1:48 Handley Page Halifax B MKII

A Canadian squadron over the Ruhr

The Halifax B Mk II Series 1 (Special) belonged to the types that in 1943 bore the burden of night bombing. It was flown by No. 419 Squadron, nicknamed Moose, a Canadian unit in the organization of Bomber Command. In November 1942 it changed over from Wellington Mk III aircraft and from the spring of 1943 it operated from the Middleton St George airfield in County Durham.

The first subject is the machine with the serial number JD114 and the code VR-O, assigned in May 1943 to a crew whose commander came from Medicine Hat in Alberta. That name the aircraft carried on its nose. It flew more combat tasks than any other Halifax of the unit, and among them was night mine laying at sea. The second variant belongs to the machine BB323 with the code VR-R, on whose fuselage a mermaid was painted. The design was devised by two members of the squadron and transferred onto the skin by a mechanic of the ground personnel in the spring of 1943.

Before you reach for water

• two complete sets of markings for a night-camouflaged four-engine bomber
• nose art, code letters and serial markings of both aircraft
• waterslide printing that belongs on a smoothly clear-coated surface
• on matte black paint silvering appears under the film, so clear coat the surface to a gloss first

The Halifax is a large example in this scale and the layout of the codes deserves a dry run first. The letters on the sides of the fuselage are the most striking element of the finished build, so even a small rotation shows at first glance. Once dry, go over the edges with decal softener so that the printing follows the fabric skin and the riveted strips.