Northamptonshire Project

[Dominic Thomas]

This is a great project Ratch.

I love things that include research and subsequent model construction. Northamptonshire is a rich vein to mine which I hadn’t appreciated before.

[Paulus66]

Hi Ratch

Very nice collection and great project. Have you added the Bolton Paul Defiant to your collection as it has markings for R.A.F Wittering.

Wittering has a personal history for me as we used to cycle up there ( when kids ) to watch the Harriers and others takeoff from there. We also used to risk the wrath of the R.A.F regiment by sifting through the undergrowth near the perimeter fence looking for model kits that used to get dumped by people heading for new postings. We hit gold many a time but also had to run like the wind from the Regiment and the White mice.

[Ratch]

Thanks Paul, yes the Defiant is on page 7. Here is a fuller account.

Defiant Mk.1 N3328 was first taken on charge by No. 10 M.U. on 13.11.1940 and allocated to No. 151 Squadron as a night fighter on 12 December 1940 and stayed until 22 August 1941. The Squadron was at RAF Wittering in Northamptonshire at this time. During the early months of 1941, No. 151 Squadron was flying Hurricanes and Defiants. On 4/5th February a Defiant crew claimed a Dornier 17C, which crashed at Weldon and was the first enemy aircraft to be shot down in Northamptonshire. Flight Lieutenant Desmond McMullen, DFC Bar, and Sergeant Fairweather made a most successful Defiant crew, claiming two Heinkel 111s on successive nights in April. In the following month they downed a Junkers 88.

On 3 May 41, a Defiant brought down a Ju 88A-5 over Norfolk. The crew were P/O Guy A. Edmiston and Sgt. A.G. Beale. The 151 Squadron Operations Record Book shows that P/O Edmiston and Sgt. Beale had a busy time on 2nd and 3rd May. They flew in Defiant N3386 S from Coltishall to Wittering between 14.45 and 15.20. Between 20.55 and 21.10 they took N3317 O up on an air test. Between 21.50 and 22.30 they were again in N3317 O, on patrol. Between 01.30 and 02.45 on the 3rd they were up in N3328 Z on patrol. P/O Edmiston's combat report at Kew times the incident at 01.36.

Although the camouflage value of RDM2 may be apparent, one problem was the continued use of grey codes; therefore, night-fighters soon came to wear red codes. DZ-Z of No.151 Sqn also has a most interesting piece of nose art in the form of a shark mouth and eye. After having been returned to Reid and Sigrist, presumably for modification, N3328 was later allocated to No.1 Air Armament School at Manby on 08.04.1942 and from there it was allotted to No.10 Air Gunners School at Walney Island near Barrow. On 23rd October 1942 Flight Sergeant John Leslie Coulter from No.10 AGS was flown to Manby via Grimsby, as a passenger in an aircraft flown by the Officer in Command of No.10 AGS, Squadron Leader Hubert Norman Gravenor. En route he was briefed regarding his duties concerning the collection of the aircraft from Manby. N3328 crashed in a hailstorm on 24 October 1942, killing the pilot, Sgt J. L. Coulter RAAF.

Boulton Paul Defiant Mk.I N3328 No. 151 Squadron RAF Wittering, Northamptonshire, May 1942.

[Ratch]

Harrier GR.7, ZD435/23 of 20® Sqn., 233 OCU, RAF Wittering, in 2000.

[paul71]

another good addition to the collection ratch

[Ratch]

Cheers, I think the paint looks too dark, but hey-ho!

[Dominic Thomas]

Looks good again. Well done Ratch.

You may have a point about it being too dark. I tried my first (latest edition) Harrier a few years ago. It was too dark initially so I repainted it and now I think it’s too light. But it’s not bad from a distance.

[Ratch]

I really should not rely on manufacturers' claimed matches.

The stencils are lost on the dark paint of my model. I will look for a better match for my next one.

[Sailorman]

Very interesting bit of history!

[Ratch]

The aircraft and ordnance is Airfix, I scratched the various trolleys.

[paul71]

its a good way of using the extra parts instead of them just sitting in a box, im building up my spairs but im a slow builder so its taking some time

paul

[Ratch]

Thanks Paul

[Ratch]

Bristol Blenheim Mk.If L1255 of No. 787 RNAS Squadron RAF Wittering 1943. This was at the time when the Air Fighting Development Unit was testing and evaluating various airframes, RAF, USAF and captured Luftwaffe aircraft, which may explain the strange allocation of this airframe to 787 Royal Naval Air Squadron.

[SD45elect2000]

I really like the "theme" approach to modeling. I don't know enough about the RAF to have a theme although I am still working on some Warmwell aircraft.

Randall

[paul71]

That's a nice blenheim ratch its one I've not got, like the setting and the early yellow bombs

[Ratch]

Thanks for your interest guys.

Paul, AMOs state the colour is Buff 381C 359. It is commonly called yellow. Someone said to me a long time ago "go with what looks right to you." So I'm not a colour purist, but I used Vallejo Model Color 70913 121 Yellow Ochre.

[paul71]

Thanks for that ratch, I knew they were a yellow colour but i didn't know what shade, the colour photographs I've seen haven't been consistent in colours between them some seem a bright yellow but then some bombs I've seen at museums are a close match to what you have

[Ratch]

Matchbox UC-64 Noorduyn Norseman as 44-70290, of the 20th Fighter Group, RAF Kingscliffe. From July 1944 this was the Group’s general communications hack. It was based at King’s Cliffe until 11th October 1945.

[Dominic Thomas]

I really like these dioramas. The aircraft are not always to my taste but that’s irrelevant. The creativity is tremendous. Did you buy the blast pens complete or did you make them? Also, are the vehicles from the Airfix USAAF re supply set (I guess I can check that one).

[SD45elect2000]

Not an aircraft I see very often. I have one I think, I hope mine looks as nice as yours.

Randall

[Ratch]

Hi Dominic, the E-pens are by Amera and the vehicles are from the USAF Bomber Supply Set (plus one or two others). Thanks for the feedback, and you too Randall.

[AirportsEd]

I really like the Kingscliffe diorama, especially as I walked around the old airfield many years ago when there was more evidence of the now long-gone field. Nice work. I must get some of those E-pens!

[DoubleD]

How many different types of aircraft will you need to make to complete the project Ratch?

[Ratch]

I dare not count them Dale, I have most of them in my stash.

[DoubleD]

thumbsup - no chance of a diorama with them all on then grinning