Subject: Re: Mosquito Contribution...
From: "Steve Bamford" <[email-masked]>
To: "Ingebrethsen, Kyrre" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 00:14:41 -0700

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ingebrethsen, Kyrre" <[email-masked]>
To: "'SteveARC'" <[email-masked]>
Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2001 1:29 PM
Subject: Mosquito Contribution...

> > Hi Steve...
> > I've taken a few pic's of my 1:48 Mossie which I thought you could post
on
> > ARC.  Should you find any typos or cases of incredibly bad English do
> > please rectify at will...
> The picture NELbw I got from someone (Can't remember the name) and is the
> same as the one I found in WOF. The origin is unknown and whether you want
> to use it is up to you. I've tried to make the article so that it doesn't
> matter too much whether one has seen the pic or not...
> The pictures were taken with my new Fuji Finepix 40i at best quality and
> downsized in Microsoft Photo Editor. Hopefully I got the sizes right, if
> not, please let me know...
>
> Regards,
> Kyrre
>  <>
> >
> >  <>  <>  <>  <>
> > <>  <>  <>  <>
> >
> Here's the article I've written :
>
> Coastal Command's DeHavilland Mosquito Mk VI
>
> > A couple of years back I got interrested in the history of Coastal
Command
> > (CC) operations against targets along the coast of Norway during WW2.
> > (Comes with my heritage. I'm Norwegian.. :-)
> > Compared to Fighter- and Bomber Command's achievements, Coastal
Command's
> > struggles are somewhat unknown to the general public. Not many books are
> > available on the subject and the one's you'll find available are quite
> > often "insufficient" in their coverage from a modeller's point of view,
> > with mis-identifications in the photographs and the descriptions often
> > being a bit too vague when it comes to aircraft types, serials and
> > squadrons. As my stack of books on CC-action in/over Norwegian waters
> > grows (right next to the evergrowing pile of unbuilt kits) I feel that
I'm
> > just about to get under the surface... only to discover that it's a long
> > way to the bottom...
> > Enough with the metaphors.
> >
> Subject, goal, timespan...
> > A lot has been said on the Tamiya Mosquito in 1:48. I just think it's an
> > excellent kit. Period. In December '99, with the Norwegian National's in
> > February 2000 in mind, (Carrot needed to finish the kit) I got the
Eduard
> > detail-set and MDC's camera-nose and started building, not having
settled
> > on which scheme to paint my model in...
> > Building was a breeze, and by late January '00 I was getting to the
point
> > where I had to decide how I'd like to paint my Mossie. I found  a
picture
> > of a 143 Sqn machine in an issue of Wings Of Fame reportedly taken in
> > February '45, and the weathered and worn look of the aircraft made the
> > decision easy. A bit of research established the serial of NE*L to be
> > HR414.
> >
> > At this point let me say a little bit about the Strike Wings of Coastal
> > Command:
> >
> > June '44 saw the introduction of the Mosquito to 143 Sqn, too late for
> > them to take part in the Normandie invasion along with the Beaufighter
> > squadrons of the Coastal Command Strike Wings. Nevertheless they were
soon
> > operational, as also were 235 and 248 Sqn's, flying both the Mk VI and
the
> > cannon armed Mk XVIII Tse Tse. Most Strike Wings Squadrons were in the
> > summer of '44 detached to stations in South East England to assist in
the
> > pounding on the German forces, many ships being sunk in close
cooperation
> > with the Royal Navy on the West coast of France.
> >
> > As the Allied Forces got well inland all Strike Wings Squadrons were
moved
> > North with the exeption of 236 and 254 Sqn's who remained stationed at
> > North Coates. By October '44 the Beaufighter squadrons were established
at
> > Dallachy, while the Mosquito's operated out of Banff, both stations
being
> > rather "rough" while situated in the extreme North of Scotland. Their
main
> > targets were German shipping stretching from the Dutch coast to Aalesund
> > on the West coast of Norway. And the losses were heavy.
> >
> > A standard attack would feature two socalled "outriders", very often
> > Mosquito's from the Norwegian 333 Sqn, looking for suitable targets in
the
> > many fjords and inlets. Once the target was found it didn't take long
> > before the main strike force approached, having been "on call" offshore.
> > Mossie's and Beau's would utilize 60lb rockets and 20mm guns to suppress
> > flak while dedicated "Torbeau's" from 144 and 489 Sqn's would come in
low
> > and try to drop their torpedo's while flying a straight line among
> > incredibly heavy flak and weaving friendly aircraft. All the time with
> > mountains stretching a 3000 feet in the air close by on both sides. Very
> > close by! In addition the (almost) ever present JG 5 fighters of
> > Stavanger, Herdla and Gossen took their toll...
> >
> > Eventually CC found the usefulness of torpedo's to be limited, seeing
that
> > the 25lb solid head rockets were more effective. Perhaps not allways in
> > sinking the ships attacked, more so as a means of stalling the Germans
in
> > their efforts to bring much needed supplies to the Vaterland. A crippled
> > ship occupies far more Kriegsmarine sailors than a sunken one...
> >
> > Uhm... back to modelling...
> >
> > Strike Wings Mosquitos flew in two liveries: Either the factory applied
> > disruptive scheme of Medium Sea Grey (MSG) and Dark Green (DG), or the
> > official Coastal Command colours Extra Dark Sea Grey (EDSG) and Sky (S).
> > (We'll lay off that discussion about what colours were ACTUALLY used,
> > won't we? :-)
> >
> > Spinners were painted either EDSG, MSG, S, Yellow, Black, Wine Red and
I'm
> > sure a lot of other colours. What's quite evident is that the aircraft
> > flew with different squadrons at different times, dictating the fact
that
> > in order to paint one particular aircraft you need an actual picture,
> > preferably in colour, to make an accurate depiction...
> >
> > What's so special about HR414 NE*L then?
> >
> > The picture found didn't show the spinners too well, and that meant I
had
> > to guesstimate on the colours used. Well known colour pictures of 143
> > Sqn's NE*D shows a yellow/white spinner, so that's what I went for.
> > In addition it seems that the EDSG/S livery were painted at
> > squadron/overhaul level, and I've seen several pictures of aircraft with
> > their exhaust covers removed after the paintjob, showing the MSG colours
> > underneath... So that I did too, using the shrouds as masks when
painting.
> > Another thing quite apparent in the picture of NE*L is that all Invasion
> > Stripes have been painted over, the fuselage one's fairly recently,
> > showing a much "fresher" EDSG around the roundel and the serial. Several
> > touch-up's are also quite evident.
> >
> Stripes away...
>
> And this is where I'd like to say a few words on the appliance of the
Allied
> Expeditionary Force's Identification Stripes (or whatever they were
called)
> about which A LOT has been said and done. Here's what: The stripes was
> indeed applied hastily just before the invasion, but were often touched up
> at a later stage, and with aircraft arriving after the 6th of June the
> groundcrew seems to have been far more careful when applying the paint
(even
> using masks when painting!). By the end of July the wing stripes were
> removed or overpainted, not necessarily from all aircraft at once. By
> December the top of the fuselage stripes were ordered removed, and in the
> beginning of January '45 all stripes were supposed to be removed. That
means
> that with aircraft taking part in the action from June on, there will be
> several layers of EDSG or S. Looking at B/W photo's with the EDSG
apparently
> fading at different rates (due to red pigments in the paint?) combined
with
> de-icing fluids used on the canopy you would have an aircraft looking as
if
> it was painted in a disruptive camouflage! No wonder we've seen so many
> "elaborate" examples of CC-camouflage through the years... (Don't get me
> started on Beaufighter camo;-)
>
> Exhausted subject...
>
> > On top of that the picture shows extreme exhaust stains. My hypothesis
is
> > that the stains appeared during taxying and take-off, while the engines
> > were cold and a rich mix was used by the pilots. Why? Because it seems
> > that due to the slipstream of the propeller the staining on the nacelles
> > seems to "wrap" around the flaps when lowered and it also seems to have
> > darkened the top of the wing, something that would be almost impossible
> > during straight flight due to the low position of the exhausts. You be
the
> > judge if I've overdone the staining on my model... (The judges in the
> > contest sure did.)
> >
> > Markings:
> >
> > The photo I found is supposed to have been taken in February '45, and I
> > can believe that, though at this time the wing markings were supposed to
> > include the white ring of the C-roundel. (Yes, my roundels are a tad too
> > big. Don't ask.. sigh...) The identification letters of 143 Sqn should
> > also have been painted in black and yellow on each side of the fuselage
> > roundels from (believed) January, but other pictures shows a squadron
line
> > up with both sky and black/yellow letters evident, so the date of the
pic
> > is still plausible. The only question I then might have left would be if
> > HR414 actually was operational at this time?
> > My two N's, E's and L's came from an Aeromaster-sheet of Sky 36"
letters,
> > while the black 8" serials came from Xtradecals...
> I left out the "don't walk" stripes on the wings, bearing in mind that the
> EDSG was applied on top of factory stencilling. Should anyone have a
picture
> showing red walkway stripes on the wings of an EDSG-painted Mossie I'll
> promptly go home and apply the decals!
>
> Who nose?
>
> The MDC nose fit right in. Let me add that I've still to find anyone but
143
> Sqn Mossies with this type applied. Most aircraft seem to have been fitted
> with the original nose with the offset camera as supplied in the kit.
>
> > 'Nuff said?
> >
> And if you thought I had a bit too much to say on this one Mosquito just
> wait for my Beaufighter ramblings...
>
> PS. Ahem. Blowing my own trumpet I did do okay in that contest. I actually
> got away with a Highly Commended! DS
>
>
>
>