'The Hunters and the Hunted' - completed builds

[adt70hk]

Good evening all

So as explained here, I have been putting together a collection of 1/72 kits and reference material in some way shape or form connected to the British WW2 bomber offensive, with the title being as above - 'The Hunters and the Hunted'.

As I explained, the idea started with the purchase of a Messerschmitt Bf110 G-4 nachtjäger and then a Lancaster as a 'companion', with it mushrooming from there and beyond two kits.  It therefore contains bombers, nightfighters from both sides, British 'intruder's and German ground based defences.

Whilst it's impossible to do every single option/variant of the aircraft involved, I am aiming to do at least one version of the main.....and in some cases, minor.....protagonists.

As you can guess from the title, this thread will be used to display the finished kits in their various forms.

Although I did not set out to do so, with the first two completed builds I ended up doing quite a bit of research to put some historical context to the models.  It is a process I enjoyed and so will continue it from now on wherever possible.

Thanks in advance to all that stop by at some point in the future and provide support and advice.  The first three builds will hopefully appear in due course.

All the best.

Andrew

[jeaton01]

Looking forward to these.

[adt70hk]

May 27, 2023 0:56:06 GMT -5 jeaton01 said:

Looking forward to these.

Thanks John.  Woke up far too early for a Saturday morning (I'm in the UK), so watch this space!

[adt70hk]

Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6s, White 7 and Yellow 4, Jagdgeschwader 300


The kits, aftermarket parts, paints and finish:

• Two AZ Model 1/72 Bf 109 G-6s, fitted with the R6 underwing 20mm MG151/20 gun pods.
• H Models Decals - Nachtjagdgeschwader Wilde Sau JG300 Part 1 (HMD72007)
• PJ Production German Pilots (WWII) (72110)
• Paints: Exterior - Vallejo Model Air and Vallejo Game Washes.  Interior – Mostly Vallejo Model Air/Colour.

So these were the first completed builds for this collection and built as a pair to make the process a bit more efficient.

By way of background, theses were only the 5th and 6th wingy things I have built since coming back to the hobby and only the 4th and 5th kits I have airbrushed, so I'm still learning but was nonetheless pleased with how they turned out.

Whilst these kits aren't out-and-out 'bad', they're not the best and take bit of work to make sure everything lines up, especially the fuselage halves as there are only two fixing points, front and aft.  By contrast, in my experience the newer Airfix 1/72 kits are much better.

As someone on another forum commented on AZ Model kits, "...everything is sort of there, but just doesn't quite 'gel'...".  The instructions are also somewhat lacking and include no information on where to put the smaller stencil type decals.

The kit decals aren't too bad at all but the H-Model markings were a step up.

There is no information online about White 7, it was simply one of kit options that fitted my timeframe, but for Yellow 4 and in particular one of it's regular pilots Manfred Dieterle, there is quite a lot, as you'll see



Background to Wilde Sau units:

For those not familiar with the Wilde Sau concept these were single engined fighters (Bf 109s and FW 190s) operating as nightfighters against the RAF's bombers in a 'free' role; Wilde Sau is normally translated as Wild Boar. The 'Tame Boar' were the big twin engined night fighters controlled by ground stations.

One online source describes the high level concept as follows:

Colonel Hans-Joachim Herrmann recognized the weakening multi-engine German night fighter early on. He suggested to the commanding general of the night fighters, Josef Kammhuber, that day fighters should operate directly over the RAF invaders using a specially developed procedure.

With the support of the searchlight units and the flak, the enemy aircraft should be illuminated, or the clouds, so that the RAF aircraft stood out clearly.

At the end of June 1943, the Staff / NJVK Herrmann was set up in Deelen. The first voluntary missions and training was carried out by experienced bomber pilots and experienced blind flight instructors in order to test Major Herrmann's idea in practice. The day fighters in the early days did not have any additional devices for night hunting, so the missions could only be carried out by experienced pilots, and even that was still a risk.
Source:  www.jg300.de/njvk-herrmann.html (a German language site, so apologies for Google's translation)



White 7
























Yellow 4 and Manfred Dieterle

In more than one source, Yellow 4 it is described as one of the 'mounts' of a Manfred Dieterle.

In this case, Yellow 4 is reported as being based at Hangelar airfield, which is to the north west of the German city of Bonn in the far west of Germany.

There is quite a lot of information online about Manfred Dieterle albeit some of it, if not directly conflicting, differs in some aspects.

Firstly, none of it categorially states whether or not he survived the war, although I kind of get the impression he did from the phrasing but I'm not sure why TBH.

In terms of online material, one individual actually visited his widow in 2004 but all he records of the visit is a short list of what he saw.  Admittedly it does include a 1/50 wartime scale model of a 109 painted in genuine Luftwaffe colours. Interesting as that is though, so much more could have been made of the blog - sooooooo frustrating!! Link HERE.

According to another article I have found on the Military Print Company website (link HERE) (date unknown), JG300 had 749 'known claims', of which Manfred Dieterle was responsible for nine. Three were British bombers and so fits perfectly, if poignantly, with my theme; the remaining six were all US heavies (see below table).

The downing of several US planes reflect the unit's change to the day fighter role in the Spring of 1944.  This change was made in the face of the increasing efforts of US forces.  However, another article HERE (date unknown) states that the total number of kills for JG300 was 870 but it has the same number and type of of kills for Herr Dieterle.

His 'confirmed' kills according to the article are as follows:


Sources:
www.military-art.com/mall/squadroninfo.php?SquadronID=233
www.asisbiz.com/Luftwaffe/Jagdgeschwader-JG300-Kills.html



However, I did find this snippet on Airfix Community blog indicating that he actually got 13 kills, which if correct, meant he was halfway to becoming one of the so called 'Experten':

"Manfred Dieterle began his Luftwaffe career as a flight instructor in 1942, only making his combat introduction with 3./JG300 in the late summer of the following year. Looking at his combat record, it definitely appears to reflect the change in Luftwaffe fortunes at that stage of the war, because even though he would claim 13 aerial victories, he most definitely did not have everything his own way. Shot down on several occasions either by return fire from US bombers, or after being attacked by their escort fighters, he would even lose a fighter and sustain quite significant injury when his aircraft suffered a burst tyre during its take-off run, veering off the runway and crashing on uneven ground."
Source: uk.airfix.com/community/blo...ctacular-new-tooling-in-this-anniversary-year



I also found this entry on aircrewremembered.com which supports the 13 kills but that could of course be the source of the above article:



Source: www.aircrewremembered.com/Kr...d=&exc1=&exc2=&search_only=&search_type=exact



And the man himself, apparently in the white with summer cap (date unknown)


Source: www.jg300.de/me-109g-6-rote-1.html


An author called Jerry Crandall has published a book called 'Fighters of the Iron Cross. Men and Machines of the Jagdwaffe', which has a full profile of him but at €89 it's tad on the expensive side.  If anyone has the book would you please let me know.


Anyway, enough waffle...so below you will find pictures of the real Yellow 4 and my 'homage'.

[Leon]

Very nicely done on the pair Andrew!

Nice bit of history to go along with them.

[Steve Zuleski]

Those look great!

[adt70hk]

De Havilland Mosquito NF XIII (thimble nose) HK425 KP-R ‘Lonesome Polecat’, 409 Sqn RCAF.

Hi all

So the third completed kit of this collection, only 21 more to go!

As you will see there was a lot of information available about the plane, it's main crew and one of the squadrons it flew with, so apologies for the length of this post.  I hope you find it interesting

All comments welcome as usual.

Andrew


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The kit, aftermarket parts, paints and finish:

• Tamiya 1/72 Mosquito FB VI/NF II 60747.
• AML Mosquito NF XII/XIII with AI.Mk. VIII radar nose conversion set AMLA 72 093. Note: This was still the wrong shape and so was scraped/sanded to correct.
  
• Print Scale Mosquito Decals no. 72-159 – on the whole very good, except that the Skunk decal is VERY wrong.
• Paints: Exterior - Vallejo Model Air. Interior – Mostly Vallejo Model Air/Colour.
• Weathering: Flory Wash Dark Dirt

All in all, a really nice kit and most problems were of my own making! I’m looking forward to building the other three I have in the stash!!

The AM decals were very good but the Tamiya ones were used were very thick as usual, especially problematic given the shapes of the red crossed no walk areas.

The one big problem was the nose.  The Mk XIII was based on the FB VI but the Tamiya Mk XIII kit only comes with the universal/bull nose version.

I therefore used the Tamiya FB VI instead as the base kit but no one does an AM 'thimble' nose and making one was beyond my skill set. The AMLA nose is the wrong shape too, albeit the closest but it is also out of production.

So having spent a small fortune on getting it from the US, I then proceeded to wreck it by sanding and scraping it to the right shape - a heart-stopping experience for that first scrape.....


The Squadron: 409 Sqn RCAF aka 'The Nighthawks'

The plane itself flew with two squadrons; first with 96 Squadron RAF and then 409 Squadron RCAF. This model depicts the plane as it appears during it's time with 409 Sqn.

The squadron was formed at Digby, England on 17/06/1941. For the first three years it was based at several different UK airfields (sources differ in a few very minor specifics), with most of the time spent in a defensive night fighter role, protecting the UK.

However, in the Spring of 1944 the squadron was transferred to the 2nd Tactical Air Force, where it was apparently engaged in both offensive and defensive duties.

It initially moved to France (Capriquet), sometime after D-Day. Between its arrival in France and its final move to Twente, Netherlands (four weeks after Germany's surrender), where it was disbanded on 01/07/1945, it had been based at seven different airfields during it's time in Europe, in France, Belgium and Germany.

During it's time the squadron flew Boulton Paul Defiants and two types of Beaufighter before transferring to Mosquitos in March 1944. One source I have found suggests HK425 was still on charge with 96 Squadron at the very end of March 1944. If correct, I think it is likely to have been transferred shortly afterwards, when the squadron converted to Mossies.

Although not directly linked to this build, another 409 Mosquito – apparently ‘A-Able’ – was responsible for the below photo, taken for the Stars and Stripes magazine on 14/09/1944.







Also below are few other extracts from the what might be termed the 'semi-official' WW2 history of the 409 Sqn RCAF aka 'The Nighthawks'. I found this on the Aircrew Remembered website (link HERE).

They have scanned in every one of the 79 pages and not only that, they have transcribed the words alongside to make it searchable. In some cases, they have even added commentary resulting from their own research. Here is a very small selection:












Sources for the above:
www.rcafassociation.ca/heritage/history/rcaf-and-the-crucible-of-war/409-squadron/
aircrewremembered.com/Nighthawks/nighthawks50.html
www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RCAF/409_wwII.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/409_Tactical_Fighter_Squadron#cite_note-RCAF-4
forum.12oclockhigh.net/archive/index.php?t-27053.html



Mosquito NF XIII (thimble nose) HK425 KP-R ‘Lonesome Polecat’

As already noted, this model depicts the plane as it appeared during it's time with 409 Sqn RCAF and more specifically, nominally post February 1945.  It served with this Canadian unit until the end of the war, apparently being struck off charge on 21/11/1945.

I have found the following information about the plane on the mossie.org website, which suggests that the plane was only with 96 Squadron for a few months:

Build Type: NF.XIII, Merlin 23 engines
Build Location: Leavesden
Contract Number: 1576/SAS/C.23(a)
Delivery Period: Between 15-9-1943 and 2-2-1944
Source: www.mossie.org/production/results.php?series=HK&returnsperpage=All&mode=1


During my research for this project, I came across someone who turned an old Airfix FB VI into Lonesome Polecat (LP). He noted a number of things about the plane/build, most of which I was able to verify from my research, thus saving me a lot of work!!:

• early style "thimble nose" radar nose – very obvious!
  

• regular prop blades (not paddle blades).
• wing tip aerials.
• solid type main wheels (not spokes).
• shrouded exhausts.
• 50 gal. wing tanks. Whilst he fitted them, none of the LP pictures I have show them. I therefore omitted them.
• LP’s port tailplane stabiliser was damaged at some point (see below). According to the build thread, “While flown by F/L Hermanson and F/O Hamm in February 1945, HK425 was badly damaged by enemy fire and required major repairs.”
  
• The same thread also notes that upon returning to action “…this aircraft was generally flown by FL Ross Finlayson and P/O Al Webster [see below picture]. After the repairs, this aircraft was found to swerve to the right on take-off - normally a Mosquito swerves to the left on take-off. A few different 409 Sqn. crews attempted take-offs in HK 425 only to shut the engines down halfway along the runway and abort the flight. Finlayson was the only pilot able to get comfortable with this strange "snag" and this Mosquito became his personal aircraft.”
  
• July of 1945 saw Lonesome Polecat flown to Lansham, Kent in England, where it was scrapped.

Source: www.hyperscale.com/features/2000/mosquitogm_1.htm


And as for the name 'Lonesome Polecat', this was not added until it reached 409 Sqn:

"The nose art was inspired by a drunken Indian character from a very popular comic strip of the day, Finlayson having added the name to the aircraft and then asked his parents to send him a copy of the comic form Canada for copying. However, before the publication arrived, one of his groundcrew painted the skunk on the nose ahead of the titling, and is was considered to be so well done that Finlayson left it on." (Ross Finlayson)
Source: “Mosquito Menacing the Reich” by Martin Bowman



The best shot of the plane I have found; Twente, Holland. Taken by a regular pilot Ross Finlayson
This was the last place the squadron was based and I am pretty sure not until after the end of hostilities, so this photo is almost certainly post 7th May 1945.



Sources:
Mosquito Fighter/Fighter-Bomber Units of World War Two” by Martin Bowman
“Mosquito Menacing the Reich” by Martin Bowman



The character and name in close up, with two crew who flew it regularly; Flying Officers Al Webster and Ross Finlayson (location and date unknown).




Source: “Mosquito Fighter/Fighter-Bomber Units of World War Two” by Martin Bowman



The damage to the port stabiliser.
On the kit I have sprayed a slightly thicker coat of paint, with less mottling to reflect the fact that the stabiliser would have been repainted.






The completed kit

As noted at the start, the AM decal company very unfortunately did not recreate the nose skunk accurately and took a cartoon representation (possibly from Bambi).  By the time I realised it was too late but in any case the only other set of decals for this plane had been out of production for years.

Whilst it has taken the shine off the build slightly, I am still very happy with it!







































The underside really shows off how good Flory wash is…my first ever time using it:











And the standard calibration shot…………

[adt70hk]

May 27, 2023 4:13:29 GMT -5 Leon said:

Very nicely done on the pair Andrew!

Nice bit of history to go along with them.

May 27, 2023 7:13:16 GMT -5 Steve Zuleski said:

Those look great!

Steve, Leon

Thank you very much and glad you like them. In shameless piece of self publicity, you will see that I have just added a Mossie. Hope you like it as much.

ATB

Andrew

[Leon]

Another fine looking plane Andrew!

[stikpusher]

And so it begins! Beautiful builds! 👍🏼👍🏼

[Joe Rix]

Excellent builds Andrew. Superb research and representation of the subject. I am enjoying your theme modeling and the subjects you are choosing. Really looking forward to future updates.

[adt70hk]

May 27, 2023 15:35:19 GMT -5 Leon said:

Another fine looking plane Andrew!

May 27, 2023 16:59:20 GMT -5 stikpusher said:

And so it begins! Beautiful builds! 👍🏼👍🏼

Jun 2, 2023 8:19:22 GMT -5 Joe Rix said:

Excellent builds Andrew. Superb research and representation of the subject. I am enjoying your theme modeling and the subjects you are choosing. Really looking forward to future updates.

A VERY belated thank you gentleman, I have not had the chance to reply properly until now.  You're support is very much appreciated.


Joe - You're very welcome and am genuinely humbled.  I think I have chosen my next victim but I think it might be a while as I'm committed to a couple of GBs on another forum for the rest of the year.....I'm actually organising one, so I really should take part!


Apologies again.

ATB

Andrew

[406 Silverado]

adt70hk

That's 1/72nd scale??!! No frickin' WAY!! The camo work and details alone are just all that and then you add the weathering!! And then there's such clean canopy frame work. You really blew this one out of the water bud. Perfection!!!

[adt70hk]

Jun 24, 2023 19:40:00 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

adt70hk

That's 1/72nd scale??!! No frickin' WAY!! The camo work and details alone are just all that and then you add the weathering!! And then there's such clean canopy frame work. You really blew this one out of the water bud. Perfection!!!

Thanks Joe!

Glad you like it!!  I was very pleased with it, aside from the skunk issue.

I have to give credit to Eduard for the clean canopy, as I used their masks for this. 

As for the weathering, again I can only highly commend the wash I use.

It's a clay based wash by a small UK company called Flory Washes.  They may a range of clay based washes (amongst other things, which have very fine clay particles suspended in a solution of some sort.

You quite literally a slap it on the model, let it dry and then wipe it off with a damp cloth.  It is that simple and it doesn't matter how long you leave it on for.  Also, if you want a nice clean finish, you apply it over a gloss clear coat.  If you want a more mottled/weathered effect you apply it over a satin finish, as the clay particles stick a bit more.  Applying it over a matt clear coat is a recipe for disaster.  The below vid explains more.

Thanks again!

ATB

Andrew

[Tobi]

What a nice collection you have there Andrew. The canopy framing on all models looks so good, would have driven me probably nuts.

[Tobi]

Thank you for sharing the video. I've heard about Flory washes before, but had no idea what they were actually about.

[406 Silverado]

I'll be checking that video out later on today.

[handiabled]

Flawless paintwork, and a great back story to accompany these! Wonderful work sir!

[adt70hk]

Jun 25, 2023 23:55:04 GMT -5 Tobi said:

What a nice collection you have there Andrew. The canopy framing on all models looks so good, would have driven me probably nuts.

Tobi, thanks a lot.  Glad you like them!

Jun 26, 2023 0:21:22 GMT -5 Tobi said:

Thank you for sharing the video. I've heard about Flory washes before, but had no idea what they were actually about.

Jun 26, 2023 6:20:52 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

I'll be checking that video out later on today.

Gents, I cannot recommend it highly enough.  It is really is the business and so simple to use, plus even on a 1/48 scale aircraft, a little goes a long way apparently.

Jun 26, 2023 10:46:20 GMT -5 handiabled said:

Flawless paintwork, and a great back story to accompany these! Wonderful work sir!

Brent


You really are too kind but thank you!  If you look closely you can see a slight tide mark on the paint on one wing.



Thanks again gents!

ATB

Andrew

[dukemaddog]

This is so awesome to watch come together. You've done some magnificent work already! Amazing detail and yes, I've used Flory washes before and still have some in my stash of supplies. Brilliant product!

[406 Silverado]

Yup.....I'll be getting some of those washes. Thanks for sharing that Andrew!!!

[adt70hk]

Jun 28, 2023 17:57:56 GMT -5 dukemaddog said:

This is so awesome to watch come together. You've done some magnificent work already! Amazing detail and yes, I've used Flory washes before and still have some in my stash of supplies. Brilliant product!

Mark

Thanks very much.  Glad you're liking the work so far!

They are a brilliant product aren't they!  So simple and so effective.

Jun 28, 2023 18:06:46 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

Yup.....I'll be getting some of those washes. Thanks for sharing that Andrew!!!

Good to hear Joe!

I sought advice on which ones to get from a very experienced modeller on my Brit forum before I pushed buy and this is what he had to say.....


"I bought four bottles probably 8 - 10 years ago and still have them. The colours i bought were Rust, Light Dirt, Dark Dirt and Black. Personally, i wouldn't buy the Rust as i think the AK/Mig rust streaking fluids are far better. But the other three fulfil all my requirements on all my builds."

I did buy some of their weathering sticks too but I didn't use them on my Mossie.

Hope that helps.

ATB

Andrew

[406 Silverado]

That's some good feedback from your friend and good to hear as well. I've got some builds coming up that this is going to work perfect for.

[adt70hk]

Jun 29, 2023 18:28:57 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

That's some good feedback from your friend and good to hear as well. I've got some builds coming up that this is going to work perfect for.

One other thing I do remember from the video is always decant some into a smaller pot and don't risk put any brush in the bottle itself.  Apparently any kind of contaminant, even on a seemingly clean brush can have disastrous effects on the fluid and turn it all lumpy.

[TJ]

Just catching up with this. Excellent start for a unique collection. I also am very interested in the night fighters on both sides

[adt70hk]

Jul 15, 2023 4:53:30 GMT -5 TJ said:

Just catching up with this. Excellent start for a unique collection. I also am very interested in the night fighters on both sides

Johnny


Thank you very much indeed for the compliment.  Having seen the other 'KP-R' by your good self, I will take that as a real compliment.

[brandonk]

WOW !!! Just wow! That is impressive work and information.

[adt70hk]

Jul 17, 2023 10:13:31 GMT -5 brandonk said:

WOW !!! Just wow! That is impressive work and information.

Thank you Brandon.  Glad you like it so far.

[kyledehart5]

New to the forum but this is just incredible stuff!!

[adt70hk]

Jul 30, 2023 0:49:18 GMT -5 kyledehart5 said:

New to the forum but this is just incredible stuff!!

Welcome aboard Kyle!

And thank you very much.  I'm glad you like it all.  Hopefully you will like more of the collection!