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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 2, 2016 7:31:38 GMT 12
Has anyuone here built the Special Hobby Tempest V yet? It'll be great to see some done as No. 486 (NZ) Squadron examples. Or some of the kiwis who flew in other Tempest Squadrons. Even No. 485 (NZ) Squadron examples!  www.hannants.co.uk/product/SH32049 |
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Post by Mustang51 on Mar 2, 2016 10:15:32 GMT 12
Beautiful artwork...........
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Post by ZacYates on Mar 2, 2016 12:11:05 GMT 12
I think I've seen one or two online. I'm not enough of a fan to get one (knowing how expensive SH's products tend to be, I'm thinking this'll cost a lot!), although once I see one fly that would change!
With that said, I have a Special Hobby 1/48 Oxford (about halfway done, to be Wigram's one) and can say their kits are beautiful. Great photoetch, lovely fine resin parts and great detailing on the plastic. The Tempest will surely make for a great model.
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Post by jp on Mar 2, 2016 21:36:44 GMT 12
Don't think this has actually been released yet? Been in development since about 1945..........
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Post by noooby on Mar 3, 2016 4:51:03 GMT 12
485 Sqn Tempest Dave?? Have you been drinking from the special cup again?  ? I know 485 flew a few Typhoons in preparation for Tempest conversion, but as far as I know it never happened and they went with the Spit XVIe instead. If anyone has a photo of a 485 Typhoon or Tempest, I would love to see it though!!!!!!! |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 3, 2016 7:34:34 GMT 12
Well according to Keith Macdonald DFC's logbook (who was the last CO of No. 485 (NZ) Squadron) he rejoined No. 485 (NZ) Squadron on the 28th of February 1945 at RAF Predannack, and he flew a Tempest V on the 2nd of March 1945. He had four Typhoon flights later in March.
I'd always been under the impression they got Tempests for a short time, these were replaced with Typhoons, and then Spitfire IX's.
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Post by noooby on Mar 3, 2016 9:59:51 GMT 12
Feb 44 they got the Spit IX, which took them through D-Day and beyond.
Late Feb 45 they were moved to Cornwall to equip with the Tempest V. They trained up on Typhoons in anticipation of this, but Tempests were needed elsewhere and there weren't enough to equip the Sqn, so they went back to the Spit, this time with the XVI, many of which were low back/bubble canopy versions.
I don't have my copy of Kevin Wells's book anymore (my High School Geography teacher as it so happens!) as I loaned it out to a person who now says he never borrowed it from me. Grrrrr. But that book should have better dates and aircraft than what I have in the remnants of my notes.
As a Typhoon person myself, I would love to know which ones 485 flew while in Cornwall! Can anyone help with that???
I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Tempests were shared with 33 Sqn, who were at Predannack from Dec 44 to Feb 45, changing from Spits to Tempests as well. They left Preddanack in late Feb, heading to the Netherlands and taking their Tempests with them.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 3, 2016 11:38:42 GMT 12
Keith Macdonald DFC's logbook shows he was a member of No. 222 (Natal) Squadron at RAF Predannack, Cornwall, flying Tempests, when he was posted back to No. 485 (NZ) Squadron when they arrived there, to take over as their new Commanding Officer on the 28th of February 1945.
His logbook shows in the weeks before his posting he was flying these aircraft:
01 Feb 45 - Tempest V PV670
02 Feb 45 - Tempest V PV670
15 Feb 45 - Tempest V PV670
22 Feb 45 - Tempest V ZD-X
23 Feb 45 - Tempest V ZD-X
Then after his posting to No. 485 (NZ) Squadron he was flying:
02 March 45 - Tempest V - PV (no complete serial filled in) (Air Test)
05 March 45 - Typhoon II - PV512
05 March 45 - Typhoon II - PV512
22 March 45 - Typhoon II - PV512
28 March 45 - Typhoon II - PV909
23 April 45 - Spitfire IXB - OU-T
24 April 45 - Spitfire IXB - OU-T
That was all his wartime flying. He did not fly in May 45,and in June he was then flying a Spitfire XVI, also coded OU-T, no serial given. Also in June 1945 he flew an Me108, a Focke Wulf Fw190, an Auster, an Anson X, and Tempest V NV680 (7th of June 45).
Someone should get hold of the ORB's and some other personal flying log books and see what other Typhoons and Tempests were being flown by the pilots of No. 485 (NZ) Squadron between February and June 1945.
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Post by noooby on Mar 3, 2016 16:42:15 GMT 12
Oh boy Dave, you're really opening the can of worms now! LOL. Wouldn't it be nice to go back and ask all these pilots to put serial numbers AND codes! Anyway, the Typhoon II is a mystery as there is no such thing. There is a Typhoon 1A and 1B. The Typhoon II was renamed the Tempest. I'm trying to find a good list of Serials, but it isn't so easy with the Typhoon and Tempest. The spitfire IXB took me by surprise too as there is no such thing. Spitfires came with C or E wings only (as far as I know). My Spitfire references have one sentence that refers to the LF.IX being referred to (for some strange reason) as the Spit IXB. Not sure why the clipped wing IX was called the IXB. So I assume that OU-T has clipped wings. Nice going Dave, you've raised more questions instead of answering them!  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 3, 2016 16:52:25 GMT 12
I'm a historian, that's my job. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 3, 2016 17:42:02 GMT 12
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Post by noooby on Mar 4, 2016 10:15:33 GMT 12
That makes more sense. I'm at www.ukserials.com and all the PV serial numbers are for Spitfires, not Tempest or Typhoon. I also found that Tempest ZD-X is Serial NV670 (You can actually fly that aircraft in IL-2, there is an aftermarket skin for it). The aircraft he flew in the lines above ZD-X are listed as PV670, but that Serial isn't a Tempest, so perhaps a typo in the logbook and they are all for the same aircraft, NV670/ZD-X? And for the 485 aircraft it would most likely be EJ509 not PV909, athough EJ509 isn't listed in your list of 485 aircraft. Does PV mean something else to him in the logbook? Pilot Vehicle 909? Are you able to scan the pages and put them up here? Most interesting! |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 27, 2016 9:48:03 GMT 12
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Post by ZacYates on Jun 27, 2016 11:56:15 GMT 12
That is very nice! Special Hobby's quality has really improved over the years - I wasn't expecting something with such refined sprues. I may have to get one somewhere down the line. I look forward to seeing some builds!
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Post by hbpencil on Jun 27, 2016 13:45:49 GMT 12
The spitfire IXB took me by surprise too as there is no such thing. Spitfires came with C or E wings only (as far as I know). My Spitfire references have one sentence that refers to the LF.IX being referred to (for some strange reason) as the Spit IXB. Not sure why the clipped wing IX was called the IXB. So I assume that OU-T has clipped wings. I realize that this is a bit late but it may be of interest to someone. By the mid war period the Spitfire series designations had turned into a bit of a mess, so in October '43 (if I remember correctly) it was overhauled with the nomenclature we now use being introduced. Prior to that the unofficial but widespread use of the terms IXA and IXB were used for what were then named the F.IX and LF.IX respectively, and continued to be used in squadron and pilot files long after that. Needless to say many people have been caught out by those terms since then, thinking that there were MkIXs with type 'a' and 'b' wings which wasn't the case. Another to watch out for is the IIC, which was a MkII (with either 'a' or 'b' wings) fitted with Merlin XX and used for ASR work. |
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Post by Damon on Jun 28, 2016 12:47:38 GMT 12
Having had a look at this kitset a few days ago I can vouch that its indeed a great kit.Quality in between Hasegawa and Tamiya. Those who are going to get it will not be disappointed.Fantastic moldings and nice clear parts. decals in the High Tech option kitset included 486 Sqn markings, also resin wheels which seemed better than the normal ones supplied in the kitset. One detail ,the representation of the riveting on the airframe was very well done.
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Post by ZacYates on Aug 16, 2016 19:17:23 GMT 12
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? I know 485 flew a few Typhoons in preparation for Tempest conversion, but as far as I know it never happened and they went with the Spit XVIe instead.
