Tiger Force

[Maverick]

Love the Tiger Force ships Greg, thanks for posting.

Regards,

Mav

[Taiidantomcat]

Those are sweet, Greg thanks for posting them. 

[NARSES2]

Yup thanks for that Greg - the third one day particularly grabs my attention

[GTX]

Yup thanks for that Greg - the third one day particularly grabs my attention

Me too - the two tine blue would be a winner.

Regards,

Greg

[TallEng]

Thread reserection time
Decembers Scale Aircraft Modeller has an article by Paul Lucas on Tiger Force markings.
Some interesting information there.
Apparently the Aircraft code letters were to be red?
Anyway worth a look methinks.
Also of interest is the Royal Airforces Historical society Jounal 44 with some info on Tiger Force Re-fueling Tankers.
Regards
Keith

[kitnut617]

My Dad (who was in 617 Sqn) told me that 617 Lancasters were the white over black scheme when they were transitioning to the Far East (they got as far as Digri in India when the war ended). He also told me that the Lanc's were all Mk.VII's and all the ground crews were flown out in them. He told me there was no seats and they couldn't move around but on occasions they were allowed to stretch their legs and go sit in the dorsal turret for a short while with strict orders "not to touch anything". He had just turned 19 years old at the time --

[TallEng]

Sounds like one h*ll of an (uncomfortable) if interesting trip.
I wonder what colour the code letters on the Lancasters where?
All the (admittedly) post war pictures of black and white Lancasters I've seen
show Black code letters And not the red mentioned in the article.*
I've changed my mind  I have seen them with red codes too
Perhaps the squadrons would have adjusted the markings when they got where they were going?
Although adding the white bars (with blue outline) either side of the fuselage roundel looks like it would conflict with
The position of the code letters themselves

Regards
Keith

[Rick Lowe]

I saw something mentioned somewhere that the British-built a/c would have had SEAC and Lend-Lease would have had BPF-type Roundels-and-Bars, as this was what they left the factory with.
Whether or not they would have been repainted is another question, however...

[Geoff]

I was wondering about converting a Halifax II into a tanker/freighter for T Force. But I suspect it would be too late for that mark. Any thoughts?

[The Wooksta!]

I saw something mentioned somewhere that the British-built a/c would have had SEAC and Lend-Lease would have had BPF-type Roundels-and-Bars, as this was what they left the factory with.
Whether or not they would have been repainted is another question, however...

What I was told, by Tony O'Toole, who does a fair bit of research, is that Iwo Jima was too small to accommodate the USAAF AND the complete Tiger Force.  So the latter was to be split, with one half flying from Burma and t'other from Iwo Jima.  Those flying from Burma would have got standard SEAC roundels, whereas those from Iwo Jima would have got BPF style markings as US gunners would be less likely to fire on them.

[Rick Lowe]

I saw something mentioned somewhere that the British-built a/c would have had SEAC and Lend-Lease would have had BPF-type Roundels-and-Bars, as this was what they left the factory with.
Whether or not they would have been repainted is another question, however...

What I was told, by Tony O'Toole, who does a fair bit of research, is that Iwo Jima was too small to accommodate the USAAF AND the complete Tiger Force.  So the latter was to be split, with one half flying from Burma and t'other from Iwo Jima.  Those flying from Burma would have got standard SEAC roundels, whereas those from Iwo Jima would have got BPF style markings as US gunners would be less likely to fire on them.

Fair enough, makes sense. 

[NARSES2]

I was wondering about converting a Halifax II into a tanker/freighter for T Force. But I suspect it would be too late for that mark. Any thoughts?

Don't see any reason why not mate

[kitnut617]

I was wondering about converting a Halifax II into a tanker/freighter for T Force. But I suspect it would be too late for that mark. Any thoughts?

Don't see any reason why not mate

Basically a Halton then --

I've read an article not long ago, that said there were proposals to convert Sunderlands into freighters for Tiger Force

[NARSES2]

I've read an article not long ago, that said there were proposals to convert Sunderlands into freighters for Tiger Force

I've also seen that somewhere, but it was a while ago, not recently.

[kitnut617]

I've read an article not long ago, that said there were proposals to convert Sunderlands into freighters for Tiger Force

I've also seen that somewhere, but it was a while ago, not recently.

It sort of makes better sense because of the topography of the region (mostly small islands), no need to build dozens of runways --

I've read that the original Tiger Force plans were between the Brits and Canadians. Tiger Force was to stage from the west coast of Canada and work it's way down through the Aleutian Islands. In fact by late '44, RCAF squadrons were returning to Canada to train up for the Pacific campaign (mostly Lanc bomber sqns)