My last 'paint your own' WGS model for 2012 is a 1/200 scale Lockheed Hudson Mk.I by British company Helmet Historical Aircraft. The Helmet kit is very detailed, coming with airscrews and landing gear. Decals are from Shed and Microscale. I am using a WGS heavy fighter sized base for the Hudson given it's small size and comparative manouverability for a patrol bomber. I am using a 'J' deck with Immelmann and steep slideslip cards removed (see following post re RAAF Twin Wasp Hudsons). Armament consisted of two .30 cal machine guns in the nose, two in a rear dorsal turret and occasionally one in a ventral hatch. Top altitude is 9 and climb rate 4. I have given the Hudson 25 damage points.
1 Squadron RAAF Hudsons in Malaya
This Hudson represents serial A16-21 delivered from the USA in February 1940 and assigned to 1 Squadron RAAF in April 1940. On 4 July 1940 the squadron moved to Sembawang in Singapore then to Kota Bharu in northeast Malaya the following month. Even before the Pearl Harbour raid A16-21 flew the first RAAF sortie against the Japanese at 0208hrs 8/12/41, bombing Japanese troop transports approaching the Malayan coast. A16-21 survived the desperate battles over Malaya and Singapore but was lost on 14/2/42 over the sea near Bantang Hari river whilst attacking an enemy convoy with four other Hudsons. A16-21 was last seen with one engine smoking and two IJN Zero fighters on it's tail near the Moesi River, Sumatra. The crew consisting of pilot F/Lt J Lockwood, co-pilot P/O G Christensen, wireless operator F/Sgt A W Munday and air gunner Sgt E Edmondson were posted as missing believed killed.
The Hudson was the most advanced bomber in RAAF service in 1941, and as such their crews were some of the best trained aircrew Australia had to offer. The Hudson squadrons flew numerous sorties in the first months of the war, usually unesorted, opposed by overwhelming numbers of experienced enemy fighter pilots and heavy flak. They got in their licks but paid a heavy price in their efforts to delay the Japanese advance.
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