Airspeed Horsa sub collection done

Hello to all of you

We do not have enough words to thanks to Jed and Alastair for helping us during all the process of reasearch. Actually they did almost all the job, including visiting the IWM for photo and film references. We have also want to thank to Luis how made the decals specially for us.

My father, Raul Jose Hrubisko, has been working hard on this project.

Here are the gliders included in this series

1) Airspeed Horsa Mk I DG597 1 First prototype used for RATOG trials

2) Airspeed Horsa Mk I DG604 1 Airbones Forces Experimental Establishment - Sherburn-in-elmet, near leeds, Yorkshire - 01/09/1942 - Dropping test of panniers from Horsa

3) Airspeed Horsa Mk II LJ271

This glider was originally built as an AS.51 Horsa Mk.1 but was converted and used the prototype for the AS.58 Horsa Mk.2. This scheme is
based on how it looked while at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Fanborough during arrester parachute trials in August 1945.

4) Airspeed Horsa Mk II TL472 1 Aquir Palestine 1946, Overall Silver as an experiment to reflect heat and keep the interior cool in the heat of Middle East.
This unique glider was photographed at Aquir, Palestine in 1946. It was painted all over in aluminum dope in an attempt to reflect heat and
reduce the internal temperature. It was lost in a landing accident 29th August 1946 casuse by a dive approach which exceeded the max speed
for the flaps. The caused one flap jack to fail, the glider to start to roll and eventually one wingtip hit the ground.

5) Airspeed Horsa Mk II 19 - DP288 1 1943, H Glider Conversion Unit, Painted in pattern colour 1 but with all black tail and ruder.

6) Airspeed Horsa Mk II TL145, 21 HGCU, 1946.
This glider was photographed at the 21 Heavy Glider Conversion Unit, posible at RAF Elsham Wolds in early 1946.

7) Airspeed Horsa Mk I DP740, GPEU, May 1943.
This glider was photographed at the Glider Pilot Exercise Unit based at RAF Netheravon, Wiltshire in May1943.

8) Airspeed Horsa Mk II RN316, B Squadron, 1945.

This glider represents a Horsa used during Operation Varsity flow from RAF Earls Colne by B Squadron of the Glider Pilot Regiment.

9) Airspeed Horsa Mk I LH469 “93” – LZ/X – Operation Deadstick, Caen Canal Bridge. The third glider to land at the Caen canal bridge on the 5th/6th June 1944. Piloted by SSgt. Geoff Barkway and SSgt. Peter Boyle.

10) Airspeed Horsa MkI PW773, Operation Mallard, 6th June 1944.
One of many gliders that landed at Ranville, France in the evening of 6th June 1944 as part of Operation Mallard. This particular glider
was carrying men of the 1st Royal Ulster Rifles and crashed into a wall on the western edge of the landing zone.

11) Airspeed Horsa Mk I LF819 -This glider represents one of the Horsas of 1st Independant Glider Squadron who flew Operation Bluebird, part of Operation Dragoon to take the south of France after D-Day. Flying from Tarquinia, Italy to Le Muy, France the squadron was equipped with a handful of gliders painted to follow
the operational desert scheme.

12) Airspeed Horsa Mk I TL349 specially modified and fitted with mock – up of the Comet airliner nose to determine the degree of visibility, particularly in conditions of rain.

13) Airspeed Horsa Mk I Prototype DK353, December 1942
The fourth of five early models built specifically for load and performance trials work. This scheme shows how it might of looked
during late 1942.

All the Airspeed Horsa`s done.

All the ones with the P markings (Prototypes)

At the display cabinet

Individual photos

1) Airspeed Horsa Mk I DG597 1 First prototype used for RATOG trials

2) Airspeed Horsa Mk I DG604 1 Airbones Forces Experimental Establishment - Sherburn-in-elmet, near leeds, Yorkshire - 01/09/1942 - Dropping test of panniers from Horsa

12) Airspeed Horsa Mk I TL349 specially modified and fitted with mock – up of the Comet airliner nose to determine the degree of visibility, particularly in conditions of rain.

13) Airspeed Horsa Mk I Prototype DK353, December 1942
The fourth of five early models built specifically for load and performance trials work. This scheme shows how it might of looked
during late 1942.

6) Airspeed Horsa Mk II TL145, 21 HGCU, 1946.
This glider was photographed at the 21 Heavy Glider Conversion Unit, posible at RAF Elsham Wolds in early 1946.

4) Airspeed Horsa Mk II TL472 1 Aquir Palestine 1946, Overall Silver as an experiment to reflect heat and keep the interior cool in the heat of Middle East.
This unique glider was photographed at Aquir, Palestine in 1946. It was painted all over in aluminum dope in an attempt to reflect heat and
reduce the internal temperature. It was lost in a landing accident 29th August 1946 casuse by a dive approach which exceeded the max speed
for the flaps. The caused one flap jack to fail, the glider to start to roll and eventually one wingtip hit the ground.

3) Airspeed Horsa Mk II LJ271
This glider was originally built as an AS.51 Horsa Mk.1 but was converted and used the prototype for the AS.58 Horsa Mk.2. This scheme is
based on how it looked while at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Fanborough during arrester parachute trials in August 1945.

9) Airspeed Horsa Mk I LH469 “93” – LZ/X – Operation Deadstick, Caen Canal Bridge. The third glider to land at the Caen canal bridge on the 5th/6th June 1944. Piloted by SSgt. Geoff Barkway and SSgt. Peter Boyle.

11) Airspeed Horsa Mk I LF819 -This glider represents one of the Horsas of 1st Independant Glider Squadron who flew Operation Bluebird, part of Operation Dragoon to take the south of France after D-Day. Flying from Tarquinia, Italy to Le Muy, France the squadron was equipped with a handful of gliders painted to follow
the operational desert scheme.

5) Airspeed Horsa Mk II 19 - DP288 1 1943, H Glider Conversion Unit, Painted in pattern colour 1 but with all black tail and ruder.

7) Airspeed Horsa Mk I DP740, GPEU, May 1943.
This glider was photographed at the Glider Pilot Exercise Unit based at RAF Netheravon, Wiltshire in May1943.

8) Airspeed Horsa Mk II RN316, B Squadron, 1945.

This glider represents a Horsa used during Operation Varsity flow from RAF Earls Colne by B Squadron of the Glider Pilot Regiment.

10) Airspeed Horsa MkI PW773, Operation Mallard, 6th June 1944.
One of many gliders that landed at Ranville, France in the evening of 6th June 1944 as part of Operation Mallard. This particular glider
was carrying men of the 1st Royal Ulster Rifles and crashed into a wall on the western edge of the landing zone.

I hope you like this new sub collection.

cheers

Santiago