Martin's Tiger Force Tempest ***Finished***

[Martin R]

User Name: Martin R
First Name: Martin
Manufacturer: Matchbox
Scale: 1/72
Kit: Tempest II / VI
After Market: Decals, probably

Kit photos: Nice Roy Huxley box art & sprues





In 1945, the RAF drew up plans for an air component for the forthcoming invasion of Japan, known as Tiger Force. The bomber element was of Lancaster aircraft painted in a rather fetching colour scheme of white uppers (to reflect heat) and black undersides. Several aircraft were actually painted in this scheme. Slightly less well known - I believe - is that the fighter element was to comprise 50 Tempest IIs, commanded by Roland Beamont.

Of course, in reality the atomic bomb was dropped, WWII ended and Tiger Force never came into being. In this timeline, however, the war is still going on and Tiger Force is in the thick of it.

My build will be an oob Matchbox Tempest II of the Tiger Force fighter component; probably Roland Beamont's personal aircraft.

regards,

Martin

[Martin R]

Now that the Boston's "finished", I can get down to this. I haven't started yet, but I have put the sprues in a ziplok plastic bag to hopefully avoid AWOL components. As mentioned above, the build will be oob as the interest - if any - will be in the colour scheme.

Although the build will be OOB, does anyone (and I'm thinking particularly of Brews here ) have views on the accuracy of this kit? It looks OK when compared to the plans in my Warpaint book (no guarantee, I know) but I think I heard somewhere that the contours of the TII cowling are a bit off. Can anyone confirm or deny?

regards,

Martin

[Dirkpitt289]

From the box art it looks like a regular ole Tempest. What makes a Tempest a Tempest II?

[Martin R]

Dirk,

The box art shows a Tempest VI with a chin intake, which looks very similar to the 'bog-standard' Tempest V with the chin intake. However, you can also make a TII from the kit, which had a neatly cowled air-cooled Bristol Centaurus radial (as did the Hawker Sea Fury) instead of the liquid cooled Napier Sabre.

Right at the front of the green coloured sprue in the above pic, you can see the pieces for the Centaurus cowling.

I think these Tempests were chosen for Tiger Force work due to the air-cooled engines being thought more compatible with 'tropical' temperatures. However the VI was also earmarked for overseas work and featured a supplementary oil cooler in the leading edge of the starboard wing (and a carb intake in the port wing LE). The VI was used post-war by the RAF in the Med and Middle-East.

regards,

Martin

[JohnRatzenberger]

What are the markings on the right half of the decal sheet ?

[Brickie]

Indian air force, I believe.

[Dirkpitt289]

I thought it was the one with that big radial engine. Like this right?

[Brickie]

Found a profile of the Indian one:

[Martin R]

Indian air force, I believe.

Absolutely right. Markings for 7 Sqn IAF, 1949 (it says RIAF, but 1949 was after partition wasn't it?)

Linky below to a good pic of the Centaurus cowling for Dirk.

http://www.military-aircraft.org.uk/oth ... est-ii.htm

NV768 in the pic above is, according to the Warpaint book, apparently a Tempest Mk V with an annular radiator fitted to its Napier Sabre, not a Mk II!

regards,

Martin

[Brickie]

Indian air force, I believe.

Absolutely right. Markings for 7 Sqn IAF, 1949 (it says RIAF, but 1949 was after partition wasn't it?)

After India achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1947, the Royal Indian Air Force served the Dominion of India, with the prefix being dropped when India became a republic in 1950.

At that point they also dropped the chakra wheel in favour of the current Indian roundel.

[MerlinJones]

[Martin R]

Merlin,

I like the natural metal finish you've done there.

regards,

Martin

[MerlinJones]

Thanks Martin. A hairy stick job, build here;
http://gregers.7.forumer.com/viewtopic. ... ht=tempest;

How's your Tempest getting on?

Regards,
Bruce

[Martin R]

How's your Tempest getting on?

Funny you should say that . . .

A very pleasant evening's modelling (after an unpleasant hour's filling the unevenness in my dining room walls after a 'primer' coat!)

I love Matchbox kits. The fit is really pretty good, isn't it? Glued the cowling halves to the fuselage halves, put the wing halves together, added some kick boards and a control column to the basic bulkhead / seat and put in an IP shape to fill the gap at the front of the 'pit.

The 'pit is predominantly RLM66 (or far off-black if you prefer) and between that and the canopy, not much inside will be seen when finished. I'll let that all dry tonight, dry brush and add some straps tomorrow, then put it all together.





That means I'll have the main assembly hopefully completed in 2 nights. As I said, I love Matchbox kits!

regards,

Martin

[Jagewa]

Smooth work Martin, those kick boards add a nice detail. Is the control coloumn a kit item? it's looks really good.

Cheers
Jim