Battle of Britain GB 2008 - 21 June to 31 Oct 08

Beautiful work, SC, I can just about smell the oil and hear the throaty grumble of the Merlins!

The finish is marvelous, that low sheen always feels so good. These planes were in action weeks, even days, after leaving the manufacturer, so for a large part of the battle some very fresh machines were bring thrown into action. They were weary by the end of it, just like their crews, but I doubt the paint had time to lose its lustre before many went down.

You'll have a marvelous formation in your display case -- great work! (And kudos for taking on a vacform canopy, I'm trembling at the necessity...)

Mike/TB379

Crumbs, i turn my back for 5 minutes and the building has just gone crazy. Sorry im not as active as id like but sometimes life gets in the way GRRRRRR. (Note to self, dont let stuff get you down)

Aaron, your posted pics are just awesome. Really gives us a feel for the time.

SC. What a gaggle of Hurri's. So glad you stuck with it. They are fantastic. The camo looks spot on.

Steve, Excellent progress. Cant get my head around the size of the condor. I so need one. I was thinking exactly the same thing with that stuka pic. Perhaps he did make it though. Those things had automatic dive brakes and pull out. Once set the pilot didnt have a lot to do with it. So he might have made it LOL. Feel sorry for the IL2 rear gunner. Apparantly there was a less than 50% success rate for bailing out of one of those suckers. Great looking Irish Hurricane. Never seen those markings before.

Karl. The Hurricane Squadron is definately looking up. Shes a honey. The camo looks like its paid dividends for all the hard work put in.

This GB Rocks. Im sorry if i missed anyone.

...Guy

Thank you everyone for all of the kind words. I though it would make a good comparision to put the fabric wing Hurricane next to the metal winged version to see all of the differnces.

Karl looking foward to seeing your Hurricane finished and join up with the squadron!

Guy i don't think you need to apologise. You cranked out some great builds rather quickly for this group build.

                                                                         Soulcrusher

 SC ! very happy to see that one done!!! Especially after the headaches it gave you!  Most excellent! I really like the side by side comparison of the different types!

 Now all we need are a few more Messersmitts!!!!

Thanks Aaron. The CA Hurricane was my first attemp at stripping off a bad paint job and redoing it. Definetly the kit to buy if you want an early Hurricane in 1/48 scale.

                                                                           Soulcrusher

Nice work on the Hurricane, SC.

Regards,  Rick

Dont worry, there are Messerschmitts a commin

Steve

sfcmac wrote:

Now all we need are a few more Messersmitts!!!!

Miss Bondo and I will build that tower, and we will direct those Hurri's and we will win!!

Some one otta build a searchlight. must be a kit out there....

Mike great job on the Hurricane that's two from two.

Bondo the only search light kit that I know of is in 1/35 scale and it's German.

 For Darren!

Thank you Rick and Darren Now I have to decide if i want to finish my 190 for that group build first or finish the Airfix Hurricane. I'm having a hard time deciding! What do you guys think? Should I add yet another Hurricane to help even out the odds here?

                                                                                   Soulcrusher

SC, the Hurri's look Awesome.  That fabric wing detail looks great.  So glad you stuck with it.  As for your next build I say finish off the Airfix Hurri while you're on a roll but sometimes you just need a change.  Tough call.

Aaron, is that picture from your collection.  Looks pretty cool.  I need to get something like that for my new modellinng space.  Hmmm... birthday and Christmas coming up, need to start dropping some hints.

 Isn't that a cool painting? It is hanging in the Galveston Flight  Museum. Lots  and lots of artwork. In the gallery there are little sections devoted to individual pilots and aces. Most have a print or painting representing their aircraft and signed by them. Also photo's and a bio with some of their personal items.

Tons of aircraft restored to flying condition as well. Really one of the best such places I've visited and across the street from a water park so the Family has something to do while I go take photo's and drool.

Need to get back there again with a better camera. Had to angle the shots in the gallery cuz I couldn't figure out how to shut off the flash.

 Soul Crusher you can build a dozen more Hurricanes and it will not save you!

Great photos Aaron, I love good aircraft photos. My favourite artist is Nicholas Trudgian. Take a look at his website, i think its Nicholastrudgian.com or something like that. Another good site for great WW2 art is www.aviationart.com. Theres even BOB stuff in there.

...Guy

dirtball wrote:

Realy great art!! I think your using a new camer? Judging by the date stamp you`ve come back from the future!!............Harv

Always thought there was something a little peculiar about Aaron!   

razordws wrote:

dirtball wrote:   Realy great art!! I think your using a new camer? Judging by the date stamp you`ve come back from the future!!............Harv Always thought there was something a little peculiar about Aaron!

 Just a little? I must not be trying hard enough!

 I am in this photo somewhere?

Aaron buddy I'm afraid I must disagree with your statement. I believed the RAF proved a good number of Hurricanes with some Spitfires to take on the fighter and the Luftwaffe Heinkels and Dorniers will drop their bombs and run for home while being shot down in droves. I believe it was called The Battle of Britian?

                                                                                      Soulcrusher

soulcrusher wrote:

Aaron buddy I'm afraid I must disagree with your statement. I believed the RAF proved a good number of Hurricanes with some Spitfires to take on the fighter and the Luftwaffe Heinkels and Dorniers will drop their bombs and run for home while being shot down in droves. I believe it was called The Battle of Britian?                                                                                       Soulcrusher

Not yet Soul Crusher, I am having a little fun following along with the history of 68 years ago. So on this day at this point in the battle things are very dark and scary in England. The Germans believe that the British are down to 60 or 70 fighters left. The Invasion across the channel is looming and set for Sept 15th. The losses in the next few days will of course make the difference. But at this moment Eagle Day is only 10 days away!

Ok I underdstand what you are saying Operation Sea Lion has not been cancelled yet. There is only one problem is I already watched the movie and I know how it ends. I won't tell how in ends and spoil it fo you though. Until the 15th when the battle officially ends and you find out!.

                                                                                     Soulcrusher

 Hmmmm Some say it was never canceled just postponed and Sept 15th is not the end as the movie makes it seem.  If you follow the movie which the fine fellows here made me watch 17 times You'd swear that the battle was fought over control of  Susannah York's bloomers!

Ah I can see by your attitude that it's time for the heavy weight again!

The 30th of August was the first incredibly large switch to attacking London. For six days now London has burned.

While some landmarks such as Big Ben and St. Paul's Cathedral stand undamaged and strenghthen resolve. For the most part this is London.

 You call this winning Soul Crusher?

Yet the Spirit of the British People is unbreakable! They have not yet seen a victory or the Germans a defeat in a year of war. What will it take? How will it end?

Long live the King! God save the Queen!

Musta been something in the tea.

Are you missing anyone over there on the other side ofthe channel? I found one of these in me back yard and I'm not really sure where it came from. If it is one of yours would you kindy remove it in a timely manor!

                                                                                     Soulcrusher

So now we are having the battle of the BoB pictures. I like them all by the way and keep them comming.

Did someone say we need more Messerschmitts?. Well there will be a new one soon to the GB. I bought a new Aztec airbrush and have been playing with it the last few days. Takes time but I am getting used to it and I like it a lot. I have the 200 painted in RLM 71 now, it took two sessions of light coats, man did it take a lot of paint. Going to let it dry till sunday and then start masking for the RLM 70. It took a ton of tape to mummify the underside.

The 109 is moving faster as I have all the paint done except for the motteling. I did do some motteling with RLM 71 and it was all an experiment and had a few problem areas that I hope I can fix it with the RLM 02. Here they are as of tonight hot off the paint booth.

Thanks for looking. The Luftwaffe is comming.

Steve

 Coming along sidure! The Condor  looks very large. Have you decided how you are going to mark the 109?

Soul Crusher ! Great pic. I have one some where of one that is totally covered in hay. The caption read that it was camoflauged after being shot down in order to keep the Germans from destroying it. That is the only ref I have ever heard of that they did that. Wonder if they had specific missions to destroy shot doen aircraft on the ground?

I don't know but it would have to be pretty tough to find a crashed aircraft from the air. it would pobally be just a speck from the air. Even if you knew where it went down. I have to wonder how many enemy aircraft the RAF captured during the battle that were in this good of shape after landing. I have seen many pictures of mostly intact Me 109's on the ground. I am assuming the majority simply ran out of fuel due the lack of and visible major damage.

                                                                                    Soulcrusher

Great photos again Aaron, keep em coming. I love the one of the propaganda leaflet the soldiers reading.

soulcrusher wrote:

Are you missing anyone over there on the other side ofthe channel? I found one of these in me back yard and I'm not really sure where it came from. If it is one of yours would you kindy remove it in a timely manor!

Ive seen this photo before. Its a cracker. Looks to me like the nose of the 109 is Red? I know its difficult to tell in black and white photos. Does anyone have a colour plate of a red nosed BOB 109? Id like to see it if there is one.

...Guy

I was just wondering the same thing about the nose of the 109 in that photo?. I may be wrong but isint that 109 from JG26 and they wore yellow noses. Im not a Luftw expert but I would love to know what colour that machine is painted in.

My 109 is going to be done in the markings of Adolph Galand. I do have a question to the Luftwaffe experts though. It's the old Airfix kit and the colour call for the spinner to be white followed by a black band and then the yellow nose. Most photos I have seen have the spinner yellow also, can anyone clear that up for me. The camo instructions are also not the same as most of the 109 of the period in that the splinter camo is not as sharp and straight lines as I have seen in most photos. Any help would be appreciated in the nose colours.

Steve

Steve you are right about the JG26. The color of the nose of this aircraft is yellow. On some black and white photos Yellow will actually appear to be black or a very dark blue or red. I do not know the chemical reasons why but certian types of BW film this would occur. Many good reference books often point out things like this when doing a detailed observation of the aircraft and its markings. It is how I learned about this oddity of 1940's black and white film.

I haven't heard from Herman if he wants his plane back so I'm keeping it now! Finders keepers looosers weepers!

                                                                             Soulcrusher