Corgi AA32818 Mosquito FB VI – HR405, 143 Sqn RAF Banff Strike Wing, Feb 1945

RAF Banff was built for Coastal Command in 1942 in order to allow anti-shipping and anti-U boat operations over the north sea and around the coast of Norway. From October 1944 the Banff Strike Wing operated with mainly Mosquitoes. The Strike Wing crews often ran the gauntlet of heavy anti-aircraft fire as they penetrated deep into heavily defended Norwegian Fijords to attack shipping targets at anchor. The Wing achieved outstanding success but at a heavy loss with over 80 crews lost during the last months of the war 143 Sqn arrived at Banff in October 1944 operating Beaufighters but quickly converted to Mosquitoes. The 25lb AP rocket armed Mosquito FB MkVI HR405, NE-A was flown by by Squadron Leader David Pritchard DFC for a photo shoot in February 1945 and is therefore a well photographed aircraft. Its combat history is a little more sketchy but it is known to have been involved in the famous Banff Wing battle with FW190s of JG5 on 23rd March 1945 and it was unquestionably a real Banff veteran, serving with the Strike Wing from September 1944 until the end of the war when it transferred to 14 Squadron.