Corgi WWII Bristol Blenheim MKI, 211 Sqn RAF Paramythia Greece, 1940 In April 1938, 211 Sqn embarked for the Middle East. It undertook its first operations in June 1940 against Italian targets in Libya & continued until November 1940 when the squadron was sent to assist the Greeks following the Italian invasion of that country. The CO was Sqn Ldr J. Gordon-Finlayson (The Bish) flying Blenheim L8511. This aircraft was badly damaged in action & made a forced landing. The crew were reported missing, but were in fact marooned on an isl&. Days later after & eventful journey they returned. For this action, The Bish was awarded the DFC. Very soon after he was back in the air in L6670, a replacement aircraft transferred from 84 Sqn. Shortly afterwards, on 2nd December, he flew L6670 to attack Valona harbour & returned safely despite damage to the aircraft caused by defending enemy fighters. He continued to fly throughout the winter in what were extremely difficult weather conditions, over mountainous terrain. In March 1941 The Bish was awarded the DSO & promoted to Wing Commander. ...

Corgi WWII Dornier D0215 B-5 Kauz III, Stab II/NJG 2, Leeuwarden, Summer 1942 The Do 215 began life as a re-designated version of the Do 17 intended for export. The Swedish Government ordered 18 DO215A-1 bombers but before any were delivered an embargo was placed on their export & they were instead modified for use by the Luftwaffe as reconnaissance aircraft. The Do 215 retained the pencil-like fuselage of the Do 17, nicknamed the Flying Pencil but featured 2 in-line Daimler Benz engines giving a marked improvement in performance. The Dornier Do 215 B-5 Kauz III was a dedicated night fighter featuring IR searchlight in the nose, Fu G 202 Lichtenstein BC radar, 2 x 7.62mm machine guns in the upper nose & 2 x 20mm MG FF cannons on the lower nose. The aircraft modelled was the personal machine of Gruppenkommandeur Helmut Lent & served with Stab II/NJG 2, in Leeuwarden during the summer of 1942. ...

Corgi WWII Dornier Do 17Z-2, 7 Staffel, KG3 Blitz Russian Front, Winter 1941/42 The prototype Do 17 was built in 1934 in response to a Lufthansa requirement for a 6-passenger mailplane. However the design was rejected, partly due to the slim fuselage which would later give the plane its nickname of ‘ The Flying Pencil’. Nevertheless military interest was shown in the design & it was developed as a medium bomber & long range reconnaissance aircraft. The Do 17Z was a development of earlier marks designed specifically as a medium bomber. It was used extensively on all fronts during WWII although by 1942 it started to be withdrawn from mainline duties. KG3 was a Luftwaffe bomber wing whose units participated on all of the fronts in the European theatre until it was disbanded in September-October 1944. It operated two of the major German bomber types; the Dornier Do 17 & the Junkers Ju 88. This model represents an aircraft of 7 Staffel, KG3 based on the Russian front during the winter of 1941/42. It wears a hastily applied overall wash of white camouflage, well suited to the severe winter weather on the eastern front. ...

Corgi WWII Heinkel 111 H-6 Torpedo Bomber 6/KG26, 1H + GP, Italy 1942 KG26 was initially formed on 1st May 1939 at Lüneburg. The majority of its operational life was spent on anti-maritime missions. In December 1940 6/KG26 was chosen to be the first unit to train in airborne torpedo attacks using the He 111. Crews from 1.KGr.126 who had been engaged in experimental torpedo operations transferred to 6/KG26 to begin instruction. From 1941 the unit attacked Russian shipping in the Baltic Sea, until later disbanded in 1944. 6/KG26 were regarded as the Experten in air launched torpedo missions. In spring 1941 a Torpedo Training & Trials Establishment was set up at Grossenborde but by the winter of 1941/42 it was moved to Grosseto for better climatic & sea conditions. ...

Corgi WWII Ju 87R Stuka
- Capitano Raul Zucconi, 208a Squadriglia, 101 Gruppo, Regia Aeronautica
- Sicily June 1941 In 1940

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Corgi WWII Me 110C -4-ZG52, Charleville, France, 1940 The Messerschmitt Bf 110 was a twin engine heavy fighter known to the Luftwaffer as the Zerstorer (Destroyer). It proved devastatingly effective during the early months of the Second World War, as the Luftwaffe swept through Pol&, Norway & France, where its high speed & concentrated firepower made it the ideal support aircraft for bombing raids into enemy territory. The aircrafts lack of agility in the air was its main weakness & this was exposed during the Battle of Britain when the Zerstorer pilots come up against the well organised Spitfires & Hurricanes of the RAF. They were easy prey for the British fighters & suffered such heavy losses that some BG110 units were withdrawn from the battle & redeployed as night fighters
- a role which was far better suited to the aircraft.
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Corgi WWII Messerschmitt Bf-110G-4 G9, 12NJG1
- Oberlieutant Wolfgang Schnaufer, St. Trond, Feb 1994 The Messerschmitt Bf 110
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Corgi WWII Spitfire PR.XIX, PM361, RAF Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight, Coningsby, Lincs, 2009 Built in November 1945 as a high altitude photo reconnaissance aircraft with a Griffon 66 engine a pressurised cockpit, PM631 was too late to see operation service in the Second World War. She was delivered to the RAF in 1946 & issued to 203 Advanced Flying School in May 1949. Modified for meteorological work, she was flown with the Temperature & Humidity Monitoring (THUM) Flight based at Hooton Park & Woodvale. On 11th July 1957, in formation with Spitfires PS853 & PS915, the aircraft was flown to Biggin Hill to form the Historic Aircraft Flight which later developed into the BBMF. PM631 has remained in flying condition with the Flight & is the BBMFs longest serving aircraft, with 2008 having been her 51st year of continuous service. PM631 is painted as an early PRXIX of 541 Squadron which performed high altitude reconnaissance missions over the European theatre from 1944 to the end of the War. Appropriately, the 541 Squadron’s motto was Alone Above All. Spitfire PRXIXs were unarmed but could fly at 370mph at 40, 000 feet (with pressurised cockpits) & had a range of 1, 500 miles, demonstrating the incredible development potential of the original Spitfire design. ...

Corgi WWII Spitfire PRXIX
- PS915 The Last
- Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight, Coningsby, Lincs PS915 entered service just

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