This final pack will contain Tempest five Skins from both RAF 486 and 274 Squadrons, two of the highest scoring
Mk-5 units to see combat during the last months of WW 2.
Here are some grabs of several aircraft from 486 Squadron along with a short film narrated by the pilots themselves.
I will start packing everything up this evening as I have a very busy week ahead. I hope you like them































CHOOSE: Hawker Tempest Gun Camera

https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0SO8x.nTNxS.hgAbH9XNyoA?p=Youtobe+RAF+Tempest+Documentaries&fr2=sb-top&fr=yfp-t-671

You have by now covered pretty much all Hawker aircraft of the WWII era and post war. Don't think there's much left after these... well the Hurricane maybe, but that's early war stuff.

Lovely work on all. I can see this project has been a pleasure to work with. BTW these new Tempest's afa I can see from the images have a new light and shadow treatment? Looks very good! Keep it up, mate! I was thinking about taking up a project for the other great British fighter and it's late mark versions

eMeL

Edit: Oh, and thanks for the link.

+Thanks Marcus. You see the last grab... Spit colors.
Yeah!! I know
I took a good look at your next mystery project and like always ....Wow!!

These look awesome Chris, I'm a fan of both the Tempest and of 486 Squadron (it was a Kiwi unit) so I'm looking forward to these, but... I'm sorry to bear bad news but I believe it was usual for 486 to have the squadron code behind the roundel on the starboard side so it would read SA-x on both sides. I have Jimmy Sheddan's autobiography (SA-M SN129 was his regular mount, those kill markings and rank pennant are his) which includes photos of 486 Tempests including SN129.
Interestingly, JN766 SA-N in your first pic appears to be the exception and did indeed read N-SA on the starboard side.

Harry

Jeeezz!
It isn't a big deal to change Code position for me at this point. I have been mostly looking at photographs,and several not so reliable portraits. If your still here,let me look.

Yes, your absolutely correct with N being the exception
Screw these stupid portrait artists.
I'm on it and thank you very much.
Chris

No worries mate, glad I could be of assistance No doubt you've spotted it but I've just noticed that JN766 had a sky spinner?
http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205127012

P.S. Thanks for the link as well in your first post.

Morning Harry,
I just noticed the there was only one brave man in RAF No 3 Squadron so. I am most certainly going to nix the idea of doing anything there.
It's unbelievable. Everything from Profiles to toilet paper. Nothing much I can find. Just page after page of the same page...Ha! Any ideas?

Hi Chris,
Hmmm, 3 Squadron... I had a quick look through my books and only found one reference, it was a photo of a 486 sqn Tempest taken in October '44 and the blurb stated that it was later transfered to 3 sqn and recoded JF-R (s/n EJ719). I do have a book about the cammo and markings of the 2nd TAF on order that could be of use but I'm not sure when I'll be getting it, maybe another couple of weeks?
I had a quick search online and found these which may give enough for a handfull of 3 sqn skins (apart from those flown by Clostermann) and maybe Alan has some more?

https://www.facebook.com/pages/No-122-Wing-RAF-aka-Tempest-Wing/155683814523549
http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/search?query=3%20Squadron%20Hawker%20Tempest&items_per_page=10&submit=
http://www.hawkertempest.se/index.htm

While I was looking I came across a decent photo which was a close-up of SN129 SA-M cockpit area and it shows some interesting details:
- The swastikas were standing on a corner (rotated 45 degrees from how you have them at the moment if you follow me) and that the left marking of the lower two was half erased (the right half).
- Sheddan's rank pennant had the silhouette of the RAF eagle painted near the left edge of the upper of the two pale blue bars (probably in dark blue), while below it on the lower pale blue bar the numbers 486 were painted.

Sheddan was the last CO of 486 sqn (2 May '45 till October '45 when it was disbanded) so SN129 would've had C1 roundels on the upper wing surfaces and no i.d. stripes on the lower wing surfaces.

Hope this helps,

Harry

I managed to find a few more 3 Squadron planes . Enough for a flt and a bit.
It just seemed that almost everything was Closterman,
Closterman. Almost ten Profiles and models until I bingo'd.
3 was at Manston and were all striped up for the big one before going on High Altitude Ops. At that time they had removed all the water based stuff however several I came across still had under fuselage
stripes.
I'm almost there,but slowing down a bit.
I'm also moving in ten days to a new place which isn't fun. Oh!! it is only about a hundred yards away,but a move just the same Haha!
I'll read what you you have sent. I'm sure to be able to make a few adjustment here and there,not to forget the crud and scrape.
It's good to talk with you.I like your nit picky stuff.
I am that way most times. As you know that is the difference between a good skin,and a very good one.

All the Best.
Write any time you have the opportunity
Christopher

As you know that is the difference between a good skin,and a very good one.

RDDR

+1 I agree, and good luck with your upcoming move