[timbo]

That's why it's still attached!

I was trying to tease it out in one piece and not do a snap off at the base, so it could be replaced perfectly. It is very solid and if severely pried will take off the entire canopy.

[ZS-VAN]

Originally Posted by Spinnaker

I believe they have already communicated - and that was to inform us that Friday 13th will carry dual markings. Nothing to the contrary has been stated to date.

This is my understanding too hence my original post. I would dearly love the standard WWII model of Friday the 13th but think that for now the Barton Halifax is the one to go for. What Corgi needs to do is advise whether they will the standard Friday the 13th collectors are looking for.

[JustPlaneNuttz]

Originally Posted by ZS-VAN

. . . For those waiting for Friday the 13th, remember it will have French markings on the left side.

Sorry, old chum, but currently that is mere speculation at this stage (AND I DO hope you are wrong, as that would be a 'deal breaker' for me). Corgi has not definitively announced their plans one way or another, short of the pre-pros on the Tricatus site (which, for wartime markings, are wrong too! See JETFAN's B&W photos I posted at top of Page 4 in this thread). In other words, 'the jury is still out' on this one.

Corgi DOES need to clear up the confusion, as our UK sister site is rife with desperate speculation as well.

[JETFAN]

According to my UK friend who supplies the marking info to Corgi, he did not provide any detail of the French squadron markings.

The Elvington bird's wing, engines and MLG came from a Hastings, but I think they created a correctly shaped MLG by adding plywood sheeting.

Aside from my two photos of Friday, I found three others in "Bomber Squadrons of the RAF",including two top views, that clearly indicate that there was NOT a mast on the upper fuselage. In fact, I couldn't find any photos of a B.III with a mast in any of my references. The Mark I, Series II, Series II-I (Special) and some II-1As had it above the cockpit. An excellent source of info on the Halifax is "From Hull, Hell & Halifax, a history of No.4 Group" by Chris Blanchet. It was published by Midland Counties in 1992. ISBN 0 904597 81 4

I think its safe to say that if it had Merlins, there was a mast; if it had "round" engines, it didn't.

[timbo]

Looking at the prototype pictures of next years birds on Tri's site, it looks like they have used proper castings to produce them. Unfortunately Ft13 has the mast but the Halton does not - I wonder if it is too late to feed this back to Corgi before it gets produced so that the mast is not included.

I'm surprised you eagle eyed lot didn't pick this up before!!!

[JustPlaneNuttz]

Originally Posted by timbo

Looking at the prototype pictures of next years birds on Tri's site, it looks like they have used proper castings to produce them. Unfortunately Ft13 has the mast but the Halton does not - I wonder if it is too late to feed this back to Corgi before it gets produced so that the mast is not included.

I'm surprised you eagle eyed lot didn't pick this up before!!!

But some of us did pick up on the wartime markings of Ft13 NOT having the RAF flashes on the outside of the rudders as shown in the Tricatus proto photos. Again, my thanx to JETFAN for originally posting those super reference shots!

[ZS-VAN]

Hot off the press, great news is that Friday the 13th will be produced as the WARTIME version!!!

[JustPlaneNuttz]

That is good news. It means I'll now be up for one of these too (I have no idea where it will go, but . . .)

I do hope they take a good look at JETFAN's photos first!! (Psst! No rudder flashes.)

[hworth18]

Recieved the 1st of the 2 Halifax's today (Cyril Barton's #0037 of #2210) and I couldn't be happier.. Now just awaiting my BII version coming shortly...

[FormerViperDriver]

I got mine today. It is really a beautiful model. I'll be getting Friday the 13th eventually, I'm pretty sure.

FVD