Douglas Dakota Mark III
RAF Flying Nightingales

Airfix 1:72 Douglas C-47 Skytrain finished as an RAF Douglas Dakota Mark III using Xtradecal after market decals for aircraft FZ692,, known as ‘Kwicherbichen’, of No. 233 Squadron. Figures are the two sets of RAF Flying Nightingales, one with Wounded, from Modelu and the base is just something I threw together. The painting was predominantly airbrushed using Vallejo, including the D-Day stripes.

It was 13 June, one week since D Day, when three nursing orderlies, Corporal Lydia Alford and LACWs Myra Roberts and Edna Birkbeck; each travelling in an RAF Douglas Dakota, departed from RAF Blakehill on the first casualty evacuation flights to Normandy. The moment of their return was captured by an official RAF photographer. The welcoming party of newspaper correspondents dubbed them the ‘Flying Nightingales’ and the name stuck. They were the first British women on active service to be flown into a war zone.

In recognition of their courage, Douglas Dakota ZA947 in the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight has been know to be painted to resemble Douglas Dakota FZ692 which took part in casualty evacuation flights with ‘Flying Nightingales’ after D Day.

Nice kit, fabulous figures and great fun all round.