CORGI AA99133 Diecast Model RAF Pathfinder Sqn, Pathfinder 2-Piece Set

CORGI AA99133 Diecast Model RAF Pathfinder Sqn, Pathfinder 2-Piece Set

In August 1942, Arthur Harris, the head of Bomber Command, requested Donald Bennett to establish the Pathfinder Force. The Pathfinder Force was an elite night-bombing squadron, responsible for dropping flares and incendiaries to help the main bombing force aim their bombs. The Pathfinder pilots would be the first to fly over the target. The Pathfinder's main tactic at that time was visual marking of the target, either in the light of flares or occasionally in moonlight. They would make a timed run from a visually identified landmark. The Pathfinder Force used several planes, including Wellingtons, Stirlings, Halifaxes, Lancasters, and Mosquitoes. The Pathfinder Force was formed under the auspices of No. 8 Group. 

The Lancaster seen in the picture was flown by 635 Squadron from Downham Market, Norfolk in 1944. It's recognizable by its deleted nose and dorsal turrets and striped tail fin. The Mosquito served with 109 Squadron for 18 days between 17th June and 5th July 1943. The Mosquito carried out a diversionary operation by dropping target indicators over Cologne for the main force attack on Aachen. In April 1944, it dropped Tl's for the first of three waves of Mosquitoes involved in the raid on Berlin.

The Avro Lancaster B.Mk VI was designed to meet specifications for a new generation of "worldwide use" medium bombers. The Lancaster was first flown on January 8, 1941. The Lancaster design evolved from an earlier two-engine aircraft called the Manchester. The heavier Lancaster had four engines and an extensive bomb bay, with later versions capable of carrying 22,000 lb bombs. The Lancaster was primarily used as a night bomber and became famous for its role in the 1943 "Dam Buster" raids on Germany's Ruhr Valley dams. Lancasters flew 156,000 sorties, dropping 608,612 tons of bombs on enemy targets between 1942 and 1945.

The de Havilland Mosquito B.Mk IX was designed in a private venture as a high-altitude and high-speed unarmed bomber. It was first flown on November 25th, 1940. The Mosquito was one of the most successful aircraft of the Second World War, with only the Ju 88 rivaling its versatility. The all-wood Mosquito was powered by two Rolls-Royce Merlin engines and was as fast as a fighter. It could carry the payload of a medium bomber. During its lifespan, the Mosquito was used in various roles, including night fighter and ground attack. It carried radar systems and cannons, and there was even a carrier landing version.