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  #1  
Old 01-12-2008, 11:12 PM
Don Boose's Avatar
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OTDAEABT Contest - Maly Modelarz Handley Page Hampden

The Hampden and the Indian Head penny (1898) arrived. It looks like it is theoretically within my very modest skill range: no interior, no detailed engine.

The color scheme is a mystery. It appears to be in a combination of the Bomber Command temperate night land scheme (dark green and dark earth upper sides and black undersides); the Coastal Command temperate day scheme (which was extra dark sea grey and dark slate grey upper sides and sky undersides); and the desert scheme of dark earth and mid-stone upper sides and azure blue undersides. This aircraft has upper surfaces in two shades of brownish color; one slightly on the green side and one slightly on the tan side and undersurfaces in a sort of darkish sky color. The code letters are white and present another mystery, as they are “UD K” and I am unaware of any Hampden unit that used the code letters “UD.”

The cover illustration shows a Hampden with the UD-K codes in grey, but in the standard bomber command scheme (green, earth, black), and dropping a torpedo. Hmmmm. If anyone can shed any light on this aircraft, I would be grateful.

I have laminated the formers to 1mm card, cut out the fuselage formers, and glued up the first fuselage section. The formers and the skin fit perfectly and any unevenness is due to my clumsiness rather than the fit of the parts.

My wife, Lil, is quite supportive of this effort. She noted that there is plenty of time until St. Patrick’s Day, especially since this is a leap year, and she anticipates that under the pressure of this contest, this time she might actually see a completed model. Me, I’m not so sure.

Don
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OTDAEABT Contest - Maly Modelarz Handley Page Hampden-hampden-01.jpg   OTDAEABT Contest - Maly Modelarz Handley Page Hampden-hampden-03.jpg   OTDAEABT Contest - Maly Modelarz Handley Page Hampden-hampden-02.jpg  
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Old 01-12-2008, 11:15 PM
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I'm sure you'll make it air worthy and then you can torpedo the local duck population :D
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Old 01-12-2008, 11:39 PM
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Looks like your off to a good start!
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Old 01-13-2008, 12:35 AM
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I have noticed that kits of this vintage from MM and GPM are in colors that are, at best, poorly rendered and at worst, purely imaginative. I also have been unable to unearth any Hampden unit using 'UD' as the squadron code. I hope the remainder of the build goes as well as the first fuselage section. You should have it done with time to spare...
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Old 01-13-2008, 07:20 AM
GreMir GreMir is offline
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Don,
Coloring of the models from this period (publication date) tends to be off in a rather big way and the markings of the aircraft might be way off as well.
That was still the time when good sources with this type of info were rather scarce in Poland so designers often took some liberty in designing the models.

As for your build - looking good and I'm happy that OT came up this idea to put more builds going :D
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Old 01-13-2008, 08:02 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by boosed View Post
The code letters are white and present another mystery, as they are “UD K” and I am unaware of any Hampden unit that used the code letters “UD.”

The cover illustration shows a Hampden with the UD-K codes in grey, but in the standard bomber command scheme (green, earth, black), and dropping a torpedo. Hmmmm. If anyone can shed any light on this aircraft, I would be grateful.
How about 455 Sqdn RAAF? - code "UB" - equipped with Hampdens - transferred with 144 Sqdn to Coastal Command as a torpedo bomber squadron in April 1942. http://www.defence.gov.au/Raaf/raafm...its/455sqn.htm
http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/h455.html

Possible colour scheme for Hampden torpedo bomber

http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww2/b/1271/102/0/1

It's RNZAF 489 squadron but operated from the same base as RAAF 455 squadron.

Regards,

Charlie

Last edited by CharlieC; 01-13-2008 at 08:34 AM.
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Old 01-13-2008, 08:24 AM
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Thanks, Charlie. I agree that it's the closest fit so far to my Hampden. The "UD" codes might be a typo or other error. However, it still may turn out that the "UD" codes really did exist for the Hampden. Several Coastal Command flights used the Hampden and I do not know if any of them used two-letter codes.

I have Michael J.F. Bowyer's Bombing Colours, which seems to have all of the Bomber Command Codes, including those of the Operational Training Units and other such miscellaneous outfits, but I do not have any equivalent book on the Coastal Command. There is a very useful RAF Coastal Command site (http://www.rafcommands.com/Coastal/indexC.html), but it does not provide squadron codes.

Anyway, I am doing this as a strictly "out of the box" build and will be satisfied if it ends up looking like an airplane, even an imaginary one.

Don
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Old 01-13-2008, 08:41 AM
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The "UD" code was RAAF 452 squadron flying Spitfires - it was in the UK until March 1942 then reformed in Australia for the defence of Darwin. Looks like the most likely code is "UB" which got mangled in translation.

Regards,

Charlie
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Old 01-13-2008, 09:26 AM
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Excellent analysis, Charlie - RAAF 455 Sqn. sounds like a reasonable assumption. Don, I forgot to mention that you have surged to the lead in the "British WW2 Medium Bombers with Questionable Colors and Markings" category. Well done!
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Old 01-13-2008, 02:28 PM
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Ron -- I'm deeply honored! I hope I can maintain the lead in this category. You didn't pass out any dodgy Vickers Wellingtons did you?

Charlie -- That 452 Sqd was using "UD" ALMOST rules it out for Hampdens, except that 517 (C) Squadron used Hampdens into 1943 and I haven't been able to determine its code letters. Nonetheless, I am prepared to chalk it up as an error until new info comes to light. Of course, there is still the brown/tan/sky camouflage scheme with white letters . . .

Don
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