**** DONE : 1/48th scale N.A. Mustang III, HB837, 541 Sqn, R.A.F., Group Build. (1 Viewer)

• Feb 3, 2010

• #21

javlin

1st Lieutenant

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MS

Kewl Terry! nice simple colorful scheme Cheers Kevin

 

• Feb 3, 2010

• Thread starter
• #22

Airframes

Benevolens Magister

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Thanks agauin guys. I hope to make a start by the end of the week. (He said, looking slyly sideways....)

 

• Feb 3, 2010

• #23

vikingBerserker

Lieutenant General

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Great choice Terry - looking forward to the voodoo you do with this one!

 

• Feb 3, 2010

• #24

109ROAMING

2nd Lieutenant

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Awesome choice T , little bit of the unusual is always good 8)

Look forward to it!

 

• Feb 4, 2010

• #25

Vic Balshaw

Major General

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Nice choice Terry, it will be a stunner, that I know.

 

• Feb 4, 2010

• Thread starter
• #26

Airframes

Benevolens Magister

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Thanks David, 'Croccodile Dundee Daniel' and Vic.

 

• Feb 6, 2010

• #27

P

phas3e

Airman 1st Class

154

1

Mar 31, 2007

Nice choice, I actually had a photo of one of these birds but bugger'd if I can find it

 

• Feb 6, 2010

• Thread starter
• #28

Airframes

Benevolens Magister

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If you can find a pic of one of these three Mustang III's, I'd be extremely grateful!!

 

• Feb 6, 2010

• #29

P

phas3e

Airman 1st Class

154

1

Mar 31, 2007

I've had a really good look but cant find it, I'm gutted as it was from a private collection and Hadnt been published AFAIK
It also featured some RNZAF Beaufighters taxing past.

 

• Feb 6, 2010

• Thread starter
• #30

Airframes

Benevolens Magister

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Ah well! Thanks for trying though, and if you do eventually find it - great! Although I haven't seen any pics of these three aircraft, that I know of anyway, I have a feeling there might have been one in the background of another photo of a PRU Mosquito. Like you, I've been searching everywhere for that pic ! No doubt it's either in an out-of-the-ordinary publication, not associated with the subject, or in one of the books I loaned out and never got back some time ago - no chance now either; the guy I loaned them too was buried two weeks ago!!

 

• Feb 6, 2010

• #31

lesofprimus

Brigadier General

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Long Island Native in Mississippi

ihatemeatballs.com

Damn Terry.......

 

• Feb 7, 2010

• #32

A4K

Brigadier General

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The back of beyond

Terry, found this while googling - a 541 sqn P-51C with a 617 sqn connection...(info from another forum):

In 'Beyond the Dams to the Tirpitz' by Alan Cooper there is a list of aircraft operated by 617.
It lists one Mustang. HB937 code letter, N. Sailed on the SS Brady to the UK 18/5/44. Delivered to 617 sqn 25/6/44. transfered to 541 sqn 14/5/45. scrapped 14/3/1947...

...43-24929; P-51C-10-NT;to RAF; HB937.

Apparently Leonard Cheshire wanted to try using the mustang in the target-marking role for 617, and performed atleast one (successful) trial in a borrowed USAF aircraft. HB937 was possibly oredered as a result.

 

• Feb 7, 2010

• Thread starter
• #33

Airframes

Benevolens Magister

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Thanks Evan! I'd better double check, in case my info is incorrect about HB837.! I don't think it's a typo, as I know there were three P51C's taken on strength for 541 Sqn., with the serials as shown in my No1 post, but I'll check against my listing of USAAF numbers/RAF serial allocations. If it turns out to be the same aircraft, then I'll have to change to one of the FX numbers! Bit of a coincidence, the serials being so similar. But I've had this before, so no sweat (I hope!).
I remember reading Cheshire's book, years ago, where he mentioned the use of a Mustang. I'm not sure without checking, but I have a feeling Gibson also tried one out for similar purposes.
Cheers mate - time to do some digging!

 

• Feb 13, 2010

• #34

A4K

Brigadier General

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Dec 17, 2007

The back of beyond

No worries Terry! Struck me as a coincidence too the similarity in the serials, though '937 is possibly a fourth aircraft for 541. (Can't verify the authenticity of the info myself, but the entries came from two different people.)

 

• Feb 13, 2010

• #35

B-17engineer

Colonel

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Dec 9, 2007

Revis Island.

Here you are mate.... here is one with the Serial No. FX908.

Hope this helps!

EDIT: CRAP it's not one color... sorry mate... hmmm

 

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• Feb 13, 2010

• Thread starter
• #36

Airframes

Benevolens Magister

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No probs H, good pic anyway. Looks like pre-delivery, and notice the dark colour of the yellow outer ring to the roundel. This may be due to the use of Ortho film but, judging by the tonal changes in the reds, I think it might be a colour negative printed onto normal monochrome photographic paper. I'm guessing, but the photo might have been taken at Speke, Liverpool (now John Lennon International Airport), where the aircraft were assembled. They were towed by road, in sections, from the docks at Liverpool, and assembled before delivery to the MU's and then on to the squadrons.

 

• Feb 13, 2010

• #37

A

antoni

Banned

397

6

Jun 15, 2007

Not much but the only one I know of.

 

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• Feb 13, 2010

• Thread starter
• #38

Airframes

Benevolens Magister

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Antoni, that's brilliant! Believe it or not, that pic is very useful for confirming a number of small details, and 100% better than anything I have - which is zero!! Thanks very much mate!

 

• Feb 13, 2010

• #39

A

antoni

Banned

397

6

Jun 15, 2007

FX855 (PK*M) before it went to the PRU. According to Paul lucas in an article in Model Aircraft Monthly June 2005 the serials were FB182, FX855, FX592.

 

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• Feb 13, 2010

• Thread starter
• #40

Airframes

Benevolens Magister

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Thanks Antoni, interesting pic. The serials don't corespond to those I have listed in three sources, but, my listing is for 541 Sqn, as shown in post #1, it could be that those shown in MAM were for 1 PRU. It appears the three aircraft for 541 Sqn were only recieved on strength around 4th June '44, one source stating 6th June. No worries though, at least I now have a pic, and a definite serial number of FX855. Thanks again.