1/48 Typhoon IB MN413, 440 RCAF - Heavy Hitters II GB

Catch22 · Jun 15, 2013

User Name: Catch22
Name: Cory
Category: Intermediate
Kit: Hasegawa Typhoon IB, Teardrop Canopy
Scale: 1/48
Accessories: Xtradecal codes, Flightpath RAF 1000lb bombs, PE belts

I picked this kit up the other day for $20, and it seems very straightforward so to help me get back into the swing of things I think I'll get this going. After some digging around and some great help from Geo and Terry, I was finally able to find an RCAF Typhoon that had both the 3 blade propeller that is provided in my kit and invasion stripes, as I've never actually built anything with them before oddly. This will be a bomb-carrying Typhoon, as all three RCAF Squadrons that used the plane only carried bombs. Naturally, the kit doesn't include bombs, and only rockets, so it may be a couple thousand pounds lighter! There is already some confusion however, as I do not know for certain what roundels the plane would have carried. Geo found this information which helps narrow things down:

Roundels....What I read was "From early Jan.'45, all 2nd TAF had their invasion and fuselage stripes painted out, spinners painted black and all roundels modified to type "C1"-red/white/blue with a narrow yellow outer ring"

NOTE: I have changed my entry to MN553, 5V-K "Butcher Boy" of 439 Squadron, RCAF. If a mod could update that for me, that would be greatly appreciated.

Andy found this image of a very unique Typhoon with nose art and a spiral on the spinner. As Terry has pointed out later on in the thread, it still has the remnants of invasion stripes on the bottom of the aircraft, and everything I've written above is still correct.

Airframes · Jun 16, 2013

See my reply in the other section thread Cory. I'll sort out some stuff and give the relevant details over the next day or so. But for now, roundels at that period were standard all round - that is, long before the introduction of the yellow-ringed upper and lower wing versions. By August, the upper wing and fuselage AEAF stripes were washed off, leaving only (fairly worn) stripes on the wing under surfaces, and lower fuselage. Spinner was probably black, as it should be, but as mentioned elsewhere, there were exceptions.
BTW, that particular 'Tiffie' appears to still have a 3 blade prop, but I'll check on this, as I have a clearer photo.

Wurger · Jun 16, 2013

Wayne Little · Jun 16, 2013

Go for it Cory, should do real good with this one...

rochie · Jun 16, 2013

got a bit of stuff on the Tiffie, will look through it for you later in the Week Cory

Catch22 · Jun 16, 2013

Saw it Terry, thanks. I'm going to put it in this post so it's easier to find.

Bit more complex than that I'm afraid.
The roundels were certainly changed, but spinners, and AEAF stripes, varied in their changes.
Theoretically, all 2 TAF aircraft were supposed to have black spinners, from late 1943. However, various orders and counter orders, specific to Wings, changed this back to 'Sky' spinners for some units, and confusion arose, not to mention anger. The anger mainly due to aircrew asked to undertake low-level ground attack, with, suddenly, a 'Sky' spinner acting as a marvelous aiming point for light flak and other gunners!
Consequently, variations of 'regulation' and actual combinations of these markings can be found, although after about late July '44, the AEAF stripes were removed from upper surfaces, but again, this resulted in varied examples of the stripes presentation.
Bottom line- each specific aircraft needs to be checked for these details, depending on location, and dates - the latter sometimes measured in days.

It's not as complex as it seems at first Cory - the stripes are fairly straightforward, as are the roundels. Spinners should be black, but factory or M.U. replacement aircraft arrived in 'standard' day-fighter scheme prior to January '45, and after, so, with no time to re-paint, they often went into immediate service as is.
Again, the date period, location, and more importantly, the specific airframe, dictates what was what.

Thanks guys, and appreciated Karl.

Here's a build of the kit I have, and the roundels mine came with. Would these be accurate for August 1944?

Airframes · Jun 16, 2013

Yep, that's how it should look.

Catch22 · Jun 16, 2013

Perfect! The white is a little off on the decals, but it's not the standard Hasegawa yellow nonsense and is much less noticeable, so I should be good with the kit ones then.

I've also now gone and ordered 1000lb RAF bombs, so I'll at least be able to bomb it up.

Crimea_River · Jun 17, 2013

Will be home Wednesday Cory and can access my books on this plane. I may have some stuff that could help but then, maybe not....

Catch22 · Jun 17, 2013

Anything would be appreciated Andy. Can't progress too far yet anyway since I bought seatbelts.

Airframes · Jun 17, 2013

I can confirm that, at that time, the spinners were black, and the 3 blade prop seemed to be dominant. I've e-mailed a couple of books and other info which will hopefully help.

Catch22 · Jun 17, 2013

Great Terry, thanks a lot. I've received them!

A4K · Jun 18, 2013

Good choice Cory!

destrozas · Jun 18, 2013

with evan good choice!!!! zest!!!!

Airframes · Jun 18, 2013

Apologies Cory - my reply in post#6 is incorrect. I missed that you typed August 1944.
That model is shown with a variation of the full AEAF stripes as it would have appeared around 'D-Day' or shortly after. Once the aircraft were based on the Continent, the stripes were removed from the wing upper surfaces, and the top and sides of the fuselage, leaving only the lower fuselage and under sides of the wings showing the stripes, as in the profile in post #1.
Certainly by late July/early August the aircraft would have looked like that, and a bit later, by late August/early September, the stripes were also removed from under the wings, leaving only those on the lower fuselage, although under-wing stripes could still sometimes be seen later in the year - again, photos of individual aircraft will confirm what had what.
By early January 1945, all stripes were removed, and the 'Sky' tail bands painted over, but for your model, for August, base it on the profile.

destrozas · Jun 18, 2013

at the bottom it had painted since November 42, and officially since December 5, 1942 to avoid being confused with FW190 second almost all the books I have consulted also on top of the wings had a yellow stripe that abandonment in 1943.
when the typhoon arrived in Eindhoven in September 1944 and just left them on the tail markings, in July / August 44 the top was not painted, just with the arrival in the fields of belgium

Airframes · Jun 18, 2013

All Allied single seat fighters operating from Continental Europe after D-Day had the upper surface AEAF stripes removed commencing roughly mid to late July 1944, in order to avoid compromising camouflage on the ground. This also started to take effect on UK-based fighters by August 1944, and, in the main, by September, only the under fuselage stripes remained, although there were of course exceptions.
The earlier yellow upper wing stripes, and under wing black and white stripes were removed by late 1943, although the black and white stripes could still be seen for a while. These should not to be confused with the AEAF stripes, which were applied on the afternoon and evening of June 5th, as they were narrower, and of uneven spacing, unlike the AEAF stripes, which were 18 inches wide, and evenly spaced.
Neither the yellow stripes or earlier recognition stripes were present on any Typhoons just prior to D-Day or beyond.

meatloaf109 · Jun 18, 2013

Nice choice!

Catch22 · Jun 18, 2013

Thanks guys!

woody · Jun 18, 2013

Looking forward to your build Cory.

1/48 Typhoon IB MN413, 440 RCAF - Heavy Hitters II GB

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