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Post by Tom on Apr 16, 2024 8:36:40 GMT -5
That looks ace. Like most ex-WWII gear I imagine these did civilian service for decades, a combination of build quality/simplicity and lack of funds to buy new stuff.
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Post by DeadCanDanceR on Apr 16, 2024 10:05:25 GMT -5
Nice model! Great job, as usual!
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Post by reeft1 on Apr 16, 2024 13:23:13 GMT -5
Screams Desert Rats to me
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Post by Scalainjridesagain on May 1, 2024 4:03:05 GMT -5
That looks ace. Like most ex-WWII gear I imagine these did civilian service for decades, a combination of build quality/simplicity and lack of funds to buy new stuff. Thanks Tom I suspect you are right and thats another reason why so few survive. they were either destroyed in action or driven into the ground post war
Nice model! Great job, as usual! Cheers Julio Screams Desert Rats to me Spot on sir
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Post by Scalainjridesagain on May 1, 2024 6:15:50 GMT -5
The P-61 was originally developed to meet an RAF requirement for a heavy armed, radar carrying night fighter with a long loiter capability to meet the threat of the German night raids over London. It only got as far as initial considerations when the USAAC issued a specification that was very similar and Northrop were able to present their design consideration of a powerful large twin-engined aircraft and consequently the design was selected for further development. Northrop proceeded with a design that featured a three-man crew in a central gondola with a twin boom tail design powered by Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp engines that also included radar and two 4 gun turrets and consequently the aircraft had a 20-metre wingspan and weighed in at a little over 10,000 kg all up. Further refinement removed the front turret and placed those guns in the wing which were then changed to four 20mm cannons in the belly and this specification was accepted in January 1941 with the prototype taking to the air after protracted development in May 1942, and it wasn't until late 1943 that series production began. The P-61 would enter operational service in training units in early 1944 and would go into action in the Pacific theatre in June 1944 and in Europe in July 1944, and it proved to be a good night fighter however in both areas the Allies had by that time gained overall air superiority and targets proved elusive so sightings and combat were rare with kills even rarer still and whilst some 700 were built they accounted for very few enemy aircraft before the wars end mostly in the Pacific where they proved capable against all Japanese types as opposed to Europe where they were found wanting against the later generation German aircraft. Nonetheless, very few were officially lost by being shot down though quite a few succumbed to accidents and anti-aircraft fire and those that remained would stay in service postwar being phased out between 1948 and 1950 and there are 4 surviving to this day, 3 in museums and one under restoration to flying condition.
The model is from Great Wall Hobbies and is of a P-61B-2 which is believed to have made the last kill of WW2 in August 1944 when it engaged a Nakajimi Ki-44 in combat which then crashed during evasive manoeuvres without the P-61 firing a shot.
Great Wall Hobbies 1/48 - Northrop P-61-B2 - Lady in the Dark - 548th Night Fighter Squadron, 7th Air Force - Iwo Jima - August 1945
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Post by Tom on May 1, 2024 8:46:20 GMT -5
That is what I imagine when it comes to nocturnal WWII flights over Germany- perhaps I've even seen it in films. Looks fantastic, another great build!
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Post by DeadCanDanceR on May 1, 2024 10:02:56 GMT -5
That’s a great looking model and plane, Andy!
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Post by 105epaul on May 1, 2024 11:57:10 GMT -5
Very nice Austin K30, a good old work horse. Shame that there are only four survivors but commercial vehicles do tend to get run into the ground in the military and civil use.
The P-61 is a kind of weird looking aircraft isn't it? I like them though. Combat wise a bit of a too little, too late night fighter. Obviously we had the Beaufighter at first then the fabulous Mosquito which did the job pretty well.
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Post by reeft1 on May 2, 2024 7:17:03 GMT -5
That looks brilliant
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Post by Scalainjridesagain on May 3, 2024 2:00:07 GMT -5
That is what I imagine when it comes to nocturnal WWII flights over Germany- perhaps I've even seen it in films. Looks fantastic, another great build! Thanks Tom Maybe in a film and they certainly were on patrol though the numbers were limited
That’s a great looking model and plane, Andy! Cheers Julio, appreciate that Very nice Austin K30, a good old work horse. Shame that there are only four survivors but commercial vehicles do tend to get run into the ground in the military and civil use. The P-61 is a kind of weird looking aircraft isn't it? I like them though. Combat wise a bit of a too little, too late night fighter. Obviously we had the Beaufighter at first then the fabulous Mosquito which did the job pretty well. Thanks Paul Yes very much so. In many cases, commercial vehicle survivors are much rarer than contemporary exotic cars
In a way the P61 was a little late, but it was the first purpose built night fighter and for the time incredibly sophisticated and would actually be more related to the aircraft that followed it in this role than the Mosquito. The P-61 never went into RAF service and only one was supplied to the UK because by the time it reached our shores the Mosquito had been in service as a night fighter for over 2 years and was onto its 4th version of such and incidentally was in service with two US night fighter squadrons as well. In addition, even when the P-61 was operational more Mosquitos were requested by the US, but the RAF turned them down due to 'lack of supply' so three competitions were organised between the two aircraft (RAF crews flew the Mosquito and USAAF crews flew the P-61) and in all three cases the P-61 won hands down which is interesting as the Mosquito weighed 9300kg and had 3270hp and the P-61 weighed 13,400kg and had 4400hp.
I'll leave the last comment on the results to the organiser US Colonel Winston Krantz who said of the results. 'I'm absolutely sure to this day that the British were lying like troopers'
Cheers Paul
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Post by Scalainjridesagain on May 3, 2024 4:21:16 GMT -5
The Morris C9/B was a private development by the company started in 1941 to develop a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG) utilising the existing and highly successful C8 Quad Field Artillery Tractor (FAT) as a basis. The C9 had a slightly lengthened chassis but used the same 4*4 drive powered by the same 70hp 3.5 litre I4, however it only had a minimal body including an open cab because of the 40mm Bofors mounted in the chassis centre required a 360 arc of fire. The War Office liked the design and placed an order with the first prototype being completed in late 1942 and after successful trials 1680 were ordered with the first examples entering service in early 1944. The type was used in both Europe and the Pacific and would first see real active service after D-Day providing AA support for infantry however in both cases the lack of enemy aircraft later in the war meant alternative uses were required, and it was found in Europe they were particularly effective against infantry and light vehicles but better still in the Pacific the 40mm Bofors was found capable of penetrating the armour on Japanese tanks. The C9 would remain in service until 1995 and despite the number built there are only 5 known survivors according to my research mostly in museums, however most have been found lurking underneath later conversions to recovery vehicles and the like so more may appear in times.
Thunder Models 1/35 - Morris C9/B - 119th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, 15th Scottish Infantry Division - European Theatre - June 1944 - April 1946
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Post by reeft1 on May 3, 2024 4:31:21 GMT -5
Great model but i'm confused - why would Scottish Infantary be in an anti aircraft vehicle and have an american star on their vehicle? I know it used to be said that they were "overpaid, oversexed and over here" (no offence intended in the slightest to our American bretheren) but i doubt that's the reason?
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Post by Tom on May 3, 2024 8:59:29 GMT -5
1995? Wow, talk about return on investment! Ace build Andy, lots of details to see here!
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Post by DeadCanDanceR on May 3, 2024 10:08:52 GMT -5
Odd but really cool looking vehicle!
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