Good morning all
So these are the first two builds for my collection of 1/72 models connected in some way shape or form to the British WW2 bomber offensive, a collection I have decided to call 'The Hunters and the Hunted', for what I hope are obvious reasons.
The 109 is of course primarily a hunter in this context, although it was of course also hunted in the course of things such as intruder missions against Luftwaffe airfields and the like.
Firstly, a big thanks to AlanG for putting me onto the Wilde Sau concept as it's not one I'd come across following my return to the hobby - and also for his general nachtjäger advice!
Also, thanks to Ian (papa 695) for some indirect inspiration in the form of his Mosquito GB. I have entered his GB with one of my Mossies from this collection but needed a bit more practice on some wingy things beforehand and so these seemed the perfect solution.
And finally, thanks to Allen Dewire for his more 'direct' encouragement....."C'mon Buddy, I ain't getting any younger here.....Get crackin' on 'em Sir!!!...........I wanna see this project come together............"
:smiling5:
For those not familiar with the Wilde Sau concept these were single engined fighters (Bf 109s and FW 190s) operating as nightfighters against the RAF's bombers in a 'free' role; Wilde Sau is normally translated as Wild Boar. The 'Tame Boar' were the big twin engined night fighters controlled by a ground stations.
One online source describes the high level concept as follows (Alan please feel free to correct any errors):
Colonel Hans-Joachim Herrmann recognized the weakening multi-engine German night fighter early on. He suggested to the commanding general of the night fighters, Josef Kammhuber, that day fighters should operate directly over the RAF invaders using a specially developed procedure.
With the support of the searchlight units and the flak, the enemy aircraft should be illuminated, or the clouds, so that the RAF aircraft stood out clearly.
At the end of June 1943, the Staff / NJVK Herrmann was set up in Deelen. The first voluntary missions and training was carried out by experienced bomber pilots and experienced blind flight instructors in order to test Major Herrmann's idea in practice. The day fighters in the early days did not have any additional devices for night hunting, so the missions could only be carried out by experienced pilots, and even that was still a risk.
https://www.jg300.de/njvk-herrmann.html (a German language site, so apologies for Google's translation)
I have started the build process as you may have seen on 'What's on the bench' but the usual box, sprue and instruction shots are below to officially kick this thread off.
ACW as usual.
All the best.
Andrew
------------------------------------------------------
The book that got me interested in the idea, a recommendation courtesy of Alan!
The kits, decals and kit supplied canopy masks....
Some AM decals but more about these later....
So these are the first two builds for my collection of 1/72 models connected in some way shape or form to the British WW2 bomber offensive, a collection I have decided to call 'The Hunters and the Hunted', for what I hope are obvious reasons.
The 109 is of course primarily a hunter in this context, although it was of course also hunted in the course of things such as intruder missions against Luftwaffe airfields and the like.
Firstly, a big thanks to AlanG for putting me onto the Wilde Sau concept as it's not one I'd come across following my return to the hobby - and also for his general nachtjäger advice!
Also, thanks to Ian (papa 695) for some indirect inspiration in the form of his Mosquito GB. I have entered his GB with one of my Mossies from this collection but needed a bit more practice on some wingy things beforehand and so these seemed the perfect solution.
And finally, thanks to Allen Dewire for his more 'direct' encouragement....."C'mon Buddy, I ain't getting any younger here.....Get crackin' on 'em Sir!!!...........I wanna see this project come together............"
:smiling5: For those not familiar with the Wilde Sau concept these were single engined fighters (Bf 109s and FW 190s) operating as nightfighters against the RAF's bombers in a 'free' role; Wilde Sau is normally translated as Wild Boar. The 'Tame Boar' were the big twin engined night fighters controlled by a ground stations.
One online source describes the high level concept as follows (Alan please feel free to correct any errors):
Colonel Hans-Joachim Herrmann recognized the weakening multi-engine German night fighter early on. He suggested to the commanding general of the night fighters, Josef Kammhuber, that day fighters should operate directly over the RAF invaders using a specially developed procedure.
With the support of the searchlight units and the flak, the enemy aircraft should be illuminated, or the clouds, so that the RAF aircraft stood out clearly.
At the end of June 1943, the Staff / NJVK Herrmann was set up in Deelen. The first voluntary missions and training was carried out by experienced bomber pilots and experienced blind flight instructors in order to test Major Herrmann's idea in practice. The day fighters in the early days did not have any additional devices for night hunting, so the missions could only be carried out by experienced pilots, and even that was still a risk.
https://www.jg300.de/njvk-herrmann.html (a German language site, so apologies for Google's translation)
I have started the build process as you may have seen on 'What's on the bench' but the usual box, sprue and instruction shots are below to officially kick this thread off.
ACW as usual.
All the best.
Andrew
------------------------------------------------------
The book that got me interested in the idea, a recommendation courtesy of Alan!
The kits, decals and kit supplied canopy masks....
Some AM decals but more about these later....
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