New Mosquito build exclusive

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.

We are delighted to be in a position to bring readers a dual headline update in this latest edition of our blog, featuring two of the new tooling projects announced at the beginning of this year. We begin by bringing you exclusive full sample build images from our new 1/72nd scale de Havilland Mosquito B.XVI, with two models completed using both of the scheme options which will be included with the initial release from this tooling. With a host of beautiful build images to bring you, we also have a couple of unusual shots to share, where our hard working Airfix photographer allowed his creative juices to flow freely for just a few moments - more on that later.

Even though the Mosquito update would serve as a major blog update in its own right, we follow this up with another new project exclusive, this time bringing you the latest update from our hugely impressive new 1/48th scale de Havilland Vampire F.3 tooling. We will be taking a first Workbench look at the beautiful new artwork produced as part of this project, before going on to discover the three scheme options which will accompany the release of this new kit, schemes which underline the wide international appeal of this early jet fighter. To round everything off, we will once again be throwing the blog spotlight on the modelling talents of one of our readers, where this time, we will be featuring a diorama build representation of one of the most famous incidents in the history of aviation …. you will definitely not want to miss this one! There is much to get through, so let’s get started straight away.

Wooden Wonder in plastic form

Workbench readers will have been looking forward to these images, a first look at fully finished examples of our new 1/72nd scale de Havilland Mosquito B.XVI, in both of the schemes to be included with the initial release 

Of the hundreds of aircraft types which served during the Second World War, many could quite accurately be described as being important, however, there are only a handful which can claim to have been real aviation war winners. There is no doubt that every Workbench reader will have their own opinion of which aircraft should be included in this exclusive group, with several famous aircraft types appearing on most suggested lists, however, there is one aircraft which if it isn’t high on everyone’s list, it certainly should be, the incomparable de Havilland Mosquito. An aircraft which was built from non-strategic materials as something of a private venture, the light, yet rugged Mosquito proved to be nothing short of a revelation when making its first flight from Hatfield aerodrome in November 1940 and from that point forwards, both de Havillands and the British Air Ministry knew they had a very special aeroplane on their hands.

An aircraft which would go on to excel in many operational roles following its squadron introduction, the Mosquito would be a constant thorn in the side of the Germans, too fast to be intercepted by most of their fighters and able to fly in conditions when all other aircraft were forced to stay firmly on the ground. At one stage of the war, it must have seemed to German officials that they were simply powerless to halt the ever increasing number of Mosquito incursions into their airspace, be that to precision bomb high value strategic targets across Europe, or to hunt German nightfighters in the vicinity of their own bases, with these night intruder missions spreading fear and confusion amongst Luftwaffe crews. Add to this the many Mosquito reconnaissance aircraft which pried into every secret the Germans were desperate to conceal and it isn’t difficult to see why the Germans loathed and admired the British Mosquito in equal measure.

One particular Mosquito operation which underlined the effectiveness of the aircraft and how it continually harassed the Germans for the majority of the war took place on the morning of 30th January 1943. That particular day marked the tenth anniversary of the Nazi Party coming to power in Germany and to mark the occasion, Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring was scheduled to address the nation via radio broadcast, presumably to give the population the benefit of his latest propaganda masterclass and a slanted overview of the current state of the war. The RAF were determined to make a statement of their own that day, especially as Göring had previously boasted that no British aircraft would ever bomb the German capital, so to that end, three Mosquito bombers from No.105 Squadron took off from RAF Marham and headed for Berlin at low level. With the crews displaying expert navigational skills and utilising the Mosquito’s speed to the full, the aircraft prepared to make their bombing run at exactly their intended over-target time.

As the German people huddled around radio sets right across the country in anticipation of Göring’s address, the presenter delivered a eulogizing introduction for his illustrious guest. Everyone waited in anticipation as they expected the Reichsmarschall to begin speaking, however, all they heard was the muffled sound of explosions and distant shouting. The broadcast then cut to a recording of patriotic music, something none of them had been expected - the Mosquitos had successfully delivered their message. Crews taking part in this audacious raid reported that they hadn’t been detected at all during the run-in to the target and they only encountered enemy anti-aircraft fire once their bombs had been dropped. A second Mosquito raid was mounted later in the day to coincide with another planned broadcast, however, Berlin’s defences were more alert for this raid and one of the attacking aircraft was lost. The de Havilland Mosquito managed to play quite a significant role in the Nazi Party’s 10th anniversary celebrations, although it has to be said that they proved to be uninvited and extremely disruptive gate crashers. Perhaps this operation explains why Göring became so obsessed with the Mosquito and his frustrations at his nations inability to produce an aircraft with similar capabilities.  

More Mosquito goodness, a different angle on the two Mosquito builds recently produced by the models designer Paramjit Sembhi 

As one of the world’s most famous fighting aeroplanes, the Mosquito has been a favourite with modellers since the first 1/72nd scale Airfix kit of the aircraft was introduced back in 1957, a model which will probably have been built by every Workbench reader over the years. This classic was joined by a newly tooled kit in 1972, however, as the popularity of the Mosquito has never waned over the years, modellers would have been delighted, if not entirely surprised, when they discovered that our current range included details of a new tooling project featuring the Mosquito B.XVI. The development of this new model has now reached another important stage, where it’s designer Paramjit Sembhi can really get to see the fruits of all his many long hours of labour, by taking the very latest production sample frames from the kit’s tooling blocks and proceeding through a full build. Undoubtedly an extremely proud moment for him, this stunning new model is such an important addition to the Airfix range that Paramjit was encouraged to undertake a simultaneous dual build of his new Mosquito kit, finishing each model in the two different scheme options to be included with the initial release from this tooling.

For Workbench and our ever expanding readership, this kind of new model development exclusive is absolute blog gold dust and we know our readers will be interested to see these beautiful build images, which not only serve as visual confirmation of how spectacular this new kit looks, but also that it is now well on the way towards its release and we will be able to get our hands on one very soon. With grateful thanks to Paramjit and his legendary modelling skills, we have decided to show these build images by splitting them into their respective scheme detail descriptions and whilst these have been previously published, we don’t think readers will mind reacquainting themselves with these interesting Mosquito details. In any case, this will also allow us one final opportunity to decide which scheme we intend to finish our own Mosquito in, once this beautiful new model takes its place on our own workstations. This might also be a great opportunity to re-visit the blog we published earlier this year, where we interviewed Paramjit about his Mosquito project and he gave us a rare insight into how he approached the task of immortalising one of the world’s most famous aircraft as a scale plastic model kit. You can access this particular blog by simply clicking on this New Mosquito link.

Scheme A - De Havilland Mosquito B.XVI ML963/8K-K, RAF No.571 Squadron, No.8 (Pathfinder) Group, Oakington, Cambridgeshire, England, September 1944.

Once the impressive capabilities of the Mosquito had been recognised, the aircraft would be pressed into service performing ever more challenging roles, all of which it executed with ruthless effectiveness. With its ‘non-essential material’ construction, the Mosquito soon earned its famous nickname of ‘The Wooden Wonder’ and was not only the pride of the Royal Air Force, but quickly became coveted by their enemy. Impressed by the performance if this new, fast bomber, the Germans tried hard to develop an aircraft with similar capabilities, however, despite numerous attempts to produce their own Moskito, none of these efforts came close.

In order to discover the secrets of the RAF’s speedy twin, the Germans would even lay elaborate traps for unwary Mosquito pilots, attempting to lure them in to heavily defended areas with the promise of a juicy target, only to unleash a barrage of anti-aircraft fire, hoping to bring a Mosquito down relatively intact, on German held territory. During one such attack, a small force of Mosquitos were sent to bomb a suspected V-1 rocket site in the Pas de Calais area, but Luftwaffe anti-aircraft batteries were waiting for them and opened up as soon as they were in range. The nimble Mosquitos were still difficult to target and all but one managed to escape unscathed from the trap, but the aircraft which was hit is the main Mosquito of interest here. 

Taking flak hits on both sides of the aircraft, a huge chunk of the starboard outer wing was blown away, in addition to the aircraft losing its port propeller and spinner, as well as damaging its port main undercarriage. With the damage to either side of the bomber appearing to leave the Mosquito in a state of damaged equilibrium, the pilot skilfully nursed the aircraft back across the English Channel and landed safely on one wheel on the grass runway of a relief landing ground. Testament to the strength of the Mossie, despite the damage suffered by this aircraft, it was initially intended that it would be repaired and returned to service, however on closer inspection, it was found that the damage was too severe and she was written off.  

RAF No.571 Squadron was formed at Downham Market on 7th April 1944 and was to operate the de Havilland Mosquito XVI as part of No.8 Pathfinder Group in a highly specialised role. Selecting only the finest pilots, this unit was to use Mosquitos to carry out independent raids against strategic German targets using the 4,000lb ‘Cookie’ bomb. Retaining a position within the night light striking force, Pathfinder Mosquitos not involved in ‘specialist’ missions would revert to the main task of guiding heavy bombers to their targets, work which was still highly demanding and required both piloting and navigational excellence to be possessed by all crews. Underlining the effectiveness of Mosquitos and their crews in these demanding missions, by the end of hostilities, of the 2,681 Mosquito sorties flown by the men of No.571 Squadron, taking part in 259 strike raids, only eight Mosquitos were lost. Although every loss was clearly a tragedy, this represented an impressively low 0.3% loss rate for the squadron.

This next selection of images feature a full final sample build of the new Mosquito B.XVI kit, finished in the A scheme to be included with the model

Something a little different from our blog photographer, the lead scheme Mosquito in an extremely appealing diorama setting

One particularly impressive mission which perfectly underlined the effectiveness of the Mosquito and some of the difficult missions their crews were assigned was undertaken by the aircraft featured as our lead scheme option with this new kit. Taking off from RAF Oakington in the early hours of New Year’s Day 1945, Mosquito ML963 8K-K ‘King’ had been loaded with a single 4,000lb ‘Cookie’ delayed action bomb and the crew’s mission was to skip-bomb the weapon into the open mouth of a railway tunnel! Over the past few hours, the Allies had been coming to terms with a strong and determined German counterattack in the Ardennes region (Battle of the Bulge), a breakout which was threatening to derail the Allied offensive. In response to this, Allied bombers had pounded railway marshalling yards in the region the previous night, in an attempt to cut German supply lines and stall the enemy advance.

The final part of this plan was to task RAF Mosquitos with destroying 14 railway tunnels in the area, ensuring that anything not destroyed by the bombing would not be able to deliver its supplies to the front lines, effectively starving the ground units of fuel and ammunition. To achieve this, the Mosquitos would have to approach their target tunnels at a height of between 100 and 200 feet above the tracks, before releasing their bomb in a manner which would send it into the tunnel itself, something which would require great skill and faultless judgement. The crew of ML963 executed their run perfectly, delivering their ‘Cookie’ as intended and destroying the railway tunnel at Bitburg.

It is thought that this rather impressive Mosquito completed 84 missions with the squadron in total, 31 of which were flown all the way to Berlin. She was also the subject of a famous series of colour air to air photographs taken by celebrated photographer Charles E Brown in September 1944, just a few months before her Bitburg Tunnel exploits. It was thought that the aircraft was made available for this photo sortie as she had just undergone repairs at Hatfield and was scheduled to perform an engine test flight. In honour of her photographic fame and the incredible mission she undertook on New Year’s Day 1945, one of the beautifully preserved Mosquitos at the de Havilland Aircraft Museum has been finished in these markings, with a 4,000lb ‘Cookie’ bomb strategically displayed in front of her.

Scheme B - De Havilland Mosquito B.XVI ML957/HS-D, RAF No.109 Squadron, Wyton, Cambridgeshire, England, 1944.

Originally conceived as a high speed bomber for the Royal Air Force, the final major bomber variant of the de Havilland Mosquito was the B.XVI, with deliveries to front line squadrons taking place during 1944. This was a development of the earlier B.IX variant and one which had been optimised for high altitude operation, incorporating a new pressurised cabin. Another unarmed version of the Mosquito, the B.XVI could carry a 3,000lb bomb load, however, all but the first 12 aircraft from a total production run of 402 machines incorporated modifications to allow a 4,000lb ‘Cookie’ or blockbuster bomb to be carried internally, a weapon which possessed devastating destructive capability. Combining the power of these fearsome weapons with the legendary speed and bombing accuracy associated with Mosquito operations allowed Bomber Command to keep the pressure on the enemy throughout the latter stages of WWII. Interestingly, these huge bombs were exactly four times the weight of the original bomb load this exceptional aircraft was designed to carry, which further underlines the strength of the Mosquito’s laminated wood construction techniques.

RAF No.109 Squadron reformed at Boscombe Down in April 1942 and would be instrumental in the development and implementation of the OBOE electronic navigational aid system, which would prove so crucial during the night bombing campaign. In August 1943, the squadron moved to Wyton to take its place in the ranks of No.8 Group and their Pathfinder operations - after spending many months as an experimental unit, they would embark on their first bombing mission on 20th December 1943, using a version of the navigational equipment they had helped to develop.

A second selection of build images, this time with the model completed as a Mosquito in the colours of an RAF No.109 Squadron machine

Pathfinder operations during WWII were as hazardous for their crews as they were essential for the night bombing campaign and would make a telling contribution to increasing the overall effectiveness of raids. Calling on the services of some of the most battle-hardened and experienced crews, the force began by using aircraft which were taken from the main bombing force, using such aircraft as Wellingtons, Stirlings, Halifaxes and Lancasters, but it was perhaps not until the introduction of the de Havilland Mosquito in the role that the force truly came into its own. Using the very latest equipment and techniques, pathfinder Mosquitos accurately market targets for the main bomber force which followed in their wake, using a combination of flares and incendiaries to illuminate the target area. Indeed, even when the weather conditions were so bad that the heavy bombers could not operate, pathfinder Mosquitos continued with their onslaught, continually harassing the enemy with precision attacks by both day and night.

This beautifully presented Mosquito is finished in a typical RAF night pathfinder scheme, one which helped to make these some of the most elusive Allied aircraft operating over enemy territory. Perhaps more than any other Allied aircraft type, Luftwaffe airmen prized a victory over a Mosquito simply because of the havoc they were causing and also because they were just so difficult to intercept. Mosquito ML957 was reported to have been severely damaged by flak during a raid to Essen on 8th April 1944 and whilst her crew did manage to nurse their aircraft back to the UK, they were forced to crash land at RAF Bradwell Bay in the early hours of the following day. Whilst both of the Canadian airmen were able to walk away from the incident, the Mosquito which brought them home safely didn’t fare quite so well and was written off, salvaging what they could for spares and burning the rest.

Looking absolutely magnificent, our new 1/72nd scale Mosquito B.XVI is still currently on track to make its anticipated late summer release slot, so it won’t be long now until we can all inspect Paramjit’s design handiwork and add this late war mark of Britain’s famous ‘Wooden Wonder’ to our model displays.

Vampire - de Havilland’s jet powered ‘Wooden Wonder’

Box artwork delight, this magnificent new image will grace the box presentation of our new 1/48th scale de Havilland Vampire F.3 model tooling

Our second headline feature for this latest edition of our blog is in relation to another new model tooling project announced at the beginning of the year, a scale representation of yet another aviation product of the prolific de Havilland Aircraft Company. In fact, the Vampire jet fighter retained many of the design and manufacturing technologies perfected during the development of the Mosquito, including a feature which still seems a little disconcerting when knowing that a jet engine was basically a hot combustion chamber which was just a continual series of little explosions - a wooden cockpit. Once again calling on the company’s experience in wooded laminate construction, the forward fuselage of their new Vampire jet was made of laminated hardwood and balsa sheets, bonded together using a special epoxy resin mixture. It would also be true to say that had the Mosquito not been such an important aircraft to the Allied war effort, the Vampire may have taken the title of being Britain’s first operational jet powered fighter, however, that would prove not to be the case for several reasons. 

In sport, they always say that nobody ever remembers the runner up and unfortunately for the Vampire, despite being a successful, record breaking aircraft in its own right, the Meteor took Britain’s first jet crown and the Vampire was effectively relegated to aviation anonymity in the eyes of the great British public. Thankfully, the release of our beautiful new 1/48th scale kit of the aircraft may bring the Vampire some long overdue modeller attention and an awareness that this early jet fighter had much more to offer than simply being the Meteor’s late to the party sidekick. And what better way could there possibly be to grab everyone’s attention than by revealing the beautiful box artwork which will grace the packaging of this delightful new model? Small in stature and possessing an extremely distinctive appearance, the de Havilland Vampire was actually a little world beater!

For the impending first release of our newly tooled 1/48th scale representation of this beautiful early jet fighter, we have attempted to highlight the international appeal of the Vampire with the three scheme options included with the inaugural release from this tool. In addition to this, two of the aircraft covered are on display in European museums, whilst the third is owned and preserved in the US, meaning that all three are doing their bit in promoting the many attributes of this capable little jet fighter. Let’s take a closer look at those scheme options now.

Scheme A - de Havilland D.H.100 Vampire F.3 VT812/N, No.601 Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, North Weald, Essex, England 1952.

The first production Vampire F.Mk.Is entered Royal Air Force service in March 1946, to be followed two years later by the revised and more capable F.3. The Vampire F.3 was basically a longer range version of its predecessor, featuring increased internal fuel capacity and the ability to carry two external fuel tanks. This latest variant also differed visually, in that it incorporated taller and more rounded vertical stabilisers, a lowered horizontal stabiliser and distinctive ‘acorn’ fairings at the base of each vertical stabiliser. Although this was still relatively new technology, de Havilland cleverly designed the aircraft to be simple to maintain and operate, earning the aircraft an enviable reputation for reliability amongst air and ground crews alike and allowing more pilots to safely make the transition to jet powered flight. With a number of significant firsts to its name, the Vampire was the first RAF aircraft to exceed 500 mph, with the extra range of the F.3 allowing this to be the first jet fighter to cross the Atlantic. The Vampire F.3’s of No.32 Squadron were also the first RAF jet fighters to be deployed outside Northwest Europe and the first to operate in the higher temperatures of the Mediterranean. 

No.601 (County of London) Squadron was a unit which enjoyed quite a colourful history, the first of the RAF’s Auxiliary Squadrons (sometimes unfairly referred to as Weekend Warriors) and one which had the notoriety of being known as the ‘Millionaires Squadron’, by virtue of the fact that many of the unit’s first pilots were well-connected and from extremely wealthy families. Indeed, it was claimed that these initial appointments were made by Lord Grosvenor at his favourite Gentlemen’s Club, selecting from a pool of his wealthy friends and acquaintances who had a love of fast cars and a passion for flying. It was even claimed that the only test these potential recruits were put through was to be subjected to a heavy drinking session, to see if they maintained their decorum when the worse for drink, something which was deemed incredibly important to Lord Grosvenor.

Whilst there may be some truths in these rumours, the squadron would perform admirably once the war came and despite suffering some heavy losses during the Battle of Britain, the unit’s pilots would show themselves to be brave and tenacious in facing an enemy which often outnumbered them by 4 to 1. Reformed as a fighter squadron within the Royal Auxiliary Air Force at the end of the war, the unit were initially equipped with Spitfire LF.XVIe fighters, but entered the jet age with the de Havilland Vampire F.3 in 1949. Flying out of North Weald airfield, the unit were still charged with providing fighter defence for the country and specifically the capital, with North Weald being just to the northeast of London. Whilst not a full time service, they were required to support the RAF during a particularly volatile period in world history and when the main force may have been deployed overseas, with this often resulting in periods of full-time service. In the main though, these pilots would join their squadron mates at weekends and during holidays, with the popular annual gunnery camps keeping the group together for longer periods and in overseas surroundings, allowing less experienced members to have a taste of what service life was like. 

In September 1952, the squadron exchanged their venerable Vampires for the latest F.8 variant of the Gloster Meteor, which they continued to fly for the next five years, until swinging defence cuts brought about the disbandment of the entire RAuxAF network and a service which had been in place for over 30 years.

De Havilland Vampire F.3 VT812 was one of a batch of 117 aircraft built under contract by English Electric at Preston between April 1947 and May 1948. Delivered to No.5 Maintenance Unit at Kemble in November 1947, she was destined for overseas service in the Mediterranean and Middle East, joining No.32 Squadron over the next couple of months. At a time where jet technology was advancing rapidly, the aircraft returned to the UK in 1950 where she was allocated first to No.614 RAuxRF Squadron and then to No.601 RAuxAF at North Weald, where by the spring of 1952, she had suffered an extremely heavy landing and was categorised as being ‘beyond the repair capacity of the unit’. The necessary repairs were carried out by de Havillands and whilst she would fly again in the hands of No.602 RAuxAF, by 1954, she was classified as non-effective stock.

A rather pristine example of a Vampire F.3, she would spend the rest of her life on display at various locations around the country, before ending up as an RAF Museum exhibit, first at Cosford and later Hendon. She would benefit from a concerted period of restoration during the late 1990s and is today to be found on display at Hendon, resplendent in her No.601 RAuxAF markings, a fine example of this early British single engined jet fighter.

Scheme B - de Havilland D.H.100 Vampire F.3 17018, No.442 ‘City of Vancouver’ Auxiliary Fighter Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force Station Vancouver, Canada, 1949.

The Canadian Air Force adoption of the Vampire as its first jet powered fighter was the result of quite a complex arrangement agreed following the end of the Second World War and would end up as a straight jet powered aviation fist fight between the Vampire and the Meteor. From an official perspective, this race proved to be a dead heat, with as many people favouring the Vampire as they did the Meteor, however, the deciding factor would eventually be cost, as they could have more Vampire jets for the same outlay, so the de Havilland fighter was duly selected. Deliveries began in early 1948, with these first aircraft remaining in service with the Canadians for the next 8 years.

Conversion onto the Vampire would require Canadian reserve pilots to embark on a methodical, if somewhat sedate programme of introduction. Although many older pilots had experience flying high performance piston engined fighters during the Second World War, many younger pilots did not and they would be coming to the jet powered Vampire straight from the cockpit of a Harvard trainer. As for all early jet pilots, there were no two seat variants to ease this dramatic conversion, so their first flight in a jet was often their first solo in the aircraft. Thankfully, the Vampire was a relatively simple and forgiving aircraft, however it didn’t suffer foolish pilots gladly and was capable of being extremely difficult if not handled in the correct manner. A programme of lectures, ground instruction and start-up/taxiing trials were all designed to prepare pilots for their first flight as a Vampire pilot, becoming one of Canada’s first jet pilots in the process.

The Vampire would eventually equip ten RCAF squadrons, both regular and auxiliary units, with the majority of the flying staff made up of former WWII airmen. One of the auxiliary units to fly the aircraft was No.442 ‘City of Vancouver’ Auxiliary Fighter Squadron, based at Sea Island, the site of the current Vancouver International Airport. This unit was famous for having several of its jets flamboyantly painted with distinctive red and black ‘Bat Heads', a design which was reputedly inspired by the indigenous Haida people, a design which really suited the shape of this diminutive fighter. 

On 1st July 1948, six Vampire F.3 fighters from RAF Odiham made the first Atlantic crossing by a jet aircraft, a single engined type into the bargain. Each equipped with underwing fuel tanks and accompanied by Mosquito support aircraft, the journey did much for the reputation of the Vampire and underlined the faith the aviation world had placed in jet propulsion. Once in Canada, the Vampires embarked on a hectic goodwill tour of the country and neighbouring North America, thrilling audiences with demonstrations of close formation aerobatics and high speed passes from Britain’s first single engined jet fighter. Canada would eventually obtain 85 de Havilland Vampires, but by the time the aircraft were withdrawn from service in 1956, only 40 aircraft remained in airworthy condition.

The Vampire covered in this scheme was built by English Electric at Preston and allocated the serial number VP691, although this would never actually make it onto the airframe, as it was simply a facilitator number required to allow the onward transfer to the RCAF. Taken on strength with the Canadian Air Force in 1948, she was allocated the serial 17018 and would spend time serving with No.402, 401 and 442 ‘City of Vancouver’ Auxiliary Fighter Squadrons. Struck off charge in 1958, she would spend the next few years transferring from one North American owner to another, spending long periods in outdoor storage, but also undergoing restoration to airworthy condition. The aircraft is still thought to be in one piece, but her current location is unknown - she is possibly at the Planes of Fame Museum in Arizona.     
   
Scheme C - de Havilland D.H.100 Vampire F.3 P42408/AE-B, Norwegian Air Force, Gardermoen Museum, Oslo, Norway, 2019.

Following the end of the Second World War, British aviation companies were keen to market their latest aircraft to overseas operators, securing potentially lucrative deals over an above their commitments to the Royal Air Force. De Havilland’s knew that their diminutive Vampire fighter would be an attractive proposition for any nation looking to enter the jet age with a reliable and extremely cost effective aircraft type and were aggressive in their approach, something which would see the aircraft operate in the colours of many of the world’s air arms.

The Royal Norwegian Air Force would be established following the end of the Second World War and from a nucleus of free fighting Norwegian pilots serving with the Royal Air Force. Initially equipped with aircraft such as the late mark Spitfire and de Havilland Mosquito, the force was keen to keep pace with the latest aviation developments and match other European nations by operating the latest jet fighters in an air defence role. Once again, this selection would be between the British Vampire and Meteor jets and whilst both aircraft would have been suitable, it was eventually thought that the de Havilland Vampire would be more suited to operations in Norway’s climate and geography. An initial order for four F.3 fighters was placed, which was later increased to twenty aircraft and this was followed up with a further order for thirty-six FB.52 (export version of the Mk.6) variants.

To speed up the delivery of the Norwegian Vampires, the aircraft were initially taken from the English Electric production lines in Preston, including this aircraft, which would initially be allocated the serial number VT833, but on acceptance into Royal Norwegian Air Force service was renumbered P42408/AE-B - the ‘P’ denotes that this aircraft had originally been produced by English Electric in the UK. Once delivered, these first aircraft would form ‘C’ flight of No.331 Squadron and immediately embark on a period of technical evaluation in advance of the Vampire’s service acceptance. In Norwegian service, the F.3 fighters were finished an a smart all natural metal scheme and have to be considered as some of the most attractive Vampires to ever see operational service. As the country’s first jet fighters, the Vampires were always incredibly popular with the public wherever they appeared, with their pilots being treated as aviation celebrities.  

This scheme option features a Vampire which is preserved and on display in with the Norwegian Armed Forces Aircraft Collection at Gardermoen, the aircraft we scanned at the beginning of this exciting new tooling project

Towards the end of the 1950s, Norway was coming under increasing pressure to fulfil its NATO obligations and upgrade their air defence capabilities by procuring more advanced aircraft, a development which would soon lead to the withdrawal of their entire Vampire force. Most aircraft would go on to be used as ground instructional airframes, station gate guardians or simply stored awaiting disposal. This particular Vampire was built by English Electric and joined the Gardermoen based No.336 Squadron in 1949. Suffering a landing incident in 1951, the aircraft spent the next 18 months in repair, before going on to serve with the jet training wing at Sola and then No.337 Squadron in a service career which would see it log just short of 642 flying hours with the RNoAF. Following the withdrawal of all Norwegian Vampires from military service, This aircraft would be the only one earmarked for preservation and during the 1970s, was to benefit from a concerted restoration programme in advance of her being placed on display in the Norwegian Armed Forces Aircraft Collection at Gardermoen. In fact, this this is the actual aircraft the Airfix team scanned at the outset of our new Vampire project and is therefore the one which provided all the design shape data for the new kit.

Our delightful new 1/48th scale de Havilland Vampire F.3 kit is still on course for an early Autumn release, which leaves us with one final Workbench update to come, that being images of the final frame sample full build in at least one of the three appealing schemes covered above. Will it come as a millionaire’s machine or sporting a bat’s head, only time will tell, but we can hardly wait. What is certain is that this beautiful new kit will make for an irresistible companion build for anyone who has one of our 1/48th scale Meteor models on display. 

Aviation history in model diorama form

Using a 1/72nd scale Airfix Fokker Dr.1 as his modelling canvas, Marc Racine produced this diorama scene of one of the most historic incidents in the history of aviation when he was just 15 years old

We end this latest edition of our blog by once again featuring the inspiring modelling talents of one of our readers and a build which attracted our attention during a recent sweep of enthusiast sites. Having immediately been drawn to the above diorama scene which attempted to recreate one of the most significant moments in aviation history, we knew that we had to try and make contact with its creator and find out a little more about the story behind it, but had no idea how interesting this story would turn out to be. 

The diorama build was a scale representation of the final moments in the life of arguably the most famous airman the world has ever known, the feared and admired Manfred von Richthofen, known to millions as the ‘Red Baron’ and its creator was Canadian modeller Marc Racine. Having made contact with Marc, he kindly provided us with a selection of photographs and spent time answering question on a build which he actually completed 46 years ago, when he was just 15 years old. Inspiration for the build came from a magazine article he read back then, one which looked at the career of the Red Baron and included an impressive large scale diorama build of the final crash scene produced by a gifted modeller and used to illustrate the article. Marc was already fascinated by anything to do with the Great Air War and had recently read von Richthofen’s autobiography, so he was determined to try and emulate this impressive diorama build, but putting his own stamp on the build.

Unfortunately for him, at that time, funds were quite limited and there was no way he could afford the 1/28th scale kit used in the article, so he would have to get creative in telling his diorama story of the death of the Red Baron. The main focus of the build would be an Airfix Fokker Dr.1 in 1/72nd scale, but this would be joined by a number of HO 8th Army figures he had in his collection, a section of grass matting and an old wooden trophy plaque which would serve as a base for the project. The story Marc was trying to tell with his diorama was a fascinating one and one which continues to captivate millions of people to this day.

The thick fog which greeted the pilots of JG.1 on the morning of Sunday 21st April 1918 dictated that there would be no flying until the predicted winds held the prospect of clearer skies by mid-morning. Sure enough, by 10.45 the Jagdstaffel were airborne and in position over the Somme valley region, preparing for combat with British reconnaissance aircraft and their fighter protection, led by their inspirational commander Manfred von Richthofen, the celebrated Red Baron, in his distinctive red Fokker Triplane. Having claimed his 79th and 80th aerial victories the previous day, von Richthofen would actually have something of a distraction for this latest mission, in the form of his younger cousin, Wolfram von Richthofen, who was flying his first combat sortie with the squadron that day. 

Although specifically instructed by Manfred to stay well away from the action and just observe any fighting without getting involved, Wolfram came under attack from a novice Allied pilot flying a Sopwith Camel who had been given similar instruction to those given to German he now faced. With the thrill of combat clouding his judgement and thinking this private, peripheral contact would result in an easy first victory, the two inexperienced airmen started to dogfight, a development which immediately attracting the attention of the ever observant Baron, who sped to his cousin’s assistance. Seemingly annoyed at this totally avoidable situation, he appeared to go against all his strict combat doctrines and chased the Allied airman down to an extremely low altitude with guns blazing, determined to exact some revenge against the pilot to dared engage his young charge. With the prevailing wind helping to blow both aircraft over Allied lines, the situation became worse when a second Camel flown by RAF ace Arthur Brown spotted the plight of his inexperienced comrade and dived in to attack the distinctive red Fokker, which by now had also attracted the attention of all the Allied ground units positioned along the Morlancourt Ridge, overlooking the Somme river. 

It was reported that seconds later, von Richthofen appeared to be having problems with its Maxim machine guns and was only firing sporadically at the hapless Sopwith ahead of him, before his aircraft was seen to rear up violently and make for an area of rough ground nearby. With the aircraft landing relatively intact, Allied troops immediately ran to the crash site, but on reaching the aircraft discovered that its pilot, the feared and respected Manfred von Richthofen was lying dead in the cockpit, killed by a single .303 bullet. They had just witnessed one of the most significant incidents in the history of warfare.

Almost immediately troops pulled von Richthofen’s lifeless body from the cockpit of his fighter, whilst others, who were only too aware of the significance of this incident, began stripping the Red Baron’s Fokker of anything they could quickly remove, with this merciless trophy hunting later resulting in an official account of the aircraft having supposedly been brought down as a result of an artillery shell strike. As a feared, yet highly respected enemy, Freiherr Manfred von Richthofen was buried with full military honours at Bertangles cemetery on 22nd April 1918, where he was laid to rest amongst the fallen of his enemies, just eleven days before celebrating what would have been his 26th birthday.

Intending to not only recreate this incident in model form, Marc also wanted to ensure that it should be as historically accurate as possible, preserving the memory of the men who wrote these particular pages of history and to educate all who saw it and wanted to discover the historical facts behind it - not a bad for a 15 year old. This level of research accuracy would be something that stayed with Marc throughout his life and as we were delighted to find out, it transpires that his passion has made him quite the celebrity! After reading von Richthofen’s autobiography, he was hooked and the Great War in the air has become a lifelong passion for him. With a huge collection of WWI aircraft models amassed over the years, Marc regularly arranges exhibition displays and gives talks on the subject, hoping to keep people informed and engaged with the aircraft and airmen who were making history over 100 years ago. Marc and his models have also featured on several TV productions over the years and he was an expert contributor to a major documentary produced on the subject of Great War aviation. He has also had several model and memorabilia displays in various museums across Canada and has produced numerous commissioned model builds for museum display over the years.

Marc is especially passionate about promoting Canada’s role in the Great War and particularly the contribution her airmen made towards eventual victory. With the nation only having a population of some 8 million people at that time, Canada would produce the highest number of aces during WWI as a percentage of their population and indeed all the country’s elite aces (those with at least 30 victories to their name) managed to survive the war, something no other nation could boast.

From a personal modelling perspective, Marc told us that he started modelling when he was just 7 years old and has continued modelling on and off ever since. He has been a little more prolific over the past five years as he has not been in the best of health and modelling helped to keep his spirits up. With an average of two builds completed every week during that time, he would still describe his favourite modelling subject as being WWI aircraft, however, over the years he has built every kind of kit, but tends to draw the line when it comes to robots and fantasy figures. He was particularly successful with his vehicle modelling during the 80s and was fortunate enough to win several modelling competitions with his car builds at that time. 

It was interesting to note that when we contacted Marc about the Red Baron build he completed 46 years ago but had only recently uploaded images of to a modelling site, he told us that our communication was down to fate and was destined to happen. Whilst we were making our initial introductions, Marc said that he was only a few miles away from a little farming village called Hornby and with that information out in the open, it was clear that neither of us had any choice in the matter, this particular feature was written in the stars! 

We would like to thank Marc for helping us with this feature and for allowing us to share his fantastic build images with fellow readers. Everyone at Airfix would like to send you our best wishes and hopes that you will be feeling better very soon. Keep on modelling and doing the work you do in keeping the world informed about the exploits of the Great War’s pioneering aviators, enthralling younger generation with these fascinating details.

We are afraid that’s all we have for you in this latest edition of Workbench, which we hope you found to be an enjoyable read. As always, if you have any suggestions for particular subjects you would like to see covered in a future edition, please do drop us a quick line, using this workbench@airfix.com link to contact us.

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The Airfix Workbench Team