Northamptonshire Project

[Ratch]

Airfix 1/72 Bristol Bulldog (61055) converted to TM

Central Flying School, RAF Wittering 1934.

[Ratch]

Airfix 1/72 Bristol F.2B Fighter (61005-0)

No. 5 Training Depot Station, Easton-On-The-Hill, 1918-19.

Stamford became the training ground for new recruits, forming No1. Training Depot Stamford whilst a short distance to the west a second station was established at Easton on the Hill, operating as No. 5 Training depot. These two sites operated only a stones throw apart but both totally independent of each other. Eventually with the formation of the Royal Air Force on April 1st 1918, Stamford would become RAF Wittering and Easton on the Hill – RAF Collyweston.

[Ratch]

Airfix 1/72 de Havilland Tiger Moth (01015)

Central Flying School Aerobatic Display Team, RAF Wittering, 1932-33.

[Ratch]

Revell (ex-Matchbox) 1/72 Handley Page Victor (04326) converted from K2 to B2 using Freightdog resin

Victor B2 (early production) XM715, 100 Squadron RAF Wittering 1963.

[Ratch]

No. 32 Squadron were at Wittering from 26 May to 4 June 1940

Airfix 1/48 Ready For Battle (A50172)

[Ratch]

Academy 1/72 Republic P-47D Thunderbolt 'Razorback' (2175)

325307 UN*S of the 63rd Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group, RAF Wittering, 1943.

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Airfix 1/72 BAe Harrier GR.7A/GR9A (A04050)

Visited Wittering while based at Cottesmore.

[Ratch]

Airfix 1/72 North American P-51D Mustang (A55107)

Miss Miami was assigned to Lieutenant Rep Jones of the 77th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group at Kingscliffe. It was named after his home town in Florida. He completed his combat tour in April 1945, claiming seven kills (ground and air). The aircraft was scrapped in September 1945.

[Ratch]

Academy 1/72 Consolidated B-24H Liberator (2163)

801st/492nd (Provisional) Bomb Group (Heavy), Harrington, March 1945.

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Novo 1/72 General Aircraft GAL.48 Hotspur (F152)

General Aircraft GAL.48 Hotspur, RAF Chelveston, June 1942.

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Bilek 1/72 Henschel Hs 129B (914) the Airfix 02032 kit built as the one flown by No 1426 (Enemy Aircraft) Flight late 1944.

[Ratch]

Italeri 1/72 North American Mustang I (090)

Mustang Mk.IA (NA-91) FD442, Air Fighting Development Unit, RAF Wittering, as modified and flown by Squadron Leader ‘Mac’ MacLachlan DSO DFC on his intruder operations over France in June-July 1943.

Airfix 1/72 Vickers Wellington B.III (04001) No. 12 Operational Training Unit, Chipping Warden, 1944.

[Ratch]

Airfix 1/72 Vickers Wellington Mk.IC (A08018) No. 12 Operational Training Unit, Chipping Warden, 1942.

Tamiya 1/48 North American P-51D Mustang (61040-2500) 77 FS, 20 FG, July 1944.

Airfix 1/48 North American P-51D Mustang (A05131)

414822 LC-A Sad Sack was flown by Major Gilbertson. The 77th Fighter Squadron first flew Mustangs on 21 July 1944.

Airfix 1/48 North American P-51D Mustang (A05131)

79th Fighter Squadron. 20th Fighter Group, RAF Kingscliffe, 1944.

[Ratch]

Airfix 1/72 Vickers Wellington B.III (04001)

17 OTU, Silverstone

Airfix 1/72 Vickers Wellington B.III (04001)

No. 12 Operational Training Unit, Chipping Warden.

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Airfix 1/72 de Havilland Tiger Moth (01015)

No. 6 Elementary Flying Training School, Sywell

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Airfix 1/72 Douglas A-26 B/C Invader (05011)

Douglas A-26 C Invader A-26C-25-DT serial no. 43-22626 'Queen of Spades' arrived at Harrington on 14th March 1945 and assigned to No 801 (Provisional) Bomb Group, 856th Bomb Squadron (formerly 36th Sqn).

[Ratch]

Heller 1/72 Messerschmitt Bf 109F (80232)

No. 1426 Enemy Aircraft Flight, Collyweston, 12 April 1943 – January 1945. Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4/B was piloted by Oswald Fischer of 10/JG 26 who was shot down near Beachy Head by anti-aircraft fire while attacking a Royal Navy vessel in May 1942. It seems that the aircraft was kept until a serviceable engine or cylinder block could be acquired from a downed aircraft in the Middle East. In August of 1943, the aircraft was delivered to No. 1426 (Enemy Aircraft Flight). A F/Lt R.F. Forbes flew the aircraft at RAF Collyweston on 24 October, while it was still in Luftwaffe markings. Shortly after that, it was painted in RAF colours and given the serial NN644, keeping the white 11 and bomb markings. RAF pilots had similar ground handling problems with the 109 as did Luftwaffe pilots. In July of 1944, the port wing and aileron where damaged when an RAF pilot ground looped it on landing at RAF Thurleigh, Bedfordshire. The Messerschmitt passed to the Enemy Aircraft Flight at Tangmere in January of 1945 and went into storage at No. 47 MU at RAF Sealand in November of that year. It was later scrapped.

High Planes Models 1/72 Douglas DB-7 Havoc 1 "Turbinlite" (72040)

No 1453 Turbinlite Flight, operated from RAF Wittering from July 1941. These flights were equipped with Havocs and Bostons, modified to carry a 2,700 million candela searchlight in the nose with AI radar; the batteries for it carried in the bomb bay.

Airfix 1/72 Eighth Air Force: Boeing B-17G & Bomber Re-supply Set (A12010)

42-38206 “Thundermug”, 364th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bombardment Group, RAF Chelveston, 1 March to 12 December 1944, when it was battle damaged over Mersberg. It force landed in Allied occupied territory and was scrapped.

[Ratch]

Airfix 1/72 Bristol Blenheim Mk I (A04016)

No 13 Operational Training Unit, RAF Hinton-In-The-Hedges, 27 November 1940 until 23 August 1942.

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Revell 1/72 Vickers Wellington Mk. X (04601) ex-Matchbox PK-402

LP826 of No 85 Operational Training Unit, Husbands Bosworth, crashed at Althorp on 24/9/44.

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Airfix 1/72 Hawker Demon (01052-4)

No 23 Squadron used this aircraft at RAF Wittering between 16/05/38 and 01/06/40.

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Airfix 1/72 Handley Page Victor B.Mk2 (A12008) RAF Wittering, April 1963

Matchbox 1/72 Handley Page Victor B.Mk2.R. (PK-551) No. 139 Sqn, RAF Wittering, 1964.

Italeri 1/72 Lockheed P-38J Lightning (032) Kingscliffe 1943

Airfix 1/72 de Havilland Beaver (03017) Chelveston 1960

Airfix 1/72 Hawker Hart (1398) K5861 ‘25’ of No 7 Flying Training School, RAF Peterborough (Westwood), 1940.

[Ratch]

Airfix 1/72 Lockheed Hudson Mk. I (05034)

‘A’ Flight, Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment (AFEE), RAF Chelveston, 5 May 1942 - September 1942.

Eastern Express 1/72 Miles Master III (72287)

W8454 of No 26 (Signals) Group, SDU from 5 PAFU. Hinton-In-The-Hedges. 15 April 1943 – 30 July 1944.

[paul71]

an good read ratch and a great verity of aircraft, makes an interesting subject.

[Ratch]

Thanks Paul, I have many more to build.

[Ratch]

The Horsa in US markings is very interesting. Have only read about Horsa in US service, Where are more pictures from the origin?

Matthias

aka modelldoc

 

 

Sorry I missed your post earlier Matthias, I have one picture in Airfield Focus 69: Spanhoe ISBN 1-904514-21-9. There are two Horsas, the one in front has an RAF roundel and behind it is one sporting the stars'n'bars.