This new decal
sheet from Cutting
Edge Modelworks includes markings for six different 1/72 captured
Allied aircraft. These aircraft include a Mosquito IVB, three P-47D's and
two P-51B During WW2, the
Luftwaffe captured many Allied aircraft and repaired them into flying
condition. The Verschuchsverband (the Trials and Research Unit of the
Luftwaffe High command) flew and assessed the capabilities of captured Allied
fighters and toured these aircraft to various Luftwaffe fighter units as the 'Wanderzirkus
Rosarius". The aircraft tested by them included P-51's, P-38's,
P-47's, Spitfires, Mosquitos and a Typhoon. There were also one or more
Spitfire that had it's nose removed and a Bf-109 nose and engine grafted onto
the Spitfire......this gave the capture Spitfire a very odd
appearance.........some would say...."unattractive
appearance".
The B-17 was also flown to
fighter bases to show the Luftwaffe pilots the strengths and weaknesses of the
B-17...armour etc. Captured B-17s flown by the Luftwaffe with KG 200 were
used on secret night time missions to deliver agents behind enemy lines.
Reports of B-17's in US markings shadowing US formations were made, but often
these were either lost bombers trying to find their way home or the bombers
weren't close enough to be fully identified, so this mystery
remains.
The first aircraft is a Mosquito
Mk IV B flown by 2./VVB OKL from Konigsberg, Neumark in July 1944. This
Mosquito was painted RLM 74 green on the topside and RLM 04 Yellow on the
underside and tail. Marking codes were T9 XB.
The
second aircraft is a P-47D-2-RA with 2./VVB OKL out of Wunstorf in July
1944. This aircraft was operated by the Beute-Zirkus Rosarius (Rosarius
Traveling Circus under the command of Flugkapitan Rosarius). This was one
of 3 P-47's operated by Beute-Zirkus Rosarius to educate Luftwaffe pilots on
flight characteristics of the P-47. The paint scheme is RLM 74 green on
the topside and RLM 04 Yellow on the underside and tail. Code letters on
the side in black are small "T9" and large "FK". The third aircraft is a
P-51B with 2./VVB OKL out of Neuruppin in late 1944. This aircraft was
used to train Hungarian FW-190 pilots on how to best use their aircraft against
the Mustang. Experienced pilots were also permitted to fly the
Mustang. The paint scheme on this Mustang is interesting. A bare
metal finish on the topside and the tail and underside was painted in RLM 04
yellow.
The US markings were removed and
Balkenkreuz (German Crosses) added along with a Swastika on the tail. Code
letters on the side in black are small "T9" and large
"HK". The prop spinner is yellow and there is a red band going
around the front of the nose. Anti-glare pane in front of the cockpit
windscreen is olive drab. The fourth aircraft is a
P-47D-2-RA in US markings flown by 2nd Lt. William Roach of the 358th FS,
355th FG. This aircraft was flying fighter protection for some bombers on
Nov 7 1943. The fighter protection was to be carried out in relay fashion
by 283 P-47's from the 56th, 78th, 352nd, 353rd, 355th and 356th Fighter
Groups. This particular P-47 belonged to 358th FS, 355th Fighter
Group. They flew their escort mission, but the next batch of fighters from
the 353rd was delayed due to weather from taking over protection for the
bombers. The 355th's P-47's continued on and eventually 5 of the 6 planes
failed to return....mainly due to lack of fuel. 2nd Lt. William
Roach made an emergency landing thinking he was over southern England.....only
to be surprised by guns and German uniforms at an airfield in France. He
spent the rest of the war as a POW at Stalag Luft 1. For the paint scheme
this aircraft is over all Olive Drab on top and Neutral Grey on the
underside. Nose art consists of a human character with 2 legs and 4 arms
carrying a large gun and the name "Beetle" under the artwork.
This aircraft has a white nose cowling ring and a white horizontal stripe across
the tail. US national markings on the fuselage are bordered in red.
On the side of the fuselage are the code letters "YF U" and on the
tail are the yellow #'s 222490.
The fifth aircraft is a
P-47D-2-RA formerly flown by 2nd Lt. William Roach of the 358th FS, 355th
FG. This is his aircraft after it was captured and the US markings were
painted over with German national insignias. RLM 74 green was used to
paint over the US markings....then the Germans markings were applied over the
RLM 74 Green. This plane also has a RLM 04 yellow rudder and engine cowl
ring at the very front of the engine cowling. The top of the engine
cowling should be painted Yellow RLM 04 and the instructions are a bit
inaccurate in this regard or perhaps the artist researching this decal sheet had
a different photo from a different day than the photos I have (see below).
For the paint scheme this aircraft is over all Olive Drab on top and Neutral
Grey on the underside. Nose art consists of a human character with 2 legs
and 4 arms carrying a large gun and the name "Beetle" under the
artwork. This aircraft still maintains a bit of it's white nose cowling
ring to preserve the original noseart and the white horizontal stripe across the
tail has been painted over as have the yellow serial numbers on the tail.
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Above
photos show a slight inaccuracy in the instruction sheet. |
The sixth aircraft is a P-51B
with 2./VVB OKL out of Wunstorf in the summer of 1944. The paint scheme on
this Mustang typical for captured aircraft operated by the Luftwaffe. The
paint scheme is RLM 74 green on the topside and RLM 04 Yellow on the underside
and tail. Code letters on the side in white are small "T9" and
large black letters "CK".
The decals were flawlessly printed and the clear
carrier film is trimmed very close to the crisply printed colored areas.
The artwork for Beetle is clear and in perfect registration.
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