KITS 10/2021

P3612, No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron, Speke, Great Britain, January 1941

No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron was the second fighter squadron formed from the former pilots of the pre-war Czechoslovak Air Force who

served in the French Air Force. It was established on August 29, 1940, in Duxford. It was declared operational on October 2 at the Speke airport

from where it was deployed to the defense of the important port of Liverpool. The unit became famous on October 8 because of its aerial kill

scored right in front of the eyes of Liverpool citizens. During the WWII its pilots flew initially Hurricanes which they traded for Spitfires in the

fall of 1941 and flew various versions of them until the end of war. According to the order issued on November 27, 1940, RAF fighters carried so

called Temperate Land Scheme with upper surfaces camouflaged in the disruptive patterns of Dark Earth and Dark Green, lower surfaces in

Sky and the left lower wing was painted black. At the same time 18 in wide fuselage stripe in Sky color painted in front of the tail surfaces was

introduced. The propeller spinner was painted in the same color. Code letters continued to be painted in Medium Sea Grey.

V7544, F/O J. E. Storrar, No. 73 Squadron, El Adem, Libya, February 1941

James Eric Storrar was born on July 24, 1921, in Ormskirk. He enlisted in the RAF in 1937 and after he completed the pilot training in October 1939,

he was posted to No. 145 Squadron which in March 1940 converted from Blenheims to Hurricanes. During the Battle of Britain, he was transferred

to No. 73 Squadron (October 23) with which he was dispatched on board of HMS Furious to the Middle East. The unit was off loaded in Takoradi on

the Golden Coast and flew their Hurricanes over to Egypt. He returned to the Great Britain in November 1941 and the rest at No. 55 OTU followed.

James Storrar continued combat flying, commanded several units, and participated in the famous attack on Gestapo Headquarters in Copenhagen. At that time, he was already flying the American P-51 Mustang. He finished his combat career by participating in the liberation of the Channel Islands. During WWII he shot down 12 enemy aircraft. He continued his service with RAF after the war and retired in 1957. After he finished

his veterinary studies at the Edinburgh University, he opened the private practice in Chester. He passed away on March 29, 1995. No. 73 Squadron

Hurricanes which the pilots flew over to Egypt, were camouflaged in the disruptive patterns of Dark Earth and Dark Green, the lower surfaces

were painted in Sky color. Leading edge coloration is the subject of the varied opinions of the aviation historians. It varies from silver to light grey

to white color. Color selection in this case will be up to the modeler’s decision, his references and opinion.

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INFO Eduard - October 2021