‘Dutchies in the RAF’

Dutch Decal, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Brad Fallen

Iliad Decals' 1/48 scale ANG Mustangs is available online from Squadron.com

As its title implies, this Dutch Decal release includes markings for 13 RAF aircraft with a Dutch unit and/or aircrew connection.  There are seven Mitchells, two Spitfires, two Typhoons, one Mosquito and one Tempest. 

World War II RAF aircraft are not as a rule very colourful, but the Dutch Decal team has done a good job here choosing machines with interesting markings, histories or both.  The Mitchells, especially, carry a variety of nose art that along with their red codes will make models of these aircraft stand out on the competition table.

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The featured aircraft are:

• Mitchell II, FR207/NO-U.  This and the following three aircraft were operated by No.320 Squadron Royal Dutch Naval Air Service (RDNAS), 2nd Tactical Air Force, RAF Dunsfold 1944-45.  Olive Drab over Neutral Gray with full black-and-white invasion stripes on wings and fuselage.

• Mitchell II, FR189/NO-E(ve).  FR189 and the remaining Mitchells on the sheet were camouflaged in Olive Drab over Neutral Gray.  This sounds plain, but looking at the photos of this and other 320 Squadron aircraft in the instructions provides a great opportunity for some creative painting and weathering.

• Mitchell II, FR199/NO-M(onique Mother).  Like NO-E(ve), FR199 uses its individual code 'M' as the first letter of a name – either 'Monique Mother' (as printed on the decal) or 'Mother Monque' (according to the instructions).  I couldn't find a photo of FR199 to confirm which of these interpretations is correct, but the name on the decal seems more likely.

• Mitchell II, FR207/NO-G 'Riding High'.

• Mitchell II, FR157/NO-D 'Hollandse Nieuwe', also of No.320 Squadron RDNAS, but based at RAF B58 Melsbroek in 1945 and subsequently in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy.

• Mitchell II, FR141/NO-B 'Ouwe Jongens', another RAF Dunsfold-based No.320 Squadron machine that was lost with all crew on 30 March 1944.

• Mitchell III, KJ596/NO-Z 'Margriet', No.320 Squadron RDNAS based at RAF B58 Melsbroek and B110 Achmer in 1945.

• Spitfire Mk.Vb, AA866/YO-R, flown by Flight Lieutenant Hugh Godefroy, No.401 Squadron RCAF, RAF Biggin Hill 1941-42.  Dark Green and 'Mixed Grey' over Medium Sea Grey with Sky spinner and fuselage band.  Godefroy was a six-victory ace born in the Dutch Indies to a Canadian mother and Dutch father.

• Spitfire Mk.XII, MB880/EB-X, flown by Flying Officer Rijklof 'Charlie' van Goens of No.41 Squadron RAF, based at RAF Lympne, August 1944.  Ocean Grey and Dark Green over Medium Sea Grey with Sky spinner and fuselage band.

• Mosquito FB.Mk.VI, MM408/SY-F flown by Flying Officer Pilot Rob Cohen DFC of No.613 'City of Manchester' Squadron RAF, based at RAF Lasham in 1944.

• Tempest Mk.V, SN164/FR-U, flown by Flying Officers Jan Linzel and Jan Wansink of No.33 Squadron RAF based at De Kluis, Belgium in 1945.  This and the remaining aircraft were finished in Ocean Grey and Dark Green over Medium Sea Grey, with black spinners.

• Typhoon Mk.Ib, MN875/EL-B flown by Flight Lieutenant 'Bergy' van Zinnicq Bergmann, whose fascinating wartime (and post-war) career is definitely worth looking up if you are not already familiar with it.

• Typhoon Mk.Ib, MP126/ZY-Y, flown by Flying Officer 'Frickie' Wiersum of No.247 Squadron RAF, Eindoven, The Netherlands.  Wiersum was flying this aircraft on 5 December 1944 when he was shot down by flak and taken POW.  Red spinner, Sky fuselage band and black-and-white invasion stripes on lower fuselage and (possibly) lower wings.

The instructions are presented in the usual Dutch Decal style of a fold out A3 sheet.  They feature full-colour port or starboard profiles (both in the case of the Spitfire Mk.Vb, the Mosquito and Typhoon MN875) and upper surface views of all aircraft types except the Tempest, for which only the upper starboard wing is shown. 

The illustration captions are brief but descriptive, and contain enough information for anyone wanting to conduct further research to easily do so.  Paint colours and decal placement locations are clearly indicated, along with recommended 1/48 kits for each aircraft type.

Rounding out the instructions is a small selection of black and white period photos – one of Typhoon MP126 belly-landed in a field in Germany, another of Typhoon MN875 being readied for take-off, and two of Mitchells in flight.

The decals are printed on three sheets.  The first and largest contains all of the national markings, codes, serials and nose art background.  The nose art images themselves are printed on the remaining two sheets, ensuring that – when carefully positioned on an applied and dry background decal – the art presents crisply with good colour density.  All of the decals are well printed with no misregistration or other production errors.  The only questions I have are that the colour for the Sky codes looks a bit off, while the red used for the Mitchell codes and roundel centres may be slightly too bright.  However this is just my personal view on a highly subjective issue.

This is another comprehensive release from Dutch Decal.  All of the subjects are interesting, with the wide variety of colourful Mitchells probably my favourites.  Highly recommended not just to modellers with an interest in Dutch aviation, but also to those (like myself) who find themselves drawn towards slightly offbeat subjects.  Before seeing this sheet I’d never seriously considered building a Mitchell with invasion stripes, but now…..

Text and Images Copyright © 2016 by Brad Fallen
This Page Created on 22 August, 2016
Last updated 23 August, 2016

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