Defenders of Malta

Parts I and II

AeroMaster Decals
 

Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

Aeromaster's 1/48 scale Defenders of Malta Part I and II
are available online from Squadron.com

The air war in the defence of Malta island saw some of the bitterest fighting of WWII.  From an aircraft enthusiast’s point of view it saw the employment of many different types of aircraft and the use of many different colour schemes.  AeroMaster Products have bought some of the schemes worn by fighter aircraft during the conflict to light in their two-sheet coverage of the epic air battle. 

Defenders of Malta Part I covers seven aircraft. 

• Gloster Sea Gladiator Mk I N5519 of the Fighter Flight, Hal Far in June 1940.  The aircraft is finished in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm scheme of extra dark sea grey/dark slate grey on the upper wings, fuselage, fin and horizontal stabilizers, sea grey fuselage sides, dark sea grey/light slate grey lower wings over black and white under surfaces.  Markings consist of type B roundels on the upper surfaces of the wings, type D roundels on the under surfaces of the lower wings, type C roundel to the fuselage sides, fin flash, with a black serial and R squadron code letter.

• Hawker Hurricane Mk I P3731 flown by Pilot Officer “Jock” Barber of the Fighter Flight at Hal Far in August of 1940.  Finish is dark earth/middle stone over azure blue with a black spinner.  Markings consist of type B roundels for the upper wings, type D roundels for the lower wings, type C roundels for the fuselage, a black serial number, a fin flash and a white letter J squadron code.  These markings are the same as provided by Hasegawa in their 1/48 scale Hurricane Mk 1 Trop kit.

• Hawker Hurricane Mk II b (serial unknown) as flown by Pilot Officer Bill Hollis Hassett of 261 Squadron in 1941.  The aircraft is still in its temperate scheme of dark earth/dark green over sky with a black spinner and had yet to be re-painted in the desert scheme and have its tropical filter fitted.  Markings consist of type B roundels for the upper wings, type D roundels for the lower wings, type C roundels for the fuselage, a black serial number, a fin flash and medium sea grey squadron codes of HA-E.  Artwork in the form of a top-hatted skull is worn on the right hand side of the nose.  The placement guide states that this aircraft was called “Death Warmed Up” but offers no explanation why.

• Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vc Trop BR124 of 603 Squadron in 1942.  This is one of the often mentioned and hotly debated “Blue Spitfires” of Mata.  The popular belief is that these aircraft’s upper surfaces were painted in US Navy deck blue whilst en-route from the UK to Malta aboard the USS Wasp.  Called Operation Calendar, it was a bold plan that used US carriers to re-enforce Malta’s strength of fighter aircraft by flying them from the carriers when they were within flying range of the island.  The undersides were still in azure blue and the spinner was black.  Markings are type B roundels on the upper wings, type D roundels on the undersurfaces, type C roundels on the fuselage, black serial, a fin flash and a white squadron code letters U-2.

• Supermarine Spitfire Mk V b Trop BR329 flown by Flight Lieutenant Johnny Plagis of 185 Squadron from Kendri in June 1942.  Finish is in the desert scheme of dark earth/middle stone upper surfaces over azure blue undersurfaces with a black spinner.  Markings are type B roundels on the upper surfaces of the wing, type D roundels on the undersurfaces of the wing, type C roundels to the fuselage, a fin flash, a black serial, yellow GL-J squadron code letters, a “scoreboard” of 11 swastikas on a white background and the word KAY on a yellow background.

• Supermarine Spitfire Mk V b BR498 flown by Wing Commander Peter Prosser Hanks from Ta Qali in October 1942.  Finish is in the desert scheme of dark earth/middle stone upper surfaces over azure blue undersurfaces with a red and white spinner.  Markings are type B roundels on the upper surfaces of the wing, type D roundels on the undersurfaces of the wing, type C roundels to the fuselage, a fin flash, a black serial, white PP-H codes (a privilege afforded to Wing Commanders in the RAF was to have their initials painted on their personal aircraft – hence the PP-H standing for Peter Prosser Hanks) and a Wing Commander pennant.  Note that this aircraft has had its Volkes filter removed.  It was also apparently waxed to a high sheen in an attempt to gain speed.

·        Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vc Trop EP829 as flown by the Commanding Officer of 249 Squadron, Squadron Leader John Lynch.  Finish is in the desert scheme of dark earth/middle stone upper surfaces over azure blue undersurfaces with a black spinner.  Markings are type B roundels on the upper surfaces of the wing, type D roundels on the undersurfaces of the wing, type C1 roundels to the fuselage, a fin flash, a black serial and yellow T-N squadron code letters with a smaller T added to spell out TNT, a “scoreboard seven German Balkenkrauz and the words MALTAS 1000^TH to commemorate Lynch’s downing of the 1000^th enemy aircraft on 28^th of April 1943.

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

48-498 is Part II and it continues the unusual paint schemes and also covers seven different aircraft. 

·        Gloster Sea Gladiator Mk I N5520 of 261 Squadron based at Luqa in 1941.  Finish is dark green/dark earth over sky.  Markings are sparse and confined to type B roundels on the upper surfaces of the wings, type D roundels for the under surfaces of the lower wings and type national C roundels for the fuselage, the serial number for the rear fuselage and a fin flash. 

·        Hawker Hurricane Mk IIb BG727 of the Malta Night Fighter Unit, September 1941.  Finish is overall Night (semi-gloss black) with type B roundels in six positions, a white serial number and a fin flash. 

·        Hawker Hurricane Mk I Z4189.  The finish is believed to be dark green/middle stone over sky blue with a red spinner.  Markings are type B roundels for the upper wings, type D roundels for the lower wings, type C roundels for the fuselage, a black serial number, a fin flash and a medium sea grey letter L squadron code.  This aircraft also sports artwork in the form of a stylized black and white bomb that is painted on the right hand side of the fuselage underneath the cockpit. 

·        Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vc Trop BR246 in 1942.  Another of the infamous “blue Malta Spitfires”.  Finish is blue upper surfaces and spinner over azure blue undersurfaces.  Markings are type B roundels on the upper wings, type D roundels on the undersurfaces, type C roundels on the fuselage, black serial, a fin flash and a white letter B ferry code. 

·        Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb Trop BR471 of 126 Squadron Ta Qali in 1942.  Finish is in the desert scheme of dark earth/middle stone upper surfaces over azure blue undersurfaces with a red spinner.  Markings are type B roundels on the upper surfaces of the wing, type D roundels on the undersurfaces of the wing, type C1 roundels to the fuselage, a fin flash, black serial and medium sea grey PM-K squadron code letters. 

·        Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb Trop EP706 of 249 Squadron in 1942.  This aircraft is the one flown by the well-known Canadian, Pilot Officer George “Screwball” Beurling Malta’s top scoring ace. Finish is also in the desert scheme of dark earth/middle stone upper surfaces over azure blue undersurfaces with a black spinner.  Markings are type B roundels on the upper surfaces of the wing, type D roundels on the undersurfaces of the wing, type C1 roundels to the fuselage, a fin flash, a black serial, yellow T-L squadron code letters and a “scoreboard” of 20 German balkenkreuz. 

·        Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vc Trop JK879 of 249 Squadron.  Finish is in the desert scheme of dark earth/middle stone upper surfaces over azure blue undersurfaces with a black spinner.  Markings are type B roundels on the upper surfaces of the wing, type D roundels on the undersurfaces of the wing, type C1 roundels to the fuselage, a fin flash, a black serial and yellow T-B squadron code letters, a “Saint” stick figure and a “bomb log” consisting of 25 red and yellow bombs. 

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

The decal placement guides for both sheets are A-4 sized with full colour left hand side profiles of each aircraft on the front with appropriate plan views of the upper and lower wings on the rear.  The artist has paid attention to detail with each of the Hurricanes and Spitfires being correctly rendered with its appropriate type of spinner. 

The sheets also give a fairly comprehensive list of references and helpful notes to the painting and detail differences on each aircraft as well as a list of suggested kits. 

A further book you might like to add to the list is the Modelaid publication Air War Over Malta Part One – The Allies by Frederick R Galea and Richard J Caruna.   The list suggests the use of the Airfix Mk Vc kit.  Be aware that Garvia have also announced the upcoming release of a Mk Vc in their range as well. 

The decals themselves have been printed by Cartograf, in Italy.  No problems here, they are all in register (even Beurling’s tiny scoreboard).  They are sharp and clear and have minimal carrier film.  The decals and placement guides are packaged in clear plastic ziploc bags. 

These sheets offer great value.  You can build a Gladiator, a Hurricane, and two complete Spitfires from the Part I sheet and a Gladiator, two Hurricanes, and two complete Spitfires from the Part II sheet without looking for markings from elsewhere. 

No doubt there will be robust discussion with regard to some of the interpretations of the colour schemes amongst the fans RAF aircraft but heck that’s half the fun of it! 

Hopefully, these two sheets will sell well and tempt AeroMaster into producing further “themed” sheets.

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