Memoriam to his uncle - WO2 Jimmy Horne, WWII RCAF Observer

[Kenny Horne]

I am hoping to make a small diorama with this one.  The CF-101 is a bit of an inspiration to the whole deal and as I'm imagining a nice day for a setting, I picked the skyblue for the canopy

[lastvautour]

You did a great job on the Lancaster Kenny and I look forward to your Voodoo. I worked on them for 14 years.

Lou

[Kenny Horne]

Thanks Lou,
Sorry if I wasn't too clear in my last post.  I plan on doing a Lancaster diorama using the Voodoo-on-the-pedestal as an inspiration.  My son and I were at the museum Easter monday and as he was looking up at the Voodoo I thought that a similar setting would be neat.  There are a few small towns in Alberta with Sabers and Shooting Stars on pedestals in the town centre.  I thought I'd imagine one with a Lanc.  Anyway, the light blue fill on the canopy was chosen because of the lovely sky on that day.

The Voodoo would make a great solid though.  I seem to recall one in your folder...

Kenny

[lastvautour]

I have many plastic and one wooden Voodoo. I hope to make a 1/32 scale before I go the great carving shop in the sky.

Lou

[Kenny Horne]

Your build thread is a great solid tutorial. 
http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/SMF/index.php?topic=1306.0

[lastvautour]

Thank you Kenny. I hope the 1/32 turn out as well. When I posted the pictures of my Century Series jets, people asked what kits I had used. That made my day.

Lou

[Kenny Horne]

Pretty sure I'm done with painting.  I've got an old decal set from a plastic model that I'll decorate the beast with.  Next step...

[Model Maker]

Looking great Kenny! - ken

[buccfan]

Very nice indeed Kenny, Regards Paul J.

[lastvautour]

She is a beauty. Bill from CanMilAir will change the serial number and code letters on any decal sheet to suit your needs. Check out his Lancaster decals at http://www.canmilair.com/products.asp?cat=57

I read your post and links but could not find the serial number except for the S for Sugar which could have been assigned to several squadrons. Do you have the serial number for "S" ?

Lou

[lastvautour]

Surfing netted the following.



Bill can duplicate these markings.

Lou

[Kenny Horne]

Hey guys, thanks for the kind words. 

Lou, that picture of PG-S is actually an exact twin to the aircraft my uncle was lost in.  PG was the code for RAF 619 squadron, and that picture was taken while my uncle was was on strength with them.  This particular PG-S was lost upon landing the morning after the disastrous Nuremberg raid (the RAF lost more aircrew that night than during the entire Battle of Britain).  The squadron received a brand new S and that ship was given to my uncle's crew as a bit of a reward for being one of the more veteran crews at 19 operations under their belt.  It was on their first operation with their shiny new Lancaster that they were shot down by Obst. Martin Becker on their way to Schweinfurt, 26 April 1944.

When I first saw that photo it took my breath away as I did not yet know the story, so there was a chance that it was my uncle's plane.  As it turns out it's still pretty cool! 

The model will be of his first operational Lancaster, PG-F. Their first op was to, of all places, Berlin.  They made it, though not without being hit in the bomb bay with flak, their only flak hit of the war.  The next night they were again on the Ops board and again off to Berlin, two trips to the most dangerous target in Germany in just over 24 hours.  It's amazing what youth and adrenaline can accomplish. 

As for decals I am ordering a set of assorted letters from Hannants, though they are on back order and may take a while...  I still have the base/diorama to build so I am in no great rush. 

Take care everyone.  I'll keep you in the loop as the rest of this comes together. 

Kenny

[lastvautour]

Do you know the serial number of the aircraft?

lOU

[Kenny Horne]

Hi Lou,

PG-F was ME568, lost in August 3/4 1944 over France with 448 hours on the airframe. Jimmy's PG-S was LL904 lost on its first operation with only 22 hours on the airframe.  The one in your picture, and I suspect the painting is a depiction of it's final minutes, was LM418, lost 31 March 1944.  PG-P DV326 was my uncle's regular a/c. They flew 14 ops with her.  DV326 survived the war, serving with a Lancaster training squadron once her operational days were done.

Kenny

[lastvautour]

Thank you Kenny. I enjoy the search for info almost as much as carving.

Lou