# RAAF Kittyhawks



## Heinz (Feb 23, 2008)

Interesting picture I found of 5 Kittyhawks from 76 squadron.

Intersting it appears the squadron code of SV is hand painted pretty roughly but what has caught my eye is the Kittyhawk in the top right with lightening bolt across the tail. That I've not seen before on an RAAF fighter. 

The planes certainly show the operating conditions they were dealing with.


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## Wurger (Feb 23, 2008)

A cool pic my friend, really.I have never seen the lightening on the RAAF a/c tails as well.It looks very interesting. The magnification for you.

BTW You have a nice new siggy.  
Could you send me the pic without your sign,please?


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## Micdrow (Feb 23, 2008)

Couple of pictures of P-40's with lightning bolt from the book Aircraft and Markings of the RAAF 1939-1945 Vol 2 by Geoffrey Pentland


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## Wurger (Feb 23, 2008)

Nice stuff Micdrow.THX for posting here.


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## ccheese (Feb 23, 2008)

Good info.... bet it would make a good model....

Charles


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## Micdrow (Feb 23, 2008)

Your welcome guys!!!!


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## Wildcat (Feb 23, 2008)

G'day fella's, here's another pic showing the lightning bolt used by 76 sqn.


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## Wurger (Feb 23, 2008)

G'day or Good very early morning...
Another good pic.THX Wildcat.
So it seems the lightning on fins was characteristic for 76 Sqn,doesn't it.


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## snafud1 (Feb 24, 2008)

Those are awesome! It amazes me to see new photos from that time show up now.


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## Heinz (Feb 24, 2008)

Thanks guys!
Great pictures Micdrow and Wildcat 

No worries Wurger I'll send it over to you shortly.


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## Wildcat (Feb 24, 2008)

On the subject of RAAF Kittyhawks, Dick Cresswells is one of my favourites.


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## Wildcat (Feb 24, 2008)

BTW Wurgs, here are some more shots from Heinz's sig of 84 sqn machines.


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## Wurger (Feb 24, 2008)

pics. Anything more about the model Wildcat?

THX Heinz for the pic.


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## Wurger (Feb 24, 2008)

Wildcat said:


> BTW Wurgs, here are some more shots from Heinz's sig of 84 sqn machines.



Great !!!!!!   Any additional links, references?


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## Heinz (Feb 24, 2008)

I agree Wildcat I love Dick Cresswells plane. I have a die cast model in 1:72.

Your 1:48 version is stunning though!


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## Wurger (Feb 24, 2008)

Looking really great.Is there a decal sheet for his plane?


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## Heinz (Feb 24, 2008)

Pyn Up do a 1/48th scale set


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## Wurger (Feb 24, 2008)

Fantastic !!! Thanks friend.


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## Heinz (Feb 24, 2008)

No worries mate


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## Wayne Little (Feb 24, 2008)

fantastic set of P-40 shots Guys!


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## thirtybg (Feb 25, 2008)

Heinz said:


> Pyn Up do a 1/48th scale set


Not any more, unfortunately. Pyn-Up was a specialty branch of Meteor Productions which just went out of business over the last couple of weeks. That won't really affect the availability of these sheets much, as the Pyn Up line was limited edition to begin with and this particular sheet has been outta production for some time. But with the company having gone bye-bye, they may now command a higher price. So if you're interested in picking any of them up, and you have the dough, grab 'em if and when you see 'em.


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## Heinz (Feb 25, 2008)

thanks for that thirtybg. I knew they were a limited edition but didn;t know the rest of the history. 
Cheers heinz


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## A4K (Feb 25, 2008)

Great shots, guys. ...especially love those of Heinz's P-40N!


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## Wildcat (Feb 25, 2008)

Wurger said:


> pics. Anything more about the model Wildcat?



It's a 1:48 die cast model from the Franklin Mint Armour Collection. You can also get Geoff Atherton's "Cleopatra III" When he served with 80 sqn RAAF from the same company.


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## Graeme (Feb 26, 2008)

Very nice photos you have there Wildcat.


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## Heinz (Feb 26, 2008)

Ya I have the Italeri version of that to build!

I've seen the Cleo III version you speak of Wildcat at my local hobbie store I was wondering if you had it.


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## Wildcat (Feb 26, 2008)

Nah, but I do what it!! Maybe for my next B'day.


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## Wurger (Feb 26, 2008)

THX Wildcat, these pics are excellent.Great !!!!
Possible, the P-40 will be the next model for assembling.


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## Micdrow (Feb 26, 2008)

Not to change the subject but a few of you might be interested in this photo. Especially the Hawker Hurricane, I heard that not a lot of them reached Australia.


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## DBII (Feb 26, 2008)

Nice mix of planes

DBII


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## skiswimcycle (Feb 26, 2008)

You mentioned 76 squadron RAAF. Was that the one that defended Port Moresby during the desparate Spring of 42?


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## Wurger (Feb 26, 2008)

Micdrow said:


> Not to change the subject but a few of you might be interested in this photo. Especially the Hawker Hurricane, I heard that not a lot of them reached Australia.




 THX for the pic Mic.
It seems that these planes reflect almost all stuff that RAAF was equipped with in that time.


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## Micdrow (Feb 26, 2008)

Wurger said:


> THX for the pic Mic.
> It seems that these planes reflect almost all stuff that RAAF was equipped with in that time.



Actually they had allot more different types of aircraft. This picture doesnt scratch the surface.


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## Wurger (Feb 26, 2008)

Paul it was a joke ....I know they had much more types of a/c.
But I have to admit that these four planes in the pic look like a kind of exhibition.


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## Micdrow (Feb 26, 2008)

Wurger said:


> Paul it was a joke ....I know they had much more types of a/c.
> But I have to admit that these four planes in the pic look like a kind of exhibition.



No biggy  Ive been looking at the different types of aircraft used by the RAAF and was suprised at how many different types of aircraft they did use. It was quite suprised at the variety and types.


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## Wurger (Feb 26, 2008)

I agree.Unfortunately there is quite limited knowledge on RAAF equipment in Poland.But it changes gradually.


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## Wildcat (Feb 27, 2008)

skiswimcycle said:


> You mentioned 76 squadron RAAF. Was that the one that defended Port Moresby during the desparate Spring of 42?



That was 75 sqn. No. 76 sqn first went into action alongside 75 sqn in the Battle of Milne Bay in August '42 - The Kittyhawks being a major factor in the Australian victory.
Some pics of 76 at Milne Bay. The pilot in the top two pics is SqnLdr Keith "Bluey" Truscott DFC, with (off the top of my head) 15 enemy a/c destroyed to his credit. He was KIFA in March 43 in Australia.


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## Wildcat (Feb 27, 2008)

Micdrow said:


> Not to change the subject but a few of you might be interested in this photo. Especially the Hawker Hurricane, I heard that not a lot of them reached Australia.



Infact this was the one and only Hurricane to serve in the RAAF in Australia. It's serial number was V7476, Clave did a profile of it a while back. That photo shows it at 1APU (Aircraft Performance Unit) at Laverton in 1944.


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## Heinz (Feb 27, 2008)

Ya I believe they were being transported to Australia via ship and it was the only one that got away. I know it was scrapped in 1946.


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## A4K (Feb 27, 2008)

One was flown to Oz after the evacuations of Java and Singapore - it was the only Hurricane to survive the melée.

Regarding Dick Creswell's Kittyhawk, I have the Academy markings for his P-40E in 1:72 if anyone's interested. They haven't provided the stbd. side flag, or serials, but the rest is there. I also have the tally Ho! markings for P-40M A29-359 MP-A 'Jen 1' in 1:72. 

Other companies that do Aussie P-40 decals (1:72) are:

Aussie Decals 72004 RAAF P-40 Kittyhawks
Aussie Decals 72016 RAAF P-40E/N Kittyhawks
Red Roo decals RRD7208 P-40N Kittyhawk A29-629 BU-B 'Cleopatra'
Red Roo Decals RRD7209 P-40N Kittyhawk A29-563 HU-L 'Black magic'
Red Roo Decals RRD7210 P-40N Kittyhawk A29-441 HU-H 'Sportsman special'
Red Roo Decals RRD7211 P-40N's A29-1147 BU-G, and A29-607 BU-G
Superscale 72-175 P-40's. Including RAAF 76,77, and 80 sqns.
Tally Ho! 72008 RAAF P-40N 78 sqn 'Watch my form'
Ventura Decals V7212 Includes RAAF P-40N
Ventura Decals V7269 Includes RAAF P-40N

Hasegawa's original release of the P-40N in 1:72 also had markings for A29-629 'Cleopatra'


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## Heinz (Feb 27, 2008)

ah ok A4K.

Italeri have also released in 1:48 a P 40 N with the Cleo III markings which I have.


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## Micdrow (Feb 27, 2008)

Very interesting guys, Many thanks on the info.


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## Wurger (Feb 27, 2008)

I'm with Micdrow.


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## Wildcat (Mar 6, 2008)

Re RAAF Kittyhawks, has anyone got any pics of 82 sqn birds with checkers on their tails? The only photo I've seen is the one below. Also has anyone got pics of 120(NEI) sqn P40's? They served in Australia and New Guinea and were a combined Dutch/RAAF unit. I have only found a couple of pics shown below. (bottom two)


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## A4K (Mar 6, 2008)

You could try the AWM Wildcat, they have a large archive of photos. Flick them an E-mail and see what they can come up with.


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## Heinz (Mar 6, 2008)

Hmm thats a new one me Wildcat......

Maybe email the RAAF museum at Point Cook?

[email protected]


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## Wurger (Mar 6, 2008)

Really nice stuff here THX guys.


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## Wildcat (Mar 6, 2008)

Thanks for the tips guys, the AWM site doesn't have any of 82 sqn Kittyhawks, however I found some profiles of 120(NEI) sqn aircraft. As I mentioned this was a combined Dutch/Australian sqn with the aircrew being Dutch and the majority of the groundcrew being from the RAAF. They saw action pretty late in the war, first at Meruake in Dutch New Guinea followed by a move to Biak were they undertook more intensive ground attack missions.
Profiles from WINGS PALETTE - Curtiss P-40 Warhawk/Kittyhawk/Tomahawk - Netherlands


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## Wurger (Mar 6, 2008)

Great !!!


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## Heinz (Mar 7, 2008)

Great stuff Wildcat!


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## A4K (Mar 7, 2008)

Great Wildcat! That last one looks nice - even has the SNAFU expression! ('Situation Normal, All F***ed Up' for anyone not familiar with it- common expression round RNZAF/RAAF personnel during the pacific campaign)


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## Marcel (Mar 7, 2008)

I've only got one picture of the 120th squadron, but it's small and doesn't help much, sorry.


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## Wildcat (Mar 8, 2008)

Here are two more pics of 120(NEI) sqn aircraft I found from links supplied to me by Marcel. I thought some of you guys would be interested in seeing some more pics of an otherwise forgotten unit.


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## Matt308 (Mar 9, 2008)

Great pic.


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## Marcel (Mar 9, 2008)

The pictures are from a docu broadcasted on dutch television in 2001. It has some unique moving pictures of the unit. Don't know if you found it on the site I provided, wildcat, but for tose who want to see, click on the "Video"link on the folowing website (You'll need realplayer)
/Geschiedenis Andere Tijden: Merauke

It's in unfortunaltely in dutch, but it has some nice footage. It tells the sory about 3 vets of the 120th, quite touching.


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## Heinz (Mar 9, 2008)

Awesome stuff Marcel and Wildcat. 

Also will make special mentions of the co operated B 25 bombers.


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## Wayne Little (Mar 9, 2008)

8) thanks Guys, interesting stuff, haven't seen those markings before.


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## Wurger (Mar 9, 2008)




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## Wildcat (Mar 9, 2008)

I checked out the vid Marcel, I can't understand Dutch but it had some nice colour footage. Even had a (blink and you'll miss it) shot of a RAAF vultee Vengeance from 12 sqn. Way cool 
As for the B25 squadron- 18(NEI)- Heinz, I hadn't really mentioned them mainly because their contribution is relatively better known. From all accounts they carved an excellent reputation for themselves. That squadron was also different in that it had RAAF aircrew unlike 120 sqn.


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## Wurger (Mar 9, 2008)

THX


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## GordyB (Sep 17, 2008)

Hi

P-40N-5 A29-518 LB-K and P-40N-1 A29-488 "E" and friends over Thursday Island, with Horn Island in the background, looking South East in flight

Late 1944 or very early 1945

Best
Gordy


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## wingnuts (Sep 24, 2008)

No sign of the lightning bolt on 76 sqn's present aircraft, the BAE127 Hawk trainer, but the panther head is still in use. 

Photo taken at my place last year.... I have another arriving tomorrow afternoon.


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## Heinz (Sep 24, 2008)

Great shot Wingnuts, thanks mate!


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## wingnuts (Sep 24, 2008)

Glad you liked it... I have quite a few.... here is another 7s sqn aircraft with a fancier paint job


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## Heinz (Sep 25, 2008)

I've always like that paint scheme, will try and do a model of it one day.

Thanks!


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## Wildcat (Sep 25, 2008)

Nice pics Wingnuts 
Alex check out the colour scheme of this 79sqn Hawk, complete with WWII squadron codes 
RAAF BAE 127 LIF Hawk (Part Six - A27-16 Special scheme Hawk) by Darren Mottram


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## wingnuts (Sep 25, 2008)

We had Hawk A27-21 here at Tullamarine a while ago in that paint scheme... it has since been put back in the usual grey I think.

I attach a few photos of A27 -21...including a close up of the Panther on A27-16


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## wingnuts (Sep 25, 2008)

Ooops!... sorry, I forgot to reduce the size on the panther photo.... not sure how I can do it now..... HELP!


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## Wildcat (Sep 25, 2008)

Nevermind. Great photos mate


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## Heinz (Sep 25, 2008)

Thanks Wingnuts 
Great shots. 

Thanks for the link Andy


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