RNZAF WWII modelling article

[silverfox]

I believe that only NZ412, NZ413 and NZ404 have been definitely identified as carrying the Disney Markings ( source Warren Russell) and as such are not part of the second batch which my dad would definitely have a connection with.

I have bought a Special Hobby boxing of the same kit as well to do NZ418 post war with no turret and new cowlings after deliver to Southern Scenic Air Services at Frankton. Why I bought a secoond one is beyond me but it is £12 cheaper than the Classic Boxing, comes with all the optioanl sprues and I had partaken of alcholic beverages at the time.

I'll work out how to post eventually but at the moment the Anson has nearly been a flyer a couple of times. Still I built a Classic Hudson and that took four years.

[kiwichappers]

I have seen a photograph, which I think was in Puke Ariki [New Plymouths combined museum, library and archive], of NZ403 which had a characture of Ferdinand, the Taranaki provincial mascot. I do not think Ferdinand was a Disney characture rather a nod to the host province of General Reconnaissance school at Bell Blocks.

[silverfox]

NZ404 had donkeys head face on with ears at eight o'clock and four o'clock, NZ412 had a Mickey Mouse in a long gown with an axe and NZ413 had a flying Dumbo, the latter two were from Fantasia which had come out around that time. So if NZ403 had nose art as well I'd love to see it.

Cheers Kiwichappers thanks for getting me on here

[Dave Homewood]

Ferdinand the Bull was indeed a Disney character, and I believe that was actually on NZ406 but I'll check that.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_the_Bull

www.animationartgallery.com/images/WDC/WDC1066.gif

You can see the Ferdinand bull head on the photo here on this Anson but you cannot see the number
www.adf-serials.com/nz-serials/nz401.shtml

Another I think was Clarabell Cow, also Disney, and I believe there was a Donald Duck too. The Mickey Mouse in robe and with axe is his character as The Apprentice from the film Fantasia.

[kiwichappers]

Dave,
Check out the picture at the head of the Anson page on ADF serials site you refered to in your last post. Look at the starboard engine cowling, there is a small C on the fairing over the cylinder head slightly below horizontal. When read in conjunction with the ADF serials site extract [copied below] I concluded Ferdinand was on the nose of NZ403.

'NZ403 -a Previously AX652. Shipped to New Zealand on "Kent" arriving 10 July 1942. BOC 27 July 1942, Code "C". Used by School of General Reconnaissance at New Plymouth. To No. 1 FTS at Wigram November 1945. Written off and broken up at Wigram on 27 April 1948.'

I also checked out Warren Russells good book last night and noticed he has come to the same conclusion about this picture. That is plenty good enough for me!

Silverfox you are more than welcome. A small return for your efforts in the NZ SIG.

[Dave Homewood]

Yes, you are right and my memory was playing tricks. Sorry.

[Dave Homewood]

Having now had a chance to look at my resources, NZ406 'G' did indeed carry nose art, I have two photos of it in flight. It looks like a bull's head too, but I cannot be sure. I have several other photos of RNZAF Ansons with nose art but they're not taken close enough to see detail and some you cannot see the serial or code - but they're not the same as those listed above and in Warren Russell's excellent book, so I'd guess at least eight had nose art.

[Dave Homewood]

I'll add that as Mickey Mouse's Apprentice character and also the Ben Ali Gator character both appeared in Disney's 'Fantasia' film in 1940, perhaps other nose artworks on the Ansons were characters from the film?

Here's some of the film's characters: the hippo would make great nose art.
todaystreasures.com/shop/images/Steiff%20Disney%20Set.bmp

[silverfox]

So far I have failed to find any nose art on aircraft serialled above NZ413, so I wonder if the first batch to arrive were given nose art by someone inspired by Fantasia, which would have been released in NZ in 1942/43 and the later aircraft were left unadorned?

We have definitely got:

NZ403 Ferdinand the Bull
NZ404 Donkey
NZ406 Bull?
NZ412 Micky Mouse, the Sorcerers Apprentice
NZ413 Dumbo

I wonder if this ought to be a spearate thread

[silverfox]

As promised a progress photo of the Anson. It has taken about a year to get so far. Nothing much actually fits and each piece is a mini triumph.

Loads of filler was needed to get the turret insert into some sort of shape. Still, it looks like an Anson to me. I have both tail-planes and one wing complete as well. The next challenge it the fit of the glasshouse to the plastic between it and the turret.



I have not actually seen a complete one in the UK other than one built by a semi-professional modeller for a magazine

[Dave Homewood]

Going back to Anson nose art:

This is from RNZAF Contact magazine from July 1943. The sketches by Maurice Conly show nose arts he'd seen on RNZAF aircraft. Several are off Ansons



Popeye = Dakota NZ3501, though it's a mirror image of the actual artwork

"Dopey" the Donkey = Anson NZ404

"Dumbo" = Anson NZ413 (from Disney movie Dumbo)

"Ben Ali Gator" = Anson NZ4?? (from Disney movie Fantasia)

Mickey Mosue as The Sorcerer's Apprentice = Anson NZ412 (from Disney movie Fantasia)

I have never seen the eagle carrying the bomb, the Donald Duck carrying the bomb or the Jiminy Cricket type character on any of our aircraft. I wondered if they had come from RNZAF Venturas which arrived with nose/fuselage art applied but I think this is too early for that. They were first in NZ in June 1943 and I don't know if Conly had time to copy their artworks.

I wonder if perhaps some of these were also on Ansons?

[chrisr]

Did we ever figure out the nose art on NZ406? I see it has been suggested the art might actually be pluto the dog.

Given NZ406 as displayed in the RNZAF museum does not have nose art, is this a mystery lost to time.