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EXHIBITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL PLASTIC MODELLING SOCIETY GLOUCESTER BRANCH

 CHURCHDOWN COMMUNITY CENTRE

 SUNDAY 9 MAY 2010

 
     
   
     
  However, in place of layouts defined in a programme the attendance of IPMS Gloucester Branch members - and those of other plastic modelling societies from as far afield as Salisbury and the Warrington - guarantees a smorgasbord of aircraft, ships, road vehicles and other exhibits in a variety of scales.  Some of these truly stand alone while others are grouped in themes- like the fast cars seen on the table pictured above.
 
 

   
 

INTRODUCTION

 
 

   
  Occasional diversions to Stratford Park Leisure Centre in Stroud notwithstanding, the annual exhibition of the Gloucester Branch of the International Plastic Modelling Society has long been a spring Sunday fixture at Churchdown Community Centre, Parton Road, GL3 2JH. 
As at the twice yearly exhibitions of the Cheltenham GWR Modeller's Group, a small entry fee yields access to purveyors of refreshments, model kits, accessories, paints, tools, books, artwork and other media. 

However, in place of layouts defined in a programme the attendance of IPMS Gloucester Branch members - and those of other plastic modelling societies from as far afield as Salisbury and the Warrington - guarantees a smorgasbord of aircraft, ships, road vehicles and other exhibits in a variety of scales.  Some of these truly stand alone while others are grouped in themes- like the fast cars seen on the table pictured above. 

Although there were too many exhibits for each one to be individually described, this feature focuses on some of the more remarkable items that caught both my attention and my camera lens on Sunday 9 May 2010.
 
 
 

   
  TO START AT THE BEGINNING...  
 

   
 

Although men of war from the Napoleonic and earlier epochs have long been a source of modelling inspiration, the first internal combustion engined vehicle to make an impact on the prosecution of land warfare was the British Mark 1 tank, examined in more detail in Tanks for the Memory on this website.  Due to it being largely filmed and photographed in monochrome, World War One is often perceived as having happened in black and white in the popular imagination so the four tone camouflage applied to this rhomboidal machine was a welcome reminder that the Western Front was in fact full of colour- albeit mainly muted browns and greys.

 
 

   
  Although men of war from the Napoleonic and earlier epochs have long been a source of modelling inspiration, the first internal combustion engined vehicle to make an impact on the prosecution of land warfare was the British Mark 1 tank, examined in more detail in Tanks for the Memory on this website.  Due to it being largely filmed and photographed in monochrome, World War One is often perceived as having happened in black and white in the popular imagination so the four tone camouflage applied to this rhomboidal machine was a welcome reminder that the Western Front was in fact full of colour- albeit mainly muted browns and greys.  
 

   
  Although tank warfare in the 1939-1945 conflict was taken to a new level as part of Blitzkreig attacks with armour, infantry and aircraft integrated there was still a role for "throwback" tanks such as the Churchill, also examined in both Tanks for the Memory and the coverage of the 2009 IPMS show in Churchdown.  This particular Churchill AVRE ( Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers ) was developed from the Mark III gun variant and has a fascine - or bundle of logs - ready to tip into an enemy trench, thus filling it in and allowing advancing vehicles to cross.  
 

   
  Although tank warfare in the 1939-1945 conflict was taken to a new level as part of Blitzkreig attacks with armour, infantry and aircraft integrated there was still a role for "throwback" tanks such as the Churchill, also examined in both Tanks for the Memory and the coverage of the 2009 IPMS show in Churchdown.  This particular Churchill AVRE ( Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers ) was developed from the Mark III gun variant and has a fascine - or bundle of logs - ready to tip into an enemy trench, thus filling it in and allowing advancing vehicles to cross.
 
 

 
 
  Also eschewing speed for weight of armour and firepower was the British A39 Tortoise, of which only 6 examples were built at the end of the Second World War specifically for clearing heavily fortified areas such as Germany's western Siegfried Line.  As such the A39 Tortoise was a logical development of the Churchill and made an interesting comparison with the French FCM F1 of 1940.   Strictly speaking too, its fixed superstructure classed it as a self propelled gun rather than a tank.  
 

   
  Also eschewing speed for weight of armour and firepower was the British A39 Tortoise, of which only 6 examples were built at the end of the Second World War specifically for clearing heavily fortified areas such as Germany's western Siegfried Line.  As such the A39 Tortoise was a logical development of the Churchill and made an interesting comparison with the French FCM F1 of 1940.   Strictly speaking too, its fixed superstructure classed it as a self propelled gun rather than a tank.
 
Just as the German 88mm anti-aircraft gun had been adapted for artillery and tank use with devastating results, the Tortoise was to be fitted with a variant of the British 3.75 inch anti-aircraft gun. The ammunition for this comprised a separate charge and  32 pound  armour piercing shell which in tests was successful against a German Panther tank at nearly 1000 yards.

The 32 pounder gun was carried in a ball mount in the front of the hull. To the left was a Besa machine gun in a heavy armoured ball mount and two other machine guns were mounted in a turret on the top of the hull to the right. Internally the Tortoise was split into three compartments, the transmission to the front, the crew ( commander, driver, gunner, two loaders and two machine gunners) in the centre and the Rolls Royce Meteor ( adapted from the Merlin aero engine) at the rear.
 
Introduced too late for combat, the Tortoise was sent to Germany with the british Army on the Rhine where it performed adequately in trials but was ultimately too tall and heavy for easy transportation. One of the six pilot vehicles can be seen at the Bovington Tank Museum, Dorset.

 
 

   
   Hauling the Tortoise was an M19 tank transporter rig comprising a low-rise 40 ton Rogers M9  two American built 980/981 series Diamond T tractors.  Also known as M20s these rugged prime movers were bought by the British Purchasing Commission and used in North Africa, Italy and France. Between 1941 and 1945, 6554 M19 rigs - some with just one M20 tractor - were built for use by the Soviet, US and British Armies and examples stayed in Israeli service until the 1970s.  
 


 
  Hauling the Tortoise was an M19 tank transporter rig comprising a low-rise 40 ton Rogers M9  two American built 980/981 series Diamond T tractors.  Also known as M20s these rugged prime movers were bought by the British Purchasing Commission and used in North Africa, Italy and France. Between 1941 and 1945, 6554 M19 rigs - some with just one M20 tractor - were built for use by the Soviet, US and British Armies and examples stayed in Israeli service until the 1970s.

Diamond T 980/981s also gave long service to post-War civilian heavy hauliers and as the motive power for Australian road trains.  Founded in Chicago in 1905, Diamond T started as an automobile manufacturer before specialising in heavy trucks and by 1967 had became part of the White Motor Company, famous for its half-track vehicles.
 
 


 
And talking of tank transporters, this 1/72 scale model of American Landing Craft Air Cushioned 57 boasted no less than five military vehicles on its capacious deck and showed how far the hovercraft concept has come since its invention by Sir Christopher Cockerell, who would have been celebrating his centenary in 2010 had he not died in 1999.

And talking of tank transporters, this 1/72 scale model of American Landing Craft Air Cushioned 57 boasted no less than five military vehicles on its capacious deck and showed how far the hovercraft concept has come since its invention by Sir Christopher Cockerell, who would have been celebrating his centenary in 2010 had he not died in 1999.


And talking of tank transporters, this 1/72 scale model of American Landing Craft Air Cushioned 57 boasted no less than five military vehicles on its capacious deck and showed how far the hovercraft concept has come since its invention by Sir Christopher Cockerell, who would have been celebrating his centenary in 2010 had he not died in 1999.

In 1977, amphibious prototype designs were being evaluated for a program that would eventually produce the "Landing Craft Air Cushion" (LCAC) vehicle. The ambitious purpose of this new design was to supply American war planners with a craft that could effectively conduct a rapid air-supported amphibious assault  while being launched from ships beyond the horizon. The LCAC would fly over the sea, up the prospective invasion beach and beyond if necessary.

The selected prototype was a design sponsored by Bell Aerospace of New Orleans, Louisiana - a firm with experience in building hovercraft that were tested in the Vietnam War.
Funding started in 1982 and, by 1987, the first LCAC 1 was deployed aboard the USS Germantown (LSD-42). The last craft, LCAC 91, was delivered to the US Navy in 2001 and  the largest deployment of these craft to date consisted of 11 examples deployed in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. None were, however, combat tested.

The LCAC is launched by any US Navy surface ship featuring a "well deck" and measures 87 feet, 11 inches long and 47 feet wide. Four Avco Lycoming TF40B gas turbines with a combined 16 000 shaft horsepower rotate eight 63" diameter centrifugal fans to inflate the skirt to provide lift while two more are used for  propulsion, turning two 4 bladed 11.75' diameter reversible pitch propellers blowing across hinged rudders, steered and controlled by a "craftmaster" using a yoke and foot pedals.

Each LCAC has two ramps -  28.8 feet wide at the bow and 15 feet wide at the stern - allowing men and equipment and be unloaded simultaneously to allow the LCAC to return to the fleet for additional men or supplies. The vehicle displaces 170 tons when fully loaded while weighing 87.2 tons when light and allows for the transport of 82.7 tons of cargo with her 1,809 sq ft bay. This weight limit supports 180 fully equipped troops or an Abrams main battle tank as well as a variety of armored vehicles or cargo.  The craft can make 40 knots (47mph) under load and come ashore on 70% of the world’s coastlines, including ice, soft sand, gravel and swampland.

Since 2004 American LCACs have in turn been part of a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) extending their usefulness by some 30 years at about $20 million each. The SLEP included upgrades to the onboard electronics as well as a new buoyancy box replacement for each of the 74 craft. The expected new extended life will be from 2014 to 2027,based on the craft's original launch date.

Despite this, the LCAC remains a soft vehicle with no armour protecting the crew of five or their payload and is highly visible to radar as well as throwing up sea spay and / or dust and the gas turbines are audable for miles. LCACs have also proven difficult to reverse and take in tow if damaged. Each LCAC holds 5,000 gallons of internal fuel but needs 1,000 gallons per hour to operate, requiring 500 yards to stop and 2000 yards to turn.


   AIR POWER IN THE PACIFIC  

 
   
  After sinking the USS Houston and HMAS Perth in the Battle of the Sunda Straits on 28 February - 1 March 1942, Mogami collided with Mikuma just 90 miles from Midway Island and both vessels were heavily bombed by American aircraft in the ensuing battle of 4 - 7 June that year.  After Mikuma was sunk, Mogami limped back to Japan where she spent ten months being converted to the cruiser-carrier configuration depicted in the model.
 
 

   
Just as tanks gave new mobility to traditional artillery on land, so aircraft became an extension of the big guns at sea in the opening decades of the Twentieth Century.  At the opposite end of the scale range to the A39 Tortoise, the Imperial Japanese Navy Ship Mogami was the result of the 1930 London Naval Treaty which placed a cap on cruiser displacements of 10 000 tons.

Under these limitations, the Imperial Japanese Navy drew up plans for a  four-vessel class of light cruisers displacing 8 600 tons and saving weight through the use of small calibre - six inch - guns, an aluminium superstructure and welded rather than rivetted hull.  Armour was still such however that the new 661 feet long ships could withstand non-superstructure hits by anything but an enemy heavy cruiser or battleship and a quartet of steam turbines gave a top speed of 37 knots.

Secondary weapons included 127mm and 40mm anti-aircraft guns, ten Type 93 Long Lance torpedo tubes nd as many as four floatplanes: first the Nakajima E8N "Dave" and Mitsubishi F1M "Pete" biplanes and later the sleek and more heavily armed Aichi E13A "Jake" monoplane.

The first of the new ships was named "Mogami" in 1935 and the other three - Mikuma, Suzuya and Kumano - were in service by 1937.  In 1938 however Japan's war with China was causing tensions with the United States and the four class members were up-gunned and fitted with a second hull skin below the water line to defend against torpedo attack.  These improvements increased their displacement to 13 670 tons and put the Mogamis in the same league as the USS New Orleans and the Royal Navy "County" Class cruisers used in the Battle of the River Plate.

After sinking the USS Houston and HMAS Perth in the Battle of the Sunda Straits on 28 February - 1 March 1942, Mogami collided with Mikuma just 90 miles from Midway Island and both vessels were heavily bombed by American aircraft in the ensuing battle of 4 - 7 June that year.  After Mikuma was sunk, Mogami limped back to Japan where she spent ten months being converted to the cruiser-carrier configuration depicted in the model.

Her forward section was left that of a heavy cruiser and six of her 203mm guns were maintained, while her aft section was that of an aircraft carrier complete with a flattop, cranes, fuelling and arming facilities. After this conversion, she was able to carry up to a dozen armed seaplanes including Watanabe Aichi E13A1 "Jake" and Mitsubishi F1M "Pete" aircraft although she rarely carried that many. Her armament was augmented with a greater quantity of antiaircraft weapons and air search radar. In this configuration she was the perfect scout ship: fast and with a long range flight wing that could find any threat that she couldn’t outfight, while still far enough away that she had time to escape. Mogami's survivability seemed all but assured.

However, on the morning of 25 October 1944 Mogami, with only five aircraft on board,  found herself the only Japanese cruiser in the Philippines' Surigao Strait facing 8 modern Allied cruisers. Her accompanying pair of Japanese battleships were of no help as they were facing a half of dozen US battlewagons themselves. By the early dawn Mogami was drifting, battered and broken from heavy shell hits and bombs from the USS Denver, and USS Louisville, USS Portland as well as Grumman Avenger torpedo bombers - as represented below on the Gloucester IPMS Branch stand.

Mogami had collided with another ship and her steering compartment was wrecked. Finally her crew abandoned her and she was scuttled.  None of the other Mogami class cruisers would survive the Second World War

                                                                                                                
However, on the morning of 25 October 1944 Mogami, with only five aircraft on board,  found herself the only Japanese cruiser in the Philippines' Surigao Strait facing 8 modern Allied cruisers. Her accompanying pair of Japanese battleships were of no help as they were facing a half of dozen US battlewagons themselves. By the early dawn Mogami was drifting, battered and broken from heavy shell hits and bombs from the USS Denver,  and USS Louisville, USS Portland as well as Grumman Avenger torpedo bombers - as represented below on the Gloucester IPMS Branch stand.


The Grumman  Avenger, designed for the US Navy, was perhaps the most celebrated Allied carrier-bourne torpedo bomber of the Second World War.  It entered service in June 1942 at the Battle of Midway and went on to attack not only the Imperial Japanese Navy by torpedo and mine but land targets at Truk and Rabaul.  Avengers also flew with the Royal and Royal Canadian Navies and - after 1945 - with Japan's own Self Defence forces.
 

   
Indeed, America's involvement in the Far East did not stop in 1945 either, as witnessed by this large scale Vought Corsair II on the Warrington IPMS stand in Vietnam war colours.


Indeed, America's involvement in the Far East did not stop in 1945 either, as witnessed by this large scale Vought Corsair II on the Warrington IPMS stand in Vietnam war colours.


  DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT AT SEA
 
 

   
  The first combat role of the Douglas Skyraider has been discussed in Flashpoint Korea and the Gloucester branch of the IPMS presented ground attack versions of the aircraft in both the US Navy dark blue of the first United Nations war and the later grey livery.
 
 

   
The first combat role of the Douglas Skyraider has been discussed in Flashpoint Korea and the Gloucester branch of the IPMS presented ground attack versions of the aircraft in both the US Navy dark blue of the first United Nations war and the later grey livery.  

Also on show was a Royal Naval Airbourne Early Warning variant, distinguished by the radome between the main undercarriage and the corresponding finlets on the horizontal tailpane. Fifty AD-4W Skyraiders were supplied to the Fleet Air Arm in 1951 through America's Military Assistance Program and all were operated by 849 Naval Air Squadron, which provided four-plane detatchments to British aircraft carriers including HMS Bulwark during the 1956 Suez Crisis.  Skyraider crew training was provided by 778 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall.

The APS-20 radar sets of the Skyraiders were transferred to the replacement Fairy Gannet turbo-prop aircraft from 1960 and the last Skyraiders themselves retired from the Royal Navy in 1962.  APS-20 sets were further used in the Avro Shackleton AEW2 aircraft of the Royal Air Force from the late 1960s until 1991.
 


 
 
 Also on show was a Royal Naval Airbourne Early Warning variant, distinguished by the radome between the main undercarriage and the corresponding finlets on the horizontal tailpane. Fifty AD-4W Skyraiders were supplied to the Fleet Air Arm in 1951 through America's Military Assistance Program and all were operated by 849 Naval Air Squadron, which provided four-plane detatchments to British aircraft carriers including HMS Bulwark during the 1956 Suez Crisis.  Skyraider crew training was provided by 778 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall.  
 


 
 

The Douglas theme was continued on the Wallingford IPMS table with George Clark's model of the Dauntless made from the Monogram kit. 

The first examples of Scout Douglas Bomber ( SDB-1) Dauntless entered the US Marine Corp's VMB-2 Squadron in late 1940, its design having been influenced by the BT-1 dive bomber design of Douglas's eventual constituent Northrop.  The SBD-2 development with increased fuel capacity and revised armament joined the US Navy in early 1941 followed in March that year by the SBD-3 featuring larger and self-sealing fuel tanks, armour protection, a bullet-proof windscreen and four machine guns.  The SBD-4 was distinguished by a 24 volt electrical system and a few of these were converted to SBD-4 reconnaissance standards.

The next and most produced variant was the SBD-5, known to the Royal Navy ( as represented in the model ) as the Dauntless DB Mk1.  Over 2 400 SBD-5s were built at a new Douglas factory at Tulsa, Oklahoma and each one was fitted with increased ammunition capacity and a 1 200 bhp Wright R-1820-60 engine.

The ultimate Dauntless was the SBD-6 with even more engine power and fuel capacity.  Dauntless variants were also used by the armed forces of Mexico and by the US Army Air Force as theA-24.
 


The next and most produced variant was the SBD-5, known to the Royal Navy ( as represented in the model ) as the Dauntless DB Mk1.  Over 2 400 SBD-5s were built at a new Douglas factory at Tulsa, Oklahoma and each one was fitted with increased ammunition capacity and a 1 200 bhp Wright R-1820-60 engine.


  BRITISH NAVAL JETS  
 

   
  The Supermarine Scimitar - as modelled above - was a cousin to the Supermarine Swift and the successor both to the legendary Spitfire and to a novel solution to landing post-War jets on aircraft carriers.  Before the adoption of the angled flight deck, the British Admiralty investigated aircraft built without the weight and complexity of a retractable undercariage being catapulted off ships and recovered on a flexible rubber mat.  An experimental rubber deck at Farnborough was tested with Sea Vampire aircraft and found to just about work, but the whole concept was abandoned before Supermarine could finish designing a new naval fighter around it.
 
 

   
The Supermarine Scimitar - as modelled above - was a cousin to the Supermarine Swift and the successor both to the legendary Spitfire and to a novel solution to landing post-War jets on aircraft carriers.  Before the adoption of the angled flight deck, the British Admiralty investigated aircraft built without the weight and complexity of a retractable undercariage being catapulted off ships and recovered on a flexible rubber mat.  An experimental rubber deck at Farnborough was tested with Sea Vampire aircraft and found to just about work, but the whole concept was abandoned before Supermarine could finish designing a new naval fighter around it.

The proposed Type 505 was then developed into the 508 with conventional nosewheel, straight wings, twin engines and a butterfly tail to keep the control surfaces away from the jet exhaust.  One such aircraft was built before a second example with canon armament became the Type 529 and a third with swept wings and conventional tailplane became the Type 525, first flown on 27 April 1954.

Despite this aircraft being lost on a test flight on 5 July 1955, the Royal Navy ordered 100 (later reduced to 76) of the Rolls Royce Avon powered Supermarine development of the Type 525.  However, the Supermarine Type 544 - known to the Royal Navy as the N113 - was to fulfill the role of low level - and possibly nuclear - bomber with the fighter requirement being met by the De Havilland Sea Vixen.

Like the later examples of the Grumman Panther and later Blackburn Buccaneer, the N113 - first flown on 19 January 1956 -  was fitted with a flap blowing system in which high pressure air from the engine was directed through thin slots ahead of the flaps, thereby delaying the onset of boundary layer separation at low speeds.  This enabled the wings to fly in a stable manner at lower speeds and thereby made slower deck landings possible.

After initial carrier trials of pre-production N113s, the first production Scimitars reached the Royal Navy in August 1957 and 803 Naval Air Squadron embarked on HMS Victorious in July 1958.  Unfortunately 803's commanding officer was then killed when his Scimitar went overboard after an arrester wire failed and sank before he could escape.

Sadly 51% of Scimitars would be lost to accidents and showed the difficulty of operating such a heavy and powerful aircraft from the relatively small ( compared to the US Navy ) British aircraft carriers.  The Scimitar's low level strike role would also place a high workload on its single pilot, although in "clean" configuration formations of Scimitars entertained crowds at the SBAC Farnborough shows of the period with twinkle rolls and one even snatched a banner from the runway with its extended arrester hook!

Scimitars never went to war but their presence in the Persian Gulf in 1961 deterred Iraq from invading Kuwait, and they were readied for use in the Indonesian campaign.  The release of dummy "Red Beard" nuclear bombs was also practiced but no live rounds were ever carried in peacetime or even assembled from components kept on board ship.

The early 1960s also saw the introduction of the more advanced two seat Blackburn Buccaneer as a Scimitar replacement although the underpowered Mark 1 Buccaneer could not take off with both a full weapons and fuel load.  Until the arrival of the Rolls Royce Spey engined Buccaneer Mark 2, Scimitars were used as flying tankers to top up Buccaneers that had just been launched and continued in second rank duties with the Fleet Air Arm until 1970.
 

   
  One of the joys of an IPMS exhibition is that aircraft of the same type are often modelled in more than one scale, such as the De Havilland Sea Vixen FAW 2 modelled in 1/72 above and 1/48 below, the latter being assembled from the Dynevector kit by George Clark of Wallingford IPMS and representing XJ580 / 131 of 899 Naval Air Squadron from HMS Eagle.
 
 

   
One of the joys of an IPMS exhibition is that aircraft of the same type are often modelled in more than one scale, such as the De Havilland Sea Vixen FAW 2 modelled in 1/72 above and 1/48 below, the latter being assembled from the Dynevector kit by George Clark of Wallingford IPMS and representing XJ580 / 131 of 899 Naval Air Squadron from HMS Eagle.

The De Havilland Sea Vixen has a special place in British aviation history as both the last British designed fighter to be catapulted from an aircraft carrier and as the last of a line of De Havilland twin boom fighters dating bact to the First World War.  Indeed, De Havilland's pusher propeller DH2 helped found what became the Gloster Aircraft Company and the life of Gloster's final fighter design, the delta winged Javelin, was entwined with that of the Sea Vixen.

Indeed, had the Royal Air Force not selected the Gloster GA5 Javelin prototype - first flown on 26 November 1951 - to replace its Armstrong-Whitworth built Meteor Night Fighters then twin boom swept wing aircraft made in Hatfeld might have been in service with both Royal Navy and RAF, just as both services had operated the earlier straight winged Vampire and Venom.  

As it was, the Navy only came back to the DH 110 idea after an advanced swept wing single fuselage Sea Venom variant was cancelled.  Luckily for them, De Havilland had continued work on two prototypes ordered by the RAF as an insurance against the GA5 project failing, the first of which - WG 236 - first flew with John Cunningham at the controls on 26 September 1951.  This aircraft would fly supersonically with John Derry and observer Tony Richards on board on 9 April 1952 and, tragically, shed its wings and crash on 6 September 1952 at the Farnborough Air Show.  As well as Derry and Richards, 27 spectators were killed and a further 63 injured in Britain's worst ever air show calamity.

Following the loss of WG 236, the second prototype - WG 240, first flown on 25 July 1952 - was strengthened and redesigned before undertaking carrier landing trials and the first Sea Vixen Fighter All Weather Mark 1 was delivered to 700 Naval Air Squadron in November 1957.  

As well as four infra-red Firestreak air-to-air missiles, these early Sea Vixens were armed with unguided rockets in pop-out boxes instead of guns although a more obvious feature was the offset fighter style canopy for the pilot ( similar to later marks of English Electric Canberra ) and the observer's position to the right but lower down in the aircraft. This soon became known as the coal-hole because of the almost total lack of a view out of it, and it was not a popular arrangement.

The Sea Vixen attracted much interest from many NATO countries and even Sea Venom customer Australia although, like the Gloster Javelin, a thin wing version supersonic in level flight was cancelled in 1956 just before the infamous Duncan Sandys Defence White Paper of 1957.

What did survive to join the fleet in 1963 however was the Sea Vixen FAW2, as represented in both the IPMS models and recognisable by larger tail booms that extended over the front of the wing's leading edge.  These booms were to house both Electronic Counter Measures equipment and additional fuel capacity while armament was upgraded to Red Top missiles ( capable of attacking from a range of angles rather than the rear -approach Firestreak ) and the Bullpup air-to-ground munition.  The latter, which was also carried by Supermarine Scimitar and Blackburn Buccaneer aircraft,  required the launching aircraft to fly alongside it to the target thus negating any benefit of being a stand-off weapon.  The Sea Vixen FAW2 also featured a one-piece pilot's canopy and - on later examples - bulged observer's hatch with a frangible window for easier escape by ejector seat.

Despite the work of Sea Vixens - and Scimitars - from HMS Victorious deterring President Kassem of Iraq from invading Kuwait in 1961 and the subsequent role of British carrier aircraft in Tanganyika in 1964, Rhodesia in 1966 and the withdrawal from Aden in 1967 the 1966 Defence White Paper ( this time put forward by a Labour government ) cancelled the hoped for new CVA-01 flat top just as the RAF's TSR2 had been axed two years before.

This decision, combined with the introduction of the McDonell Douglas Phantom II to the Fleet Air Arm,  caused the last Sea Vixen Naval Air Squadron to be disbanded in 1972 despite there being years of life left in the airframes.  By this time however, many of the Sea Vixen's systems were becoming outdated, in particular the radar which lacked the "look down" capacity to detect intruders approaching fast at wavetop height.

Before their departure however Sea Vixens were used by two Royal Naval aerobatic teams - Fred's Five and Simon's Sircus -the latter being named after Lt. Cdr. Simon Idiens.  Despite giving only 40 displays, Simon's Sircus is regarded by many as one of the best air display teams ever.

After retirement from Naval service, several Sea Vixens were modified to D.3 missile target drone standard but as they were then considered too expensive to be destroyed in such a casual manner and ended up being used to train drone pilots in the techniques of flying an aircraft by remote control. The D.3 conversion process itself turned out to be more expensive than expected, so only five or so D.3 conversions went ahead and an even smaller number of aircraft were converted to TT.2 target tug standard. Thankfully one of the D.3s - now registered as G-CVIX - survives to become a regular airshow performer - and the most complex civilian-operated type on the UK register until Vulcan XH558 was returned to the air.


What did survive to join the fleet in 1963 however was the Sea Vixen FAW2, as represented in both the IPMS models and recognisable by larger tail booms that extended over the front of the wing's leading edge.  These booms were to house both Electronic Counter Measures equipment and additional fuel capacity while armament was upgraded to Red Top missiles ( capable of attacking from a range of angles rather than the rear -approach Firestreak ) and the Bullpup air-to-ground munition.  The latter, which was also carried by Supermarine Scimitar and Blackburn Buccaneer aircraft,  required the launching aircraft to fly alongside it to the target thus negating any benefit of being a stand-off weapon.  The Sea Vixen FAW2 also featured a one-piece pilot's canopy and - on later examples - bulged observer's hatch with a frangible window for easier escape by ejector seat.


Before their departure however Sea Vixens were used by two Royal Naval aerobatic teams - Fred's Five and Simon's Sircus -the latter being named after Lt. Cdr. Simon Idiens.  Despite giving only 40 displays, Simon's Sircus is regarded by many as one of the best air display teams ever.


Developed from earlier land based versions of the vertical/ short take off and landing Hawker Siddeley Harrier, the BAe Systems Sea Harrier FRS1 entered Royal Navy service in 1978 while the later FA2 version of the "Shar" ( as modelled above ) was withdrawn in March 2006 and replaced by the Harrier GR9. The first Sea Harriers were ordered in 1975 to serve on the new Invincible Class "through deck cruisers" which were built instead of the CVA-01 fleet carriers cancelled in the 1960s.  These were ultimately characterised by "ski jump" ramps on the bows to allow Harriers to take off from them with heavier payloads.
 

   
  Developed from earlier land based versions of the vertical/ short take off and landing Hawker Siddeley Harrier, the BAe Systems Sea Harrier FRS1 entered Royal Navy service in 1978 while the later FA2 version of the "Shar" ( as modelled above ) was withdrawn in March 2006 and replaced by the Harrier GR9. The first Sea Harriers were ordered in 1975 to serve on the new Invincible Class "through deck cruisers" which were built instead of the CVA-01 fleet carriers cancelled in the 1960s.  These were ultimately characterised by "ski jump" ramps on the bows to allow Harriers to take off from them with heavier payloads.

Like its immediate Harrier GR3 ancestor, the Sea Harrier was powered by a single Rolls Royce Pegasus turbofan engine with two intakes and four exhaust nozzles which can be vectored back and forth.  By using a cockpit lever, the pilot can point the nozzles straight down for vertical flight, back for normal flight or even slightly forward of the vertical to fly backwards.
The Sea Harrier also retained the distinctive bicycle undercarriage with wingtip outriggers and boasted three fuselage and four wing pylons for carrying weapons and extra fuel tanks.

The bubble canopy was optimized towards air defence and the front fuselage was extended to accommodate the Ferranti- (now BAe Systems) Blue Fox radar.  Parts were also changed to use corrosion resistant alloys or coatings added to protect against the marine environment. 

Perhaps best remembered for their role in the 1982 Falklands Conflict, Sea Harriers operating from HMS Invincible and HMS Hermes shot down 21 Argentine aircraft with no air-to-air losses, although two Sea Harriers were lost to ground fire and four to accidents.  Although slower than the Mirage III aircraft ranged against them, the Sea Harriers were more agile and in particular could use their exhaust nozzles to slow down rapidly ( Vector in Forward Flight, or VIFF ) so that their opponents would overtake them and become targets for their Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.

Sea Harriers later took part in United Nations actions against rogue states in the Balkans in the 1990s.
 
 

 
   OLD FRIENDS REVISITED  
 


 
   One of the connections between the 2009 and 2010 IPMS shows at Churchdown was the abundance of three types of American jet aircraft - the General Dynamics F-16, McDonnell Douglas Phantom II and Lockheed F-104 Starfighter.  The F-16, discussed in more depth in The American Jet Age on this website, that partcularly caught my eye was Royal Netherlands Air Force J-253 pictured above in the special air display colours of 313 Squadron in May 1994.  The Block 10 F-16A would later be painted in another scheme to represent 312 Squadron at the 1996 Tiger Meet and has since been sold to the Royal Jordanian Air Force.  
 

   
One of the connections between the 2009 and 2010 IPMS shows at Churchdown was the abundance of three types of American jet aircraft - the General Dynamics F-16, McDonnell Douglas Phantom II and Lockheed F-104 Starfighter.  The F-16, discussed in more depth in The American Jet Age on this website, that partcularly caught my eye was Royal Netherlands Air Force J-253 pictured above in the special air display colours of 313 Squadron in May 1994.  The Block 10 F-16A would later be painted in another scheme to represent 312 Squadron at the 1996 Tiger Meet and has since been sold to the Royal Jordanian Air Force.


  Standing out among the other Phantoms meanwhile was this Fly By Wire YF-4E numbered USAF 62-12200, the 12" to the foot version of which is now preserved at Wright-Patterson AFB at Dayton, Ohio.
 
 

   
   In April 1972, 62-12200 was further modified as a test bed for a fly-by-wire control system. before gaining its canard surfaces and special controls in 1974 as part of the Precision Aircraft Control Technology (PACT) program. It first flew in this configuration on 29 April  1974 and was retired in 1979.  
 

   
Standing out among the other Phantoms meanwhile was this Fly By Wire YF-4E numbered USAF 62-12200, the 12" to the foot version of which is now preserved at Wright-Patterson AFB at Dayton, Ohio.

First flown on 9 August 1963, 62-12200 began life as the first RF-4C Phantom II, developed from the F-4B fighter version.  As such it had the extended nose of the later production RF-4C but was not fitted with cameras or other reconnaissance systems.  

Once this test program had been completed, 62-12200 was modified to serve as the aerodynamic prototype of the Phantom F-4E, flying in this configuration on 7 August 1965. It was later used in Project Agile Eagle to test leading edge manoeuvering slats that were fitted to late production F-4Es and later still fitted with a slotted stabilator and various composite material components such as a beryllium rudder. 

In April 1972, 62-12200 was further modified as a test bed for a fly-by-wire control system. before gaining its canard surfaces and special controls in 1974 as part of the Precision Aircraft Control Technology (PACT) program. It first flew in this configuration on 29 April  1974 and was retired in 1979. 

 

   
The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, examined as a type both in the coverage of the 2009 IPMS show and this website's Wider, Bluer Yonder article, was represented at Churchdown in 2010 both in 1/72 scale  ( Belgian AF two seater, above ) and in 1/48 by Brian Rose of the Salisbury branch of the IPMS.  Both models originated from Hasegawa kits and the ability of larger models to showcase detail was amply demonstrated by the Mira based 336 (Olympus) Squadron machine with the Greek Air Force serial FG-7409.  The F-104A of 9 Squadron of Pakistan's Air Force meanwhile was portrayed in its more battle-ready condition of 1965.  
 

   
  The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, examined as a type both in the coverage of the 2009 IPMS show and this website's Wider, Bluer Yonder article, was represented at Churchdown in 2010 both in 1/72 scale  ( Belgian AF two seater, above ) and in 1/48 by Brian Rose of the Salisbury branch of the IPMS.  Both models originated from Hasegawa kits and the ability of larger models to showcase detail was amply demonstrated by the Mira based 336 (Olympus) Squadron machine with the Greek Air Force serial FG-7409.  The F-104A of 9 Squadron of Pakistan's Air Force meanwhile was portrayed in its more battle-ready condition of 1965.  
 

   
   The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, examined as a type both in the coverage of the 2009 IPMS show and this website's Wider, Bluer Yonder article, was represented at Churchdown in 2010 both in 1/72 scale  ( Belgian AF two seater, above ) and in 1/48 by Brian Rose of the Salisbury branch of the IPMS.  Both models originated from Hasegawa kits and the ability of larger models to showcase detail was amply demonstrated by the Mira based 336 (Olympus) Squadron machine with the Greek Air Force serial FG-7409.  The F-104A of 9 Squadron of Pakistan's Air Force meanwhile was portrayed in its more battle-ready condition of 1965.  
 

   
The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, examined as a type both in the coverage of the 2009 IPMS show and this website's Wider, Bluer Yonder article, was represented at Churchdown in 2010 both in 1/72 scale  ( Belgian AF two seater, above ) and in 1/48 by Brian Rose of the Salisbury branch of the IPMS.  Both models originated from Hasegawa kits and the ability of larger models to showcase detail was amply demonstrated by the Mira based 336 (Olympus) Squadron machine with the Greek Air Force serial FG-7409.  The F-104A of 9 Squadron of Pakistan's Air Force meanwhile was portrayed in its more battle-ready condition of 1965.
 

 
 
   THE RED CARPET TREATMENT  
 

 
 
   Making an interesting comparison with the many equivalent British and American aircraft types was this display of Soviet technology presented by the Avon Scale Model Society.  
 

 
 
  Making an interesting comparison with the many equivalent British and American aircraft types was this display of Soviet technology presented by the Avon Scale Model Society.

Starting at the top of the picture with its rear loading ramp deployed was an Ilyushin Il-76 ( NATO code name Candid ) in Aeroflot colours next to a grey Beriev Be-10 ("Mallow") twin jet flying boat.  

The graceful white four-engined swing-wing bomber was a Tupolev Tu-160 ("Blackjack") while the smaller variable geometry bomber with the two raised butterfly canopies was a Tupolev Tu-22M ("Backfire").  

Next to the Backfire was a black tipped red bodied Kh-22  (AS-4 "Kitchen") stand-off missile while partly captured at the bottom of the frame with its two lowered ejection seats was a Myasishchev M-50 "Bounder".

Entering service in 1974, the IL-76 was a medium-range military transport aircraft capable of dropping paratroops and carrying medium sized tanks or equivalent heavy loads in much the same way as the 1963 vintage Lockheed C-141 Starlifter. Similarly, just as the Starlifter complimented Lockheed's smaller tactical transport the C-130 Hercules so the Il-76 provided a greater capacity than the Antonov An-12 "Cub".  The basic T-tailed high wing format was later developed into the Il-78 "Midas" flight refuelling tanker and the A-40 "Mainstay" Airbourne Early Warning aircraft.

The Beriev Be-10 'Mallow' meanwhile has the distinction of being the only turbojet-powered flying-boat in the world to have attained true production status and as such makes a contrast to the Saunders Roe RA A1 at one time based at the Skyfame Museum in Staverton. Developed from the one-off 1952 vintage Beriev R-1, the Be-10 flew for the first time on 20 July 1956 and was first seen in public on the 1961 Soviet Aviation Day, when four of the type flew past in formation. During that summer, and under the designation M-10, the Beriev Be-10 established no fewer than 12 world class records. Outstanding among them were a speed record over a 15/25km course of 912km/h, piloted by Nikolai Andrievskii; a speed of 875.86km/h over a 1000km closed circuit with a payload of 5000kg; and an altitude record of 12733m with a 10000kg payload, the latter two records attained with Georgi Buryanov at the controls.  Armament comprised two 23mm NS-23 cannon in the nose, plus two more operated under radar control in a tail barbette.

First flown on 19 December 1981, the Tu-160M entered service with 184 Guards Bomber Regiment, based at Priluki, Ukraine in May 1987. About 38 airframes were built and the type holds 44 international aviation records, established in 1989 and 1990.  The Tu-160 - which features an all-flying horizontal tail - can be refuelled by the probe and rogue method, the probe retracting into the nose ahead of the cockpit. Known as "White Swans" to their crew, a number of Russian examples of the largest swing-wing combat aircraft ever built - which is also the World's fastest bomber and has the greatest payload - have been named after Russian knights and heroes.

Despite the USSR disappearing almost 20 years ago, Tu-160s still fly training missions across the North Sea towards the British Isles once a month and are shadowed on these occasions by RAF Tornado and Typhoon fighters.

Also from the Tupolev design bureau was the Tu-22M swing-wing supersonic medium bomber, developed during the 1960s to replace both the swept wing Tu-16 "Badger" and Tu-22 "Blinder", the latter being easily recognisable by the engines on either side of the tail fin.  Common to all three designs however was the main undercarriage components being located part way along each wing, thus allowing only a third of the "Backfire"'s span to swing. 

Although having a plan view similar to the American Rockwell B-1B Lancer, the Tu-22M has just two engines, located in the fuselage and fed with air by intakes similar to those found on the Sukhoi Su-24 and Panavia Tornado.  

The Tu-22M has a crew of four: commander (left front), co-pilot (right front), communications officer (left rear) and navigator (right rear) - all sitting on KT-1 ejection seats which fire up, a much improvement after the downward firing seats in the Tu-22 Blinder. The rear crew have no forward visibility, but have a large side window each.

The aircraft can be equipped with up to three Kh-22 air-to-surface missiles, with one under each wing and a third under its belly, semi-recessed into the bomb bay. The second ASM option is the Kh-15 (NATO AS-16 'Kickback') on a six-round launcher carried in the bomb bay. Up to four external bomb racks can be equipped, each rack capable of carrying nine conventional 250kg general purpose bombs or 500, 1500 and 3000 kg munitions. The Tu-22M is equipped with a Leninets PN-A attack radar in the nose and a OPB-15T television sight for optical bomb aiming located below the fuselage just in front of the nose gear.

However, under Strategic Arms Limitation Treaties signed with the United States, TU-22Ms had their refuelling capacities removed.

Finally in this section, work on the supersonic intercontinental Myasishchev M-50 "Bounder" began in 1956 with the intention of the four engined delta winged bomber launching a supersonic long-range M-61 cruise missile, also developed the Myasishchyev design bureau. As such it fulfilled a similar role to the British Avro Vulcan and Blue Steel stand-off missile but with size and performance more akin to the North American XB-70 Valkyrie.

The prototype M-50 first flew on 27 October 1959 although only the second prototype was powered by the Zubets engines - fitted under and on the tip of each wing - around which the concept was designed.  

However, just as the Avro 730 and XB-70 in the West were to be cancelled due to cost cutting and the incresing promise of land and submarine based missiles, so Nikita Khruschev, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) made a speech at the Decembe1960 Supreme Soviet session in which he proclaimed the inexpedience of the further development of military aircraft.

The Soviet leader, fascinated by the triumph of Russian space technology and exploration, directed that all the tasks formerly executed by the combat aircraft be performed by guided missiles of various types and the Council of Ministers and the CPSU Central Committee issued a joint decree terminating work on new aircraft. The first victims of the decree were the Lavochkin and Myasischev aircraft design bureaus, just as Gloster and Supermarine were to close due to lack of requirement for new aircraft types.

Surprisingly little is known about the Bounder. One writer commented that it was "an outstanding failure which revealed an embarassing lack of understanding of the problems of high-speed flight" - and similar lack of know-how was to plague the building and deployment of the Tupolev Tu-144 "Concordski" later in the 1960s.  More immediately however, the crew did not just have downward firing ejector seats but ones that lowered from the cockpit for access after climbing up a very tall A-frame ladder.  Rather you than me comrade!

 

 
   
1/144 SCALE AIRLINERS


The Boeing Stratocruiser ( as seen in Transocean colours on the Telford IPMS stand )  started life in 1944 as a military transport - the Stratofreighter - using the wings, tail, undercarriage and other components of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber allied to a novel "double bubble" pressurised fuselage.  Although Stratofreighters served in their hundreds with the USAF, only 56 civilian Stratocruisers were built withaccommodations for between 55 and 100 passengers or 28 sleeping berths and five seats. All versions featured a lower-deck lounge and bar, an innovation which, combined with a long range and high speed, set a new standard for luxurious air travel.



Having an interest in 1/144 scale airliners with Terminal 1 I was pleased to see this sub-genre represented by at least one classic piston engined machine and some more modern gas turbine types.  

The Boeing Stratocruiser ( as seen in Transocean colours on the Telford IPMS stand )  started life in 1944 as a military transport - the Stratofreighter - using the wings, tail, undercarriage and other components of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber allied to a novel "double bubble" pressurised fuselage.  Although Stratofreighters served in their hundreds with the USAF, only 56 civilian Stratocruisers were built withaccommodations for between 55 and 100 passengers or 28 sleeping berths and five seats. All versions featured a lower-deck lounge and bar, an innovation which, combined with a long range and high speed, set a new standard for luxurious air travel.

As with many great American aircraft, the Stratocruiser was first introduced into service by Pan American World Airways in 1949 with service between San Francisco and Honolulu, Hawaii. Pan American placed the first order for 20 Stratocruisers, worth $24 million and eventually owned about half of all Stratocruisers built. Five other airlines operated the type and it was Boeing's first significant success selling passenger planes to airlines in other countries. BOAC took delivery of its first aircraft in the same year as Pan Am, and began transatlantic services in December. The Stratocruiser remained as flagships on the Atlantic run until forced out of service by the first generation of long-range Boeing 707 jet airliners.

BOAC had a fleet of 17 Boeing Stratocruisers and 10 of these were sold to Oakland, California based  charter and contract airline Transocean on the completion of their ten years of service. These ten Stratocruisers had an eventual capacity of 117 seats!



From 10 April 2010 Iberia  - the national flag carrier of Spain , founded in 1927 - agreed to merge with British Airways under the overall name International Airlines Group although both historic companies will continue to trade under their existing names.  Boeing 727 EC-CAJ ( constructors number 20593/833, named Cataluna ) was the second such aircraft in the Iberia fleet and is seen here in a hybrid of new tail and old fuselage markings from the early 1980s.


The Boeing 727 ( Iberia) and BAC 1-11 ( British Caledonian ) types appeared together in Dan Air and Laker liveries respectively at the Autumn 2009 Cheltenham GWR Modeller's Exhibition and are further explored in the feature Flying Down to Cheltenham.  

From 10 April 2010 Iberia  - the national flag carrier of Spain , founded in 1927 - agreed to merge with British Airways under the overall name International Airlines Group although both historic companies will continue to trade under their existing names.  Boeing 727 EC-CAJ ( constructors number 20593/833, named Cataluna ) was the second such aircraft in the Iberia fleet and is seen here in a hybrid of new tail and old fuselage markings from the early 1980s.


BAC 1-11 model 201AC - as featured in the Airfix kit - carried the constructors number 085 and was registered as G-ASTJ for British United on 9 November 1965.  British Caledonian markings applied from 1 November 1971 to 30 December 1981 after which the twin rear jet machine was owned by a number of American carriers as N107EX, then EI-BWS and XA-RTN before being stored at Monterray, California from July 1993.


British Caledonian was founded in 1970 from the gradual merger of 17 other airlines including Bristol Type 170 Mark 32 Superfreighter users Silver City and can thus trace its roots back to Airwork at Heston Aerodrome in 1928.  Constituent British United Airways was the launch customer of the BAC 1-11 and - 200 series aircraft G-ASJJ first flew to Genoa on 9 April 1965.  

BAC 1-11 model 201AC - as featured in the Airfix kit - carried the constructors number 085 and was registered as G-ASTJ for British United on 9 November 1965.  British Caledonian markings applied from 1 November 1971 to 30 December 1981 after which the twin rear jet machine was owned by a number of American carriers as N107EX, then EI-BWS and XA-RTN before being stored at Monterray, California from July 1993.  


Not far away from the 1/144 scale model of G-ASTJ was this 1/72 representation of its cousin the Hunting Jet Provost, as further described in Universal Work's tribute to English Electric. Parked on the Gloucester IPMS table next to a contemporary Scottish Aviation Bulldog - itself a relative of the Twin Pioneer - Jet Provost T5A XW428 has been flying in the United States as N4311M since 1994 after finishing its RAF career.  It is shown in the 1974 season markings of the 3 Flying Training School display team The Swords.


Not far away from the 1/144 scale model of G-ASTJ was this 1/72 representation of its cousin the Hunting Jet Provost, as further described in Universal Work's tribute to English Electric. Parked on the Gloucester IPMS table next to a contemporary Scottish Aviation Bulldog - itself a relative of the Twin Pioneer - Jet Provost T5A XW428 has been flying in the United States as N4311M since 1994 after finishing its RAF career.  It is shown in the 1974 season markings of the 3 Flying Training School display team The Swords.

This team flew four Jet Provost T Mk 5s, and appeared at shows across the UK, including the International Air Tattoo at Greenham Common. The team's aircraft had modified colour schemes, with a small RAF Leeming crest painted on the side of the nose, and "The Swords" was placed in small scripted writing on the engine intakes. Other changes included a blue stripe being painted from the cockpit


THE CLASH OF THE DANGER MEN


Among the final U-boat types to be introduced was the Type XXVIIB Seehund ( Seal ) as modelled by Peter Smith of Salisbury IPMS from the ICM kit.  These boats had a displacement of 17 tons submerged, a crew of 2 and carried two underslung torpedoes of type G7e. The Seehund had the range of 300 km at 7 knots and could attack on the surface in weather up to 4 on the Beufort scale but had to be almost stationary for submerged attacks. About 50 Seehund boats had an additional fuel storage that gave them a range of 300 miles at 7 knots surfaced and 63 miles at 3 knots submerged.


On 27 March 1945 two of the most hazardous professions of World War II met when RAF Bomber Command's 617 Squadron bombed the U-Boat Pens at Farge, Germany.  These pens were one of the largest concrete structures on Earth at the time and sheltered the Nazi submarines that had come close to strangling Britain's supply lines from its Empire and the USA during close to the Battle of The Atlantic.  

Among the final U-boat types to be introduced was the Type XXVIIB Seehund ( Seal ) as modelled by Peter Smith of Salisbury IPMS from the ICM kit.  These boats had a displacement of 17 tons submerged, a crew of 2 and carried two underslung torpedoes of type G7e. The Seehund had the range of 300 km at 7 knots and could attack on the surface in weather up to 4 on the Beufort scale but had to be almost stationary for submerged attacks. About 50 Seehund boats had an additional fuel storage that gave them a range of 300 miles at 7 knots surfaced and 63 miles at 3 knots submerged.

These saw limited action at Dungeness, while in September 1943 British midget submarines had damaged the German battleship Tirpitz in a Norwegian fijord, ultimately paving the way for the destruction of the vessel that Winston Churchill referred to as "The Beast" by RAF Bomber Command on 12 November 1944.


Of the 20 Lancasters used on the 27 March 1945 raid, 14 were equipped with the huge 22 000 lb Grand Slam Bombs – the highest number ever used on a single mission. Two Grand Slams found their target and detonated rendering the pens unusable.  No aircraft were lost.


Of the 20 Lancasters used on the 27 March 1945 raid, 14 were equipped with the huge 22 000 lb Grand Slam Bombs – the highest number ever used on a single mission. Two Grand Slams found their target and detonated rendering the pens unusable.  No aircraft were lost.  

The raid was led by Group Captain Johnny Fauquier, a Canadian who assumed command of 617 Sqn in December 1944.  He flew PD119, YZ-J, which was possibly the most distinctive of 617 Sqn, B.1 (Special) Lancasters.  Whilst the aircraft wore a daylight camouflage its port rear rudder was damaged, probably by flak on 21 March and with no replacements readily available one was ‘borrowed’ from another plane which wore a black night camouflage scheme. It remained this way until the end of the war.

The Grand Slam - like the earlier Tallboy used against the Tirpitz and the bouncing Upkeep bomb - had been invented by Barnes Wallis and was so large that the B1 Special Lancasters that carried it had no conventional bomb bay but a space for the weapon to be semi recessed into the lower fuselage.  To compensate for the huge weight too, the dorsal and nose turrets were deleted and faired over.

As history records, the Third Reich surrendered to encircling Allied forces in May 1945, defeated in part by both the manufacturing capacity and technical progress made by the United States, Britain and the USSR.  In response, German designers and industrialists devised a range of innovative countermeasures - often using up vast resources for little practical result but yielding a wealth of experimental data and inspiration for the victors.



The Arado Ar E.555-1 concept was to have been constructed entirely of metal (both steel and Duraluminum) with a pressurized cockpit in its short, circular cross section forward fuselage. Two large vertical fins and rudders sat 6.2 m (20' 4") from the centreline of the aircraft and the main undercarriage consisted of two tandem dual wheeled units that retracted inwards into the wing and a single, dual wheeled unit that retracted to the rear to lie beneath the cockpit. A droppable auxilliary landing gear could also be used for overload conditions.


Such was the theme taken up by the Lancashire based A580 Modellers with their representation of the Arado Ar E555-1.

In mid-December 1943 work began at Arado on a flying wing project series which would ultimately lead to plans for 15 different applications although by early 1944 the Reich Air Ministry was channeling the draughtsmen at Landeshut/Schlesien toward a jet powered bomber with a payload of at least 4000 kg (8818 lbs) and a range of 5000 km (3107 miles).

The Arado Ar E.555-1 concept was to have been constructed entirely of metal (both steel and Duraluminum) with a pressurized cockpit in its short, circular cross section forward fuselage. Two large vertical fins and rudders sat 6.2 m (20' 4") from the centreline of the aircraft and the main undercarriage consisted of two tandem dual wheeled units that retracted inwards into the wing and a single, dual wheeled unit that retracted to the rear to lie beneath the cockpit. A droppable auxilliary landing gear could also be used for overload conditions.

Power was to be provided by six BMW 003A on the rear upper surface of the wing and defensive armament consisted of two MK 103 30mm cannon in the wing roots near the cockpit, a remote controlled turret armed with two MG 151/20 20mm cannon located just behind the cockpit and a further two MG 151/20 20mm cannon in a remote controlled tail turret, which was controlled via a periscope in a pressurized weapons station behind the cockpit area.
         
However, on 28 December 1944 Arado was ordered to cease all work on the E.555 series, probably due to the worsening war situation and the need to concentrate aircraft development and production on fighters.
 


Elsewhere in the show and in contrast to the geometric lines of the Arado flying wing was this large scale Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-2 being prepared for flight while one of the crew finishes refuelling his dog.


Elsewhere in the show and in contrast to the geometric lines of the Arado flying wing was this large scale Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-2 being prepared for flight while one of the crew finishes refuelling his dog.

Elsewhere in the show and in contrast to the geometric lines of the Arado flying wing was this large scale Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-2 being prepared for flight while one of the crew finishes refuelling his dog.


THE NIGHT FIGHTER SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP


Last but not least the Night Fighter Special Interest Group of the International Plastic Modelling Society was by its very nature able to field some very diverse yet connected models, including two fitted with American built ASH airbourne radar.  This was installed in the white starboard wing pod of the single seat Vought Corsair above and also in the narrow shrew-like nose of the De Havilland Sea Hornet below.  Although best remembered as a single seat fighter, ASH fitted Sea Hornets equipped three Fleet Air Arm Squadrons and could also be distinguished by the radar observer's dome between the fin and pilot's cockpit.  Although ASH radar scopes were designed to face the direction of travel, they were installed  in the two-seater Sea Hornet facing the rear, thus forcing the observer to recognise and report blips moving from left to right as representing contacts moving from right to left!


Last but not least the Night Fighter Special Interest Group of the International Plastic Modelling Society was by its very nature able to field some very diverse yet connected models, including two fitted with American built ASH airbourne radar.  This was installed in the white starboard wing pod of the single seat Vought Corsair above and also in the narrow shrew-like nose of the De Havilland Sea Hornet below.  Although best remembered as a single seat fighter, ASH fitted Sea Hornets equipped three Fleet Air Arm Squadrons and could also be distinguished by the radar observer's dome between the fin and pilot's cockpit.  Although ASH radar scopes were designed to face the direction of travel, they were installed  in the two-seater Sea Hornet facing the rear, thus forcing the observer to recognise and report blips moving from left to right as representing contacts moving from right to left!


Last but not least the Night Fighter Special Interest Group of the International Plastic Modelling Society was by its very nature able to field some very diverse yet connected models, including two fitted with American built ASH airbourne radar.  This was installed in the white starboard wing pod of the single seat Vought Corsair above and also in the narrow shrew-like nose of the De Havilland Sea Hornet below.  Although best remembered as a single seat fighter, ASH fitted Sea Hornets equipped three Fleet Air Arm Squadrons and could also be distinguished by the radar observer's dome between the fin and pilot's cockpit.  Although ASH radar scopes were designed to face the direction of travel, they were installed  in the two-seater Sea Hornet facing the rear, thus forcing the observer to recognise and report blips moving from left to right as representing contacts moving from right to left!


And finally for Gloucestershire Transport History, how could I resist this splendid diorama - including a scratchbuilt control tower - with not one but two Meteor Night Fighters?


And finally for Gloucestershire Transport History, how could I resist this splendid diorama - including a scratchbuilt control tower - with not one but two Meteor Night Fighters?