wonwinglo

A Lockheed Ventura calls into a R.A.F MU low on fuel,the aircraft is on a delivery flight,and is crewed by a female Air Transport Auxiliary pilot flying single handed with no radio aids whatsoever,and below low cloud in drizzle.
This little scene is dedicated to those pilots who delivered as many as four aircraft in a day to important locations during difficult wartime conditions,all they had was a small set of abridged pilots notes for each particular type of aircraft.

If you want to read more about the Air Transport Auxiliary then can I recommend 'Fly and deliver' by Lettuce Curtiss or if you are lucky to find a copy 'Brief Glory' now a collectors piece but you could find one going cheap.
All frascinating stuff about times past.

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'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/

wonwinglo

After world war two many twin engined medium bombers like the Ventura were converted into high speed executive aircraft,On-Mark engineering produced the 'Marksman' which was a converted A-26 Invader with luxury interior,Howard bought up surplus Ventura's and made them into sleek Howard 500 Executive types with uprated engines that allowed the aircraft to cruise all day at altitude,then along came the Gates Learjet with its sleek speed and this finished the conversion market for good,only two Howard 500 aircraft are flying today one is in America and the other is based at Exeter UK where it is given a brief airing every year by the Baker Petroleum company who own this lavish piece of history.

__________________
'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/

George

I see another sneeky one in the background. The Avro Manchester. predecesor to the famous Lancaster

wonwinglo

Well spotted George ! yes this one was in fact converted from an Academy 1=144th scale kit of the Lancaster,I made up the tiny Vulture engines that so let this aircraft down.Note the dorsal fin which was an attempt to cure stability problems with the Manchester.
Amazing how a failure was turned into the Lancaster that served so well in service,Chadwick like Mitchell has never received the national honour these men of iron deserve.

__________________
'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/