Italeri 1/72 TB-25J Mitchell VH-XXV

[Deleted]

Hi all,
This one has a significant link to our own Mustang51. This Mitchell, 44-86791, was restored in the USA in the early 1980s for an Australian group called Aero Heritage which had been searching for a B-25 to fly as a warbird to acknowledge the type's RAAF service. I have no doubt Ando can give us more info.

Ownership later passed to the Australian War Memorial which controversially sold the aircraft to the Yanks Air Museum at Chino, where it remains today.

This is the old Italeri 1/72 Mitchell kit built basically out-of-the box with DK Decals for the RAAF markings, while the distinctive Esso tiger noseart was designed and printed for my by a friend in the UK. Thanks kit! Unfortunately and before Ando points it out! - the antenna above the cockpit was broken and lost while I waited for the tiger decals.

Italeri 1/72 TB-25J Mitchell VH-XXV by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Italeri 1/72 TB-25J Mitchell VH-XXV by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Italeri 1/72 TB-25J Mitchell VH-XXV by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Italeri 1/72 TB-25J Mitchell VH-XXV by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Italeri 1/72 TB-25J Mitchell VH-XXV by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Italeri 1/72 TB-25J Mitchell VH-XXV by Zac Yates, on Flickr

I'm very pleased with how this turned out and I hope you like it too.

[Mustang51]

Very nice Zac.......now that really brings back some memories and a damn lot of both physical work and lots of letter writing. Started in the kitchen of Randal's McFarlane's flat in Maroubra in 1981 after a morning visit to the Catalina that was sponsored to fly to Australia painted silver and itself in RAAF markings. We sat in the machine at Mascot and talked for a long while and on return to Randal's we talked about things we would like to do. He had tried previously to 'get' a B-25 for Australia but it fell through. It was then we made the decision to try again.....the rest is the result of a bloody great deal of work, some failures but more successes and a truck load of enthusiasm. Look to the Chateau Productions documentary of "Ghosts of the Skies". Some bits a bit 'hokey' but it told the story. Nice memories....no criticism...maybe more roundels on the starboard wing........

[markrogers]

That's very nice and impressive. Would the green camo dark green or Foliage Green? I remember the B-25 flying in Australia, from reading Flightpath magazines.

P.S. I think it might need an extra roundel on the starboard wing!

[Deleted]

From such humble beginnings...thank you for sharing that, Ando. On Facebook Randal said some very kind things about my model.

Feb 7, 2022 10:32:46 GMT 12 Mustang51 said:

Look to the Chateau Productions documentary of "Ghosts of the Skies". Some bits a bit 'hokey' but it told the story.

Feb 7, 2022 10:32:46 GMT 12 Mustang51 said:

no criticism...maybe more roundels on the starboard wing........

Oops, how did I manage that? I'll sort it!

[Mustang51]

Haven't spoken to Randal in years....can you get his email as I don't do "Faceplant"

[Mustang51]

Hmmmmmm ..... wondering if the old borate tank that we used as the ferry tank is still somewhere lurking at the QANTAS Sydney base.....

[Mustang51]

Markrogers....was neither. Just a standard epoxy colour

[Dave Homewood]

I just watched the documentary again. I saw it a few years back too when it was discussed here on the forum. Great stuff. They really made excellent aviation documentaries back in the 1980's, especially Australian and British docos. Far more special than anything that seems to come out these days.