LoRes Weathered Hawker Typhoon Mk1b "RAF 174th.Sqdn.121Wing" for Emil's ETO 9th.USAAF.& 2nd.TAF Campaign

This LoRes Weathered skin is of the RAF 174th.Sqdn. Typhoon Mk1b."XP-B" late production (circa: July 1944) with the slide back bubble canopy. This Typhoon Rocket Projectile Squadron was the first of three units that formed the 121 RAF Wing of the 2nd.TAF.

After D-Day and when the Invasion Stripping was ordered to removed from all top surfaces. This squadron referred back to the original underwing stripping that were used prior to June 6th.

This RAF 174th.(Mauritius) Squadron's motto was "Attack".

Formed from a nucleus of eight pilots from No 607 Squadron at Manston on 3 March 1942, operations began immediately.  Equipped with Hurricanes it carried out shipping strikes and fighter-bomber attacks on coastal targets, which it continued up to the the Spring of 1943. 

In April 1943 the squadron began to receive Typhoons and started working  up on its new machines, becoming operational on 14 July.  In June the squadron had become part of the newly created 2nd Tactical Air Force carrying out bombing, escort and anti-shipping operations.  Early in 1944 its targets were widened to include V1 launching (Noball) sites and from April its prime weapon became the rocket projectile rather than the bomb. 

In June 1944 following the Normandy landings, the squadron moved over to France, but this venture was short-lived when its airfield came under heavy bombing.  It soon returned and began its close air support role of the Allied armies in their advance across Europe.  Having arrived in Germany, the squadron disbanded on 8 April 1945.

I developed this project from a base skin/model provided in Emil's TAF Skin Pack. I used a variety of rendering technics to change the squadron Codes, add more detail and enhance this aircraft's operational weathering look.
This skin "XP-B" was an actual member of the RAF 174th.Squadron however the pilot is unknown....

The aircraft's colour scheme and Squadron markings where derived from a coloured aircraft profile plate found in the 1999 Osprey Aircraft of The Aces #27 Publication "Typhoon and Tempest Aces of World War 2" series by Chris Thomas. All operational reference material came also from the "Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation Website".... http://www.rafweb.org/Menu.htm

The base skin was taken from Emil's ETO 9th.USAAF/2nd.TAF Campaign so the original creator of this skin is unknown. Included with this is Migge's excellent 'Typhoon Virtual Cockpit' with the 'Wing View' modified by your's truly. RAF Mark2 Gunsight by PapaRomeo for period authenticity... 

Special thanks to Shawn Griffin for his excellent LoRes Batch File Converter Utility...    

The download includes all *.tpc, *.3dz and *.pcx files. The latter begin included so you can review how the graphic weathering techniques were done....
To install simple copy all the *.tpc and *.3dz files into your EAW main directory or as required by 'Stab' or 'Skins & More'....  

Enjoy and watch your six .... Skylark 