Thanks brother. The P-47 is a dream kit to put together. It really is, literally, shake & bake. Not one bit of putty or filler anywhere on the kit. It's practically flawless. Of all the Tamiya kits I've built previously, this one is my favourite so far.
Des is a wonderful man. 95 years young, still sharp as a tack and going strong. He flew Spitfires with 600 Sqn at the end of the war but saw no combat. He has over 50 types in his logbook with over 5,000 hours to his credit. Spitfires, Mustangs, Warhawks, Fireflies, Barracudas, Sea Furies, Vampires, Sabres, Starfighters, etc, etc, etc. He flew the Starfighter in the nuclear strike role in Europe. He still has his 'red binder' (target, maps, flight plans, timings, package delivery, etc) and he refuses to let anyone see the contents. He won't tell anyone what his assigned target was just in case he meets someone from that area.
He flew Sabres with 421 Sqn in Europe and was very good friends with my uncle, also on 421 Sqn, and he was in charge of planning and executing my uncle's funeral procession after he was KIFA in June 53. He flew one of 421's Sabres from Canada to Grostenquin, France on Operation Leapfrog 2 (Goose Bay, Newfoundland to Narssarsuak, Greenland to Keflavik, Iceland to Prestwick, Scotland and finally to Grostenquin). He later went on to be a Sabre instructor at 1 Fighter OTU at Chatham, New Brunswick, when he returned to Canada in the mid 50s. The man has MANY stories to tell and I've had the very good fortune to hear many of them.