Vintage Monogram 1/48 Mosquito - 613 Sqn RAF on D-Day

[dewobz]

It being the 70th Anniversary Year of D-Day I have used a 1964 Vintage 1/48 Monogram Mosquito kitset to render RAF 613 "City of Manchester" Squadron Mosquito FB VI NS893 SY-Z in June 1944 for the D-Day GB over on Kiwimodeller. The aircraft is as I see it depicted on the 613 Squadron Wikipedia page -

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._613_Squadron_RAF

On 15 October 1943 the squadron moved to RAF Lasham, Hampshire and began to equip with the De Havilland Mosquito when it joined No. 2 Group as a day and night tactical strike unit.[10] The squadron mainly flew night intrusion sorties, but also took part in daylight precision actions such as that against the Dutch Central Population Registry building on 11 April 1944, where the Germans held their Dutch Gestapo records.[11][12] The squadron disbanded at Cambrai-Epinoy, France, on 7 August 1945 by being renumbered to No. 69 Squadron.[9][13]

Although the photo on Wiki is not perfectly distinct it appears to show the aircraft with hastily applied D-Day stripes obscuring the serial number and the original Sky Code Letters SY bleeding through them. The aircraft is also notably weathered, exhaust stained and oil leaky. I did just a modicum of additional scratch built detail in the cockpit and wheel bays. Because I brush paint I had difficulty with my D-Day stripes, sadly creating small ridges between them which are way out of scale. I hope you enjoy the pictures regardless.
I was 7 or 8 years old when this kitset was released onto the market. It was a more expensive Monogram kitset in those days I think at US$2.00 according to the leaflet inside advertising the then range.


Mosquito FB VI FIN, Wellington X 4 5 6 028 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr


Mosquito FB VI FIN, Wellington X 4 5 6 032 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr


Mosquito FB VI FIN, Wellington X 4 5 6 033 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr


Mosquito FB VI FIN, Wellington X 4 5 6 036 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr


Mosquito FB VI FIN, Wellington X 4 5 6 017 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr


Mosquito FB VI FIN, Wellington X 4 5 6 019 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr


Mosquito FB VI FIN, Wellington X 4 5 6 025 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr


Mosquito FB VI FIN, Wellington X 4 5 6 024 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr


Mosquito FB VI FIN, Wellington X 4 5 6 043 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr


Mosquito FB VI FIN, Wellington X 4 5 6 040 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr

I have a Mosquito question I will post over on the RNZAF modelling page.
Cheers
Wally.

[Dave Homewood]

Nice work Wally.

[flyjoe180]

Fantastic work Wally, one would never have guessed it was such an old kit. I think however that the groundies need to see to those tyres

[the.x.man]

Jan 23, 2014 11:22:55 GMT 12 flyjoe180 said:

I think however that the groundies need to see to those tyres

Indeed. That must've been a fairly spectacular skid...

Jan 21, 2014 14:35:08 GMT 12 dewobz said:

Because I brush paint I had difficulty with my D-Day stripes...

Personally, I feel the fact that you brush paint makes details such as D-Day stripes all the more realistic. I'd imagine that in the frantic preparations leading up to D-Day, a lot of those stripes were probably quite sloppily executed. Modern equipment and techniques have spoiled us compared to how things really were back then. I find your models to be a very enjoyable counterpoint to the super-smooth 'high-tech' finishes on a lot of models these days - although I'm afraid I often fall into the latter category myself (I've a beautifully built 1/48 Nieuport Ni17 here, perfect in every way except for the fact that the real one could never have been this good back in 1916). However, providing it was the right subject matter, I'd be very proud to have a Wally-built model on my shelf along with my other super-builds! I should just reiterate, too; I can't build myself and so rely completely on people like yourself for all my models.

[dewobz]

Thank you very much the.x.man, I appreciate your comments.
I hope I get to build something for you one day.
Cheers

[kiwikid]

Very nice work and beautifully presented.

Yep the pristine invasion stripes shown on some rebuilds and models might be a bit too flash.

The squadrons were only given 48 hours to get all their a/c painted up and in some units it was all hands to the pump.

[dewobz]

Cheers kiwikid.
That's a great photo isn't it? I spotted a copy for sale on eBay recently.
Shows how things actually were very realistically.
Eg, at least in some cases - probably many or most - the stripes weren't painted all over the a/c and then insignia & codes re-applied. The stripes were painted around the insignia and codes and, in some cases like my 613 Sqn Mosquito, over the top of codes and serial numbers.

[phild]

Jan 21, 2014 14:35:08 GMT 12 dewobz said:

It being the 70th Anniversary Year of D-Day I have used a 1964 Vintage 1/48 Monogram Mosquito kitset to render RAF 613 "City of Manchester" Squadron Mosquito FB VI NS893 SY-Z in June 1944 for the D-Day GB over on Kiwimodeller. The aircraft is as I see it depicted on the 613 Squadron Wikipedia page -

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._613_Squadron_RAF

On 15 October 1943 the squadron moved to RAF Lasham, Hampshire and began to equip with the De Havilland Mosquito when it joined No. 2 Group as a day and night tactical strike unit.[10] The squadron mainly flew night intrusion sorties, but also took part in daylight precision actions such as that against the Dutch Central Population Registry building on 11 April 1944, where the Germans held their Dutch Gestapo records.[11][12] The squadron disbanded at Cambrai-Epinoy, France, on 7 August 1945 by being renumbered to No. 69 Squadron.[9][13]

Although the photo on Wiki is not perfectly distinct it appears to show the aircraft with hastily applied D-Day stripes obscuring the serial number and the original Sky Code Letters SY bleeding through them. The aircraft is also notably weathered, exhaust stained and oil leaky. I did just a modicum of additional scratch built detail in the cockpit and wheel bays. Because I brush paint I had difficulty with my D-Day stripes, sadly creating small ridges between them which are way out of scale. I hope you enjoy the pictures regardless.
I was 7 or 8 years old when this kitset was released onto the market. It was a more expensive Monogram kitset in those days I think at US$2.00 according to the leaflet inside advertising the then range.


Mosquito FB VI FIN, Wellington X 4 5 6 028 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr


Mosquito FB VI FIN, Wellington X 4 5 6 032 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr


Mosquito FB VI FIN, Wellington X 4 5 6 033 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr


Mosquito FB VI FIN, Wellington X 4 5 6 036 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr


Mosquito FB VI FIN, Wellington X 4 5 6 017 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr


Mosquito FB VI FIN, Wellington X 4 5 6 019 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr


Mosquito FB VI FIN, Wellington X 4 5 6 025 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr


Mosquito FB VI FIN, Wellington X 4 5 6 024 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr


Mosquito FB VI FIN, Wellington X 4 5 6 043 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr


Mosquito FB VI FIN, Wellington X 4 5 6 040 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr

I have a Mosquito question I will post over on the RNZAF modelling page.
Cheers
Wally.

[phild]

Hi
How appropriate to find this post at random today. This was the aircraft on which my father, (John Ernest Davies) served. He was a member of 613 Squadron and was a Leading Aircraftsman. He was responsible for the engines. He was also responsible with others for the painting of the D Day stripes. He told me that they had two baths filled with paint, one black and one white and they painted the stripes with sweeping brushes. This was all done hurriedly on the night of D Day. He went to France a few weeks after D Day although he was not in the advance party. He served with the squadron up until the time it was disbanded. He remembered Epinoy well - it was an ex German airfield with tented hangars. Later he served on a disposal and salvage squadron.
I have some original photos of the aircraft.

[johnnyfalcon]

Any chance we could see them?

[dewobz]

Hello phild, I must say this is extraordinary. Imagine connecting with a person who's father actually painted the D-Day stripes on a particular aircraft 70 years ago! What are the odds of that!?
Such are the wonders of the world wide web I guess?
Like johnnyfalcon (plus baz62 and komata I dare say), I would be very grateful, indeed honoured, to see your original photos of this Mosquito.
I'm blown away by the connections this forum can create. All hail Dave Homewood.