The 1942 raid on Oslo

Listeners to the podcast know that I am engaged in a group build of the Tamiya Mosquito.  Because I have a great interest in the invasion of Norway in 1940, and the subsequent occupation, I decided to build one of the aircraft that participated in the 1942 raid on the gestapo headquarters in Oslo.  These four aircraft were from 105 Squadron and were the first use of the new Mosquito that were acknowledged in the British press.

The raid was not exactly a success.  However it was the first of many of these precision strikes including the Arhaus raid and the Shellhaus raid.  In fact, the Oslo raid was repeated in late 1944.

I am a fan of Stan Stokes prints, and here is a print of the raid.

More on the raid here.

This is the building today.

More here.

Amazing

This story is amazing. I hope the item gets bought and put in a museum in either the UK or Poland.

MB.151/152

Dora wings has announced a new kit.  This is good news for modelers of the early WWII era.

A great website

Everything you want to know about Australia at war in WWII.

More B-10 goodness

Here.  I see several of these in my future.

New Polish kits

PZL.37 and PZL.11 from IBG.

Falling down the rabbit hole

Talking with Jim Bates the other day, we were discussing the latest Starfighter Decals sheet for the B-25.  This led into a discussion of the new Airfix B-25B kit and which Doolittle Raider each of us wished to model.  One of the crewmen on one of the planes was from Kentucky, and I’ve known this for years because there is a historical marker in Elizabethtown, KY near the courthouse.  I’ve passed that marker a number of times and always thought I’d want to build the aircraft that he crewed.

That crewman, George Larkin, Jr. was a member of crew #10, and flew on aircraft 40-2250.  While this aircraft isn’t one of the more colorful Doolittle Raiders, as it doesn’t have any unique nose art or unique markings, there are several good photos of the aircraft, showing its weathered appearance at the time of the raid.  There are several great websites regarding the Doolittle Raiders with lots of great photos.

Since the DK Decals sheet allows you to do most of the Doolittle Raiders, but not 40-2250, I think I can use the sheet and piece together the tail numbers I need.

Jim, I blame you for this post.

Movie review:The Big Sleep (1946)

The film adaption of the Raymond Chandler detective novel starring Bogart and Bacall.  I happened to catch this on TCM late night’s “Noir Alley”.  This is probably my favorite feature on TCM and I love watching the old noir films.  This is one of the best.  Also, watching Bogart and Bacall act together makes you realize how crappy the actors and actresses of today’s Hollywood are.  With the possible exception of Tom Hanks or Denzel Washington, there isn’t an actor today that comes close to the talent Bogart had. His acting is so effortless.  He never seems to be acting.   This film, along with The Maltese Falcon is one of those films that I could watch again and again.  Five stars.  If you have never seen it, go watch it, right away.

A WWII mystery

I don’t think I have ever been aware of this story before.  I have been to the USNAM in Pensacola and have actually seen the gondola of this blimp.  I wonder if anyone makes any of the USN blimps from WWII in 72nd scale.

P-38 decals

Here.