P-40E Warhawk, 3rd PS (Prov), Revell 1/144

 

After the Clark Field disaster, the Far East Air Force (FEAF) was left with a very small number of fighter jets operating in the Philippines, insufficient to guarantee air superiority around the islands, which were surrounded by the Japanese Navy, preventing the arrival of supply convoys.

The Pensacola Convoy was diverted to Brisbane when the route to the Philippines was cut off.

The missing aircraft of Pursuit Group 35 were in transit aboard the Pensacola Convoy, diverted to Australia, to be assembled there and flown to the Philippines. Although there were no aircraft, enough pilots had survived and were taken to Australia to fly the planes. However, the situation had deteriorated so severely by the time the aircraft were assembled that there was no longer any way to send them to their original destination. Furthermore, the Dutch East Indies were in great danger; Allied air forces had suffered heavy losses, and fighters were urgently needed.

El unico escuadron en llegar a Java fue el 17 PS Prov.

Under these conditions, several fighter squadrons were created with the newly assembled aircraft in Amberley, Australia. The first was the 17th Pursuit Squadron Provisional, with newly arrived pilots and a few veterans from the Philippines. Due to the serious needs of the fighting in Java, the squadron was sent there. With new aircraft arriving gradually, the 3rd and 20th Provisional Pursuit Squadrons were formed, also destined for Java. The 20th PS was the first to be sent by air, but upon reaching Timor, they were intercepted by Japanese aircraft, and only 6 planes survived. The 3rd PS was sent by air, but only 8 fighters reached Blimbing; the others were either lost in accidents or had to return to Darwin due to malfunctions. Of these, aircraft number 54, flown by Second Lieutenant Robert Buel, was assigned to protect a naval convoy against a Japanese Mavis that had been following them. The lieutenant managed to shoot down the Japanese aircraft, but then disappeared without a trace. This is the aircraft that inspired this model.

MODELISM

This is the old Lodela 1/144 scale model, manufactured in the late seventies. It was a magnificent model, easy to assemble, and very well detailed. It hasn't been produced since. This scale is perfect for modeling aircraft with such simple markings, like the planes from the Java campaign, of which I'm still missing two squadrons.

GALLERY

The model is a Lodela Revell, H-1000 series, 1/144 scale. The Old Marine paint scheme uses the USAAF 1941 paint pack in Olive Green 41 and Neutral Gray. All the work is done by hand, including the insignia, which is a bit difficult at this scale. There is very little information about that period of the war. Many aircraft were only delivered in basic colors, with the national star in the center of the fuselage instead of the squadron symbol. They often had the economic numbers painted on the fixed rudder in white or black, and sometimes on the lower part of the nose. Due to the limited evidence, it is possible that the aircraft were customized in the field.

P-400 Airacobra, Portuguese Air Force, Esquadrilha Airacobra (after Esquadrilha 4)

 

 

Portugal obtained its twenty Airacobras in the strangest way: 15 P-400 model aircraft, belonging to the 81st FG and the 350th FG of the USAAF, in transit to North Africa, landed or crashed in Portugal. The aircraft were repaired and put into service, serving for many years.

After negotiations with the United States, the latter agreed to sell the aircraft to the Portuguese, and added some new P-39Ls, but refused any kind of technical assistance; the aircraft served until 1950.

There are several discrepancies regarding the number of Airacobras that arrived in Portugal. Apparently, there were more than served in the OK squadron, as the mixed squadron was called by its pilots. Some Airacobras crashed in Portuguese or Spanish territory. It is thought that at least 24 aircraft may have arrived in Portugal, and three in Spain, about which almost nothing is known.

The P-400s were undoubtedly painted in green and earth tones, as they were aircraft diverted from British orders, with red or yellow spinners. The newer P-39Ls were painted in VO on the upper fuselage and GN on the lower fuselage. However, there are references indicating that the P-400s were painted in a mild camouflage pattern.

 

MODELISM

This is the old Lodela 1/144 scale model, produced in the early 1980s in the H-1000 series, a peculiar series that was only fully produced in Japan, more or less fully in Mexico, and very irregularly in Germany. It was an extraordinary model for its size, representing a Q model very well.

GALLERY

This was one of my first Airacobra models. I assembled it in the early 1980s. It was the first model I assembled and modified its livery by simply cutting the bars of the American insignia from the decal sheet and painting it with the P-400 scheme. In the 1990s, I repainted it with Pollys paint, as the Testors paint I originally used had become scratched. Finally, I decided to change the livery, and since the Portuguese aircraft were interned P-400s, I decided to take advantage of the fact that it's the same camouflage and painted the Portuguese insignia on it, using new codes, and then applied a coat of varnish.

 

Spitfire, Mk V Trop. Greek Air Force, 336 Squadron

Greece was defeated and occupied by the Germans in a lightning operation. However, this did not mean they stopped fighting. Pilots from that country managed to escape to Egypt, where, under the command of the RAF, they reformed a fighter squadron that fought alongside the 8th Army, following the entire route from the Egyptian border to the invasion of Italy.

In 1943, equipped with Spitfires modified with the Vokes air filter, they participated in the occupation of Italy, in the poorly organized and even more poorly executed occupation of some of the Dodecanese islands, and flew up the peninsula to the Battle of Rimini, fighting against the Luftwaffe, providing close air support, and patrolling the Adriatic and even the Aegean Sea.

 

But in September 1944, the German troops unexpectedly withdrew from Greece, so a force had to be urgently sent to fill the void and occupy the territory. Spitfires from the RAF's 335 and 336 Squadrons were sent, and as soon as they arrived back home, they reacquired their national markings. Although by 1945 the old Mark V Troops were already obsolete, they were no longer fighting the defeated Luftwaffe; they were only used for ground tactical support, a role they continued to fulfill until the end of the war.

Modelism

For decades, the only 1/72 scale Spitfire Mk V Trop model was the simple (though many would say rudimentary or prehistoric) model from PM, a Turkish brand somewhat uncommon in the West. They produced it in two versions: a local version with Turkish markings and an export version with USAAF markings. It was a simple model, technologically very similar to the old Airfix Mk IX, with few parts, one-piece wings, a very thick canopy, and practically no interior. However, it was very accurate in proportions and shape.

GALLERY

This is a PM model, but with modern modifications. When I imported these models, I kept this one. I recently assembled it with a new interior, a thermoformed canopy, and modern acrylic paints, all applied by hand using El Viejo Marino paint. It represents the aircraft in 1945, already based in Greece, without camouflage. It was believed that the weight savings improved performance.

 

 

P-38 LIghtning, Droop Snoot, Conversion, part 2

 

The P-38 Droop Snoot doesn't exist in 1/72. Here, I continue its conversion. I made the mold of the bomber's nose and thermoformed it with acetate from a supermarket meat tray.

 The pieces were now in place, adhered with white glue, and reinforced with epoxy modeling clay.

The nose was filled with acrylic filler to match. 

With the basic paint job complete, several coats of varnish are applied. I begin with the insignia.

Now for the air intakes. The Airfix model is a P38F, and the Droop is a conversion of a P-38J. I also built them with epoxy modeling clay. This sculpting process is quick and easy, but the drying time is not. I'm almost finished with the stars. The last correction is the toothpick tips.

I build the propellers on a metal axis (a nail), using acetate and epoxy modeling clay.

 

Once the model is finished, I apply another generous amount of varnish, in several coats, and place it inside a clear box to dry.

Ya terminado el modelo, le aplico otra generosa cantidad de barniz, en varias capas y lo pongo dentro de una caja transparente a secar

P-38 LIghtning, Droop Snoot, Conversion, part 1

 

One of my old 1/32 scale models was the Droop Snoot, a field-modified version of the P-38J that would serve as a Pathfinder bomber guide. Equipped with a Norden Secret Sight, it could signal bombers where to drop their cargo, either by having them all bomb as soon as they saw the leader do so, or by using flares or incendiaries to indicate the target.

I've decided to recreate it in 1/72 scale, using the Airfix Lodela model, which will require some radical changes, to begin with. There are no aftermarket models for this scale, so I'll have to use old-school scratch techniques.

 

First, the nose is different, very different. To incorporate a navigator, the Norden sight, a pair of portholes, and a bomber nose, which involves building them, since they are so different, I make a structure out of plastic rods from branches.

Now I shape them, filling them with epoxy modeling clay and sculpting them into the appropriate shape. This takes time, as it's a material that needs to be allowed to dry properly.