post war(1946) RAF colour scheme

mossiepilot

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Dont know if i'm in the right place, but ask anyway. I'm looking for info/pictures of post war mosquito colour schemes and squadron markings and registration numbering and positions thereof for a mossie diorama I've got in mind. My dad served in 14 sqn based in Wahn (just outside Dusseldorf) in 1946 and I'd like to build one of these planes. Any info would be graetly appreciated.

thanks in advance,

Tony
 

stona

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I'll try to find the correct codes for you. According to Flintham and Thomas in "Combat Codes" 14 squadron used it's wartime code CX on Mosquitos from June 1945 until March 1946. After this date the squadron was disbanded but the next day 128 Sqn was renumbered 14 Sqn and I'm not sure if the code changed or not. This makes a date quite important!

I'm 90% sure that they were still in wartime colours.Hopefully someone will know more.

Steve
 
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Ian M

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These might help.

http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/AMD48303

http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/FSD48005

Both sets of decals have a profile and markings for two post war mossies in Germany with the 14th.

Ian M
 

stona

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Link didn't show anything Ian.

I can confirm that 14 Sqn retained the squadron code letters CX.

Cheers

Steve
 

mossiepilot

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thanks guys, I hthat my mam says are ave some old photos thatwith my mam says are of my dads sqn witny further infoh the code CX but i wasn't sure. I'll dig the out and post them. they are faded b&w's and dont show much in the way of detail so any further info would be great.

cheers for all help

tony

ps anyone any idea who does a mk B35 mossie? cant seem to find one

thanks again
 

mossiepilot

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just looked at the hannets links i'll see if i can match these up with the pictures i have

cheers

Tony
 

stona

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\ said:
they are faded b&w's and dont show much in the way of detail so any further info would be great.
You'd be surprised what can be dragged out of a photo using the software most people will have on their computer. Altering the contrast or even "negativising" them (I'm pretty sure that's not a real word!) can sometimes make codes or serials pop out.

Cheers

Steve
 

mossiepilot

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sorry still looking for photos. we moved house recently and stuff got boxed up and is still lost :shaving:hopefully i'll find them soon

Tony
 

stona

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That camouflage is surely Ocen Grey/Dark green over Medium Sea Grey.

What colour are the code letters? Someone surely knows more about RAF codes than I do but I remember them being Sky,Medium Sea Grey (which these can't be as we can see the lower part is a different colour to the back ground) or Dull Red. I believe some post war squadrons used codes in flight colours but don't quote me!

It might be worth posting your pictures and questions over on Britmodeller as,unsurprisingly,there are some people very knowledgeable about British aircraft there.

Not had any luck trying to drag the serial number out of that last photo,the resolution just isn't good enough.

Cheers

Steve
 

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As I tried to point out in my earlier post where the link "didn't work" Dark Green/Ocean Grey upper and Medium Sea Grey bottom.

Codes in Yellow with black edging- serials in black.

If you still cant open the link, go to Hannants - Plastic model kits and accessories and search for AMD48303 where you can see a colour profile.

OK so its not a colour photo but I am sure the guy that did it has done his home work.

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mossiepilot

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hi, i've been doing some searching about 14 Sqn and Wikipedia says that they were flying Mk 16 mossies at the time my Dad was there? Are the pics I posted Mk16's or B35's. Hope you can help

cheers

Tony
 

Ian M

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This might help a bit. Its a good site for mossy fans.

14 Squadron

Ian M
 

mossiepilot

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Thanks Ian that 14 Sqn site helped a lot. I have another question tho, my Dad served from Jan 1946 to Mar 1948 and the 14 Sqn site says that they changed from Mk B16's to Mk B35's in dec 1947 and the photos I posted have camoflage scheme and the hamments site you gave me shows a B35 with an all silver scheme for planes based at wahn. So what do you guys think

hope you can clear up this confusion

Tony
 

stona

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In your second picture the under wing serial number is clearly seen as FF605 or PF606. I can't be PF606 as this was a glass nosed naval version of which I have a picture taken at Farnborough in 1948. This is obviously not the one we're looking for!

De Havilland DH98 Mosquito Farnborough Airshow 1948 - Pictures & Photos on FlightGlobal Airspace

This leaves us with PF605. It was a B.16 fitted with Merlin 72/73 engines and built by the Percival Aircraft Company as part of contract number 3047. As such it should have been delivered between 15-5-1944 and 15-12-1945. We don't know when it made its way into a squadron but those dates fit well.

We don't have an exact date for your photos but at least one and probably all of that line up are B.16s.

Cheers

Steve
 

Ian M

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I saw that number as FP 608...

Ian M.
 

stona

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\ said:
I saw that number as FP 608...Ian M.
Could be,depends how you squint at it. PF608 was part of the same contract and the same criteria apply. I don't think you meant FP which was not a Mosquito serial anyway.

Cheers

Steve

Edit

I've had a good look at it and I agree with you Ian,PF608
 
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Ian M

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LOL Sorry Steve, my fat fingers and a smart phone.... I did mean PF :smiling: I used to be dyslexic but I'm KO now :laughing:

Tony; I think that we really need to establish a time line.

Your Dad served from Jan 1946 to Mar 1948 and the 14 Sqn site says that they changed from Mk B16's to Mk B35's in dec 1947

The decal sheet from Freight Dog show the rather nice Speed Silver Mossie Mk B35 and states that it was an aircraft at Mahn in 1949. So that was after your Dad was there.

The decal sheet from Aero Master shows an aircraft from the correct squadron but also from 1949 and based at Celle. Also a B35.

If the photo you posted was of the time your father was there, I think that we can conclude that you need a mosquito but for the period he was there it could of been one of three Mk. the FB VI, the B XVI or the B35!

Reading the differences in the mk's could maybe help whittle it down to a single mark, but that must be one for the experts.

Alas I must say that Wiki is not the most reliable source as any one can write on there and things often get through with out verification so be careful with that. I use it myself but I always try to find another source to check things are as they say.

Mk XVI or B 35?

B.XVI Bomber. Pressure cabin development of the B.IX[/url] with Merlin 72, 73, 76 and 77 engines able to carry 3000lb bombs. All were converted in 1944 to take 4000lb bomb in the fuselage and two 50 gallon wing drop tanks or 100 gallon drop tanks with four 500lb bombs.

B.35 Bomber. Similar to the B.XVI except for Merlin 114 engines in early versions, Merlin 114A engines in later versions. 274 built, including 65 by Airspeed Ltd.

Now we have those facts we now need some one to come and fill out the finer detail.

As a start, based on the photo you posted, you need a camouflage of Dark Green and Ocean Grey with bottom surfaces in Medium Sea Grey Codes on Yellow with black edges.

As a side note I now have a desire to do that Silver one. Looks Rather nice to me.

Ian M
 

stona

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Well you know PF 608 is a B.16. I'm not sure what external differences there were between that and a B.35,if any.

If you can decipher any serials in your photos then the B.35s were over several blocks. RS,RV,TA,TH,TJ,TK,VP and VR.

Just to confuse things in your third photo the first letter of the serial looks a lot like a V which means that it could be a B.35.

Steve
 
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