I thought onshore farms had been stopped…….

They were but the tractor drivers were drowning at an alarming rate.

The recon MkIX – the FR IX?

Yes it’s a bit like a fair treatment of Bader isn’t it. The real Gibson was not the stiff upper lip all business person depicted in the original film. I prefer my historical action movies to be as close to the truth as possible.

Yes, US Navy’s VFA-195. Currently fly the FA18 Super Hornet. They attacked a dam in North Korea in 1951 using torpedoes dropped from Skyraiders.

Thanks David – IIRC also the menus for the celebratory dinner held by 617 squadron after the raid were printed with the title Damn Busters.

One wonders what the dramatic results would have been if Gibson had called the dog something else –

The scene is that tense moment in the Ops Room while our chaps are going in to the bombing runs.

The junior officer who answers the phone is waiting, Barnes-Wallis is waiting, assorted senior RAF officers are waiting and most importantly Arthur Harris is waiting right next to the phone.

After several false alarms the phone rings, everyone hesitates for a moment.

The junior office answers the phone and with a look of pure delight turns to Arthur Harris.

“Snookums!!!!!!!”

Malcolm, I hadn’t honestly considered their home market; its obvious when you think about it! (There, we agreed on something; must be a good week).
Bruce

Well damn it all I must be getting silly in my dotage 😀

You are right about the A and B team and it is unfortunate they have let the B team loose on British aircraft but then that was case for a long time with the Japanese kit makers who seemed to be unable to find anything else to release except US or German aircraft. How long for instance did it take to get such a simple thing as a decent Spitfire.

I dont understand the kit manufacturers at present – with the right designers, its possible to produce outstanding kits, but the far east firms seem to rush at it, use poor plans, don’t do their research, and end up with something that only loosely resembles the original.
Bruce

Simple really – they have a captive market of nearly 1.5 billion who haven’t any idea of Western European history nor any need or desire to learn it. I admit to disappointment about the kit. I had hoped that the trade fair pics were distorted by bad camera work and that the reality might be better however the manufacturers seem to have left out the entire upper rudder section not to mention other egregious faults. Still I await a comparison with decent plans – it may be fixable with some work. I did beat their Spiteful into shape.