RAF Scampton; A Tribute to 617 Squadron

[Crossofiron]

Hello one and all!

 

There is an emoji that we all have used on this site before I am sure;

 

 

I advise, that maybe, if you are going to follow this one, you get some supplies in rather than just popcorn; it's going to be a long one... 

 

Those that have seen my work before will know that I spent some years on a 1/24 Airfix Spitfire before a 'little angel' nephew of mine decided to take it flying.

No swearing allowed; I know.

 

My family are wonderful however and bought me this as a kind of sorry present;

 

 

The thing is, I have to say that apart from a few niggles which we will come to in the annals of time, this has to be in my view the best model kit ever produced.

 

Based on this, you cannot again in my view just build the Lanc itself, it needs something a bit special to compliment it.

This is where my utterly deranged head and a very understanding wife comes in!

 

Firstly then, and unusually, let me start with the pallet/diorama first; my model room;

 

 

 

 

 

Not ashamed at all at having Bomber Harris on my wall...

 

 

This is my proudest possession;

This is an original and been to the Dams and back...

 

 

 

 

The large table was going to be a mid life crisis Wehrmacht Project but I came out of the male menopause before it got serious.

The table has followed me ever since 

 

All good things come to those who wait however and this table has now become not The Siege of Leningrad but RAF Station Scampton!

I am sure you can see by the pictures on the wall that I am ever so obsessed anyway and always have been to be honest.

 

Over to massive research then and after some searching and reading, here are the aircraft used by 617 Squadron RAF from March 1943 to VE Day 1945;

 

• Avro Lancaster B Mk.III (Type 464 Provisioning) used in the 1943 "Dambusters" raid (Operation Chastise).
• Avro Lancaster B Mk.I General Operations.
• Avro Lancaster B Mk.III General Operations.
• Avro Lancaster B Mk.I (Special) for the Grand Slam and Tallboy Operations.
• de Havilland Mosquito FB Mk VI (1944–1945): Used for target marking.
• North American P-51 Mustang Mk.III (1944–1945): Used for escort/reconnaissance.

          This could be a P-51C but more on that later.

• Miles M.14 Magister

          Not as well known but this was used mainly for Guy Gibson who 'Commandeered' it to fly to Chesil Beach in Dorset (RAF Woodsford) for the Upkeep Tests.

 

My diorame will include all these aircraft with the exception of Mk.I (Special) as I will not have the room but I will include both TB & GS Bombs on Trollies' for reference.

Might even have one flying over the table if I live long enough!

 

This is the first grateful,loving nod to my wife; as you can see there is a second Border Models Lanc on the table photos above. .

 

Of course, I cannot just hope that these planes and ancillary models will fit on the table so I drew the diorama on CAD:

 

Here is my modelling room as it stands:

The table will need to be added to and extended for all my bits to fit:

 

 

Now I hope you see what I mean about getting the supplies in!

 

So, to the first subject, The Avro Lancaster B.III Type 464 Provisioning

 

I am toying with either Guy Gibson's or John Hopgood's Lancs.

 

Without boring you on here, I urge you to read John Hopgood's story here;

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Vere_Hopgood

 

Let me tell you the great thing about building Operation Chastise Lancasters.

They were not refitted existing Lancasters, they were built as 'Provisioning Aircraft' so when the mission took place they had only six weeks of operational use.

Little to no weathering then!!

 

The Lancs were stripped of a lot of kit:

 

1. Mid Upper Turret/Dorsal Turret
2. Bomb Aiming Equipment
3. Bomb Aiming Target 'Computer'
4. Bomb Bay Doors replaced with shrouds.

 

This makes it a little easier to build; there are unique features to a Chastise Lanc and I will go through them as I go.

 

Now, those who know me know that I tend to get a little obsessed and always push myself for the modelling enjoyment and cause.

I will say again that this kit is simply epic but I still need to take the build a whole lot further (as usual) 

 

I pretty much always design and use etching to build my own frames/formers/longerons so I can feed cables through and make the whole model more authentic.

 

Here are some photos of what the front section side walls look like:

 

 

 

 

 

As I have said and I am sure will again, utterly epic but; won't be needing those!

 

Here are my sides, ready for my building;

 

Not a lot left then!

Note the masking of the windows, I replaced the kit windows with clear sheet to give as much chance as possible for seeing inside her.

 

That's a start for now...

 

In other news,

Here is this first of my vehicles, The 1/35 Crossley 4×4 RAF Fire Tender.

This is from Fan Kit Models.

 

I will not diss the model but this was a lot of 'fun' and needed a few tweaks and additions...

 

 

 

 

Many thanks for looking at this somewhat long first post.

See you soon!

Cheers

Steve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[vvwse4]

Wow, did you put a gun against your wifes head or is she just happy you're out of the way.....what a room!!!

 

Look forward to this one.

 

Cheers Rick.

[Crossofiron]

1 hour ago, vvwse4 said:

Wow, did you put a gun against your wifes head or is she just happy you're out of the way.....what a room!!!

 

Look forward to this one.

 

Cheers Rick.

 

Bit of both mate but more glad I'm out of the way 😆😉

[Out2gtcha]

Looking forward to this!

[Bonkin]

Pulling up a chaise lounge for this one... and plenty of supplies .

 

Good luck with it.

[RCPlym]

And as it happens... 

 

I am reading this and I actually am wearing a white tee-shirt with a print of:

 

       "Avro Lancaster"

        "617 Squadron" 

   (Profile image of AJ G)

           "Dambuster"

 

A good omen I feel!!

[Crossofiron]

34 minutes ago, RCPlym said:

And as it happens... 

 

I am reading this and I actually am wearing a white tee-shirt with a print of:

 

       "Avro Lancaster"

        "617 Squadron" 

   (Profile image of AJ G)

           "Dambuster"

 

A good omen I feel!!

 

Well, what can I say?

That's decided then, Guy Gibson it is! 

[RCPlym]

Will be watching closely as I have both Border and HK Lancs in the tower.

[vvwse4]

So Gibson it is. If you have not allready done so get a copy of his book Enemy Coast Ahead, written in 1943 or 1944 not sure about that, but it is one of the finest account I have ever read about flying in WW2.  He was killed over Steenbergen in Holland in a Mosquito.

 

Rick

[Crossofiron]

On 5/15/2026 at 2:24 PM, vvwse4 said:

So Gibson it is. If you have not allready done so get a copy of his book Enemy Coast Ahead, written in 1943 or 1944 not sure about that, but it is one of the finest account I have ever read about flying in WW2.  He was killed over Steenbergen in Holland in a Mosquito.

 

Rick

 

Hi Rick,

Thanks for this.

I have been reading up on Guy Gibson for years; there was no word 'Groupie' when he was around but I am one!

 

Here are some pictures in my room;

 

Got to love the dog collar!!

 

 

 

 

 

A man of so many contrasts;

 

A born pilot and incredible risk taker who got bored and ask for transfers when things got a bit safe.

 

Hated by his subordinates and described as arrogant, bombastic and an 'arch bastard' he even had a nickname that followed him around; "Bumptious Bastard"

 

Venerated by his peers however with Bomber Harris himself saying at the beginning of his career;

 

 "A hand-picked bunch of which Gibson is the best".

 

Harris agreed to help Gibson's career when he had completed his first tour with "the best command within my power"

 

Not only had a distinguished career (of course) in Bomber Command but also decorated for his piloting Beaufighters in Fighter Command!

 

Here is what sums him up I think:

 

 

By the time Gibson even got to 617 or 'X' Squadron as it was called then, he was suffering from terrible gout from flying so many hours in  cable controlled Lancs.

This was made worse by the intensive training for the Chastise Mission.

 

He refused strong medication on the basis it might affect his flying capability.

 

They were filmed getting into the Lanc proper when they left on the Chastise mission for a Pathe Newsreel but he literally crawled onto the plane.

 

When seeing this later, he berated the poor reporter and ordered the film destroyed.

He retook the picture above; notice the issue?, he is wearing his parade shoes!

 

An incredible man, an incredible pilot, an incredible inspiration and an all round British Hero.

 

Oh, and yes, I have a 1949 copy of his book (before his dogs name was replaced);

 

 

Thanks again for the comments

Cheers

Steve

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Plane Thinker]

I remember reading it when at school. A new version of it has been published.

 

Enemy Coast Ahead - Uncensored: The Real Guy Gibson (Soft Cover) Paperback – March 8, 2006
by Guy Gibson (Author)

"First published in 1944, Enemy Coast Ahead combines Guy Gibson's RAF career, including the famous Dambuster raid which he himself led, with the inside story of life in RAF Bomber Command and is still a riveting read for the immediacy and vibrancy of its writing.

And yet, what has not been widely known is that the published edition of Enemy Coast Ahead was carefully cut by wartime censors.

Now, Gibson's original manuscript, which was archived for almost 75 years, has been be brought to light. This uncut edition provides not only previously unpublished details of Gibson's career, but also reveals his true view of the course of the war, of the wartime population, of his pilots and crews and of Bomber Command tactics. Combined with newly added photographs and diagrams Enemy Coast Ahead - Uncensored remains one of the outstanding accounts of WWII seen through the eyes of one of its most respected and controversial personalities, but now allows the reader to know Gibson's own story in his own words."

[Crossofiron]

Thanks! 

[RCPlym]

2 hours ago, Crossofiron said:

He retook the picture above; notice the issue?, he is wearing his parade shoes!

 

It wasn't at all unusual for aircrew to wear No.2 shoes when flying.

No.1 Parade shoes certainly would not have been worn.

 

Also notice another crew member wearing shoes...

 

Gibson was very much a 'Bader' type personality - blistering temper and difficult -  far from that portrayed in film.

Thankfully, men for their time.

[Crossofiron]

Ah!

You learn something new every day!

 

That would make sense being a low level operation.

 

I have it on good authority that the photo story is true however, a friend of mine met Johnny Johnson years back at a signing event and was very keen to tell that particular story! 

 

Cheers

Steve

 

1 hour ago, RCPlym said:

 

It wasn't at all unusual for aircrew to wear No.2 shoes when flying.

No.1 Parade shoes certainly would not have been worn.

 

Also notice another crew member wearing shoes...

 

Gibson was very much a 'Bader' type personality - blistering temper and difficult -  far from that portrayed in film.

Thankfully, men for their time.

 

[Iain]

I shall be following along with great interest!!

 

I have two of the Border Lancs - I plan on a fairly standard Bomber Command airframe with one, and the last operational MR.3 with the other.

 

The 'Dambuster' boxing is better than the first release as it includes all the original parts, in addition to the 'Dambuster' components - and has the better clear mouldings, plus spares.

 

I'm itching to start on one of mine, but need to get some other projects finished first...

 

Your build might give me some impetus!! 

 

And you have a fabulous workspace...  

 

Iain