Hi all, I’ve managed to get back to it again and this is what you call big.
I’ve made the Mosquito already in 1/72 and 1/48 scale and when Airfix brought out this beast my eyes nearly fell out and my hands started to itch and I just had to lay my hands on it. If you haven’t noticed already but the Mosquito is my all time favourite aircraft.
This kit comes with several options, Fighter Bomber, Coastal Command or Night Fighter and I’ve chosen the Fighter Bomber version as it is on the box. I chose this because of the story that’s depicted on the box cover.
In 1943 the RAF formed the 2nd Tactical Air Force under Bomber Command and it’s role was to suppress enemy units from North Africa to Europe. Also it was tasked to launch hit and run attacks to help resistance fighters in France and that’s how we get to the story on the box. On February 18th 1944 Group Captain Percy Pickard from New Zealand took off with 11 other Mosquito’s to bomb Amiens Prison with one Mosquito being used to film the raid. The raid was in aid for resistance and political prisoners being held in the prison to escape and fight on, a total of 700 prisoners were being held at the time. The mission was coded as ‘Operation Jericho’.
Group Captain Percy Pickard took off with 487 Sqdn from Hunsdon, Herts assembled the sqdn and flew towards the North Sea. Once he reached the coast the Sqdn dropped down to zero feet or wave top height and set a dog leg corse to confuse the German radar units which would of lost them shortly after leaving the coast. Once the dog leg had finished and the coast was shortly approaching the immortal words would of been said, ‘Enermy Coast Ahead’. Once the coast had been reached the whole Sqdn would remain at zero feet or tree top height until the target was in view. Now when you think about it these men worked everything out on pens and paper, worked out fuel and ammunition loads, routes avoiding flak and enemy airfields and really looking out of the cockpit to see where their turning points were at zero feet and travelling at over 400 mph, makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end and to top it off 487 Sqdn had to be on target at exactly 12 noon and they were. There were two targets on the prison, the outer wall and the barracks housing the troops. At 12 noon at a height of 60 feet at a speed of over 400 mph Pickard and 487 Sqdn made their attack. They were using timed delayed bombs, the delay was around 15 seconds, enough for the Mosquito’s that were bombing the wall to drop their payload and get out before the Mosquito’s bombs in front of them went up in their faces. The wall was breach and the barracks were blown to bits and then the prisoners made there escape. Out of the 700 prisoners 102 were unfortunately killed in the bombing and a total of 258 escaped but two thirds of the escapees were recaptured later. Sadly Pickard was shot down by Fw 190 fighter from a near by airfield and was killed along side his navigator. One other Mosquito was shot down also.
If you get the chance go onto you tube and put in the search box ‘operation Jericho’ and you will be able to see the footage of the raid.
And now back to the kit.
Picture 1, Here you see Flo with box of the Tamiya 1/48 scale Mosquito which I completed a few months ago and one was very pleased with it.
Picture 2, Here is Flo struggling with the Airfix 1/24 scale Mosquito. Told you it was big!!!
Picture 3, Here is Flo still struggling but with both kit box’s so you can see the difference.
Picture 4, Flo with the options of what kind of Mosquito you would want to make and still struggling!!!
Picture 5, The Tamiya 1/48 scale Mosquito.
Picture 6 and 7, Now you can see what I’m on about.
Picture 8 and 9, Group Captain Percy Pickard of 487 Sqdn and a still photo of two Mosquito’s over the North Sea on Operation Jericho.
Well I think that about covers it. I will post my progress on this when I can
Bye for now
Lenny[Y]
