Dakota Roo

So far as I know, Heller is now marketing a CL-415 kit. I suspect it is a rework of their earlier CL-215 kit. In 1:72 only. I know of no styrene 1:48 kit, but there might be specialty kits out there, particularly amongst the R/C crowd, as I understand it is popular for the seaplane category. The CL-215 kits can be found on eBay with some diligence and patience...I know because that's how I picked up one of each for myself. There are aftermarket offerings, as well. Now, if you liked the Canadair waterbombers, check out what the Ruskies have...the . If you're going to do it, do it with

Um...I'm a novice, but I opened an Amodel kit of the Lisunov Li-2 and started it. It is, so far, the only kit I have set aside...indefinitely...after starting to build. I hope that somebody can tell you that the Amodel 1/72 Antonov An-26 can be 'an easy and fun build with minimal problems', because I have one in my stash. However, every rumor I hear suggests that such hopes are probably empty.

But wait.... For the CASA 235, there are resin kits available from an outfit calling itself Scratchaeronatuics. 1:72 versions; several of them, including the Ocean Sentry version. (Why is it every time I hear that, I think of cranberries?) Doe anybody here have any experience with this resin maker? I'd love to see styrene injected versions (good quality only) of the 235 and the 295. I'm surprised the Czechs aren't all over it, myself. I'd buy both, for sure. I love the look of those rigs and I'm a 'cargo cultist'.

I just got to wondering about this...They sunk a German landing craft, full of troops, off St. Malo, toward the end of the month following the Allied landings in Normandy? Anybody got more info on this incident?

Website 'Grumman Avenger in British Service' confirms: "A large number of Avengers were used by shore-based Fleet Air Arm squadrons in Britain. These squadrons flew anti-submarine patrols, dropped mines and attacked shipping. They also took part in the D-Day landings, with five squadrons involved, under the control of Coastal Command. Two Avengers even managed to shoot down V-1 flying bombs! The shore based Avengers operated over quite a large area, even attacking enemy shipping in St. Peter Port, Guernsey, in July 1944, while towards the end of the month a German landing craft full of troops

From the wiki article...the first sentence: "The Northrop N-3PB Nomad was a single-engined American floatplane of the 1940s. Northrop developed the N-3PB as an export model based on the earlier Northrop A-17 design." As I understand it, the Norwegians buying the craft liked the A-17, but wanted some revisions to the export design. The result was the N-3PB.

Somebody thinks so. They've been dabbling with the Letov S.328 article in Wikipedia. (And, yes, I am aware of the pitfalls of wiki.) I do note the use of the term "allegedly". Hmmm...Yes, I can see all that. The Hurricane I did obtain is a Sea Hurricane, but the Gladiator I have is not a Sea Gladiator. I don't know where I saw the Typhoon reference and I'm more than willing to drop it. The Nomad I referred to is the Northrop N-3PB stationed in Iceland and piloted by Norwegians. The Swordfish is listed along with Tarpon/Avengers as CC in the CC order of battle on Wiki, as well. Bey

LOL...Thanks. A floatplane towing targets? Wouldn't that make getting the target in the air from the water surface difficult? So, the Letov S.328 which were alloted to Coastal Command were wheeled varieties, then.

In Goss' Bloody Biscay, he notes that in late 1943, replacement Ju-88 C-6 fighters started arriving with 'white' camouflage. Really a light blue and light gray combination of some kind, it looked 'white' at any distance at all. The pix in the book don't do it justice. Does anyone have any decent illustrations of this 'pattern'?

Hmmmm...interesting. In checking a history on an item I have in my collection, the Letov S.328, I find that near the end of WWII, 5 of them were assigned to the Coastal Command. I got the kit because it was a decent looking floatplane.

So, I got hold of the book Bloody Biscay by Chris Goss and he has made the Junkers Ju-88 C6 the centerpiece of the maritime V KG40 based at Bordeaux/Merignac. The 'heavy fighter' which inflicted so much damage upon the Coastal Command over the bay. It's all post Battle of Britain. The cited bomber of choice seems to be the Dornier Do-217 E-5, complete with the Henschel glide bomb, doing anti-maritime attacks. Fw-190 gets a mention, along with the usual seaplane contingent, a selection of medium bombers, and the Condors and Seeadlers. But the 'vicious beast' is the Ju-88 C-6. I have the J

Yes...I would think that embroidery floss....aka silk thread...would be adequate in most cases. How to get it taut is what I don't know. ETA: Wait...if I stretch it and coat it with a cement....allow to dry stiff....cut to size and glue in place. Is that how it's done? I was surprised at how large the gauge of the cabling really is. I, too, have the new Airfix Swordfish. I'm a bit intimidated...I'll probably assemble the Mosquito first.

I have now added a Revell Sea Hurricane Mk.IIc to the stash. Ostensibly, as part of the Battle of the Atlantic theme. So...This is how I break them down: Early RAF CC: Saro Lerwick Saro London I have never seen other than vacuum kits for these. I have them not. Vickers Vilderbeest Fairey Albacore Fairey Battle Supermarine Walrus Armstrong Whitworth Whitley DeHavilland Tiger Moth DH-82 The Vildebeest and the Albacore are available as short run kits, but they are comparatively very expensive. I don't have them. Avro Anson Supermarine Stranraer Short Sunderland Bristol Beaufort

Okay. So the ultimate demise of the Condor was an array of various responses over a significant span of time, the Mosquito being one of the later.

Oooo...excellent. I do not have a single Hurricane kit in my entire collection. Thanks for the CAM ships reference. Of course, the Fulmar was popular with the FAA. I think I have kits for most of the Fairey craft, but I have not touched the whole FAA contingent at all. I do have an Airfix Swordfish on the shelf next to my workbench. Yes, HMS Audacity - Martlets. Mosquitoes were contemporary with the Audcity. Beaufighters were active the year before. The CAM ships preceded and were a stopgap measure.