ADS NOT DISPLAYED TO REGISTERED USERS.
+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 114

**** DONE: Mosquito FB VI 21 Sqdn J.R.D 'Bob' Braham - Aircraft of the Aces GB.

#11 -Aircraft of the Aces Discuss **** DONE: Mosquito FB VI 21 Sqdn J.R.D 'Bob' Braham - Aircraft of the Aces GB. in the Group Builds forums; Mosquito FB VI LR373 YH A 21 Sqdn John Randall Daniel 'Bob' Braham DSO & Two Bars, DFC & Two ...

  1. #1
    Senior Member rochie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    billingham nr middlesbrough uk
    Posts
    10,327
    Country
    England

    **** DONE: Mosquito FB VI 21 Sqdn J.R.D 'Bob' Braham - Aircraft of the Aces GB.

    Mosquito FB VI LR373 YH A 21 Sqdn John Randall Daniel 'Bob' Braham DSO & Two Bars, DFC & Two Bars, AFC
    User Name: rochie
    Name: Karl
    Category: intermediate
    Kit: Tamiya
    Scale:1/48
    Accessories: none

    i've been wanting to do this Mossie for a while now and have spoken at length with my 21 Sqdn expert Terry (Airframes) but first a bit of info on Bob Braham

    His first squadron was 29 Squadron in December 1938, flying the two-seater Hawker Demon. Early in 1939, No 29 Squadron re-equipped with the Bristol Blenheim, but soon after switched to the Hawker Hurricane. Braham carried out his first operational patrols of World War II in September 1939. He had by now been given the nickname 'Bob', which stayed with him throughout his service career. (Braham 1961, p. 41) No 29 Squadron was now designated a night-fighter squadron and once again received Blenheim l's. In mid 1940, they were being equipped with the early AI Mk III RDF 'radar' and four Browning machine guns in a pack under the belly. The squadron started night flights over Lincolnshire in June 1940. On the night of 24/25 August 1940, during the Battle of Britain, Bob destroyed his first enemy aircraft, a Dornier Do 17, guided by his AI operator Sgt. Wilsden. (Braham 1961, pp. 56–5

    In October 1940, the squadron started to receive the more modern Bristol Beaufighter Mk IFs with Mk IV AI radar.

    Braham received a DFC in January 1941. In March he destroyed another enemy aircraft, a Dornier Do 17 of Stab.Kampfgeschwader 2, his first in a Beaufighter. No 29 Squadron moved to RAF West Malling, Kent in May 1941 and it was from here that Braham really developed his night fighting skills, with the start of his association with two Navigators/Radar Operators who would contribute so much to his success: 'Sticks' Gregory and 'Jacko' Jacobs. (Braham 1961)

    By November 1941 he had claimed 7 enemy aircraft, and was a Flight Lieutenant, receiving a bar to his DFC. In January 1942, Braham finished his tour of operations and was posted from No 29 Squadron to No 51 OTU at Cranfield as an instructor with his Navigator/AI operator F/Sgt 'Sticks' Gregory. (Braham 1961, p. 107)

    While at Cranfield, Braham and Gregory visited 29 Squadron at West Malling and, operating on the night of the 6/7 June 1942 in a borrowed Beaufighter, destroyed a Dornier 217 raiding Canterbury. He was posted back to No 29 Squadron from 51 OTU in July 1942 as a Squadron Leader and Flight Commander. After damaging a Ju 88 on the 24th, he destroyed another on the 28th. On the 29th he attacked and damaged a Junkers Ju 88 flying at 150 ft above the English Channel. Return fire from the Ju 88 caused his port engine to catch fire, forcing a crash landing near Beachy Head. Neither he nor Jacobs were injured. He was awarded his first DSO in October 1942. (Braham 1961, p. 125)

    By this time, Bob Braham had destroyed 12 enemy aircraft, with 1 probable and 4 damaged. He was then given command of No. 141 Squadron RAF at Ford in late 1942 as a 22-year-old Wing Commander. With him went his AI operator Gregory, now a Flying Officer with the DFC and DFM. (Braham 1961, pp. 133–136)

    No 141 Squadron's Beaufighter Mk.IF's moved to Cornwall in February 1943 to carry out night patrols over Brittany and SW France and daylight patrols over the Bay of Biscay and Atlantic Approaches to protect Coastal Command aircraft.

    [edit] Serrate and bomber supportIn May 1943, No 141 Squadron moved to RAF Wittering. It had been chosen to be the first night fighter squadron to operate over Germany and occupied Europe in the bomber support role. Their Beaufighters were equipped with the new Serrate radar detector, which picked up the radar impulses given out by the German night fighter's' Lichtenstein AI radar. The Beaufighters were also equipped with Mk IV radar.

    Serrate operations started in June 1943. Braham had immediate success, destroying an Bf 110 over Holland. When Braham left No 141 Squadron in October 1943, the squadron had destroyed 14 enemy aircraft using Serrate. His own score on Serrate operations was 7 destroyed, bringing his total to 20. Several of the Luftwaffe pilots he shot down were Experten, with numerous night kills to their credit; 4./NJG 1 lost both Fw. Krafft (15 claims) killed and Fw. Vinke (53 claims) (bailed out; his crew was killed) on 17 August while Hpt. August Geiger (IV/NJG 1; 53 claims) was shot down and drowned on 29 September. Braham was awarded the first bar to his DSO on 24 September 1943.[3]

    [edit] Prisoner of warAgainst his wishes, Wg Cdr Braham was rested from operations and posted from No 141 Squadron on 1 October 1943. He took a staff course at the Staff College, Camberley from October 1943 until February 1944. He was then posted as 'Wing Commander Night Operations ' at HQ No. 2 Group RAF. Although a Staff Officer at HQ, Braham was able, with persistence, to persuade his AOC, Air Vice Marshal Basil Embry to allow him to 'free-lance' using a Mosquito FBVI loaned from one of the various squadrons in the group. On 12 May Braham's Mosquito was hit by both anti-aircraft fire and fire from a Bf 109 over Denmark. Braham and Gregory bailed out 70 miles from the English coast, being hauled out of the water by Air-Sea Rescue. (Braham 1961, pp. 234–239) His last operation of the war was a lone daylight 'Ranger' operation over Denmark and north Germany on 25 June 1944. Attacked by two Focke-Wulf Fw 190's of Jagdgeschwader 1 over Denmark, he managed to crash land his crippled plane on a sandstrip by the coast and was captured. One of the German pilots (Robert Spreckles) insisted on meeting him and the two became friends after the war. By the time he was shot down, Braham had carried out 15 'Ranger' operations over France, Denmark and Germany, during which he destroyed another 9 enemy aircraft.[4]

    [edit] Postwar careerIn July 1945, W/C Braham joined the Night Fighter Development Wing of the Central Fighter Establishment where he tested and developed existing and new night fighting equipment. There followed a period of two years of non-flying appointments, with HQ Technical Training Command, OC No 2 Wing, No 3 Recruits Centre Padgate and the Air Ministry in London. In August 1948, he was posted to command the Fighter Interception Development Squadron and Night Fighter Leader School of the Central Fighter Establishment.[5]

    In May 1952, he resigned from the RAF for the second time. He joined the RCAF with the rank of Wing Commander and commanded their first all-weather jet fighter unit based at North Bay, Ontario. Braham left No 3 AW(F)OTU in June 1955 for a staff appointment at Air Force HQ in Ottawa, which he held for over two years.



    Pilot W/Cdr John R. D. Braham (right) with F/Lt Gregory440625haurviggregorybraham.jpg
    Last edited by Wurger; 10-10-2011 at 02:29 PM.


    I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly.
    "Winston Churchill"

  2. #2
    Senior Member Crimea_River's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Calgary
    Posts
    14,474
    Country
    Canada
    God choice Karl. Looking forward to this!

  3. #3
    Senior Member ozhawk40's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Live on the Oz West Coast - Perth
    Posts
    1,920
    Country
    Australia
    Okay, excellent choice there Karl.

  4. #4
    Siggy Master Wurger's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Poland
    Posts
    27,640
    Country
    Poland

  5. #5
    Benevolens Magister Airframes's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    33,214
    Country
    United Kingdom
    Looking forward to this one mate.

  6. #6
    Senior Member vikingBerserker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    South Carolina
    Posts
    17,035
    Country
    United States
    Very cool, cannot wait.

  7. #7
    Senior Member imalko's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Vojvodina, Serbia
    Posts
    3,363
    Country
    Serbia
    With all here. Great choice Karl.

    "Find your enemy and shoot him down - everything else is unimportant."


  8. #8
    Senior Member Vic Balshaw's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    9,879
    Country
    Australia
    Country II
    England
    Brilliant choice Karl, the Mosquito is a top favourite of mine.



    At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.
    Lest We Forget


  9. #9
    Senior Member Wayne Little's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Adelaide Sth. Aust.
    Posts
    35,561
    Country
    Australia
    Love the Mossie...yet I've not built one....so you're one up on me mate...!

  10. #10
    Senior Member N4521U's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Botany Bay
    Posts
    5,405
    Country
    Australia
    Country II
    United States
    Gonna be a good grouping on this build. Go man go.

    Planes are so simple....... damned helicopter builds!



  11. #11
    Senior Member rochie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    billingham nr middlesbrough uk
    Posts
    10,327
    Country
    England
    cheers guy's, wont get to start untill the end of the month as i'm on holiday from end of next week


    I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly.
    "Winston Churchill"

  12. #12
    Senior Member Crimea_River's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Calgary
    Posts
    14,474
    Country
    Canada
    Have a good one Karl!

  13. #13
    Senior Member T Bolt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Chicago, Illinois
    Posts
    6,649
    Country
    United States
    Nice one Karl! I've heard good things about that kit and will be looking forward to watching you put it together.
    Have a good holiday!

  14. #14
    Senior Member le_steph40's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    South West of France
    Posts
    268
    Country
    France
    Great choice, looking forward to this too.

  15. #15
    Senior Member jjp_nl's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Posts
    816
    Country
    Netherlands
    Interesting subject! Some familiar names you've mentioned there as far as the German NJG.1 pilots are concerned.

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86