Corgi Aviation Archive

Product Spotlight: “The Gremlin Teaser”

Corgi’s 1:72 scale RAF Short Stirling Mk. III Heavy Bomber – “The Gremlin Teaser”, No.199 Squadron, RAF North Creake, England, 1944

Back during the early days of World War II, British RAF pilots often blamed so-called “gremlins” for any malfunctions their aircraft experienced in combat. For purposes of discussion, a gremlin is a mischievous mythical creature that’s said to cause trouble to machinery, particularly in airplanes. When you’re a nervous flyer, confronting all sorts of man made issues, the last thing you want to think about are gremlins messing with the plane’s engines or other mechanical components.

The word gremlin first appeared in print in 1929. It emerged from the U.K.’s Royal Air Force aviator slang (possibly influenced by goblin), and it became especially popular during World War II, as pilots were forced to contend with FLaK, enemy fighters, poor weather and even night time flying to perform their missions.

Of course, there’s no such thing as a gremlin yet pilots persisted in blaming the mythical tricksters on otherwise inexplicable accidents — convenient scapegoats, if you will, for any odd issues they faced that couldn’t be explained away or overcome.

As if thumbing its nose at the supposed gremlin infestation plaguing other RAF aircraft, Stirling Mk.III LJ542 was unusual in that it sported rather elaborate nose artwork — a feature which wasn’t quite as prevalent on British aircraft as it was on those flown by the USAAF, but was particularly impressive nonetheless. Named “The Gremlin Teaser”, the artwork featured a pin-up girl wearing what appears to be strap-on angel wings, the inference thought to be that this angelic figure was flying in defiance of evil, in this age-old wartime struggle of good against evil, something its crew must have felt they were doing on a nightly basis.

While the Lancaster would go on to become synonymous with the RAF’s bombing campaign over Nazi-occupied Europe, aircraft such as the Short Stirling soldiered on alongside the Lancs. Indeed, the impressive stature of the Stirling was a result of the massive, lengthened undercarriage the aircraft employed, a design modification needed to give the Stirling a greater angle of attack during take-off.

The Stirling’s huge bomb bay allowed the aircraft to carry three times as many bombs as the Vickers Wellington and almost nine times the weight carried by a Bristol Blenheim, presenting the RAF with a potent new weapon with which to take the war to the enemy and pointing the way towards the future of night bombing operations.

“The Gremlin Teaser” would end up being a veteran of 60 operational sorties and during her time with No.199 Squadron, was involved in undertaking vital electronic countermeasures missions, particularly around the time of D-Day, confusing enemy defenses in advance of the Allied invasion.

Corgi’s latest Short Stirling bomber, “Gremlin Teaser”, is currently en route to us and available for shipping early next week.

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Product Spotlight: Final Hours of the Red Baron

Corgi’s 1:48 scale German Fokker Dr.1 Triplane Fighter – Werner Steinhauser, Jasta 11, Cappy Aerodrome, France, April 21st, 1918

Werner Steinhauser was beginning to develop into an extremely gifted aviator under the guidance of his inspirational Commanding Officer, Manfred von Richthofen, when he took off with the Flying Circus on the morning of April 21st, 1917. When he initially joined the unit earlier that year, he had only a solitary observation balloon victory to his credit. Now that he found himself in the company of some of the Luftstreitkrafte’s most gifted fighter pilots, he began to show real skill and poise during combat situations and as a consequence, his victory tally began increasing.

Flying alongside von Richthofen in his own distinctively marked personal Fokker Dr.1 fighter on the morning of April 21st, 1917, Steinhauser would be involved in the intense fighting with the Sopwith Camels of RAF No.209 Squadron, which ultimately resulted in the death of his mentor. The famed ‘Flying Circus’ never really recovered from the loss of von Richthofen and from this date, an ever increasing number of Allied fighters in the air at any one time would result in the loss of the majority of their most successful pilots. Going on to score a further six aerial victories after this fateful day, Werner Steinhauser would himself be shot down and killed near Neuilly on June 26th, just three days before he would have celebrated his 22nd birthday.

Corgi’s 1:48 scale German Fokker Dr.1 Triplane Fighter – Ltn Hans Weiss, Jasta 11, Cappy Aerodrome, France, April 21st, 1918

At 10am on April 21st, 1918, six Fokker Dr.1 fighter aircraft of Jasta 11 took off from Cappy aerodrome to embark on an offensive patrol over the Somme Valley region. Led by their inspirational commander, Manfred von Richthofen, this was an elite unit where only the finest fighter pilots were invited to join the squadron – the ‘Best of the Best’. Hans Weiss has joined Jasta 11 with a reputation as being something of a balloon specialist, but by this date, he was credited with an impressive ten combat victories.As the formation approached Le Hamel, they spotted a pair of Allied reconnaissance aircraft over the town and dived in to attack.

As the battle commenced, an unseen flight of Sopwith Camels joined the melee to protect the reconnaissance aircraft and just minutes later, the infamous reign of the Red Baron would be over. The distinctive white colored Fokker Dr.1 flown by Weiss had been hit by return fire from the British reconnaissance aircraft, severing one of his rudder cables and forcing an immediate return to Cappy. Nursing his damaged aircraft back to his home airfield, Weiss would live to fight another day, however, his Commanding Officer would not be quite so lucky.

Weiss would later command Jasta 11 himself, but only for a three week period, before he also fell in combat, the victim of Canadian ace Merrill Taylor.

Both triplanes are now winging their way to us from the Corgi Aerodrome and should be ready to seek vengeance for the death of the Red Baron by the third week of June.

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Product Spotlight: Dance of the Macabre

Corgi’s 1:72 scale RAF Bristol Beaufighter TF.X Torpedo Bomber – No.45 Squadron “Operation Firedog”, RAF Kuala Lumpur, Malaya, 1949

By the end of the Second World War, the Royal Air Force saw little need to retain the large number of Bristol Beaufighter squadrons it currently had in service, so most units were simply disbanded, a couple were retained for home duties, with the remainder prepared for deployment to the Far East. One notable exception to this rule were RAF No.45 Squadron, who replaced their wartime Mosquitoes with the Beaufighter TF.X fighter bomber, before moving out to operate from a new base in Ceylon. In August 1948, the squadron moved to Kuala Lumpur in response to the Malayan Emergency, where it would take part in the combined Commonwealth actions to quell the guerrilla activities of the Communist backed Malayan National Liberation Army.

Using the legendary range and hard hitting attributes of this capable heavy fighter, the unit’s Beaufighters would loiter over the jungle, waiting to unleash a withering barrage of rocket and cannon fire on enemy positions, once given targeting instructions from Commonwealth troops patrolling in the vicinity. These ageing WWII warhorses were replaced by the new Bristol Brigand ground attack aircraft by the end of 1949, leaving the situation in Malaya to rumble on for a further ten years and with RAF support very much moving into the jet age during that time.

Corgi’s second ever Beaufighter is now in stock and ready for immediate shipment.
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Product Spotlight: “Witchcraft”

Corgi’s 1:72 scale USAAF Consolidated B-24H Liberator Heavy Bomber – 42-52534, “Witchcraft”, 790th Bombardment Squadron, 467th Bombardment Group, USAAF Station 145 Rackheath, Norfolk, England, January 1945

The afternoon of January 14th, 1945, was no ordinary day at USAAF Station 145 Rackheath, in Norfolk, England. Thirty B-24 Liberators from the 467th Bomb Group had been allocated to take part in a raid against steelworks at Hallendorf, near Hanover and had left the base at approximately 09.00. One of the aircraft taking part in the raid was named “Witchcraft” and on her return, she would set a mission record for the entire Second Air Division, one which had attracted the attention of USAAF ‘Top Brass’. As the aircraft returned to their home airfield 6 hours and 35 minutes after they took off, 42-52534 “Witchcraft” landed and parked up in her usual hard standing position, to be met by General Ketner, Commander of the 2nd Air Division and other high ranking officials, not to mention a film crew and members of the press – even the famous “Rackheath Band” were in attendance.

“Witchcraft” had just completed her 100th credited mission without suffering a single mechanical abort, a real testament to the efforts of her assigned ground crew. Known colloquially as the ‘League of Nations’, the ground crew was led by M/Sgt Joe Ramirez, who was of Mexican heritage, with other members of his team being of Chinese, German, Dutch and American extraction.

General Ketner presented each member of the ground crew with an award to mark this significant wartime achievement and a quite extraordinary bomber. As the air and ground crews who had participated in the ‘Witchcraft’s significant 100th mission without mechanical or crew illness abort posed for pictures beside an aircraft which had now taken its place in Eighth Air Force history, it was almost time for the traditional addition of another mission marking to be painted on the aircraft’s scoreboard. This honor always fell to the aircraft’s crew chief, M/Sgt Joe Ramirez, but as this day marked such a significant achievement for both the aircraft and her hard-working ground crew, he thought that a little additional decoration was in order.

As well as painting the small yellow bomb symbol on ‘Witchcraft’s already impressive mission tally, he also added an oversized bomb above the aircraft’s distinctive port side nose artwork, with the number 100 at the side of it. Although ‘Witchcraft’ had been flown operationally by several different crews during her time in England, she was very much the property of her dedicated ground crew, who were both extremely proud and rather protective of their bomber. As their aircraft received official Eighth Air Force recognition on her significant mission achievement, there can be no doubting that this day belonged to her ground crew. Consolidated B-24H Liberator 42-52534/Q2-M ‘Witchcraft’ would end the war with 130 credited missions without suffering a mechanical abort, an achievement which was unequaled by any other B-24 in the European Theatre of operations.

Look for Witchcraft to brew up sometime in June.

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Product Spotlight: “Never to be So Foolish Again”

Corgi’s 1:48 scale Royal Flying Corps Bristol F2B Fighter – D-8063, RAF No.139 Squadron, Villaverla, Italy, September 1918

The outbreak of the Great War placed a moral burden on the shoulders of a young Edward, Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne. Desperate to do his duty and be seen alongside the thousands of troops heading for France, he was forbidden from joining his Grenadier Guards regiment at the front by Lord Kitchener, who was concerned about the potential damage his loss or capture would have on a nation at war. Nevertheless, over the course of the next four years, the Prince would regularly visit the trenches and was extremely popular among the fighting men of Britain. An early supporter of the airplane, the Prince is thought to have made several flights as a passenger whilst in France, however, an incident which reputedly occurred in September 1918 is quite astonishing. Whilst visiting No.139 Squadron in Italy, the Prince was taken on several flights in Bristol F2B Fighter D-8063 by celebrated Canadian ace and friend William Barker and on one such flight, it was reported that the Prince was taken close to the front lines, where he fired the aircraft’s Lewis guns on enemy trenches.

On hearing of this unofficial action, the King was said to be furious and chastised his son, telling him ‘never to be so foolish again’. Although the Bristol F2B Fighter would go on to be regarded as one of the finest fighting airplanes of the Great War, its combat introduction on the Western Front was inauspicious to say the least. Intended as a replacement for the much maligned Royal Aircraft Factory BE2c, the Bristol fighter was rushed into service so it could take part in the Second Battle of Arras in April 1917 and demonstrate the advancement in Allied aircraft design. During its first operational sortie on April 5th, six aircraft from No. 48 Squadron RFC, led by famous VC winner William Leefe Robinson, were bounced by Albatros fighters of Jasta 11, led by Manfred von Richthofen. During the ensuing melee, four of the new fighters, including the one flown by Robinson, were shot down, with another suffering serious damage – VC hero Robinson was initially posted as killed in action, but later discovered to have been taken prisoner. Despite this, once the many qualities of the Bristol Fighter had been appreciated, pilots quickly learned that this large airplane could be flown extremely aggressively and was more than capable of taking on the German fighters. With a fixed forward firing Vickers gun for the pilot and Scarff ring mounted Lewis guns for the observer, the Bristol fighter would enable crews to score victory numbers equivalent to those claimed by single seat fighters.

Corgi’s first ever Bristol F2B fighter is currently en route to us and expected to ship out to our customers by the last week of May.

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Product Spotlight: Operation Vengeance

i’s 1:72 scale CorgUSAAF Lockheed P-38G Lightning Interceptor – 43-2264, Major John Mitchell, “Miss Virginia”, 339th Fighter Squadron “Gremlin on a Double Eagle”, 347th Fighter Group, Operation Vengeance, April 18th, 1943

Having been forced to endure the horrors of the surprise Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor, the American people found themselves dragged into a war they had tried so hard to avoid, now determined to avenge this day of infamy. Their long fightback began with victory at the Battle of Midway in June 1942, but for the men of the USAAF 347th Fighter Group, their chance to inflict a huge psychological blow against the Japanese nation and specifically against man who had planned the Pear Harbor attack would come in April the following year. US Navy intelligence code-breakers had been monitoring Japanese communications for months and discovered that Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto planned to fly from Rabul to troops stationed in the Solomon Islands, to boost their morale in the wake of the Midway defeat. Flying in one of two Mitsubishi G4M ‘Betty’ bombers and protected by six Zero fighters, the formation was intercepted by sixteen US Lockheed P-38G Lightnings, whose pilots had made the long flight from Guadalcanal with one specific aim – vengeance. In the ensuing dogfight, P-38G ‘Miss Virginia’ piloted by Rex T. Barber, slipped in behind the bomber carrying Admiral Yamamoto and unleashed a torrent of bullets from his .50 calibre machine guns, sending it crashing into the jungle below. ‘Operation Vengeance’ had been successful and one of America’s most deadly enemies had been eliminated. In what proved to be one of the most significant aerial engagements of the Second World War, ‘Operation Vengeance’ was the ambitious plan to intercept an aircraft carrying Japan’s most accomplished military tactician and architect of the Pearl Harbor attack, Isoroku Yamamoto.

The mission was entrusted to brilliant US aviator Major John Mitchell, who would have to plot a course far enough away from islands inhabited by Japanese spotters and low enough to avoid detection by enemy radar, whilst ensuring his fighters intercepted the enemy formation at exactly the right moment. With only a map, his watch and a highly accurate compass borrowed from the US Navy installed in his fighter, the mission had only a slim chance of success, but was a risk they had to take. The only aircraft capable of undertaking this perilous 1000 mile round trip was the Lockheed P-38 Lightning and even then only by using drop tanks containing additional fuel – indeed, due to short supply, each aircraft was fitted with a single large 330 gallon drop tank, as well as a smaller 150 gallon tank. As the sixteen Lightnings took off from Kukum Field, Guadalcanal at 7am on April 18th, 1943, they had no idea of the size of the enemy force they would be facing, or if indeed they would manage to intercept them. In a feat of exceptional airmanship, the Lightnings arrived at the anticipated interception point just one minute behind schedule and to a shout of ‘Bandits’ from one of the American pilots. In the ensuing dogfight, ‘Operation Vengeance’ would strike a huge blow in the fortunes of the Pacific War and highlight that America would accept nothing less than total victory.

You too can get Yamamoto with John Mitchell’s 1:72 scale “Miss Virginia”, which is expected to arrive at the interception site the first week of May.

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Product Spotlight: Corgi’s B-17G “Snake Hips”

Corgi’s 1:72 scale USAAF Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Heavy Bomber – 42-31713 (UX-T) “Snake Hips”, 327th Bombardment Squadron, 92nd Bombardment Group, Podington, England, August 24th, 1944

Corgi’s 1:72 scale B-17s are undoubtedly one of their most popular models, flying off the shelves, year-after-year, and into the homes of aviation aficionados world over. Therefore it came as no surprise late last year when the manufacturer decided to announce yet another Flying Fortress, no doubt capitalizing on the success of some of their most recent four-engine heavy bombers.

B-17G Flying Fortress 42-31713 “Snake Hips” arrived at the USAAF’s 92nd Bombardment Group base at Podington in February 1944 and quickly benefited from a name and nose artwork that her crew hoped would bring them luck in the air battles to come. The aircraft saw extensive action over the next few months and brought her crew through relatively unscathed, until undertaking a mission to the heavily defended synthetic oil plant at Leuna on August 24th, 1944.

On the run in to the target, “Snake Hips” took a direct 88mm flak hit in the bomb bay and whilst the explosion did not detonate the bombs, it did blow a gaping hole in the side of the fuselage and start a hydraulic fire which threatened to engulf the bomber. The aircraft dropped out of formation and headed for home, but on attempting to jettison the bombs, several ‘hung’ and members of the crew were forced to deactivate them, in the midst of all this airborne chaos.

With two engines out and the pilot heading for the relief landing airfield at Woodbridge, he ordered his crew to parachute to safety, knowing he could not leave his station and fearing the landing may result in their injury. Fortunately, he managed to land the bomber without further incident and “Snake Hips” became one of the most heavily damaged B-17s to make it back to the UK during the Second World War.

As US heavy bombers began their strategic bombing campaign against German targets in occupied Europe towards the end of 1942, they were hoping that the heavier calibre of guns used on their aircraft would prove decisive against the threat of Luftwaffe fighter attack, particularly when their bombers were arranged in defensive boxes, bringing the firepower of hundreds of guns to bear.

Assembling hundreds of bombers above the English countryside in all weathers as they rose from their respective bases, would prove to be a huge challenge and collisions were relatively commonplace. Once formed up and heading for their targets, accurate navigation was essential if they were to remain in formation and avoid the murderous flak fields, until they were actually on the run in to the target, all the time knowing that the Luftwaffe were ready to pounce, often in large numbers.

During the early months of the campaign, the bombers would have to run the gauntlet of German defenses alone, as Allied fighters lacked the range to escort the bombers all the way to their targets and losses were crippling. Once longer range Lightning, Thunderbolts and Mustangs entered service, the bombers had their protection and as a result both bombing accuracy increased and Luftwaffe fighters began to fall to the guns of their ‘little friends’.

Snake Hips is currently en route to us and expected to arrive towards the end of March.

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Corgi Stokes the Fires of Our Winter of Discontent

Corgi’s 1:48 scale RAF Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 Multi-Role Fighter – ZK349 GN-A, Flt. Lt. Ben Westoby-Brooks, RAF No.29(R) Squadron, Battle of Britain, Typhoon Display Team, RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, Summer 2015 [Anniversary Scheme]

For some inexplicable reason, Corgi seems to run into problems announcing their yearly introductions on an annual basis. Their 2021 range, which was initially supposed to be unveiled on the 5th, was delayed by two days until today presumably to get out the news in a sustainable format so that all the world could see. Frankly, this seems to be anything but the case as their web site continues to either crawl or crash, preventing many collectors from ogling what they have in mind for the calendar year.

Corgi’s 1:72 scale RAF Bristol Beaufort Mk.1 Torpedo Bomber – N1016 (OA-X), Pilot Flying Officer Kenneth Campbell, No.22 Squadron, RAF Cornwall, England, 1941

So, while we have some information stored away for safe keeping, largely obtained at the ungodly hour of 5am, it appears as if we will have to slowly roll out Corgi’s new announcements over the course of the next few days, as online traffic to their web site begins to wane and page views can be achieved with some degree of reliability. In the meantime, we’ve begun listing a handful of new items that we did manage to learn about, including this stunning 1:48 scale RAF Eurofighter Typhoon GR4 due out later this year. We’ve also posted a YouTube video created and narrated by Corgi that does a wonderful job of showcasing many of the models due out later this year.
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April Showers Brings Corgi Flowers!

Corgi’s 1:72 scale RAF Avro Vulcan B.2 Strategic Bomber – XM575, No.101 Squadron, Waddington Wing, RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, England, 1975

It appears as if Corgi is back on track after a herky-jerky start to the new year and finally releasing several warbirds that are part of their 2020 collection. There’s lots to choose from, including this massive 1:72 scale rendition of an Avro Vulcan strategic bomber. So, without further ado, here’s the list of new aircraft we’ve received this week that are now ready for immediate shipment:

#AA38110 – Royal Flying Corps Sopwith Camel F.1 Fighter – Wilfred May, No.209 Squadron, Bertangles, France, April 21st, 1918 (1:48 Scale)

#AA38307 – German Fokker Dr.1 Triplane Fighter – 155/17, Lt. Eberhard Mohnicke, Jasta 11, von Richthofen’s Flying Circus, Lechelle, France, 1918 (1:48 Scale)

#AA27109 – German Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2 Tropical Fighter – “Yellow 14”, Hans Joachim Marseille, 3./Jagdgeschwader 27, Quotaifiya, Egypt, September 30th, 1942 (1:72 Scale)

#AA36712 – German Junkers Ju 88A-5 Medium-Bomber – 9K+ED, Stab III./Kampfgeschwader 51 “Edelweiss”, Etampes-Mondesir, France, Winter 1940 (1:72 Scale)

#AA33717 – German Heinkel He-111H-2 Medium Bomber – 1H+JA, Stab./Kampfgeschwader 26, Westerland Airfield, Sylt, Germany, October 28th, 1939 (1:72 Scale)

#AA33619 – RAF Panavia Tornado GR4 Fighter Bomber – ZG752, RAF Marham, England, March 2019 [Retirement Scheme] (1:72 Scale)

#AA33620 – RAF Panavia Tornado GR4 Fighter Bomber – GR.4 ZG775, No.IX(B) Squadron, RAF Marham, England, March 2019 [Retirement Scheme] (1:72 Scale)

#AA27204 – RAF Avro Vulcan B.2 Strategic Bomber – XM575, No.101 Squadron, Waddington Wing, RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, England, 1975 (1:72 Scale)

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Product Spotlight: “Operation Leg”

At a time when the Luftwaffe and RAF were dueling for aerial supremacy over the skies of Northwest Europe, a rather chivalrous mission was undertaken by the RAF at the behest of the Luftwaffe High Command.

Famed ace and double amputee, Wing Commander Douglas Bader, had been forced to bail out from his stricken Spitfire over occupied France on August 9th, 1941. Losing altitude rapidly, Bader jettisoned the cockpit canopy and released his harness pin. According to Bader, the air rushing past the open cockpit started to suck him out, but his prosthetic leg was trapped. Part way out of the cockpit and still attached to his aircraft, Bader fell for some time before he released his parachute, at which point the leg’s retaining strap snapped under the strain and he was pulled free. A Bf 109 flew by some 50 yards away as he neared the ground at around 4,000 feet (1,200 metres).

Corgi’s 1:72 scale RAF Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV Light Bomber – R3843/WV-F, “F for Freddie”, No. 18 Squadron, “Operation Leg”, RAF Watton, Norfolk, August 1941

By all accounts, the Germans initially treated Bader with great respect although that would soon change. Upon hearing of Bader’s plight, General Adolf Galland notified the British of his damaged leg and offered them safe passage to drop off a replacement. Hermann Goring himself gave the green light for the operation. The British responded on August 19th, 1941 with the so-called “Leg Operation” — an RAF bomber was allowed to drop a new prosthetic leg by parachute to St. Omer, a Luftwaffe base in occupied France, as part of Circus 81 involving six Bristol Blenheims and a sizeable fighter escort including 452 Squadron.

The Germans were less impressed when, task done, the bombers proceeded on to their bombing mission to Gosnay Power Station near Bethune, although bad weather prevented the target being attacked. Galland stated in an interview that the aircraft dropped the leg after bombing Galland’s airfield. Galland did not meet Bader again until mid-1945, when he, Gunther Rall and Hans-Ulrich Rudel arrived at RAF Tangmere as prisoners of war. Bader, according to Rall, personally arranged for Rudel, a fellow amputee, to be fitted with an artificial leg.

Look for the Blenheim that dropped the artificial leg some time in September. No word, as yet, if a replica leg will come with the model.

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