. He also mentions, among other things, the Battle of Samar and the survey of wrecks connected to it. The series about the air battles over Ukraine by the same author continues with its seventeenth edition. In this case, unfortunately, the ending of the series is neither in the author’s nor our hands ... The section of historical articles is rounded out by Boxart Story, a series of short articles that describe the historically real events depicted on our boxarts. The Bf 109 F-4 and A6M3 Zero Type 32 topics were taken up by Jan Bobek and the third was added by Richard Plos. This is an article relevant to our reissue of the MiG-21MF, the box art of which depicts a future Vietnamese astronaut shooting down an American B-52. Or maybe not …

  In closing, Wednesday marks the start of the IPMS USA National Convention, this year in San Marcos, Texas. As every year, we organize an Internet Afterparty to go with it, this year it started already on the weekend that has just passed. As you may have guessed, my colleagues and I are heading to San Marcos. I am finishing this introduction with sweat running down my face during this leg of the trip, and I will finish it off in Corpus Christi, a few hundred meters from the USS Lexington, which is moored here as a museum piece. Just note that writing an intro to the newsletter on the road is always hell, and if I have forgotten anything important, I am certain that you will find in the flowing pages!

   

  Happy Modeling!

  Vladimir Sulc

   

• FM-2 as fine modification

  The second production FM-2, BuNo. 15953, during flight tests. Photo: NHHC

  FM-2 WILDCAT

  Text: Richard plos

  
  

  The Wildcat was the first single-wing fighter aircraft produced by Grumman for active service. It bore the main burden of battles in the Pacific from the attack on Pearl Harbor until around February 1943, when the significantly more powerful F4U-1 Corsair and Wildcat’s direct successor, the F6F Hellcat, entered the scene. It was expected that the days of the Wildcat would be numbered with the arrival of these new powerful beasts, but the opposite turned out to be true. Thanks to the highly modernized version, FM-2, the Wildcat continued to participate in combat operations almost until the end of the war.

   

  Due to the Navy’s dissatisfaction with the Corsair’s landing characteristics on aircraft carrier decks, the Hellcat became the Navy’s main fighter type until the second half of 1944, when the Navy accepted the improved Corsairs that were previously serving with the USMC units. Both types were powered by the big and exceptionally powerful Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine, an eighteen-cylinder, double-row engine, which designers decided to install into quite volumious airframe. In June 1943, squadrons equipped with the F4F-4 Wildcats still represented a significant combat force, and by that time, a version that aimed to address several issues of its predecessor at once, was already in production.

   

  The Successor Worse Than Its Predecessor

  The F4F-4 represented the worst-performing version among all the Wildcat variants. The aircraft, burdened with an additional pair of machine guns and with significantly reduced ammunition per barrel compared to the F4F-3, required around 50 minutes to climb to an altitude that would allow it to attack Japanese bombers flying at about 20,000 ft. Moreover, with only 250 rounds of ammunition per gun, the pilots found themselves facing a shortage of ammo even in relatively short dogfights.

  It became clear early on that the F4F-4 version was not a wise step, but by mid-1942, when the F4F-4 was being introduced into service, Grumman was fully occupied with the development of the Hellcat, as well as the mass production of Wildcats, Avengers, Ducks, and Widgeons. They simply did not have the capacity for further development of a type that was supposed to be replaced soon. The preparations for Hellcat production had the highest priority, leading to the decision to entrust the production of the first two mentioned types to another manufacturer.

   

  Aircraft Instead of Cars

  Shortly after the outbreak of war with Japan, General Motors halted production at its five automobile factories on the East Coast. The company’s management was prepared to put them to use for wartime production, especially to produce aircraft components. As early as 1942, the Navy organized a meeting between General Motors representatives and people from Grumman, a key supplier to the Navy’s aviation. Grumman’s factory in Bethpage, New York, was operating at full capacity, so a solution was sought to shift the production of Wildcats and Avengers. GM representatives were somewhat surprised when they were asked to take over the entire production of aircraft instead of just manufacturing parts and subassemblies for Grumman. To their credit, they accepted the challenge. Numerous delegations and work teams followed. Grumman’s teams prepared the automotive factories for aircraft production, while GM personnel learned about aircraft production in Bethpage. The advantage was the proximity of all the factories. Trenton was about 160 km from Bethpage, and Linden was roughly halfway along this route. In the vast country’s terms, these plants were nearly neighbors ...

  By June 1942, all five GM factories had been fully converted and ready to start aircraft production as an independent division called Eastern Aircraft Division. The Trenton factory in New Jersey was responsible for producing Avengers. Unlike Grumman’s production, designated TBF, the Avengers from Trenton were labeled as TBM. The second factory in New Jersey, located in Linden, was to manufacture F4F-4 Wildcats under the designation FM-1 (F for Fighter, M for General Motors, and 1 as the manufacturer’s first type). The remaining three Eastern Aircraft Division factories in Bloomfield and Baltimore supplied both final manufacturers with the necessary parts.

  The Eastern Aircraft Division received a contract to produce 1800 Wildcats on April 18, 1942, and Grumman subsequently delivered prototype subassemblies and parts for assembling the first ten F4F-4s. At the same time, the factory received training examples marked as PK, where the joints were not riveted but rather connected with Parker-Kalon fasteners for repeated assembly and disassembly. These examples were used to train the workers.
  

  Before the war, the modern factory in Linden had produced cars for Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac and it was capable of a takt time one car per minute. After the transition to Wildcat production, during the period when the parallel production was ongoing at Grumman, the factory had to maintain strict technological discipline to ensure that parts from both manufacturers were interchangeable. Many parts manufactured by GM factories were sent to Grumman’s assembly line and vice versa.

  A Wildcat FM-2 landing on the deck of the escort aircraft carrier USS Anzio (CVE-57). Photo: NHHC

   

  The First “Fine Modification” (FM-1)

  The first Wildcat produced in Linden had its maiden flight on August 31, 1942, i.e., at the time of the intense battles for Guadalcanal, which exposed the shortcomings of the F4F-4 version. Its poor climb rate and significantly reduced ammo supply per gun compared to the F4F-3 did not win much favor among the pilots. The first ten FM-1 aircraft were assembled from Grumman parts in their original form, but starting with the eleventh aircraft, it was decided to remove the external machine guns to reduce the aircraft’s weight, resulting in improved climbing performance. After solving some problems related to the wing folding system, the ammunition supply was almost restored to the original level. While the F4F-3 carried 1800 rounds (450 per gun), FM-1 pilots had 1720 rounds available (430 per gun). This was a significant improvement compared to the mere 250 rounds per gun on the F4F-4.

  In May 1943, Grumman ceased the production of Wildcats entirely. By that time, Linden’s production was running relatively smoothly, although out of the initial order for 1800 aircraft, only 839 were produced. Some of them were assigned to Composite Squadrons, which combined fighter and attack aircraft, i.e., Wildcats and Avengers. Many of FM-1s were allocated to training units, and 311 aircraft were delivered to the British Fleet Air Arm (FAA) under the initial designation Martlet V, which was later changed to Wildcat V in January 1944.

  With the introduction of Hellcats and Corsairs, it seemed that the fate of the aging Wildcat was sealed. However, the enormous need for air cover for numerous task forces and transport convoys required more aircraft carriers than the Navy had available. Building one Essex-class aircraft carrier took at least 20 months (pre-war periods could take up to 37 months) despite increased war efforts. Due to the required construction time and limited shipyard capacity, it was not possible to expect any significant increase in the number of conventional aircraft carriers before the end of 1944, which was too late. However, a solution was found. At the end of 1942, the Navy began to receive the first escort aircraft carriers of the Casablanca and Bogue classes. These were mostly conversions of merchant and cargo ships that received flight decks and other necessary equipment for carrying up to 27 aircraft in composite squadrons (although there were exceptions, and some operated purely fighters, such as VF-26).
  

  Compared to Essex-class carriers, the escort carriers were more than 110 yards shorter, lacked armor, multiple elevators for rapid flight deck and hangars exchanges, and other amenities. As a result, their designation CVE was ironically interpreted by the crew as Combustible, Vulnerable, Expendable. They were slow vessels with limited space on the flight deck, where at least nine or ten Avengers had to be accommodated as part of the composite squadron. This left little space for fighters, and the large Hellcats were not suitable for these carriers. The Navy demanded a small and lightweight fighter that could operate from these ships, but there was no time to develop an entirely new type. Although the development of the Bearcat, which was to meet all the requirements, began in 1943, it did not reach combat in time. Therefore, the only option was to continue producing Wildcats, preferably in a more powerful version. Grumman thus prepared two prototypes of the XF4F-8, the precursor to the following FM-2 production version.

  FM-2 from the aircraft carrier USS Card (CVE-11) of the Bogue class. The aircraft, in its typical Atlantic camouflage, was photographed on February 10, 1944, and belonged to VC-55. Photo: NHHC

   

  Lightened, Strengthened, and Ready

  The FM-2 version of the Wildcat is often overlooked among its counterparts, as the F4F-3 and F4F-4 versions gained greater fame due to the heroic performances of their pilots during the battles in the Coral Sea, at the Midway or Guadalcanal. These successful operations produced a whole series of famous fighter aces from both the Marine Corps and the Navy. However, the purpose and operational deployment of the FM-2 were different; it was no more the Navy’s main fighter type. Nevertheless, at least five more pilots achieved ace status with the FM-2 (compared to 54 aces flying earlier versions), and the most successful of all squadrons flying the FM-2, VC-27 “Saints,” eventually became the second most successful unit operating Wildcats, regardless of the combat area or period. Its pilots managed to shoot down a total of 61.5 enemy aircraft during the four-month battle for the Philippines. Only VF-5 with 79 kills surpassed them. In this respect, the FM-2 ultimately made its mark.

  The increase in the Wildcat’s performance was mainly achieved by installing a more powerful yet 230 lb lighter Wright R-1820-56 engine instead of the Pratt & Whitney R-1830-86. Along with other modifications, the FM-2 was “slimmed down” by 500 lb and gained a power improvement of 150 hp compared to the F4F-4 version. As the new engine was supercharged by a single-stage, dual-speed compressor, the FM-2 lost its performance advantage at higher altitudes. However, this was not an issue since these aircraft were primarily intended for anti-submarine operations, convoy protection from low-level air threats, and attacks against ground or surface targets. High-altitude combat was not considered part of their combat activities. Additionally, most of the FM-2s were equipped with engines in versions 56W or 56WA, featuring water injection to temporarily boost the engine output for up to ten minutes.

  The cooling system underwent a fundamental change. The two protruding radiators on the lower wing were removed, and their function was taken over by a compact radiators located in the lower and upper part of the fuselage behind the engine. The wing openings were covered with shaped metal panels.

  The engine change and cooling system redesign necessitated alterations to the nose cowlings. The exhaust outlets were not combined for the new engine; instead, each cylinder had its individual exhaust. Three exhausts ended on the right side, two on the left, and two pairs on the bottom of the fuselage. The second fuselage tank was removed, leaving the FM-2 with only one 117 gallons volume. Due to this, FM-2 aircraft often flew with additional drop tanks (each of 58 gallons volume). Starting with aircraft BuNo. 57044, the fuselage tank was slightly enlarged to 126 gallons.
  

  The glass windows under the cockpit were covered, and a new universal tailwheel with a larger tire was developed for the FM-2. But the most noticeable change compared to all previous versions was the taller vertical tail fin and rudder to eliminate the increased torque from the propeller driven by more powerful engine. However, even with more power and more efficient propeller, the flight decks of escort aircraft carriers were too short for a conventional takeoff, and catapults had to do most of the job. Nevertheless, the FM-2’s dimensions were very advantageous. With folded wings, it was only 14 ft wide, allowing an entire composite squadron to be accommodated on a single ship’s deck. While up to 12 Avengers could be carried, the number of FM-2s typically ranged from 12 to 14.

  One of the aces on FM-2 was Lt. Thomas B. Sedaker. In the photo, he poses with a cake baked by the cooks of the USS Makin Island to celebrate the 2,000th catapult launch from the deck of that ship. Thomas Sedaker was the one who performed the launch. Photo: NHHC

   

  “Wilder Wildcat”

  The Wildcat aircraft modified into the FM-2 version quickly won the favor of pilots. It was a nimble and reasonably fast aircraft that retained one of its typical characteristics – the ability to withstand significant damage in combat. Additionally, the pilot was protected by a new armor plate behind their back (though not all aircraft were equipped with it). No wonder the new version earned the nickname Wilder Wildcat.

  Deliveries of the FM-2 began in the first half of 1944, and squadrons operating both in the Pacific and the Atlantic received them. However, their main tasks were different. In the Pacific, the FM-2s were often used to support ground units during landing operations, aided by their ability to carry two 250 lb bombs under the wings (from BuNo. 74359, FM-2s could also carry HVAR rockets). In the Atlantic, they primarily provided air cover for supply convoys from the US coast to Europe and often assisted Avengers in hunting German submarines. Of course, in the Pacific, FM-2 pilots also provided cover for supply ships or engaged in anti-submarine operations.

  The FM-2 scored its first kill on March 20, 1944, when Lt.(jg) J. H. Dinnen and Ens. R. P. Kirk of VC-63 encountered and shot down a Japanese Ki-61 Tony. The most intense aerial combat for FM-2 pilots occurred during the two-day Battle of Leyte Gulf. On the first day of the battle, October 24, 1944, all American carrier-based fighters claimed a total of 270 kills, with FM-2 pilots achieving 65 of them.

  USS Makin Island (CVE-93) sailing in the South Pacific.

  
  

  During the Philippine campaign, the Wilder Wildcat pilots were also known for providing close air support and air cover over the invasion beaches. During the Battle of Samar, they directly attacked Japanese ships.

  Many Japanese pilots underestimated the FM-2 based on its familiar silhouette and were subsequently unpleasantly surprised. Several Japanese pilots fell victim to their misjudgment, and until the surrender of Japan, FM-2 pilots achieved a total of 432 kills. Lt. Kenneth G. Hippe became the last American “ace in a day” when he shot down a total of five Ki-48 Lily bombers on October 24, 1944. On the same day but slightly earlier, Lt. Cdr. Harold N. Funk achieved the same feat, shooting down five enemy aircraft with his FM-2, adding one more kill in the afternoon.

  And the most intriguing fact: While the Hellcat is generally considered the fighter aircraft with the best victory-to-loss ratio, 19:1, there was one type that significantly surpassed it. Yes, it was the FM-2. Its ratio of aerial victories to losses in air combat was 432:13, or 33:1! For comparison, the F4F-3 and F4F-4 versions recorded a ratio of 5.9:1 in 1942.

  In British service, FM-2s were designated as Wildcat VI. They were the only version of this type that did not receive the Martlet designation. They performed similar tasks as in the US Navy. In addition to providing air protection for their own ships and covering bombers, they also conducted ground attacks. For example, during Operation Dragoon, to support the Allied landings in southern France in August 1944, Wildcat VI aircraft carried out bombing attacks with 250 lb bombs, carried on the modified racks used for drop tanks. They also used RP-3 rockets. In the North Sea, Wildcat VI pilots engaged in air combat with German aircraft and scored several kills. Perhaps the most interesting encounter occurred on March 26, 1945, when aircraft from No. 882 Squadron of HMS Searcher clashed with eight Bf 109G planes. German fighters catch the opponents with surprise and shot down one Wildcat, but subsequently, British pilots used the agility of their planes and, according to reports, shot down four Bf 109Gs and damaged one. Although none of the British pilots became aces flying Martlets and Wildcats, it was a highly popular type.

  The most successful FM-2 pilot with nine confirmed victories was Ralph Earle Elliott Jr.  Photo: Patricia Elliott family collection

  
  

  With a total of 4,437 produced units, the FM-2 became the most numerous version of the Wildcat (a total of 7,905 Wildcats of all versions were produced). Production only ceased in May 1945 when Grumman began manufacturing the Bearcat, which was meant to replace the FM-2. The first operational squadrons of this type were enroute to the Japanese islands when the enemy surrendered, and the war ended.

  While the Bearcat represented a significant increase in performance compared to the FM-2, it ultimately did not leave as remarkable a mark in history as the FM-2 did. It was the Wilder Wildcat that made sense for escort aircraft carriers of the Casablanca and Bogue classes, ensuring the safety of millions of tons of material and hundreds of thousands of transported personnel in the Pacific and Atlantic. In some respects, the FM-2 can thus be considered the most significant Wildcat version of them all.

  
  

  Main differences of FM-2 compared to F4F-4:

  1. Taller vertical tail surfaces

  2. Different cooling flaps

  3. Distinct exhaust system

  4. Different location of the gun camera port

  5. Reduced armament to four machine guns

  6. Relocated landing light

  7. Ability to install HVAR or RP-3 rockets

  8. Upright antenna mast

  9. Removal of the second fuel tank and its filling port

  
  

  10. Wright R-1820-56 engine

  11. Different propeller

  12. Different metal skin shaping under the exhausts

  13. Removed wing-mounted radiators

  14. Blanked windows under the cockpit

  15. New tailwheel

  
  

  Different shapes of the exhaust pipes framing.

  
  

  Sources:

  F4F Wildcat in detail & scale, Bert Kinzey, SQUADRON/SIGNAL PUBLICATIONS, INC.

  F4F Wildcat in action, Richard S. Dann, SQUADRON/SIGNAL PUBLICATIONS, INC.

  Fleet Air Arm, British Carrier Aviation 1039–1945, Ron Mackay, SQUADRON/SIGNAL PUBLICATIONS, INC.

  Wildcat Aces of WW2, Barrett Tillman, Osprey Publishing, 1995

• FM-2 Wildcat

  FM-2 Wildcat fighter on combat air patrol over USS Santee (CVE-29) during the Leyte Invasion. Photo: NHHC

  
  

  Text: THOMAS McKELVEY CLEAVER
  

  
  

  By the fall of 1942, production of the F4F Wildcat, which was seen as a useful aircraft for the composite squadrons operating from escort carriers that would provide anti-submarine cover and close air support for coming invasions, was transferred to General Motors Eastern Aircraft Division. However, Grumman was not completely through with the Wildcat. The possibility of developing a lighter version specifically for operation from escort carriers had been considered before production was taken over by General Motors.

   

  The main difference of the new version of Wildcat was substitution of the 1,200 h.p. R-1830-86 with a 1,350 h.p. Wright R-1820-56 Cyclone that was 230 lbs. lighter. The XF4F-8 had four guns like the FM-1; it was visually distinguished an enlarged rudder and vertical stabilizer to counteract the increased torque of the more powerful engine. The airplane was 530 lbs. lighter than the F4F-4. Initial climb rate was nearly doubled, service ceiling was boosted to 36,400 ft. All in all, this was a “wilder” Wildcat. It went into production in early 1943; between then and August 1945 4,437 FM-2s were delivered, making it the most numerous Wildcat of all.

  In the Pacific, the FM-2 showed up in the new Composite Squadrons (VC) in the fall of 1943.  During the invasions of the Marshalls, Carolines, Marianas, and the Philippines, ten more Wildcat pilots became aces. 

   

  The U.S. Navy’s Finest Hour

  The FM-2’s most memorable day came on October 25, 1944. Task Group 77.4, composed of three Task Units 77.1, 77.2, and 77.3 known as Taffy One, Two and Three for their radio callsign “Taffy,” were operating off the island of Samar to provide air support to the invasion of Leyte; each Task Unit was composed of six escort carriers, with two or three destroyers and four or five destroyer escorts for support. Each TU had 48 TBM-1C Avengers and around 100 FM-2 Wildcats between the six carriers.

  The previous day, October 24, the Wildcats defended the fleet against the many Japanese air attacks. The Wildcats of VC-10 aboard the carrier USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73) – part of “Taffy Three” – were the most successful squadron in the entire Task Group. VC-10’s Wildcat pilots, who had first experienced air combat during the Marianas invasion, when pilots shot down three attacking Japanese aircraft during the main battle on June 18, 1944, shot down seven enemy aircraft. Ensign Courtney assisted in breaking up an attack on American transports by more than 15 twin engine bombers. He was credited with assisting in destroying one Ki-21 Sally and the probable destruction of one Ki-48 Lily. Lieutenant R. W. Roby shot down one Lily and assisted in shooting down one Sally and Lieutenant Seitz shot down a Sally. Lieutenant (jg) Phillips probably destroyed two Zekes and Lieutenant(jg) Dugan shot down two Sallys. Lieutenant Joe McGraw and others in a CAP flight intercepted a group of 15–20 twin engine bombers escorted by six to eight Oscars he mistakenly identified as Zekes. McGraw destroyed two Lilys and damaged a third.

  The next morning, the men, ships and aircraft of Taffy One, Two, and Three fought the Battle off Samar, which has been called “the Navy’s Finest Hour.” This was the last surface engagement ever fought by the U.S. Navy against an enemy fleet. In the words of Samuel Eliot Morrison, the Pacific War’s official historian: “In no engagement of its entire history has the United States Navy shown more gallantry, guts and gumption than in those two morning hours between 0730 and 0930 off Samar.” The Battle off Samar involved ships that should never have been in the same ocean with their opponents, fighting against the greatest surface fleet the Empire of Japan ever sent to sea.

  On October 24, the First Mobile Striking Force, commanded by Admiral Takeo Kurita, lost the giant battleship Musashi, sunk by American carrier aircraft in the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea. Following Musashi’s loss, Kurita broke off his advance, which was spotted by American aircraft; Third Fleet commander Admiral Willian F. Halsey decided the enemy had been defeated and ordered the Fast Carrier Task Force to head north to attack the Japanese carrier fleet that had been found off Cape Engano. However – unknown to the Americans – Kurita was ordered to resume his attack. The Japanese transited San Bernardino Strait that night and emerged into the Philippine Sea at dawn. Kurita, aboard Yamato – the world’s most powerful battleship – ordered the fleet to head south to attack the American invasion fleet in Leyte Gulf.

  Taffy 3, northernmost of the three escort carrier groups, included USS St Lo (CVE-63), White Plains (CVE-66) Kalinin Bay (CVE-68), Fanshaw Bay (CVE-70), Kitkun Bay (CVE 71) and Gambier Bay (CVE-73), commanded by Rear Admiral Clifton Sprague; the carriers were escorted by three Fletcher-class destroyers USS Johnston (DD-557), Hoel (DD-533) and Heerman (DD-532), and four Butler-class destroyer escorts USS John C. Butler (DE-339), Dennis (DE-405), Raymond (DE-341) and Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413).

  At 0630 hours, a TBM-1C Avenger flown by Ensign Bill Brooks took off from St. Lo on the morning patrol. He spotted smoke on the horizon to the northwest at 0647 hours. It was the First Mobile Striking Force, 17 miles from Taffy-3 and bearing down on the CVEs at 30 knots.

  At about the same moment, lookouts on St. Lo reported the unmistakable shapes of “pagoda masts,” a sure identification of Japanese battleships. At 0700 hours, Avenger pilot Ensign Hans Jensen sighted the fleet; this was soon confirmed by shipboard radar.

  Kurita’s ships had just changed to a circular antiaircraft formation when smoke was spotted on the horizon. At 0700 hours, Yamato opened fire with her 18-inch main battery. On Yamato’s bridge, no one could identify the silhouettes of the American carriers in the manuals. Kurita mistakenly assumed he had a task group of the Third Fleet under his guns. He immediately ordered “General Attack.”

  USS Kitkun Bay (CVE-71) prepares to launch FM-2 Wildcats fighters during the action. Photo: NHHC

   

  The Americans Respond

  With the CVEs limited to a top speed of 18 knots, Taffy-3 had no hope of outdistancing their pursuers. There was no possibility of out-shooting them; each carrier had only one 5-inch/38-caliber gun on its stern. Admiral Sprague ordered the force to turn south toward the others and ordered the destroyers to make smoke to provide cover while the carriers launched their aircraft.

  Gambier Bay managed to launch most of her aircraft while battleship shells rumbled overhead. LCDR Edward J. Huxtable, CO of VC-10, boarded his Avenger and asked his plane captain if he had a bomb load. “He said no, so I told him to call LCDR Buzz Borries, the air officer, to see if I had time to get a load. We had not turned up engines yet and I could not see going off without some ordnance. I saw Borries talking to Captain Viewig, who made a sweeping motion with his arm – ‘Get ‘em off!’”

  “About this time, I was startled by what seemed like a rifle shot. I looked out and saw it was a salvo of heavy-caliber stuff splashing alongside White Plains. Until this moment, I had no idea the enemy was so near. Now I was more than ready to get on that catapult! Three TBMs launched ahead of me. The ceiling was at 1,200 feet. I called up Admiral Sprague and asked what our orders were. ‘Attack immediately!’”

  Following the catapult launches of the Avengers, the FM-2 Wildcats were hurriedly launched; some were armed with rockets for strikes ashore, but most were armed only with their four .50-caliber machine guns.

  Huxtable broke out into better visibility. “I spotted four cruisers nearby and what appeared to be four battleships further back in the gloom. There was no possibility of making a high-altitude attack. I pulled up into the ceiling and started for the cruisers. I had no idea what loads the other planes had, but at least we would give them a good scare.”

  Huxtable was joined by his Annapolis classmate, LCDR Richard Fowler, who led Kitkun Bay’s VC-5. They attempted coordinated “hot” and “dry” attacks, with FM-2s strafing the ships ahead of the Avengers, which dropped their 500-pound general purpose bombs. “Our bombs had no effect on the ships, but possibly the explosions scared the crewmen.”

  The Wildcats and Avengers of Taffy-3 kept an unrelenting string of aircraft over Kurita’s fleet, giving the admiral the impression the Americans had far greater resources than they did.

  Lt(jg) Norman Johnson of Fanshaw Bay’s Composite Squadron 68 piloted an Avenger with four 500-pound general-purpose bombs. He later remembered: “Climbing at full throttle, I penetrated the lower cloud cover and leveled off at 11,000 feet. I took a final look at the enemy ships, which were firing on our ships. When I was about five miles away, I nosed down to pick up speed. The Japanese battle force was at that moment occupied in anti-aircraft protection against an air attack. Varied colored bursts mushroomed at several levels. It was quite dense and something I had to penetrate. I kept my bomb doors closed as speed increased. I saw three large battleships with rudders hard over and guns spitting flame. At 7,000 feet, I pushed over into my attack, selecting the lead battleship as my target. My radioman reminded me ‘Open the bomb bay doors!’ I opened the doors and the immediate drag was apparent as the airplane was really barreling along now.

  “I was intent on adjusting the target in my sight. Suddenly the airplane corkscrewed, and the right-side sliding part of the canopy peeled off. I pressed the bomb release at what seemed the best altitude and concentrated my effort on pulling out. The target was so large the bombs couldn’t miss. It was a close call as I leveled off 50 to 100 feet over the water. I pulled up to avoid more AA and then hid in the clouds in case there were any enemy aircraft around.”

  Over the next 30 minutes, aircraft from the six squadrons made repeated bombing and rocket runs on the enemy ships, strafing their decks as they pulled out. At Tacloban, the field became a muddy bog; landing aircraft were damaged as they ground-looped in the mud and slammed into other planes. By mid-day the airfield was covered with wrecked Avengers and Wildcats.           

   FM-2s of Composite Squadron 10 at Tacloban.  Photo: USN via Thomas Cleaver

  
  

  The Naval “Charge of the Light Brigade”

  While the pilots desperately attempted to distract the enemy, Taffy-3’s “small boys” moved to defend the carriers after Admiral Sprague ordered the three destroyers to attack despite the hopeless odds.

  At 0700 hours USS Johnston made smoke in response to the incoming shell fire that bracketed the carriers. Ten minutes later, Gunnery Officer Robert Hagen opened fire at a range of 18,000 yards and registered several hits on the leading heavy cruisers with his radar-directed gunfire.

  After five minutes, Hagen concentrated fire on heavy cruiser Kumano. At maximum range, Johnston scored several hits on her superstructure, which erupted in flame. Kumano then targeted Johnston in turn and she was soon bracketed by colorful shell splashes. Johnston made smoke and zigzagged while she accelerated to flank speed and headed toward the enemy fleet alone, firing over 200 rounds nearly continuously.

  Captain Evans brought Johnston to 9,000 yards from the enemy and fired all ten torpedoes. Two hit Kumano at 0724 hours and blew her bow off. The four other torpedoes continued on toward the enemy fleet and battleship Kongô was forced to turn away north to avoid them, which took her out of the fight. Heavy cruiser Suzuya, which had suffered damage from air attacks, stopped her pursuit of the Americans to assist Kumano.

  Johnston’s audacious attack confused Admiral Kurita, who thought he had been engaged by American cruisers. When the rest of the Japanese ships were forced to turn away to avoid the torpedoes, the carriers gained more precious minutes to launch aircraft.

  Evans turned back into his own smoke, but at 0730 hours, the enemy guns found him. Firing at a range of 17,000 yards, Kongô, hit Johnston with three 14-inch shells which penetrated into her port engine room, where the explosions cut her speed in half and disrupted power to the aft gun mounts. Moments later, three 6-inch shells from Yamato struck Johnston’s bridge. Everyone was wounded and Commander Evans’ fingers of his left hand were traumatically severed by shrapnel. Johnston was badly mangled with dead and dying sailors strewn across her bloody decks. She found refuge in a rain squall, while the damage control parties restored power to two of the three aft mounts and repair the fire control radar. With repairs completed at 0735 hours, she opened fire on Japanese destroyers while hidden in the smoke.

  USS GAMBIER BAY (CVE-73) and two destroyer escorts making smoke at the start of the battle off Samar, October 25, 1944. Japanese ships are faintly visible on the horizon.  Photo: Phi Willard Niet via NHHC

  
  

  Johnston then retired to the Task Group. Minutes later, she encountered Heermann and an already-damaged Hoel headed in to attack. Evans could have continued back to the fleet and no one would have faulted him. Instead, he reversed course and made smoke to help obscure the two as they headed toward the onrushing Japanese. Samuel B. Roberts, known to her crew as “Sammy B” followed. The attack was a naval “Charge of the Light Brigade” that actually happened on the 90th anniversary of the event immortalized in Tennyson’s poem.

  Over the next 40 minutes, Evans engaged in several duels with the enemy. At 0830 hours, Johnston opened fire on the cruiser Chokai, which was firing at the helpless Gambier Bay. She then closed to 6,000 yards and traded fire for ten minutes with the battleship Haguro, scoring numerous hits. At 0840 hours, she intercepted a formation of seven destroyers spotted closing in on the carriers. Evans attempted to pass in front of the enemy, “crossing the T” as gunnery officer Hagen opened fire. Johnston was hit several times by return fire. The lead enemy destroyer turned away to the west and took a dozen hits from Johnston as she did so. Hagen quickly shifted fire to the next in line and scored five hits before it too veered off and the entire squadron turned west to avoid Johnston. Three destroyers fired their torpedoes at the carriers from 10,500 yards but no hits were scored. The Japanese and American ships were now intertwined in a confused jumble.

  More Avengers and Wildcats from the other task groups appeared out of the cloudy skies and attacked the enemy, while destroyer Hoel headed toward the battleship Kongô and took a salvo of 14-inch shells in her bridge. She closed to 9,000 yards and fired five torpedoes - none hit, but the torpedoes forced Kongô to turn away. Despite having three of her five gun mounts as well as her port engine knocked out, Hoel drew Japanese fire for the next hour as she chased shells and distracted the enemy from the carriers. An 8-inch shell stopped her at 0830 hours. Having taken 40 hits, Hoel went down with 259 of her crew. Only 86 survived, including 19-year old Bob DeSpain, a former lifeguard from San Pedro, California, who over the next hours swam from group to group and gathered the survivors together (this writer was privileged to know Bob over the last six years of his life; he worked as a docent aboard the battleship Iowa in San Pedro).

  Japanese battleship Musashi under attack. Photo: USN via Thomas Cleaver

  
  

  Samuel B. Roberts closed to 4,000 yards of the cruiser Chôkai, moving at 28 knots after the chief engineer, Lieutenant “Lucky” Trowbridge bypassed all the safety mechanisms in the engines. Her captain, LCDR Robert W. Copeland, USNR, announced over the ship’s public address: "This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected. We will do what damage we can." Chôkai could not lower the guns sufficiently to hit the little destroyer escort. Sammy-B launched her three torpedoes. One blew off Chôkai’s bow. The little ship then showed why she would be known ever after as “the destroyer escort that fought like a battleship.” She battled on for another hour, firing more than 600 5-inch shells from her two guns. Maneuvering at very close range, she mauled Chôkai with her 40mm and 20mm AA guns. At 0851 hours, she was hit twice and lost her after 5-inch gun when a breech explosion killed and wounded several of the crew. She then engaged Chikuma, which was also under fire by Heerman. The two American ships ripped Chikuma's superstructure with salvo after salvo: armor-piercing shells, high-explosive shells, anti-aircraft shells, and even star shells which created chemical fires in metal plates hit the cruiser.

  Firing her remaining 5-inch gun, Sammy-B devastated Chikuma’s bridge. Fires spread through the cruiser’s superstructure. Sammy-B’s last shot put the number three gun turret out of action just as three 14-inch shells from Kongô hit her. The order “Abandon Ship” was given at 0935 hours and Sammy-B sank 30 minutes later, taking 89 of her crew. The 120 survivors clung to three life rafts. It would be 50 hours before 80 were finally rescued from the open sea.

  Cruisers Tone and Chikuma, followed by the damaged Chôkai and Kumano, closed in on Taffy-3. As they opened fire, Heermann fired her main 5-inch battery at Chikuma, then launched five torpedoes. Again, they all missed but flagship Yamato was now forced to turn away which put her out of the fight. With one gun mount knocked out, Heermann continued to engage Chikuma. Two Avengers and several Wildcats launched from Taffy-1 and Taffy-2 attacked the cruiser. Just as she turned away, a single shot from Heerman struck in her aviation gasoline stowage. Chikuma blew up and sank.

  Explosion on USS ST. LO (CVE-63) after she was hit be a Kamikaze of Samar on October 25, 1944. Photo: Phi Willard Niet via NHHC

   

  From Defeat to Victory

  Gambier Bay was hit in her starboard engine room at 0847 hours. The second hit set fueled aircraft afire on the hangar deck. Enormous shells passed through her without exploding because her thin steel wasn’t enough to stop them. She went dead in the water at 0900 hours as Tone, Chikuma, and the damaged Chôkai closed in. At 0907 hours she capsized, sending 700 survivors into the water. Gambier Bay was the only American aircraft carrier ever sunk in a surface engagement.

  Chokai sped past the sinking carrier and took aim at White Plains. The little carrier’s 5-inch gun crew manned their weapon on her stern. Opening fire on Chokai at maximum range, the third shot hit the cruiser in her torpedo stowage and Chokai exploded, sinking in less than two minutes and leaving no survivors. White Plains became the only aircraft carrier in history to sink an enemy warship with surface gunfire.

  At 0940 hours, Johnston, which had come under attack from several enemy destroyers, lost all power from the hits and went dead in the water. The enemy surrounded her and continued their fire. Evans was finally forced to order “Abandon Ship” at 0945 hours. At 1005 hours, Johnston sank with 186 of her crew going down with her. Evans managed to get into the water with other crewmen but was never seen again. While he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, it was the Japanese themselves who first recognized his courage. Seaman Robert Billie and several other crewmen in a raft watched an enemy destroyer cruise slowly past as her captain stood on his bridge, saluting the sinking Johnston as an honorable opponent.

  Aboard Yamato, Admiral Kurita became convinced by the renewed air attacks by the Wildcats and Avengers that his fleet had stumbled into contact with the U.S. Third Fleet. Expecting American battleships to come over the horizon at any moment and realizing that his ships were so dispersed from their evasive maneuvers that it was impossible for them to return to a fighting formation to take on the expected enemy, he signaled to his fleet to break off action and turn back to San Bernardino Strait at 0945 hours.

  American sailors struggling in the sea, and those manning their battle stations aboard the ships, were amazed as the gunfire faded away and the enemy soon disappeared over the horizon. Had Admiral Kurita continued on, there was nothing stopping his fleet from sinking all the escort carriers and moving into Leyte Gulf to attack the invasion fleet. The reservists who manned the carriers and destroyers and aircraft squadrons – most of whom had never seen an ocean before they went aboard the ships in which they fought and died – had saved the invasion of the Philippines.

  After the sinking of Gambier Bay, VC-10 Wildcat pilot Ensign McGraw was among the surviving aircrews who landed on Manila Bay. That afternoon, he was launched with other pilots from that ship to intercept a formation Val dive bombers escorted by Zeke fighters attempting to attack the escort carriers. McGraw shot down one Val and one Zeke to become VC-10’s only ace.

  A bit more than an hour after the Battle off Samar concluded, the U.S. Navy was introduced to the power of a new and deadly enemy when the Shikishima Unit of the 201st Air Group found the surviving carriers of Taffy-3 at 1047 hours. At 1052 hours, a Zeke believed flown by Lieutenant Seki dived on the escort carrier St. Lo. The airplane hit the center of the flight deck. The 250-kilogram bomb penetrated the flight deck and exploded on the port side of the hangar deck in the midst of several aircraft in the process of being refueled and rearmed. A gasoline fire quickly broke out, followed by six secondary explosions that ended with the detonation of the torpedo and bomb magazine. Engulfed in flame, St. Lo sank 30 minutes later. From an 889-man crew, 113 were killed or missing. Thirty survivors later died of their wounds. The 434 survivors were rescued from the water by Heermann and the destroyer escorts John C. Butler, Raymond, and Dennis. The U.S. Navy’s most deadly foe had entered the battle.

• Searching for lost ships with Paul Allen

  USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413) photographed in the beginning of summer 1944. It is the deepest lying shipwreck known currently in the world. Photo: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command

  Shipwrecks in the greatest depths

   Text: Miro Barič

  
  

  In this last installement of searching for the lost ships with Paul Alled we will talk about the shipwrecks lying in the greatest depths of the world. They sank to the bottom of the ocean during the Battle of Samar. These are the American destroyers which, heavily outnumbered, bravely faced the enemy for whom this battle was a swan song.

  The Battle of Santa Cruz, during which the aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-8) was sunk in October 1942, was for a long time the last carriers encounter. While the Allies gradually took over the strategic initiative, the Japanese carriers were recovering from the losses. The damaged ships needed repairs but above all the lost aircraft had to be replenished and new pilots trained. During the whole 1943 no further aircraft carriers battle took place. The Japanese Navy was saving the resources and preparing for the so-called decisive battle. The opportunity arrived in June 1944 when the US carriers attacked the Mariana Islands. The Japanese threw all they had into the counter attack – 1st Mobile Fleet formed by total of 83 vessels, including 3 large aircraft carriers, 6 light aircraft carriers and 5 battleships. They faced the American 5th Fleet composed of 139 ships. The backbone of the US fleet was formed by 7 large aircraft carriers, 8 light aircraft carriers and 7 battleships. The American dominance was to be compensated by deployment of further 300 Japanese aircraft operating from the land bases.

  The result of the Battle of Philippine Sea doesn’t need a detailed description, its first day went down in the history as a Great Mariana Turkey Shoot. The great lack of quality in Japanese aircraft and pilots‘ training was aparent and the Japanese aircraft were falling of the skies in hundreds. One of the American pilots described the combat after landing as shooting turkeys back home in old times. The greatest American fighter aces increased their scores thanks to it. Cdr. David McCampbell, who up until then was credited with two kills (out of total 34), on June 19, 1944, during his first sortie, shot down fine D4Y Judy dive bombers and during the next sortie added two A6M fighters. Lt. Alexander Vraciu, whose score stood at 12 kills at that time (out of total 19), on the same day during one sortie shot down six D4Y Judy bombers. It took him eight minutes and he spent 360 12.7 mm caliber rounds.

  While the American pilots fought the Japanese aircraft, on that day the Japanese ships were only attacked by the American submarines. They fared very well indeed. USS Cavalla hit Shokaku with three torpedoes and sank her. USS Albacore hit the new carrier Taiho with only a single torpedo but a poor execution of the rescue operations caused the fuel fumes to accumulate under the deck which later caused a series of explosions and Taiho sank as well. The aircraft from the American carriers attacked the Japanese vessels on June 20, 1944, at the limit of their range and almost at night. They sank light carrier Hiyo and two tankers. They also damaged several other ships. However, they paid the price by loosing 100 aircraft, only 20 were shot down in combat tough. The remaining 80 had to crash land due to the lack of fuel and the crews were mostly rescued. The Japanese losses were significantly higher. The air forces they had gathered during the whole previous year, were lost in two days. The remaining Japanese aircraft carriers without airplanes could not longer play an active role and in the following battle they were used as decoy.

  L.(jg) Alexander Vraciu shows his six fingers for the aerial kills he scored on June 19, 1944. Photo: National Archives

  Cdr. David McCampbell in the cockpit of his Hellcat on board of USS Essex in the beginning of October 1944. At that time his score stood at 21 kills. Foto: U.S. Navy

   McCampbell is posing in the cockpit of his Hellcat for a propaganda photograph in the end of October 1944. By scoring additional 9 kills in a day, he raised his score to 30 victories. Foto: U.S. Navy

  
  

  Four battles in one

  It took place during the Philippines landing in October 1944. Actually there was a series of several naval battles which became to be known under the common name, the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The Japanese Navy did not recover from the preceding defeats but had to react to the Allied invasion. The Japanese deployed the old samurai tactics of the feign attack. The Northern Force, commanded by Vice Admiral Ozawa, assumed the role of a decoy. On the paper it looked strong composed of two battleships, aircraft carrier Zuikaku and three light carrier Zuiho, Chiyoda and Chitose, however they altogether carried 108 aircraft only. In the meantime, the Center Force led by Viceadmiral Kurita and Southern Force consisting of two groups led by Viceadmirals Nishimura and Shima were to approach the Allied invasion fleet through different passages. They were at the disadvantage though due to the strict radio silence and the admirals were unable to coordinate their actions and each of them acted individually. Therefore they gradually clashed with the US Navy in four battles.

  The first one took place in Sibuyan Sea. First, on October 23, 1944, Kurita’s Center Force was spotted and attacked by the American submarines USS Darter and USS Dace. They sank two heavy cruisers and damaged another one. Then, on October 24, 1944, the Japanese ships became targets of five waves of the American carrier-borne aircraft. Those sank the battleship Musashi and damaged several other ships. Kurita therefore turned around 180 degrees and started to retreat, and the Americans took the bait. Musashi’s wreck was one of the first Paul Allen found. It happened in March 2015 using his older ship Octopus. Musashi lies 900 meters deep and Allen’s expedition discovered that she had exploded while sinking. The bow stands upright on the ocean’s bottom and the stern is turned upside down. The main superstructure and stack lie on the sides.

  USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413) in October 1944, couple of days before her sinking. Photo: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command

  LCdr. Robert Copeland, commanding officer of Samuel B. Roberts escort destroyer. Photo: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command

  USS Johnston (DD-557) in October 1943, right after her entry in the service. Photo: U.S. Navy

  Cdr. Ernest Evans, commanding officer of destroyer Johnston. Photo: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command

  
  

  Nine kills in one sortie          

  In the meantime, three waves of Japanese airplanes from the land bases attacked the American ships. During their defenses Cdr. David McCampbell distinguished himself again. Only in a pair formation, just with his wingman, he attacked the formation of 60-80 airplanes approaching the American ships. In the combat, which lasted an hour and 35 minutes, he shot down 9 Japanese fighters and two probables. His wingman, Lt. Roy Rushing was credited with another six kills. They completely dismantled the Japanese formation. After the landing the mechanics did not find any fuel left in Campbell Hellcat’s tanks and there were two 12.7 mm caliber rounds left for his machine guns. For this achievement, as well as the previous success in the Battle of Philippine Sea four months ago , McCambell was decorated with the highest American award, Medal of Honour. The rare success by the Japanese side was scored by a D4Y Judy dive bomber which penetrated the defences and suddenly appeared above the light aircraft carrier USS Princeton. Its bomb exploded in the hangar among fully fueled Avenger bombers. The result was a fire which after several hours caused an enormous explosion of the stored bombs. The ship was impossible to rescue and she sank with 108 souls lost. Further 233 American sailors perished on board of the light cruiser USS Birmingham which was at the time of Princeton explosion at her side helping with putting out the fires.

  USS Hoel (DD-533) in August 1944. Photo: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command

  The American destroyers and escort destroyers laying the smoke screen during the Battle of Samar. Photo: U.S. Navy

  
  

  Battle of Surigao Strait

  In the meantime the Japanese Southern Force tried to fight its way through Surigao Strait. On October 24, 1944 the American airplanes barely caused any damage to Nishimura’s ships but the American vessels set up a trap for him in the strait. First he faced the attack of the torpedo boats and destroyers. Those sank the battleship Fuso. Six battleships and eight cruisers under the command of Admiral Oldendorf waited for the Japanese at the exit from the strait. On December 7, 1941, five of these battleships were sunk or damaged at Pearl Harbor. California, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and West Virginia then underwent the extensive repairs and rebuilds. On the night of October 24-25, 1944, time of their revenge arrived. Their radar-controlled cannon fire sank Yamashiro and damaged the cruiser Mogami. It was the last battleship encounter in the history.

  The second part of the Southern Force did not engage in this battle because it lagged behind Nishimura. When Shima realized that the first part had been massacred, he ordered a retreat. At that moment, Mogami collided with the heavy cruiser Nachi and was further damaged. This heavy cruiser met a similar fate in the Battle of Midway when it collided with its sister ship, Mikuma. The collision slowed down both ships, making them vulnerable to the dive bombers, and Mikuma was eventually sunk. Though Mogami survived Midway, it was so severely damaged that they had to remove its rear turrets and rebuild it as a hybrid cruiser – a seaplane carrier. Now, after the collision with Nachi, its fate was sealed. The pursuing American cruisers inflicted further damage on Mogami, and in the morning, it was finished off by bombs from an Avenger bomber.

  The wrecks of Yamashiro and Fusō were discovered by Paul Allen and his ship RV Petrel on November 25, 2017. Both ships lie upside down at a depth of around 200 meters. On May 8, 2019, RV Petrel also found the wreck of the cruiser Mogami, which lies at a depth of 1450 meters.

  USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73) in April 1944. Photo: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command
  

   

  Battle of Cape Engaño

  Although Ozawa’s Northern Force with aircraft carriers tried to attract the attention of the Americans, they only discovered it last, in the evening of October 24, 1944. However, this turned out to be coincidentally perfect timing for the Japanese. At the same time, Kurita's Center Force had turned back in retreat. American Admiral William Halsey was convinced that Kurita’s ships were out of action and focused on Ozawa.

  The final battle of the aircraft carriers took place on October 25, 1944. Early in the morning, Ozawa launched an attack wave of 75 aircraft. That was all the Japanese aircraft carriers could muster, having been decimated in previous battles. Most of these planes were shot down, and Ozawa had no more left. Subsequently, he had to face six waves of American attacks, which sank all four Japanese aircraft carriers.

  USS Gambier Bay photographed from the deck of USS Kalinin Bay during the Battle of Samar. Photo: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command

   

  The Battle of Samar Island

  The Japanese original plan almost succeeded. While the Japanese aircraft carriers were being used as a bait and being massacred, the core of Kurita’s Center Force appeared near the invasion beaches. Kurita had feigned a retreat and then turned back to his original course, sneaking through the San Bernardino Strait unnoticed during the night. American Admiral William Halsey sent his main forces north against Ozawa, leaving the strait unguarded. Another mistake made by Halsey was his delayed reaction to reports of the Japanese battleships' penetration; he was too eager to destroy the enemy’s aircraft carriers. Unfortunately, this exposed the entire Philippine landing to a deadly risk.

  Against four Japanese battleships, six heavy cruisers, and eleven destroyers, there were only three groups of small and slow escort aircraft carriers providing support to the landing forces – Taffy 1, Taffy 2, and Taffy 3. When the Japanese ships appeared on the horizon, Taffy 3, commanded by Admiral Clifton Sprague, was the closest to them. The group consisted of six escort carriers (Fanshaw Bay, Gambier Bay, Kalinin Bay, Kitkun Bay, St. Lo, and White Plains), three destroyers (Heermann, Hoel, and Johnston), and four escort destroyers (Dennis, John C. Butler, Raymond, and Samuel B. Roberts). The destroyers of the Fletcher class, armed with five 127mm guns and ten torpedo tubes, were the most heavily armed ships in Taffy 3. The escort destroyers were smaller and slower, carrying only two 127mm guns and three torpedo launchers. To put it in perspective, the battleship Yamato had a larger displacement than the entire American force combined!

  In the ensuing battle of David against Goliath, the Japanese cruisers Chōkai, Chikuma, and Suzuya were sunk, while on the American side, the destroyers USS Johnston, USS Hoel, and USS Samuel B. Roberts were lost. The escort carrier USS Gambier Bay was destroyed by gunfire from the cruisers Tone and Chikuma. It was the only American aircraft carrier sunk by surface gunfire. After the battle with Kurita's forces, the heavily tested Taffy 3 group had to face the first organized kamikaze attack. Several ships were damaged, and the escort carrier USS St. Lo was sunk when a Zero carrying a bomb crashed into its flight deck and exploded in the hangar among refueling aircraft.

  The total American losses in the Battle of Samar Island were nearly 1,200 sailors and aviators, which is more than the casualties in the Battles of Midway and the Coral Sea combined. It is no wonder that Clifton Sprague harshly criticized Halsey's actions.

  The Battle of Samar Island is renowned as the “finest hour of the U.S. Navy,” and more detailed information about it can be found in Tom Cleaver’s article on page ?? of this issue. Now, let’s focus on the wrecks of the ships left behind after the battle...

  Gambier Bay lagged behind the rest of the group. In the picture we can see as the Japanese grenades exploding aorund her. Photo: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command

  Saving the survivors of the Battle of Samar. Photo: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command

  
  

  In the Philippine Trench

  The Battle of Samar Island took place on the edge of the Philippine Trench, and as a result, all the sunken ships rest in great depths. The wreck of USS St. Lo was discovered by the research vessel RV Petrel in May 2019, lying at a depth of 4,736 meters. In the same month, researchers also located the cruiser Chōkai at a depth of 5,173 meters.

  However, in October 2019, RV Petrel found parts of a ship believed to be from USS Johnston. They were located at a depth of 6,218 meters, making it the deepest known shipwreck at that time. The discovery included a gun, a propeller shaft, and several other fragments. Indications on the seabed suggested that the rest of the ship had sunk even deeper, beyond the reach of the exploration robot.

  Enter Victor Vescovo, an entrepreneur and investor who served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years and now dedicates himself to deep-sea expeditions. He has dived to the deepest points in all the world's oceans, including reaching the bottom of the Mariana Trench's Challenger Deep in April 2019. It was only the third manned mission to this location in history.

  On March 31, 2021, Vescovo’s research vessel DSV Limiting Factor found the remaining wreckage of USS Johnston at a depth of 6,469 meters, definitively identifying it. This discovery set a new record for the deepest known shipwreck.

  However, this record was broken again in June 2021 when Vescovo and his team found the wreck of the escort destroyer USS Samuel B. Roberts at a depth of 6,895 meters. According to their observations, the ship descended in one piece before crashing onto the seabed with its bow first, causing hull deformations and the detachment of the stern, which now lies 5 meters away from the main wreck. The hull also bears visible damage caused by Japanese shelling, including a broken mast.

  Currently, the USS Samuel B. Roberts holds the title of the deepest known shipwreck. Still, it is believed that some of the ships sunk in the Battle of Samar Island lie even deeper. Searching for them in the depths of the Philippine Trench is extremely challenging. USS Gambier Bay and USS Hoel are yet to be found, with the destroyer potentially resting at a depth of up to 7,300 meters. Even deeper is presumed to be the Japanese cruiser Suzuya, which is believed to lie at a depth of up to 8,400 meters.

  Number 413 seen on the shipwreck of escort destroyer USS Samuel B. Roberts. Photo: Victor Vescovo

  Broken stern of USS Samuel B. Roberts. Photo: Victor Vescovo

   The rear gun turret of USS Samuel B. Roberts featuring the 127 mm caliber cannon. Photo: Victor Vescovo

  The captain‘s bridge of USS Samuel B. Roberts. Twin barrel of the 40 mm caliber cannon can be seen on the starboard and 20 mm cannon on the port. Photo: Victor Vescovo

  USS Samuel B. Roberts‘ bow.  Photo: Victor Vescovo

  The number 557 can be seen on the hull of destroyer USS Johnston.  Photo: Victor Vescovo

  A gun turret featuring 127 mm caliber cannon on board of USS Johnston. Photo: Victor Vescovo

  
  

  End of RV Petrel?

  The fate of the research vessel RV Petrel has become a symbolic conclusion to the series of discoveries mentioned earlier. After Paul Allen's passing on October 15, 2018, the RV Petrel continued her work. Its crew discovered many wrecks mentioned in our articles published in 2019. At the beginning of 2020, several expeditions were undertaken as part of a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.

  In June 2020, the RV Petrel underwent modernization and was equipped with new instruments. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was put into indefinite storage in a dry dock in Scotland. In October 2022, the United States Navy purchased the vessel for $12.4 million. Nonetheless, it remained in the dry dock at the port of Leith in Edinburgh.

  Tragedy struck on March 22, 2023, during strong winds, when the RV Petrel broke free from its moorings and capsized at a 45-degree angle. 33 people were injured, but luckily there were no fatalities. The extent of the damage and the future of the vessel remain unknown at this time.

• The Magic Hundred

  
  

  Text: Jan Bobek

  Illustration by Marek Ryś

  #70155

  
  

  With 158 victories, he became the most successful German fighter pilot fighting against the Western Allies. Marseille had versatile skills in both piloting and gunnery. He did not hesitate to manoeuvre at low speed in enemy formation and to perform deflection shooting. He often scored several kills in one day. 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.

  From the end of May 1942 and in the first half of June his unit, I./JG 27, was deployed in support of ground forces during the Battle of Gazala. Its pilots also escorted bombers over Crete and after the fall of Tobruk, the operations concentrated on the fight for the air base of Gambut. June 1942 was an important month in the young fighter pilot's career. He was appointed commander of the 3rd Staffel and as he increased his score, the magic mark of 100 aerial victories approached. He surpassed this milestone on June 17.

  Around noon of that day, a four fighters flight (Schwarm) of Messerschmitts Bf 109 under Marseille’s command attacked a formation estimated by the Germans to be twenty Curtiss P-40s and ten Hurricanes. This was fighter escort of Bostons, which actually consisted of three Kittyhawks from No. 250 Sqn RAF and twelve Hurricanes from No. 73 Sqn RAF. Although outnumbered by the enemy, the Germans still confidently threw themselves into the fight. Within minutes Marseille was battling the allied fighters while the other three German pilots covered him. Attacking from above, he hit his first opponent, then shot down another while performing an evasive manoeuvre with RAF fighters behind him. He then spotted the Hurricanes conducting defensive circle around their colleague, who deployed parachute and descended to the ground. Marseille joined the circling formation and shot down two more aircraft. After while he targeted a Hurricane flying at about 100 meters above Gambut airfield and under his fire the British machine crashed in flames into an anti-aircraft defence position. The coveted 100th kill was achieved.

  Marseille in this fierce aerial combat reported as shot down two Curtiss P-40s and three Hurricanes. In fact, none of the Curtisses were hit, but four Hurricanes from No. 73 Sq RAF fell victim to Marseille.  Sqn Ldr D. H. Ward and P/O G. J. Wooley were killed while Sgt. Goodwin and P/O Stone bailed out, however, both were wounded. Two of their colleagues each claimed one damaged Bf 109.

  On their return to base, Marseille and his three colleagues spotted two Spitfires near Sidi Barrani. These were Mk.IV photo reconnaissance Spitfires from 2 PRU. “Jochen” Marseille climbed up to the unsuspecting pair and with accurate fire sent F/Lt F. Spicer down, killing him in his machine.

  Upon landing, the exhausted Marseille was immediately withdrawn from combat operations and flown to Berlin. From the hands of Adolf Hitler, he received the Swords to the Knight’s Cross with oak leaves. A Nazi propaganda machine awaited him, as well as a visit to the Messerschmitt company in Augsburg. For the first time, he was able to try out the new G version of the Messerschmitt Bf 109. He returned to fighting in Africa at the end of August 1942. A month later he was killed when bailing out from a Bf 109 G-2 after its engine caught fire. In November 1942, I./JG 27 was withdrawn to Germany and, after replenishing losses and resting, was deployed in January 1943 to fight over France. This “African” unit fought in Western Europe until the end of the war.

  New Zealander Derek Harland Ward, DFC & Bar, who may have been Marseille's 100th victim, was a veteran of the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain. He became commander of No. 73 Sq RAF in September 1941 and had six victories to his credit. The fateful 17 June was marked as “tragic” in the unit diary. On the same day the unit had to withdraw from Gambut in the face of the advancing Germans. However, it continued fighting in North Africa and in December 1942 recorded its 300th air victory.

• A surplus star

  
  

  Text: Richard Plos

  Ilustrace: Adam Tooby

  #70142

  
  

  The last major offensive of the Vietnam War was launched by the North Vietnamese Army on March 30, 1972, under the name Nguen Hue. In response to this “Easter Offensive,” President Nixon suspended the ongoing peace talks and ordered the launch of the airborne Operation Linebacker. Intended to disrupt supplies to enemy troops, it was conducted from May 9 to October 23, 1972, when it was suspended on the promise of further peace talks. But these collapsed again, and so Linebacker II was launched. Beginning on December 18, an intensive twelve-day bombing campaign began, during which more than 20,000 tons of bombs were dropped on military and industrial targets. Fifteen B-52s were shot down in the process, mostly by SAM anti-aircraft missiles. One Stratofortress was claimed by Pham Tuan, future Vietnam’s first astronaut, who took off against the enemy on the night of 26–27 December in MiG-21MF No. 5121 from Noi Bai base. The GCI directed him to a B-52 formation, and he was given permission to attack with two missiles and withdraw immediately.

  It was the ninth day of Operation Linebacker II and a total of 57 B-52s were sent to the airstrikes that night. These were to bomb railway stations at Lang Dang, Due Noi and Trung Quan, six were to target warehouses at Van Dien and three formations of three aircraft were to attack three different SAM missile sites. Over Due Noi, Black 03 suffered minor damage but returned to Utapao base without incident. Much worse was the situation over Trung Quan, where 12 bombers were targeted by 45 SAM missiles   and one of them hit the Cobalt 01 of Capt. Frank D. Lewis. All crew members suffered injuries, navigator 1/Lt. Ben. L Fryer being mortally wounded. The machine was engulfed in flames, electrical systems failed. Shortly after the hit, the pilot ordered all crew members to eject. In the process, Maj. Allen L. Johnson, EWO, lost his life. This was the last B-52 shot down with its crew captured. The event, which occurred during an attack on a SAM site VN-243, had a happier ending despite its drama.

  The Ash 02 of Capt. John D. Mize was one of a trio bombing that target and one of the 15 SAM missiles fired at them hit his left wing while he was executing a steep turn away from the target after dropping the bombs. Shrapnels injured the pilot’s left leg and arm. The badly damaged B-52 lost all its left engines, one of which was on fire. The bomber fell several thousand feet before Mize was able to get it levelled off. It was almost superhuman effort, as the big bomber had lost most of its boosters, not to mention the asymmetrical thrust of the engines. Morerover, Mize was wounded, as was the navigator, 1/Lt William L. Robinson, who anyway was able to give his pilot a heading to leave the target area without navigational equipment. “It was not a question of making it back to the base, but one of how far we could get before we had to abandon the aircraft”, Mize later said, flying the crippled bomber only by his skills and instincts as all he had left of his flight instruments were the airspeed indicator and altimeter.

  A rescue ship HC-130 joined Ash 02 on the border with Laos and, sitting on its right wing, gave it cross-check and directed Mize and his men to a safe area. But the badly wounded B-52 was literally disintegrating in mid-air. Mize was about to give the order to eject, but the navigator cautioned him that they were over mountains, and if they could stay airborne for some thirty miles, they would have flat rice-paddy fields under them. With the last of his strength Capt. Mize kept his aircraft in the air, but after a while he had to give up and order the crew to eject. Lt. Robinson suffered an ejection system malfunction and informed his Captain he would attempt to jump out through the hole made by ejection of radar navigator. Mize gave him three minutes, knowing that once the navigator left his seat, he would lose contact with him. Almost exactly after that time elapsed, all electrical systems failed, and Mize had no choice but to eject himself as well. But, to his relief, the whole crew landed safely on parachutes and was rescued. Capt. Mize was awarded the Air Force Cross for his heroic performance. He was later promoted to rank of Major and stayed in service until August 1, 1984. He passed away on June 15, 2012. Other crew members were awarded the DFC and the Purple Heart.

  And what about Pham Tuan? It is highly unlikely that his missile could have caused such extensive damage to a B-52, nor does the testimony of the crew itself add up. The Vietnamese fighter fired his missiles, but they probably didn’t hit anything. His MiG-21MF is now on display in a museum with eight kill stars under the cockpit, but at least one of them is surplus ...

   

• Loose formation

  
  

  Text: Jan Bobek a Jan Zdiarský

  Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz

  #84191

  
  

  The B-17 bomber played a key role in the European and Mediterranean theater of operations, but also figured prominently during the early years of the Pacific War. However, in the Pacific, B-17s flew less than two percent of the total combat sorties of this type. In contrast to Europe, where B-17s served with thirty-three bomber groups, there were only five in the Pacific. Neither the number of available planes per Group within the Pacific units was comparable to the ETO. Particularly early in the conflict, Pacific BGs had only five to twenty planes available per unit. B-17s were involved in combat as early as the attack on Pearl Harbor, albeit  more as casualties. At this time, the series of B-17 (B, C, and D) that rarely made it to Europe were in service.

  In the early period of B-17 service in the PTO, mostly versions without a tail turret were used. This influenced the development of combat boxes. In the event of an attack by Japanese fighters from the rear, B-17B/C/D pilots would bring the aircraft into an S-style turn, giving their waist gunners the opportunity for more effective defensive fire. That caused necessity of larger space between planes in formation. That spacing was maintained  later when B-17 versions E and F, which already had a tail turret, predominated. Unlike in the ETO, where it was attempted to keep the formation as tight as possible, in the Pacific, individual aircraft were given more freedom to maneuver, resulting in formations that appeared relatively disorganized. While the basis of formations in the Pacific was also the V-shape element of three machines, formations here tended to be much smaller, usually consisting of only 10 to 15 aircraft.

  The B-17, despite its obvious advantages, proved to be not quite suitable for the PTO. In the early phases of the conflict, when they targeted marine convoys and other targets at sea, they achieved marginal success. Such targets were much more suitable for dive and torpedo bombers. Later, when land targets became more numerous, B-17 service in the PTO was past its zenith. Beginning in early 1943, they were replaced by faster, longer-range B-24s. And by the time Japan itself began to be bombed, the more modern B-29s bore the brunt of the attacks.

  Two missions of B-17 bomber crews, whose route took them around the east coast of New Guinea on August 14, 1942, were characteristic of this battlefield. First, a B-17E crew from the 435th BS, 19th BG, took off from Port Moresby in the early morning hours on a reconnaissance flight to Rabaul and  Kavieng. The machine was named “Chief Seattle”, the crew was commanded by 1st Lt. Wilson L. Cook and one RAAF member was on board. The bomber was paid by citizens of Seattle through war bond campaign and its nom de guerre honoured the memory of Chief Seattle, who was the leader of the Suquamish and Duwamish tribes.

  Unfortunately, the reconnaissance machine encountered nine patrolling Zeros of the Tainan Kōkūtai under the command of Lt.(jg) Jōji Yamashita. Their mission was to provide cover for two cargo vessels and their escorting warships. Cook’s outnumbered machine was shot down during a five-minute air battle with no survivors. One Zero was damaged by defensive fire and, together with its wingman, its pilot returned to Buna, New Guinea.

  The remaining seven Zeros continued to cover the convoy, which was partially protected by cloud cover. Six B-17s from the 19th BG searched for the Japanese vessels. The formation was led by the CO of the 30th BS, Maj. Dean C. Hoevet. Just as the Americans were about to drop their bomb load, they were attacked by Yamashita’s Zeros. During the five-minute battle, four bombers were damaged, one of them severely. The American gunners managed to shoot down a Zero flown by PO3c Masami Arai, who was killed in his machine. The Japanese pilots reported that the bombers dropped eight bombs, but in the bad weather, the crews of the Japanese vessels didn’t even notice the bombers’ attack . Piotr Forkasiewicz captured the opening part of this encounter in his painting.

  Tainan Kōkūtai was deployed to the fighting over Guadalcanal from August 1942. This unit retained the new A6M3 Type 32 Zeros with shorter range on New Guinea. The fighting over the New Guinea at the end of August was disastrous for Tainan Kōkūtai, which is described in the article Headhunters over Buna in the January 2023 issue of INFO Eduard magazine. 

• Markings for Bf 109F-4 1/72

  Bf 109F-4/Trop, WNr. 10137, Oblt. Hans-Joachim Marseille, CO of 3./JG 27, Ain-el-Gazala, Libya, June 1942

  Hans-Joachim “Jochen” Marseille became the most successful German fighter pilot fighting against the Western Allies. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. As an excellent pilot, and master of gunfire and dogfighting, he also shoved a respect and grace to his opponents as he tried to save downed enemy airmen in the desert by dropping news of their fate on the other side of the front. 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. 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 spinner 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, WNr. 7183, Hptm. Hans Hahn, III./JG 2, St. Pol, France, October 1941

  Hans “Assi“ Hahn, a fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves was in command of 4./JG 2 from December 1939. From October 1940 he overtook the lead of III./JG 2. Fifty kill marks on the rudder of his aircraft represented his combat success on the Western Front. Hahn added the fiftieth kill to his tally on October 13, 1941, when he shot down a Spitfire near Boulogne-sur-Mer. Altogether he destroyed 66 enemy aircraft in the West. In late 1942 “Assi” Hahn moved to the East and commanded II./JG 54 from November 1, 1942. On February 21, 1943, he was downed, captured and spent seven years in captivity, returning back to Germany in 1950. He wrote a book about his life in prison “Ich spreche die Wahrheit” (I Speak the Truth). Hahn’s total score stands at 108 kills. The rooster head painted on the fuselage was the crest of III./JG 2, based on Hahn’s family name (“der Hahn” means “the rooster” in English).

   

  Bf 109F-4, Maj. Hannes Trautloft, CO of JG 54, Relbitsy, the Soviet Union, March 1942

  Hannes Trautloft entered combat in the Spanish Civil War. He flew the Bf 109 and participated in the development of tactics for this fighter aircraft. He fought in the Polish campaign as well as in France and managed to achieve at least one victory in every campaign. On August 25, 1940, he assumed command of JG 54. He led this fighter unit through Operation Barbarossa, the attack on the Soviet Union, and in subsequent combat till July 5, 1943. Trautloft was credited with 58 victories and he was awarded the Knight’s Cross on July 27, 1941. His personal aircraft wore a non-standard camouflage scheme. It is not clear which colors were used by JG 54 during its deployment to the Soviet Union.

   

  Bf 109F-4/Z, WNr. 13325, Oblt. Viktor Bauer, 9./JG 3, Shchigry, the Soviet Union, June 1942

  This aircraft was flown by Viktor Bauer, the holder of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves and an ace with 106 kills. He achieved most of them in combat with Soviet pilots. Bauer flew this particular aircraft in the summer of 1942, when German Group of Armies A advanced on Stalingrad. The unit received Messerschmitts originally intended for service in North Africa, thus camouflaged in RLM 78/79 colors. The segments of RLM 74/70 (some sources state RLM 75/71) were added to the desert camouflage scheme to make the camouflage more effective in the Eastern Front environment. The yellow wingtips, fuselage band and lower cowling were typical for airplanes flown in the East Front. The name Ellen referred to Bauer’s wife, the III./JG 3 emblem was painted on the nose of the aircraft. Bauer achieved his 106th and last kill on August 9, 1942, northwest of Stalingrad. The very next day he was hit by enemy fire, wounded, and had to belly-land his crippled plane. After rescue, Bauer served in various posts of Ergänzungs (replacement) units.

   

  Bf 109F-4/B, Oblt. Frank Liesendahl, 10.(Jabo)/JG 2, France, June 1942

  During late 1941, the Luftwaffe considered renewing bombing of Great Britain and coastal shipping. Each fighter unit fighting against the Great Britain was ordered to single out one Staffel for this purpose. The 10. (Jabo) Staffel played this role within JG 2. Under command of Oblt. Frank Liesendahl pilots sank 20 vessels (total tonnage 630,000 BRT) over a four-month period. Liesendahl was killed when attacking cargo vessels near Brixham on July 17, 1942. Posthumously he was promoted to Hauptmann rank and was awarded the Knight’s Cross as well. Liesendahl’s personal mount wore a standard day fighter camouflage consisting of RLM 74/75/76. The ship-munching fox was a 10. (Jabo) Staffel badge. Note the symbols of vessels damaged or sunk by Liesendahl on the rudder.

   

  Bf 109F-4, WNr. 13169, Fw. Heinrich Bartels, 8./JG 5, Petsamo, Finland, September 1942

  The Austrian Heinrich Bartels, a German ace with 99 kills achieved during some 500 combat sorties and holder of the Knight’s Cross served on all fronts the Luftwaffe units were engaged. Half of his kills were gained in the north while with JG 5 against Soviet pilots. He met his fate on December 23, 1944, against P-47s of the USAAF’s 56th FG in the Battle for the Ardennes. The wreck of his aircraft was discovered in 1968 near the town of Bad Godesberg in Germany. He flew this aircraft in the second half of 1942 during fighting in northern Finland. The aircraft was camouflaged in RLM 75/71/76 in a non-standard style dictated by operational conditions. In September 1942, the rudder displayed 29 kill marks, corresponding to his score. After Bartels was awarded the Knight’s Cross and after reaching 45th victory, his crew chief painted the award on the rudder of the airplane.

• Markings for F-104C 1/48

  F-104C-5-LO, 56-0891, Maj. Charles H. Drisko, 435th TFS, 479th TFW, Udorn RTAFB, Thailand, 1967

  F-104 serial number 56-0891 arrived in Udorn, Thailand, in January 1967. In the following months it was a personal mount of Major Herb Drisko, who had the ground personnel paint on the port side a cartoon of Snoopy wearing brown leather jacket and yellow scarf flying on the 20mm Vulcan Gatling Gun with its barels blasting. Under Snoopy there was an inscription “SNOOPY SNIPER“. The airplane’s starboard was decorated with Herb’s wife name Nancy J. After the operations were over, in June 1967 F-104 was flown over to the USA, to Muniz AFB in Puerto Rico. Charles Herbert Drisko, called Herb by his friends, was borne on October 26, 1928, in Bartlesville, OK and after he graduated from the high school, during the period after the war, he worked in the oil fields in Wyoming. In July 1951 he joined the Air Force and after completing the training and receiving his officer‘s commission he served in the Korean War as a radar operator on F-89 out of Okinawa. After that he completed his pilot training and during the Vietnam war flew F-104. He left the Air Force in 1971 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Herb Drisko passed away on October 26, 2000.

  
  

  F-104C-5-LO, 56-0891, Col. George Laven Jr., 479th TFW, George AFB, California, United States, 1959

  “SNOOPY SNIPER“ history was very colorful. The aircraft serial number 56-0891 was received on October 15, 1958 as the first C-version airframe at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, Nevada. The aircraft was christened Really George as its home base was supposed to be 479th TFW at George AFB, California. The aircraft was assigned to the commander, Col. George Laven Jr., who was a WWII ace credited with five kills. Same as his previous personal aircraft. Laven’s new F-104 sported rather gaudy coloration which gradually developed to the point that the superior officers ordered its removal as it was deemed too wild. It was followed by the more moderate blue coat with four stripes representing colors of all four 479th TFW squadrons. George Laven Jr. was a self-confident Texan known for his daring style of flying. He joined the USAAF in the end of December 1940 and completed his pilot training in August 1941. He gained his fame during his service with 343rd FG flying P-38s and 54th FG in Alaska where he guided P-39s. During this period he scored four aerial victories and he destroyed almost two dozens of locomotives in Europe. In March 1945 he was assigned to the 49th FG Headquarters but regardless he flew combat as much as possible and on April 26, 1945 he shot down H8K2 as his fifth kill. After the war he continued in the service. At George AFB he commanded several groups and wings. In the end of 1950s he was in the command of the 479th TFW. He retired as a veteran of three wars and in 1969 he became a McDonnell Douglas consultant in Israel. He continued flying F-4 Phantom II and F-15 Eagle.

  
  

  F-104C-10-LO, 57-0923, Lt. Col. Robert A. Preciado, 435th TFS, 479th TFW, Udorn RTAFB, Thailand, July 1967

  F-104 serial number 57-0923 arrived in Udorn on September 19, 1966. It was assigned to the flight commander Lt. Col. Robert Preciado who let both sides of his aircraft nose painted with the nickname of his wife Dolly Hellooo Dolly, long Hellooo coming from the famous musical Hello Dolly starring Barbra Streisand. After the operations in Udorn were completed, the aircraft was flown back to the USA where, in July 1967, it arrived in Muniz AFB in Puerto Rico. Starting in August 1968 it was assigned to the 198th TFS. Robert Preciado was a veteran of three wars. During WWII he flew in the Pacific with the Air Transport Command and continued his aviation career in Korea and Vietnam.

   

  F-104C-5-LO, 56-0886, 476th TFS, 479th TFW, Da Nang AB, South Vietnam, April 1965

  In 1965 Starfighter serial number 56-0886 flew out of Da Nang airbase in the South Vietnam. Its nose was decorated with the red inscription Fannie and it was one of few 479th TFW planes that had their nicknames painted on the fuselage. In April 1965, the 479th TFW dispatched 28 F-104C to Da Nang airbase. They flew the combat patrols over the bay of Tonkin to protect EC-121 Warning Star nicknamed College Eye or Disco. The effect of the F-104 deployment on the North Vietnamese and Chinese MiG operations was immediate. The Vietnam Peoples Republic‘s pilots learned very soon to avoid any contact with EC-121 airplanes which were escorted by F-104. During the whole 479th TFW deployment in 1965 only two brief encounters between F-104C and MiGs took place.

   

  F-104C-5-LO, 56-0910, Capt. James B. Trice, 435th TFS, 479th TFW, Udorn RTAFB, Thailand, 1967

  One of the first F-104 delivered to the Udorn AFB on June 6, 1966 was Starfighter serial number 56-0910. It was assigned as a personal mount to Capt. James Trice who had his Starfighter nose decorated with a nose art with the inscription PUSSYCAT. Initially the noseart consisted of the cat caricature only, the text was applied later. After the operations in Udorn ceased, in July 1967 the aircraft was flown back to the USA to the Muniz AFB in Puerto Rico and starting in August 1967 it was assigned to the 198th TFS.

  
  

  F-104C-5-LO, 56-0938, Maj. Bobby D. Betsworth, 435th TFS, 479th TFW, Udorn RTAFB, Thailand, June-August 1967

  This Starfighter was one of the first eight aircraft of this type delivered to the Udorn AFB on June 6, 1966. It was typically flown by Maj. Bobby Bedsworth who hailed from Missouri nicknamed Show Me State. For that reason the nose of his aircraft was decorated with a mule and this inscription. After the operations in Udorn ceased, on August 20, 1967 the airplane was flown back to the USA to the Muniz AFB in Puerto Rico.

   

  F-104C-5-LO, 56-0898, Maj. Hugh B. Spencer, 435th TFS, 479th TFW, Udorn RTAFB, Thailand, 1967 

  This Starfighter took part in the very first mission in Vietnam in 1965. After the overhaul it was one of twelve aircraft which on July 22, 1966 landed at Udorn. During the following combat missions it was mostly flown by Maj. Hugh Spencer. In March 1967 the pin up girl named SEX MACHINE was painted on the aircraft’s nose. After the operations in Udorn were completed, in July 1967 the aircraft was flown back to the USA to the Muniz AFB in Puerto Rico and in August 1967 it was assigned to the 198th TFW. Currently the aircraft is on display in the Kalamazoo Air Zoo Aviation History Museum in its original markings carried while flying at 434th TFS, the large fuselage number FG-898 and red markings.

• Markings for FM-2 1/48

  Ens. Darrell C. Bennett, VC-10, USS Gambier Bay, August 1944

  The Composite Squadron 10 was established on September 23, 1943 and adopted the name Mallards. The unit served on board the carrier USS Gambier Bay from April 5 and after her sinking in the Battle off Samar on October 25, the unit operated from airfields in Leyte. In January 1945, VC-10 was reformed and prepared for further deployment, but this never happened and it was inactivated at the end of the war. Ens. Darrell Bennett was born in Hamburg, Iowa, on March 30, 1924 and entered the Navy as an air cadet on October 1, 1943. Ten months later he was sent on his first operational tour with the VC-10 aboard the USS Gambier Bay. On the day he arrived, he had his picture taken in front of the FM-2 with a painting of two girls on the port side of the engine cowling. The first was based on a painting called Patriotic Gal by the famous Antonio Vargas. It is not known who had the two girls painted on the aircraft, but the paintings already bore signs of modification and wear. It is possible that Bennett only had “Smokey’s” added to the inscription “Lucky Witch”, as the “Smokey” was his nickname. He fought heroic battles with VC-10 during the Battle of Leyte Gulf and narrowly escaped sinking with the USS Gambier Bay, which was shot up by Japanese cruisers at the Battle off Samar. Bennett survived the war and stayed in the Navy afterwards. He flew combat missions in Korea and later trained recruits. During his career, he rose to command Fleet Air Miramar. After retirement in 1965 he flew as a private pilot. He died in December 2020.

   

  Lt. Leopold M. Ferko, VC-4, USS White Plains, November 1944

  Leopold Martin Ferko was born to Slovak parents on January 29, 1915, in Great Falls, Montana. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, where he was also a star of the American football team there. He then taught math and English at San Francisco High School and also coached the local football team before signing up with the Navy and beginning flight training on February 3. He then continued as an instructor at Corpus Christi, Texas, before being transferred to Pearl Harbor in June 1943, where he embarked with the VC-4 on the USS White Plains. The unit consisted of 16 FM-2s and 12 TBM Avengers. During the three days of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, he scored all five of his kills, although the first two may have been his last. After shooting down two Oscars he was in fact attacked himself and his FM-2 took one hit after another before the attacking enemy was shot down by the Ens. Pool. Ferko then had to make an emergency landing at Tacloban due to a damaged elevator. There, the aircraft was repaired, and he was able to return in time to score three more kills. Leopold Ferko retired from the Navy with the rank of Lieutenant Commander and died on May 16, 1992, in San Francisco. This FM-2 was the second one he used and the kill symbols were probably only on the right side. However, the decals also offer the option of placing the symbols on the left side.

   

  BuNo. 55643, VC-69, USS Guadalcanal, spring/summer 1944

  FM-2s played a significant role in the Atlantic, where the Composite Squadrons focused on support of anti-submarine missions as the German U-boats were a major threat to supply convoys. The Composite Squadrons operated from small Casablanca or Sangamon class escort carriers and consisted usually of the TBM Avengers and the FM-2 Wildcats. Smaller size of FM-2 suited better to the cramped conditions on board than the massive Hellcats. USS Gadalcanal was converted from the freighter Astrolabe Bay and entered service in September 1943. During her maiden voyage she destroyed three submarines. As a flagship of the Task Group 22.3 USS Guadalcanal added two more U-boats to her score on the second tour. More to it, the TG 22.3 managed to capture lightly damaged German submarine. After that tour the VC-8 was replaced by VC-69 in the fall. The unit was activated on July 1, 1943 and first was placed on board of USS Bogue from May to July 1944. During this cruise, pilots were credited with the destruction of the Japanese submarine I-52, which was on a secret mission to German-occupied Lorient, France. No further similar successes were recorded by this squadron aboard USS Guadalcanal, and the unit was inactivated on June 22, 1945. Her FM-2s bore the later Atlantic livery of Dark Gull Gray and white. The inner part of the propeller blades were painted white to lighten the appearance of the “dark hole” in the nose of the aircraft. The unit’s emblem was a wolf’s head with aviator’s goggles; VC-69 aircraft sported it on both sides of the nose.

  
  

  BuNo. 74626, VC-8, Lt.(jg) Harry N. O’Connor, USS Nehenta Bay, August 1945

  Combined Squadron VC-8 operated aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nehenta Bay from May to September 1945. Prior to that, it had operated from the decks of USS Mission Bay and USS Guadalcanal. With USS Nehenta Bay, she left the Atlantic theater and moved to the Pacific. USS Nehenta Bay had been operating in the area since June 1944, when she joined with TF-51 aboard for offensive operations against the Marianas. Subsequently, from August 1944 to January 1945, she escorted and protected, with VC-11 aboard, tankers for refueling at sea, allowing for more efficient use of naval forces. She returned to the U.S. on February 19, 1945, for repairs at San Diego, and on May 9, already with VC-8 aboard, she arrived at Ulithi, where she prepared for attacks on Okinawa as part of Task Unit 52.1. She then protected tankers again from late June until early August, and after the fighting ceased, anchored at Pearl Harbor on September 24. There, VC-8 was inactivated on October 8. This aircraft, with Lt.(jg) O’Connor in the cockpit, crashed on landing on August 5, striking the aircraft on board. Two other FM-2s (BuNos. 75081 and 74508) were destroyed. The aircraft bore the identifying markings of the carrier and Task Unit, i.e., white fields on the ailerons (extending slightly into the wing) white aft under the horizontal tail surfaces, and twin yellow stripes on the wing and fuselage in front of the tail surfaces.

  
  

  VC-80, USS Manila Bay, autumn 1944

  Composite Squadron VC-80 was established on December 16, 1943 and, after embarking on USS Manila Bay, participated in the battles of Leyte and Luzon. The ship operated during the Battle of Leyte as part of Task Group TG 77.4.2 (call sign Taffy 2) of Rear Admiral Felix B. Stump and VC-80 contributed significantly to the success of American forces in the largest naval battle in history. Then, during the fighting in Lingayen Gulf, the USS Manila Bay was hit by a kamikaze attack at 1750 hours on January 5. It damaged her radar and communications equipment, caused a fire, and most importantly, cost the lives of 14 men. The resulting fire was quickly dealt with by firefighters, and some 24 hours later VC-80 aircraft were already beginning limited operations from her deck. The aircraft depicted bore the typical three-color Pacific livery, the markings complementing the symbol assigned to units operating from USS Manila Bay, a white chevron on the vertical tail surfaces.

   

  Lt. O’Neill, VC-13, USS Tripoli, spring 1944

  VC-13 was established on January 3, 1944 and on February 16 of that year embarked on the new escort carrier USS Tripoli. The ship suffered a fire shortly after her maiden cruise when an acetylene torch ignited fuel that was inadvertently dumped into the water on the starboard bow. Two seamen were killed. After repairs, USS Tripoli departed San Diego on January 31 for her new homeport in Norfolk, Virginia. She arrived there on February 16 and sailed for her first mission on March 15 as the flagship of Task Group 21.15, in which she was accompanied by five destroyers. The group patrolled west of Cape Verde, disrupting the refueling of German submarines. On April 19, an Avenger crew spotted German U-513 awaiting her “Milch Cow” (a refueling submarine). Subsequent attacks were unsuccessful, and the submarine escaped. VC-13 thus returned from the cruise without success and was replaced on board by VC-6 on April 29. New duty station of VC-13 was USS Anzio (formerly USS Coral Sea), which the squadron embarked on March 22 to engage in support of the invasion of Okinawa. The aircraft depicted here is from the Atlantic mission period. Lt. O’Neill had his photograph taken with this FM-2, but it was probably not his personal aircraft. Interesting is the white paint extending over the leading edges to the upper surfaces. On either side of the engine cowling was painted the squadron emblem, a black cat with its front paws in an obscene gesture. It might have blue or gray background. The decals offer both options.

   

  VC-93, Lt.(jg) Robert Sullivan, USS Petrof Bay, Okinawa, April–May 1945

  VC-93 was established on February 23, 1944 and its personnel was first to be trained aboard the USS Matanikau (from October 14, 1944). During its cruises off the Californian coast, this ship trained 1,332 pilots in the following months until June 1945. VC-93 replaced VC-76 aboard USS Petrof Bay on March 10, 1945 and sailed from Guam on March 21 to prepare for the Battle of Okinawa as part of Task Unit 52.1.2. VC-93 pilots supported the Marines first in the capture of the Kerama and Keise Shima archipelagos and then in the main operation on Okinawa. Beginning on April 13, the pilots then focused on neutralizing Japanese airfields on the Sakashima Archipelago, from which the Kamikaze pilots were taking off. By the end of their mission on May 26, VC-93 pilots had destroyed many enemy aircraft on the ground and shot down 17. Two of these kills were credited to Lt.(jg) Robert Sullivan. For her next mission, VC-93 sailed aboard USS Steamer Bay on June 10, 1945 and, as part of the 3rd Fleet, assisted in the neutralization of Japanese airfields in the Sakishima Gunto Archipelago beginning June 14. This was followed by a return to San Diego and the end of the war. VC-93 aircraft operating from aboard USS Perof Bay bore the distinguishing symbol of a four-leaf clover on the vertical tail surfaces and on the upper right and bottom left wing halves. The all-blue livery was complemented by a photographically documented symbol of Sullivan’s first kill on the right side below the cockpit. It is uncertain whether it was also on the port side.

  
  

  VC-14, USS Hogatt Bay, November 1944

  Composite Squadron 14 was established on October 12, 1943 and deactivated on October 1, 1945. Its history is associated solely with the escort carrier USS Hogatt Bay, which was commissioned on January 11, 1944 and, after a necessary test cruise and one transport mission to and from Pearl Harbor, took aboard VC-14’s equipment and personnel. Training flight operations followed from March 26, with the first landing aboard USS Hogatt Bay conducted by Captain William Vincent Saunders. The ship embarked on her first operational tour on May 1, 1944 and was assigned to Task Unit 16.14.6. VC-14 pilots subsequently conducted anti-submarine operations and air cover for destroyers in the Western Pacific area until late November. They were then replaced by VC-88 on board and VC-14 did not see further operational deployment. This Wildcat is shown here in its late service form on the USS Hogatt Bay. Of interest is the Judy inscription on the right side of the engine cowling, as well as the non-standard appearance of the ENCLOSURE RELEASE stencil on the right side below the windshield. The pilot’s name is difficult to read in the available photographs, it might be Lt.(jg) Newburn.

  
  

  VC-27, Lt. Ralph Elliot, Jr., USS Savo Island, January 1945

  Although the FM-2 Wildcats were the most powerful and most numerous version of this type, they were less frequently engaged in combat with enemy aircraft than the previous F4F-3s and F4F-4s. Nevertheless, ten pilots managed to achieve fighter ace status flying them, and the most successful squadron with the FM-2 in terms of kills was VC-27, called “The Saints”. Its pilots managed to shoot down a total of 61.5 enemy aircraft in aerial combat, making it the second most successful Wildcat squadron regardless of version or period. They were surpassed only by the VF-5 with 79 kills. VC-27 was established in May 1943 and operated from the escort carrier USS Savo Island from July 1944 to January 1945. During this time, she participated in five major operations, including the epic naval battle off Samar, where a small task force repelled a much stronger Japanese fleet. Under the command of Lt. Cmdr. Percival Jackson, pilots of VC-27 shot down more than twice as many enemies as any other composite squadron. The commander of the VF-27 fighter division, Lt. Ralph Elliott Jr., was the most successful ace on FM-2 with nine confirmed kills. In addition to its success in aerial combat, VC-27 also sank or destroyed 30 Japanese vessels and destroyed or damaged over 250 objects such as bridges, buildings, fuel or ammunition depots, vehicles, and the like. In March 1945, Ralph Elliott, Jr. took command of the entire squadron, but the war ended before VC-27 could rejoin the fighting. Elliott’s FM-2 was emblazoned with the inscription BALDY, documented on the right side, which also featured nine kill marks.

  
  

  JV640, Sub-Lt W. Park, No. 881 Squadron FAA, HMS Pursuer, August 1944

  The British Fleet Air Arm used Wildcat FM-2s under the designation Wildcat Mk. VI, as the Martlet name was dropped for the last F4F versions. The British Navy used these aircraft for similar duties as the American ones, i.e., for service on escort carriers, from whose decks they provided air cover for convoys and also operated against ground or surface targets. Under the Lend Lease program, 340 FM-2s were delivered to the FAA (220 in 1944 and the rest in 1945), and the first of these were received by No. 881 Sqn, which took part in the invasion of southern France in August 1944 aboard HMS Pursuer (Operation Dragoon). The unit also took part in actions off the coast of Norway before being rearmed with Grumman Hellcat Mk.II aircraft in March 1945. In total, FM-2s served with 22 FAA combat squadrons, with others assigned to non-combat squadrons as trainers. The JV640 aircraft sported a drawing of a tiny hare with a sword and a Viking shield on the right side of the engine cowl and had a non-standard rear-view mirror on the windshield.

• Markings for A6M3 Zero Type 32 1/48

  c/n 3028, Tainan Kōkūtai, Buna airfield, New Guinea, August 1942

  This aircraft, released by Mitsubishi on June 28, 1942, was assigned to Lt. Inano, commander of Buna detachment of Tainan Kōkūtai. It was donated by citizens of Hongwon County in North Korea, captured by Allied units at Buna on December 27, 1942 and selected for further evaluation as well as rebuild. Allied personnel at Eagle Farm Field built a flyable A6M3 Zero using parts of three Zeros transported from Buna Airfield. Inano’s surname was originally Takabayashi, but he changed that before mid-1941. In late November 1941, smaller part of Tainan Kōkūtai under his command was transferred to French Indochina and temporarily became part of 22. Kōkū Sentai HQ fighter squadron. Lt. Inano returned to Tainan Kōkūtai in July 1942 to participate in combat over New Guinea and Guadalcanal. From January 1943 he was involved in evaluation of weapons for new naval aircraft. From October 1944 he served as Hikōtaichō of Tainan Kōkūtai (II) in Taiwan.

   

  c/n 3305, Kōkūtai 204, Buin, Bougainville island, January 1943

  This aircraft was manufactured by Mitsubishi, probably on November 25, 1942. The radio equipment has been dismantled due to weight reduction. At the same time, it was equipped with long-barrel guns and a later type rudder trim that could be operated from the cockpit. Previously known aircraft of this unit with yellow fuselage markings had identification numbers of values under 148. The wreckage of this aircraft was recovered by the Allies in May 1944 off Kolombangara Island. The camouflage and markings would indicate that its pilot was leader of Chūtai of Kōkūtai 204 in early 1943. The first candidate could be Lt. Tatenoshin Tanoue, who was shot down in a dogfight with Wildcats from VMF-121 on January 15, 1943, while covering a convoy. However, the crash site is too far from the area where combat took place. The pilot of the aircraft may have been a Lt(jg) Kiyoharu Shibuya, who was lost on January 23, 1943, in dogfight with the Wildcats of VMO-251 while escorting the cargo vessel Toa Maru 2 and the destroyer Oshio.

  
  

  Warrant Officer Matsuo Hagiri, Rabaul, New Britain, July 1943

  This aircraft was painted in green camouflage applied in field conditions and had radio equipment removed to reduce weight. Kōkūtai 204 appears to have been the only unit in the area to apply green field camouflage plus white outline of Hinomaru on fuselage and upper wing surfaces. Its pilot was Matsuo Hagiri. He was born in 1913 in Shizuoka Prefecture and served with the Yokosuka Kōkūtai from 1935. In 1937 and 1938 he served on the aircraft carrier Sōryū and took part in battles in China. In 1940, he was among the pilots of the 12th Kōkūtai who first tested the Zero in combat conditions. In the raid on Chengtu on October 4, 1940, he was one of four pilots who landed at an enemy base and set its equipment afire. More to it, Hagiri shot down three Chinese fighter aircraft after take off from the burning enemy base. After further service with Yokosuka Kōkūtai, including tests of the Raiden and Zero Model 32, he was assigned to Kōkūtai 204 in July 1943. In a dogfight on September 24 over Vella Lavella, he managed to score two victories, but suffered injuries himself and had to be transported to Japan. In April 1945, he was wounded again, this time in combat against a B-29. In all, he achieved 13 victories. After the war, he became a Fuji City Councilor and a member of the Shizuoka Prefectural Council. He died in January 1997.

  
  

  c/n 3285, Rabauru Kōkūbuntai, Rabaul, New Britain, August 1943

  This aircraft was manufactured by Mitsubishi in November 1942 and early the following year received field camouflage consisting of elongated green spots on the factory paint of light grey. Its markings were changed several times. The reconstruction of both markings of this aircraft is based on parts of the wreck that have been photographically documented. The tail apparently first bore the designation T2, which would place it with Kōkūtai 204. In mid-1943, it bore the white code 3-174 and a white square was painted around Hinomaru on the side of both sides of the fuselage. This is the only Zero so far where such a marking was photographically documented. The exact purpose of the white square is unknown and it was removed in August 1943. In the second half of that year, the tail codes of the aircraft of the Rabaul fighter units changed and numerals ranging from 1 to 9 began to be used. The assignment of the numerals to individual units is still not reliably determined. Aircraft with these markings are unofficially assigned to a combat group called Rabauru Kōkūbuntai (Rabaul Air Force). There are several theories to explain the meaning of these numerical designations. The only unit that used several A6M3 Model 32s in the area in the second half of 1943 was the aforementioned Kōkūtai 204.

   

  c/n 3285, Rabauru Kōkūbuntai, Ballale Airfield, Ballale Island, Solomon Islands, October 1943

  In August 1943, the white squares on the side of this aircraft were repainted and its marking was later changed from white 3-174 to yellow code 5-136. In September and October 1943, Kōkūtai 204 operated in this area with the last two Model 32s. It is likely, therefore, that despite the change of the tail code this Zero was still in service with this unit. Most of unit’s armament consisted of A6M2 Model 21 and A6M3 Model 22, and it also received its first A6M5 Model 52 during this period. Following the neutralization of the Ballale base, the unit lost one Model 32. This was apparently aircraft with serial number 3285, which was salvaged from Ballale in 1968 by Robert Diemert. It showed the strafing damage that occurred while the aircraft was on the ground. Zero 3285 was stored at Friendship Airfield in Canada and some of its parts were used to rebuild other Zeros. It was later purchased by John and Earl Calverley of the Blayd Corporation. After that, 3285 was in a collection in Australia where John Fallis purchased it several years ago with the help of Graham Orphan of New Zealand’s Classic Wings magazine and is restoring it to airworthy condition at his company CHUZY SUZY LLC in Lafayette, Louisiana. In 2022, the aircraft parts were photographed by Eduard staff and with the help of researcher Ryan Toews a reconstruction of both forms of this unique aircraft was made.

• Markings for MiG-21MF Fighter Bomber 1/72

  No. 5121, Phạm Tuân, 921 Fighter Regiment, Noi Bai AB, Democratic Republic of Vietnam, December 1972

  MiG-21MF with tactical number 5121 is currently on display in the museum of the Vietnam People’s Air Force in Hanoi. Reportedly, on December 27, 1972, Phạm Tuân flew this aircraft when he shot down an American B-52 which took part in bombing operations during the Linebacker II offensive. It would be the only MiG-21MF kill of a Stratofortress, but American sources claim the bomber was lost to anti-aircraft SAM system. Phạm Tuân would later become the only Vietnamese astronaut. He was a crewmember of Soyuz 37 mission and orbited the earth 142 times in the Salyut 6 space station. For his accomplishments, he was awarded high Vietnamese commendations and was one of a few foreigners to be awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union.

   

  No. 9712, 9 Fighter Regiment, Bechyně, Czechoslovakia, 1989–1993

  This aircraft with serial number 969712 was built in 1974 and subsequently delivered to Czechoslovakia, where it served with the 4 slp (stíhací letecký pluk - Fighter Regiment) based in Pardubice. It was handed over to 9 Fighter Regiment in Bechyně in May 1989. There it flew with the coat of arms of the Bechyně town on the left side of the nose. After the dissolution of Czechoslovakia the aircraft was assigned to the Slovak Air Force, and is currently in the collection of the air museum at Trenčín, Slovakia. The aircraft still has the original camouflage scheme from the Soviet Union delivery.

  
  

  No. 127, 812th Training Air Regiment, Kharkiv Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots, Kupyansk Airfield, the Soviet Union, August 1991

  This aircraft, adorned with a shark mouth and eyes, served with the 812. UAP (812 Training Air Regiment) operating within the structure of the Kharkiv higher training facility, which was in 2003 named after the famous fighter ace and triple Hero of the Soviet Union Ivan N. Kozhedub (who was in fact Ukrainian). This one was among the aircraft that were displayed during the open house on August 18, 1991.

   

  No. 8447, No. 46 Squadron, Egypt, 1973

  This is an aircraft from No. 46 Squadron as it appeared during combat exercises prior to the Yom Kipur War in 1973. To allow quick identification, aircraft carried a large black letter with white outline on the fin. The nose sported painting of the goddess Nekhbet, protector of Upper Egypt. Aircraft coded 8447 survived the Yom Kipur War and was photographed with this camouflage and markings at Cairo in October 1975.

   

  No. 9111, 3 Squadron of Tactical Aviation, Poznań Krzesiny, Poland, 2002

  The 3 ELT (Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego – Squadron of Tactical Aviation) was formed at Poznań Krzesiny on January 1, 2001. The unit was equipped with MiG-21MF, bis and UM aircraft, but the MiG-21MFs were used for two years only, i.e., till the end of 2002. The MiG-21bis version stayed until 2003 when it was decided to replace them with F-16s. On April 1, 2008, the 3 ELT, 6 ELT and the 31 Baza Lotnicza (31 Air Base) were disbanded and the 31 Baza Lotnictwa Taktycznego (31 Tactical Air Base) was formed. Since 2007, this aircraft has been displayed at Poznan Krzesiny. It is camouflaged in the same shades of grey as used on F-15s and F-16s. The raven’s head marking on the finwas applied in 2002 on the occasion of a gathering of commanding officers in Berlin. The emblem of 3 Squadron, the predecessor of the 3 ELT, is painted below the windscreen.

• Tail End Charlie

  Relaxation

  Each of us needs some form of relaxation.  For instance, two years ago, I started two small vineyards in our family garden in Prague. The original vineyard in the area apparently disappeared in the 18th century, but there are still local names associated with wine production. I purchased young plants of the Cabernet Cortis (red) and Solaris (white) varieties and planted the vines following the advice of an experienced neighbourhood winemaker. My winemaker friends amicably assure me that I won’t make my first good wine for another ten years or so. Since I had never grown anything in my life besides food mold, no one in my family believed anything would grow under my hands. I must be doing something right, because the vines are thriving and not suffering from mold or other diseases and pests. And I don’t use chemical sprays, I’ve only applied nettle leachate once. Anyway, I’m happy with the vines, although I don’t have much time for them this year due to the failing health of a family member. When I can work in the vineyard, it's a surprisingly relaxing experience. Thanks to the vines, I have also had several positive experiences with winemakers from Moravia, Austria and Germany. When I mentioned that I had started a small vineyard, they immediately wanted to see photos and started passing on helpful advice. They took me as a junior colleague, whereas I saw myself more as a disoriented beginner. I found the winemakers to be a very friendly international community. But unlike them, I have the advantage that my micro-vineyards are a hobby and not a source of livelihood.

  Plastic modelling is a source of income for our company and should also bring relaxation to our customers, although in this case with abundant use of chemistry. In addition, there is a community associated with our hobby that is mostly friendly and supportive, although there are sometimes individuals who take it too personally and should probably use some other form of relaxation.

  
  

  A former colleague of mine from another field, named Štěpán, didn’t pick up plastic modelling as a hobby until he was about thirty years old. He works as a process engineer and when he gets off work, he has a full head of worries. So, he started looking for a pastime to clear his head. He did something of a selection procedure and plastic modelling came out the winner. Building model jet fighters keeps his mind so busy that it really helps him relax. We just don’t have enough kits on offer to suit his taste unfortunately.

  Many modellers may not see plastic modelling as a relaxation because they simply like history, or they have been involved in the hobby since they were young and they keep enjoying it. But I think they still relax with it, even if they don’t know it. Plastic modelling can even have a positive influence in serious life situations. In some countries it is part of the therapy for war veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. My admiration in this regard goes to the people who are involved in our field in Ukraine, whether they are manufacturers, traders or modellers. They are trying to carry on in wartime conditions that are in many ways unparalleled since the Second World War.

  Recently I read in a Facebook group comments under the post of a Ukrainian modeller who is sharing this hobby with his son. He posted a photo of a new model with the comment that they continue modelling regardless of the terrorist attacks by the Russian state. In his opinion, thanks to this relaxation, they are more able to cope with the war induced anxiety and stress. Surprisingly, one discussant from across the Atlantic objected to the Ukrainian modeller bringing politics into the group. He got a rather intense response from other discussants to the fact that plastic modelling as a means of mental relaxation from cruise missile raids is not really about politics.

  In the area where these Ukrainian modellers live, there have been over 1,300 air raid alerts since February 24, 2022, each lasting about one hour on average. Statistics show that the Russians conduct airstrikes evenly on any day of the week, with most being declared around midnight and around noon. Perhaps this discussant from across the Atlantic could visit Ukraine and try out forms of relaxation when he has to take refuge in an air-raid shelter two or three times a day ...

  Text: Jan Bobek
  

• Air war over Ukraine

  Ukrainian Mi-24P at a field base.

  Ukrainian Offensive, Prigozhin Coup

  Text: Miro Barič

  Photos:  Ukrainian armed forces, social media and other public sources

  June was an extremely hot month in Ukraine, and we’re not referring to global warming. Events unfolded on the front lines that laid the groundwork for significant changes in the future – not only for Ukraine but also for Russia. The Ukrainian offensive began, which, though seemingly progressing slowly, was steady. In Russia, the Wagner Group revolted, but they quickly changed their minds, yet the regime remained shaken. Things were set in motion.

   

  In this part of the series, we’ll follow events from June 1 to July 1, but first, let’s revisit an event from the previous period. On May 13, an attack group of Russian aircraft, consisting of Su-34, Su-35, and 2 × Mi-8 helicopters, was shot down in the Bryansk region near the Ukrainian border. When the previous part was being completed, the exact details of what happened had not been confirmed, and various possibilities were being considered. However, the Ukrainian Armed Forces later released a video in which they boasted of their successes in air defense. The footage showed a Patriot system with markings indicating the score, confirming that they were responsible for that mentioned Russian group. On the side, there are painted silhouettes of aircraft and helicopters with the date May 13. By the way, they have three Mi-8 helicopters painted there, but officially only two were confirmed. The Ukrainians, therefore, claim one more. It is possible that the Russian group at that time consisted of two Mi-8MTPR-1 helicopters for electronic warfare and a third Mi-8 prepared for search and rescue in case of the attack bomber being shot down.

  In addition to this group, the aforementioned Patriot system has an impressive collection of missiles, including Kinzhals, missiles with a low flight path, and drones painted on its side. The Ukrainians also demonstrated decent scores against the S-300 and NASAMS systems.

  The Patriot system excelled, especially during the intensive attacks on Kyiv in May. The Russian shelling of the capital decreased in June. They probably realized that their attacks were just wasting rockets - but officially, they accomplished their mission because, according to Putin’ְs words, they destroyed five or six Patriot systems near Kyiv. Never mind that Ukraine received only two of them ...

  Shot of the Patriot system in a video released by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

   Detail showing silhouettes of two aircraft and three Mi-8 helicopters with the date May 13, 2023.

  NASAMS system score.

  The S-300 battery marked with four aircraft, 21 missiles with a flat flight path, and 15 rockets kills.

  
  

  Ukrainian Offensive

  Another reason for shifting the Russian command’s attention away from Kyiv was the Ukrainian counteroffensive. After prolonged anticipation, it began in early June in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, southern Ukraine. The Ukrainian Armed Forces started pushing in three directions – from Velyka Novosilka near Vuhledar towards Mariupol, from Orikhiv towards Tokmak and Melitopol, and near Lobova on the banks of the Kakhovka Reservoir.

  For Russian propaganda, this was a welcome change. In anticipation of the Ukrainian offensive, they began publishing various false footage of Western military equipment being destroyed. There was an instance of using a photo of a destroyed Turkish Leopard 2 tank from Syria and a video of a Russian helicopter destroying combine harvesters and other agricultural machinery that didn't resemble tanks at all. After the actual start of the Ukrainian offensive, true losses of Western equipment were, of course, revealed.

  The Russians had been building fortifications in southern Ukraine for almost a year. These include several lines of trenches and, most importantly, extensive minefields. These minefields proved to be the most challenging obstacle. In one attack attempt, a group of Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and several Leopard 2 tanks got stuck on the mines. The Russians filmed this group from multiple angles and repeatedly published the footage until the Ukrainians made progress and withdrew the damaged vehicles for repair. Unlike Russian equipment, Western military vehicles fulfill their primary purpose – protecting the crew. Most Leopard and Bradley machines did not explode after being hit; their crews survived, and the vehicles can be repaired later.

  Although the Ukrainian advance is slow, it is steady – they have liberated more territory in a month than the Russians occupied during their winter offensive in six months. In addition to the mines, Russian helicopters initially slowed down the Ukrainians. Ka-52 helicopters were deployed to perform long-range missile strikes on enemy equipment since the Ukrainian side couldn't get air defense systems close enough to the frontlines, and portable Stinger missiles have limited range. The Ukrainians reported shooting down one to two Ka-52 helicopters almost daily, but only one was officially confirmed. The confirmed one was captured on video flying with a damaged tail. The Russian side claimed that the tail was damaged due to the firing of their own missile, but this is unlikely. It is more plausible that it was hit by a Ukrainian surface-to-air missile. Thanks to its two counter-rotating rotors, the helicopter was able to continue flying and make an emergency landing.

  The Ka-52 helicopters primarily operated from the Berdiansk base, where satellite imagery captured them. However, for unknown reasons, the Ukrainians attacked this airfield only on June 30, several weeks after the satellite imagery was published. Prior to that, they had repeatedly targeted other military facilities in Berdiansk with Storm Shadow missiles. After the airfield attack, Russian helicopters departed from there, and their activity on the frontlines decreased. The reduction in activity is also related to the change in Ukrainian tactics – they deploy less equipment on the front lines and use consequent infantry attacks in groups. This lack of targets makes it impractical for the Ka-52s to risk further losses. At least 39 helicopters of this type have been destroyed during the war in Ukraine.

  Since the beginning of the offensive, the Ukrainian advance has been supported by strong artillery and missile attacks. These attacks not only destroy Russian trenches but also target logistical and command centers in the rear, as well as Russian artillery. Last summer, Russian artillery played a significant role in their offensive, but now it’s merely a shadow of what it used to be.

  If there were no war, this shot of the Mi-8 on a field base would be downright idyllic. Notice the machine gun in the helicopter’s nose.

  A Russian Ka-52 helicopter with a damaged tail was captured on video on June 19.
  

   

  Destroyed Dam

  However, what significantly altered Ukrainian plans was the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam on the Dnieper River. Its 3.2 km long wall exploded in the central part early in the morning on June 6, just two days after the start of the Ukrainian offensive. The dam held back over 18 cubic kilometers of water, which flooded the city of Kherson and another 40 villages downstream on both sides of the Dnieper. Approximately 60 civilians lost their lives, and the floodwaters took several days to recede.

  Although both sides blamed each other for the dam’s explosion, it is certain that the Russians had control over it. The massive dam could not be threatened from the outside with weapons accessible to Ukraine; it had to be destroyed by an explosion from inside the dam, where only the Russians had access. They blew it up to prevent the Ukrainians from attempting to cross the river. The flooded and waterlogged areas made it impossible for some time.

  However, the result is also a huge environmental disaster. A significant amount of chemicals has been released into the river and subsequently into the sea, causing the death of many animals. What is even worse, four irrigation canals that were fed by the dam have dried up. This will negatively affect agricultural production and access to drinking water for hundreds of thousands of people for many years.

  The emptying of the Kakhovka Dam also poses a threat to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. The dam water also served as a reservoir for cooling the nuclear reactors. Furthermore, the Russian forces have laid mines in the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant complex and are refusing to allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) into some areas.

  The destruction of the Kachovska dam caused enormous damage.

   

  Prigozhin’s Coup

  After all the events in Ukraine, the Russians turned against each other. On the evening of June 23, an attempted coup by the Wagner Group mercenaries began. Its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, called it the "March of Justice," citing alleged shelling of the base of mercenaries in eastern Ukraine by the Russian army, which tried to take control of the group. In reality, Prigozhin had been planning this uprising for a long time and had been amassing vehicles, ammunition, and fuel for it, as western intelligence agencies discovered from satellite images.

  Prigozhin’s goal was to capture Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov at the command center in Rostov, near the Ukrainian border, both of whom he had publicly criticized for a long time. However, Shoigu and Gerasimov managed to escape Rostov in time. Prigozhin only caught their deputies at the command center. The Wagner Group occupied Rostov and subsequently started advancing towards Moscow on Saturday, June 24th. They took over Voronezh and got within about 200 km of the capital. Their columns faced little resistance on the ground, as their path was only obstructed by roadblocks that could be easily overcome.

  Mi-8MTPR-1 shot down by the Wagner Group on June 24 in the Voronezh region.

  
  

  The Russian Air Force attempted to resist. Helicopters, for instance, destroyed a fuel depot in Voronezh, which the Wagner Group had occupied. However, the mercenaries also had air defense systems, which caused another bleak day for the Russian Air Force. Six helicopters and one airplane were destroyed, and according to various sources, 15 to 30 of their crew members lost their lives.

  Two shot-down attack helicopters were Mi-35 and Ka-52, and four Mi-8 helicopters included three Mi-8MPTR-1 versions for radio-electronic warfare. The destroyed plane was an IL-22M, a flying command post based on the transport aircraft Il-18. The aircraft belonged to the 610th Combat Training and Conversion Aviation Center located in Ivanovo, northeast of Moscow. The dramatic video captured the aircraft's last moments. The burning plane spiraled violently as it crashed, resulting in its tail, wing parts, and two external engines being torn off. The entire crew of ten people perished. The names of eight of them were released - Lieutenant Colonel Artem Milovanov (43), the deputy chief of the mentioned 610th center, Captain Artem Sharoglazov (31), the aircraft commander, Major Gennady Belyakin (50), the navigator, Captain Viktor Polov (43), the flight engineer, Captain Igor Volochilov (49), the airborne technician, Senior Warrant Officer Sergey Starushok (49), the airborne radio operator, Senior Sergeant Viktor Podrepny (42), the airborne radio operator, and Senior Sergeant Alexey Skrykov (29), the airborne mechanic. Most of them were buried together in Ivanovo, while Milovanov was buried separately in Tambov.

  Ka-52 registered RF-13418 with bort number “yellow 72” from the 15th brigade of the Russian Army Aviation was shot down by the Wagner Group on June 24th near the village of Komintern in the Voronezh region. Lieutenant Colonel Alexey Vorozhtsov and Lieutenant Denis Oleynikov were killed.

   

  End of the Coup

  The Wagner Group was advancing towards Moscow smoothly until the evening of June 24, when Prigozhin ordered them to halt and retreat. The next day, they also left Rostov, which they had fully controlled. Allegedly, the agreement to stop the action was brokered by Belarusian dictator Lukashenko in exchange for impunity for the Wagner Group and their exile in Belarus. Putin agreed to it, although he had declared in a morning TV speech that severe punishment awaited the rebels.

  Paradoxically, it turned out that in Russia, you can drive tanks, occupy government buildings in cities, and shoot down aircraft and helicopters of the Russian Air Force without any consequences officially. However, if you try to protest against the war or even hold up a blank piece of paper without any inscription in public, you may be imprisoned for several years on charges of extremism ...

  It is likely that Prigozhin hoped that a portion of the army would join him or that he could sway part of the population to his side. He also wanted to capture Shoigu and Gerasimov and use them as hostages. None of this worked out for him, so he decided to retreat.

  A side effect of this action is that the Wagner Group is no longer fighting at Bachmut or anywhere else in Ukraine. The Ukrainian army is advancing north and south of Bachmut, trying to encircle the city. After averting the coup, purges also began in the Russian army. Several generals and other officers were dismissed, transferred, or arrested and interrogated.

  Burning Il-22M shortly before crashing into the ground. The tail, the outer wing parts, and both outer engines were torn off during the fall.

  The wreckage of the Il-22M carrying the registration RF-75917 near Kantemirovka in the Voronezh region. It was also shot down by the Wagner Group on June 24th.
  

  Funeral of the Il-22M crew in Ivanovo.

  
  

  Further Russian Losses
  

  In addition to the helicopters and aircraft destroyed during Prigozhin’s coup, the Russian Air Force suffered more losses. On Thursday, June 22, a Russian Mi-24P helicopter with the registration RF-92501 and bort number “Red 27” crashed near the village of Lesnaya in the Brest Region of Belarus. The helicopter went down on the edge of a forest beside the road, and all three crew members were injured.

  On Friday, June 23, in the Luhansk Region, a Mi-8MPTR-1 helicopter was shot down. Out of the four crew members, only one managed to parachute to safety. The other three perished, and one of them was identified as officer Kirill Babayev.

  On Thursday, June 29, soldiers of the Ukrainian 10th Mountain Assault Brigade successfully used a portable Igla missile to shoot down a Russian Su-25 attack aircraft. The hit was captured on video. The Ukrainians also claimed to have shot down another Su-25 on Wednesday, June 7, but that one remains unconfirmed.

  During the observed period, previously unknown footage of destroyed aircraft from both sides emerged. For example, the wreckage of a helicopter, likely a Ka-52, destroyed on the ground during a Ukrainian rocket attack on the Melitopol base on September 1, 2022, was captured on video. It was filmed by a crew member of another Russian helicopter during takeoff from that base.

  Mi-24P carrying the registration RF-92501 and bort number “red 27” crashed on June 22 in Belarus.

  A new shot of the wreckage of the Su-34, which was shot down last year in May on the banks of the Oskil River near Izyum.

  Shots of the Ka-52, which was destroyed last year in September at the Melitopol airbase.

  
  

  Ukrainian Losses

  During the observed period, the Ukrainian Air Force suffered two confirmed losses. On Friday, June 2nd, a MiG-29 was shot down near Pokrovsk in the Donetsk Region. It was piloted by Major Vladyslav Saveliev with the call sign “Nomad” from the 114th Tactical Aviation Brigade. He had previously participated in a U.S. training program at Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi. Unfortunately, he did not survive the destruction of his fighter jet.

  In the Kharkiv Region, on Friday, June 9, a Mi-8 helicopter from the 18th Independent Army Aviation Brigade of the Ukrainian Army was lost under unknown circumstances. At least one crew member, Lieutenant Vladyslav Zozulya, did not survive the accident.

  Tragically, civilian populations in Ukraine have also suffered losses. An example is the attack on a pizzeria in the city of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine, where Russian rockets struck on Tuesday, June 27, killing 13 people. Among the victims were three children, including 14-year-old twin sisters. Writer Viktoria Amelina, who was injured in the attack, succumbed to her injuries a few days later. Ukrainian forces detained an informant responsible for providing the Russians with coordinates for the attack. The Russians claimed that they targeted a military objective and killed 200 foreign mercenaries and 50 Ukrainian generals and high-ranking officers. However, the casualties reported were highly exaggerated and implausible for the size of a pizzeria.

  In June, there were also increasing discussions about the possible training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets. This initiative, which required significant efforts from both sides and considerable funding, came late in the conflict (considering the ongoing offensive without air cover). Some argue that it would be more pertinent to invest in artillery and missile munitions and enhance air defense capabilities. More on this topic will be covered in the next part of the series.

  Mi-24 helicopter delivered to Ukraine from the Czech Republic.

  This Mi-14PS carrying the bort number “yellow 34”;  from the 10th brigade of the Ukrainian Naval Aviation was shot down last year in May by a Russian Su-35S fighter in the Odessa region. Photos of its wreckage surfaced only recently.