The distinctive chequerboard markings, synonymous with 1/JG 1’s Defence of the Reich FW190As, first appeared in the early summer of 1943. 1/JG 1 chose this scheme, with the chequers in black/white, while 2/JG 1 had them applied in red/black and 3/JG 1 in yellow/black.
FW 190 A-4 W.Nr. 0601 from 1/JG1, ‘White 4’, was based in Amsterdam-Schipol airport, Holland between 1st June 1943 and 7th July 1943. The aircraft suffered minor damage following a taxing accident at Schipol on 25th June 1943, but returned to service soon after.
The ‘Schachbrettmuster’ pattern would only last a matter of months, however, as the markings resulted in confusion in the air when other Jagdwaffe fighters intercepted the Gruppe after misidentifying its aircraft for similarly marked P-47 Thunderbolts of the USAAF’s 8th Air Force.
Walter Dahl joined the German Army in 1935 before transferring to the Luftwaffe to become a fighter pilot. Dahl claimed his first victory on 22nd June 1941 during the German offensive against Russia. After a period with II Gruppe, he joined 4 Staffel, JG3 in December and accompanied the unit when it deployed to the Mediterranean Theatre.
Dahl was promoted to Staffelkapitan in April 1942 and in August he returned to the eastern front where he was appointed Geschwaderadjutant JG3. In December he was awarded the German Cross in Gold. On 20th July 1943, Dahl was made Gruppenkommandeur of III./ JG3 and relocated to Munster in Germany to defend against allied bomber raids. Major Dahl was awarded the Knight’s Cross in March 1944 after recording 67 victories.
He became Kommodore of JG z.b.v. before taking command of JG 300 on 27th June. Having been promoted to Oberst, Dahl was awarded the Oak Leaves in February 1945. Walther Dahl ended the war with 128 victories (including a B-17 by ramming!), achieved while flying a number of aircraft including FW190A-8 ‘Blue 13’.
This model has been modified to include A8 bulged fuselage and wings.
Kurt Buhlingen joined the Luftwaffe as a mechanic before undertaking pilot training. In July 1940 he was assigned to JG2 ‘Richthofen’ and claimed his first victory during the Battle of Britain. Over the next 12 months Buhlingen added a further 20 victories and was awarded the Knights Cross.
In 1942 he deployed to Tunisia where he claimed a further 40 allied aircraft before returning to Europe in March 1943. By March 1944, Buhlingen was a Major in command of II/JG2 and his tally had risen to 96. While operating from Creil in France, Buhlingen saw action against allied aircraft supporting the D-Day landings and claimed his 100th victory on June 7th whilst flying the FW190 A-8. Buhlingen moved to the Eastern front but in 1945 he was forced to land in Soviet held territory where he was captured and imprisoned until 1950. His wartime tally totalled 112 victories.
The Me 262B-1a was the 2 seat trainer version of the single seat Me 262 jet fighter that entered service with the Luftwaffe in 1944. Development of a training variant became an urgent requirement due to the high number of accidents suffered by Me 262 units, most of which were caused by technical problems arising from the newly developed turbojet engines or as a result of undercarriage malfunctions.
To help familiarise Me 262 pilots with the new jet aircraft, the cockpit area of the single seater was re-designed in order to accommodate an instructor in a tandem seating arrangement. This required the removal of an internal fuel tank so provision was made for two 66 gallon auxiliary tanks to be carried beneath the forward area of the fuselage.
The standard armament fit of 4 x 30mm cannon in the nose was retained. Only 15 examples of the Me 262B-1a trainer had been produced by the end of World War 2, although its design concept was instrumental in the development of the Me 262B-1a/U1 night fighter.
Flown by Sgt. R.F. Hamlyn DFM, who was also known as 'The Pied Piper of Harrogate' and became the RAF’s first 'Ace in a Day' of World War Two. He joined 610 Squadron on 6th June 1940.
Hamlyn downed two enemy aircraft before the 24th August, but on this day he destroyed a Ju88 and four Bf109s to become an 'Ace in a Day'. Hamlyn then destroyed Bf109s on the 26th, 27th, 28th and 30th August. He was awarded the D.F.M. on 13th September 1940 and the A.F.C. on 1st January 1943. He rose to the rank of Wing Commander and survived the war but sadly died on 7th May 1991.
Built by Bolton Paul at their Wolverhampton factory, Defiant Mk.I N3328 was first taken on charge by No. 10 M.U. on 13th November, 1940 and allocated to No. 151 Squadron at RAF Wittering as a night fighter on 12th December, 1940, where it remained until August 1941.
The aircraft was lost on 24th October, 1942 when it stalled and crashed in a hailstorm during a routine ferry flight from RAF Manby, in Lincolnshire, to Number 10 Air Gunners School at Barrow-in-Furness. Flight Sgt. J L Goulter of the RAAF, the sole occupant, was sadly killed.
This limited edition model from Corgi is part of the highly collectable Aviation Archive range of die-cast model aircraft. Scales include 1:48, 1:72 and 1:144 and features aeroplanes from World War I, World War II and the modern era. Most models in the Aviation Archive range are limited editions.
As part of Britain’s contribution to NATO the RAF has regularly deployed to Norway on exercise. Providing the reconnaissance element of these exercises, RAF Marham’s 2 (AC) Sqn regularly sent aircraft carrying this “arctic” style camouflage, with white paint temporarily replacing the green on the standard green and grey camouflage.
Using the specialist GR1A version of the Tornado, 2 (AC) Sqn were a vital part of NATO’s intelligence gathering force, with the GR1A Tornado’s Linescan imaging systems and IR cameras being able to rapidly provide imagery to battlefield commanders, in any weather or conditions.
The GR1A proved the mainstay of the RAF tactical reconnaissance force, replacing the Jaguar in this role. It is a role that 2 (AC) Sqn continue to fulfill from RAF Marham to this day, albeit now with the updated Tornado GR4A.
Although only entering RAF service in 1937 by the outbreak of the Second World War very few Blenheim 1s remained in service with UK-based bomber squadrons, most having been superseded in the bomber role by the much improved MkIV. However the Mk1 continued in service as conversion and crew trainers with OTUs.
Of far more significance were around 200 MK1s that were converted to night fighters carrying the brand new AI (airborne interception) radar. Similar in overall outline to the standard Mk1 bomber, the nightfighter carried an additional under-fuselage pack housing four forward firing 0.303 machine guns. It was such equipped MK1Fs that scored the first successful AI interception of enemy aircraft on the night of 2nd - 3rd July 1940. Blenheim Mk1F, L1237, based at RAF Digby in June 1940, looks remarkably similar to a standard Blenheim bomber apart from the ventral gun pack. It wasn't until December 1940 that the nightfighters began to receive an overall black paint finish. Features of this 1:72 scale replica include detailed cockpit, bomb aimer s station and dorsal gun turret, with crew figures.
In April 1938, 211 Sqn embarked for the Middle East. It undertook its first operations in June 1940 against Italian targets in Libya and continued until November 1940 when the squadron was sent to assist the Greeks following the Italian invasion of that country. The CO was Sqn Ldr J. Gordon-Finlayson (“The Bish”) flying Blenheim L8511. This aircraft was badly damaged in action and made a forced landing. The crew were reported missing, but were in fact marooned on an island. Days later after an eventful journey they returned. For this action “The Bish” was awarded the DFC. Very soon he was back in the air in L6670, a replacement aircraft transferred from 84 Sqn. Shortly afterwards, on 2nd December, he flew L6670 to attack Valona harbour and returned safely despite damage to the aircraft caused by defending enemy fighters. He continued to fly throughout the winter in what were extremely difficult weather conditions, over mountainous terrain. In March 1941 “The Bish” was awarded the DSO and promoted to Wing Commander.
KG26 was initially formed on 1st May 1939 at Lüneburg. The majority of its operational life was spent on anti-maritime missions.
In December 1940 6/KG26 was chosen to be the first unit to train in airborne torpedo attacks using the He 111. Crews from 1.KGr.126 who had been engaged in experimental torpedo operations transferred to 6/KG26 to begin instruction.
From 1941 the unit attacked Russian shipping in the Baltic Sea, until later disbanded in 1944. 6/KG26 were regarded as the 'Experten' in air launched torpedo missions. In spring 1941 a Torpedo Training and Trials Establishment was set up at Grossenborde but by the winter of 1941/42 it was moved to Grosseto for better climatic and sea conditions.
During the summer of 1942 6/KG26 transferred to Grosseto and took part in attacks on allied convoys including the ships of 'Operation Pedestal' when the unit sank two freighters.
