BofB Hurricane colour schemes

Not yet, Dave, but as my Hurricane library isn’t big, I’ll do my best!

Hi guys,

I had thought about doing the model in Battle of France colours, but I don’t really like the scheme with the black and white underneath, and would prefer a battle we actually won. However, if I did decide on a BofF aircraft it would be the veryone in Papa Lima’s photo, because I have met he pilot.

He was Deryck Kain, known to all as ‘Bill’. He served in 73 Sqn in France. Although not originally from here, he moved to Cambridge following the war and lived here till his death a couple of years back.

Bill was notable by having been shot down and imprisoned in the Battle of France – not by the Germans, but by the Frogs! Plus his captures bayonetted him too.

A few years before his death a good mate of mine got to know Bill well, and he recorded all his wartime stories, and scanned his photos for posterity. At that time Sir Tim Wallis had bought his Hurricane, and it turned out Bill had flown it in 73 Sqn. Bill still had the spade grip as a souviner from the Hurricane he’d been shot down in, so he donated it to Sir Tim, and today it flies in the machine.

Yes JDK, this photo was staged for the press, I remember him talking about the press with some bitterness. The press followed their sqn closely because of Cobber Kain’s success, and they then clamped onto Bill because, though no relation, he had the same surname. So in the press he became ‘Cobber’s Cousin’, which he hated.

Any success in finding Kiwi BofB Hurricanes Daz?

Cheers
Dave

Papa Lima,
You know, I’m really glad you posted that pic. Some months ago there was a good hearted debate about the awful press habit of ‘thumbs up’ in pics. It was here: http://forum.airforces.info/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17797&perpage=30

I said:
“If it were a re-enactment, there’s be press / cameras, and everybody would be dressed up, smiling and doing that stupid ‘thumbs-up’ thing the press loved.”

And Flood said:
“If it was a real rescue…! Thumbs up developed for the cameras – and even then only on American newsreels! “

So I then said:
“Thumbs up for the newsreels. Actually, it was a particularly British news theme, and there is evidence of this being asked for by the photographers in the Phoney War in France – way pre-US – there are pics of Cobber Kain doing a thumbs up in France in a still shot. I believe it may go back to W.W.I (– see http://www.britishpathe.com) Spike Milligan wrote it up in a particularly bitter chapter in his war memoirs.”

Then Flood wrote as part of a particularly good post:
“Thumbs up! Hate them – they always look forced! Frank Capa didn’t get the troops huddling behind the anti-tank defences, whilst under fire on Easy Red beach, to give him a thumbs up on D-day! The professional newsreel makers would get the troops to smile and wave for the folks back home – it was good for morale. The rescued crews returning to the carriers from the jungles of Vietnam were pounced on for morale boosting publicity shots. Troops on patrol in Vietnam thought they were required to play up for the camera (cutting off ‘Gook’ ears for the camera… The squaddies in the Falklands also tried or were encouraged to play up to that tough and mean image).
But the ships photographer, on a RN carrier in war time, would not have slap in the forefront of his mind that “the Captain wants a feel-good picture for the dailies back home” and get the guys to ham up a picture. In fact possibly the only thing running through his mind would be “Can I sell this picture if I take it?” Because he could; the results have been posted here! (And they were known as ‘Rabbits’, because the requests grew as the picture was circulated – or at least that is one version…!)”

And then Moggy chimed in with another interesting point:
“I believe that this used to infuriate Churchill, which was why he set about popularising the “V” sign – palm outwards. I may have read this somewhere, or perhaps it’s just an urban myth.

The “V” sign, palm inwards, originated with English archers during one of our spats with the French, Agincourt, that sort of stuff. The French feared and loathed the English Longbow (No, not the helicopter) and used to chop the bowstring fingers off any archer they captured. Showing them that you had those fingers still attached was a threat and a warning.”

Just goes to show there’s nothing so trivill we can’t make it interesting by debating it. (And no, DON’T tell me it’s “Switches off?” :rolleyes: )
Cheers

Hehehe, that’s OK, PL 😉

Sorry for that mis-reading, DazDaMan, would you accept as compensation this scan of a 73 Squadron Hurricane I being hand-cranked at Rouvres, France?
(IWM C742)
(Is there a shame-faced smiley available somewhere, perhaps beetroot red?)

Originally posted by DazDaMan
A Battle of France Hurricane would look good, as you don’t see too many of them…

😉

Although he was a Kiwi, I don’t believe that “Cobber” Kain took part in the Battle of Britain, being killed just before or as the Battle began.

What about “Cobber” Kain (sp?). Wasn’t he a New Zealander? A Battle of France Hurricane would look good, as you don’t see too many of them…

I’m trying to think if the Osprey Aircraft of the Aces book on Hurricanes has anything in it….

Will have a look tonight, if I remember!