Vultee Vengeance Target Tug
Feb 29, 2024 17:45:30 GMT 1
viscount, northbynorthwest, and 8 more like this
Post by acklington on Feb 29, 2024 17:45:30 GMT 1
Just finished, all of my modelling nightmares, contained in one kit. This is the Special Hobby 1/72 kit of the Vultee Vengeance TT.IV, this being a typical limited production model with mismatched parts, no locating pins or tabs, vacuformed 'greenhouse' canopy which was difficult to paint, also resin parts, and brass etched parts, so three types of glue required. Reference material for the target tug version was practically non-existent, and what little could be found showed features different to the kit. In fact, every photo of the TT versions shows different features! Yellow is my No.1 hate colour (because it is so thin), and combined with lots of black stripes resulted in 39 bits of masking tape. There were also 35 detailed improvements made to the model.
FD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (5) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
FD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (4) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
FD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (6) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
Vengeance - Publicly available internet photo by Philip Pain, on Flickr
A major puzzle was what-on-earth was this underneath on the bombs doors? It shows in several photos, but was not in the kit. It seems like two 'strakes' with nothing in-between, or nothing that can be seen. After much head scratching, a possible answer is that it is a 'target box' (as fitted to other TT types), and that the 'box' is removed when on the ground, to be reloaded. Thus the empty space between the 'strakes'. So I scratch built a 'box', as seen in this photo, at least the shape is correct in side view. It is 'fixed' to the model with blu-tac so that I can change it if new info comes to light.
FD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (7) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
FD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (8) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
FD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (10) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
FD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (11) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
FD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (14) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
FD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (15) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
FD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (17) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
FD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (20) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
289 Squadron was headquartered at RAF Turnhouse, Edinburgh with detached flights throughout 13 Group's area. In Northumberland the Vengeance target tugs were at RAF Acklington, RAF Eshott, and RAF Ouston. They were only in use for the final few months of the War. FD335 is recorded as being coded 'YE-M', and for anyone familiar with the Geordie dialect, "Yem" means home, but is usually part of the expletive "Gan Yem", otherwise known as Foxtrot Oscar!
FD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (5) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrFD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (4) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrFD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (6) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrVengeance - Publicly available internet photo by Philip Pain, on FlickrA major puzzle was what-on-earth was this underneath on the bombs doors? It shows in several photos, but was not in the kit. It seems like two 'strakes' with nothing in-between, or nothing that can be seen. After much head scratching, a possible answer is that it is a 'target box' (as fitted to other TT types), and that the 'box' is removed when on the ground, to be reloaded. Thus the empty space between the 'strakes'. So I scratch built a 'box', as seen in this photo, at least the shape is correct in side view. It is 'fixed' to the model with blu-tac so that I can change it if new info comes to light.
FD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (7) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrFD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (8) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrFD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (10) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrFD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (11) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrFD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (14) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrFD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (15) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrFD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (17) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrFD335, 289 Sqdn Ouston, March 1945 (20) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr289 Squadron was headquartered at RAF Turnhouse, Edinburgh with detached flights throughout 13 Group's area. In Northumberland the Vengeance target tugs were at RAF Acklington, RAF Eshott, and RAF Ouston. They were only in use for the final few months of the War. FD335 is recorded as being coded 'YE-M', and for anyone familiar with the Geordie dialect, "Yem" means home, but is usually part of the expletive "Gan Yem", otherwise known as Foxtrot Oscar!
