ITEM DESCRIPTION

deHavilland Mosquito RAF No.544 Sqn, RAF Benson, England, D-Day June 6th 1944, (PR MkXVI)

PR XVI NS502 of 544 Squadron was delivered on 23rd May 1944 and operated over Europe until it crashlanded on 21st February 1945. It then passed to Martin Hearn for repair and was eventually transferred to the Royal Navy at RNAS Fleetlands on 7th November 1947. 544 Squadron were involved heavily in the build up to d-Day and flew special rail sorties in daylight to France in an effort to detect any movement of Panzers towards the Normandy beachhead as early as possible. If any movement was spotted the crew had to land at Farnborough and give a verbal report to SHEAF HQ who would then send out interdiction bombing by 2nd TAF medium bombers. Their use throughout this period both before, during and after D-Day became integral in the success that followed and the aircraft were adorned with D-Day stripes around the fuselage and wings.

Ref: AA34602
Scale: 1/32
Length: 15.5 inch
Wingspan: 20.25 inch