davenport49

I'm working on a 1/48th Spitfire Mk Vc representing RAF Squadron 249 BR323/S flown in Malta. I'm in desperate need of suitable decals. Can someone please point me to a source?

Thanks for the leads, Gil. I think this just illustrates how frustrating this process can be. Both sheets suggest they were in basic desert schemes. However, the Special Hobby decal sheet I have suggests they had distinctly blue shades (attached). The Kits World image shows Peter Hanks' (PPH) aircraft also in basic desert colors. But Historie & Collections Supermarine Spitfire Mk1 - Mk((-MkV (Vol. !) shows the "temperate" scheme, and has the photo to support. I'll keep looking, but it feels like it's ultimately going to be "best guess." I just found this photo of Claude Weaver's BR112; it clearly is not desert camo, looks like temperate...... Richard😕

I’m researching RAF Squadrons 185 & 249 as they served in Malta. Specifically, I’m looking for profiles and camouflage/color information for aircraft BR112 as flown by Sgt. Claude Weaver, and BR323 as flown by Sgt. George Beurling. I appreciate any information you might share.

Does anyone know whether the Supermarine Seafire was involved in the defense of Malta, such as convoy protection? I would appreciate any information available.

My plan is to build a Fiat CR.42 in the livery of Ernesto Botto while stationed in Sicily and operating over Malta. The issue is getting the squadron number "73", the group commander pennant before the cockpit and the red lightning flashes on both wheel pants..

I'm looking for Sky Models decals #48-021, #48-036 and/or #48-037 (any and/or all). Thanks for any help.

I'm looking for Sky Models decals #48-021, #48-036 and/or #48-037 (any and/or all). Thanks for any help.

With the demise of Model Master, I need options for Italian Interior Green, FS 34558; any suggestions?

Having seen your work in the Journal many times, I appreciate the kind word. I toured Malta a few years ago and have been fascinated by its history, emphasized all the more during WWII. So I love the opportunity to replicate some of that history as a tribute. Operation Pedestal was one of the most dramatic and consequential operations in the Mediterranean and the Sea Hurricanes were an essential part of its success. My next project will be a Ju87 used by the Regia Aeronautica in their attacks to try to force Malta into submission.

This is the Airfix Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk.Ib (A05134). I have finished it to resemble 7L, #V7015, the last operational Sea Hurricane and a participant in Operation Pedestal. The kit is beautiful and went together smoothly. However, it has some important omissions! Sea Hurricanes had a headrest mounted on the armor plate behind the seat. And on either side of the radiator housing was a catapult spool. The kit has spools, D41 & D42, but these are seriously out of scale; and there is no mention of them in the instructions. I had to use pieces from the Italeri kit to mold these pieces to correct the final replica.

I'm working on P-40 #68 of Charles Holder. The few photos I find don't clearly show the antenna wire/connections on the plane. Was it the standard for P-40 of the time, i.e., behind cockpit to tail, to both wingtips? Can anyone offer guidance? Thanks.

Thank you, Marie, for the explanation. I see now that I didn't know the significance of Column B in the data I received. With that, I completely understand what happened. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

I appreciate your input, Ralph. But my situation is locating IPMS members in an area with no chapter. I assumed that the national office would have up-to-date membership status and contact information, especially mailing addresses, for every member in the country. Apparently, that is not the case. I'm surprised. Thanks also to Ron; I passed along the information as you suggested.

Recently I sent out 9 letters based on member contact information I received from my regional coordinator. One letter came back as 'undeliverable'. One person replied that he hadn't been a member of IPMS since 2015. For a third, a family member notified me he'd died two years ago! Understand, my concern is not with the regional coordinator; he's been helpful and responsive. My concern is that our membership information (addresses, current status, etc.) could be so inaccurate as to have a 33% error rate. Does anyone have insight?

Thanks, Ron, I've been in contact with Paul and he's been very helpful. I'm putting out a "broadcast" to see if there are others in the area we don't know about.