Estonian Hawker Harts....

[Marcel Kares]

Dear Estonian friends.

My friends from Czech firm KORA Models (small firm which produces resin kits and decals of a little known aircraft) would like prepare the resin set + decals for Estonian Hawker Harts in 1/72 scale. They have only one question on the Estonian Hawker Harts.
Please, do you know you or some your friends, if were on Estonian Hawker Harts used two fixed machine guns Vickers on the both sides of the fuselage or only one fixed machine gun on the left side?

Many thanks for your possible answer and help.

Best regards, Marcel Kares from Czech Republic.

P.S. I´m sorry for my very bad English.

[toomas tyrk]

Hi Marcel!

Estonian Harts had 2 fixed MGs.

[Marcel Kares]

Hi Toomas.

Thanks for your answer. But this is probably question. The sources, for example English book Hawker Hart family (Mushroom Model Books) mention that the Estonian aircraft were armed with only one synchronized 7,7 Vickers machinegun.....
We don´t know any photo or photos where is right side of Estonian Hart and where is cleary see machinegun on this side.
In the Estonian book - Eesti lennukroonika – Tekste ja pilte aastani 1940 (Toivo Kitvel, Johannes Tilk, OÜ Aviopol, Tallinn 2003) is on page 126 great and very detailed photo of Estonian Hart (right side, Hawker Hart no 150) and on this photo is Hart without fixed machine gun on this side.....

Exist some photo of Estonian Hart with clean see (obvious) fixed machinegun on right side?

Thanks for your interest.

Regards, Marcel.

[toomas tyrk]

You mean this No 150 photo? Here is a more detailed view of it.

Here is another photo of No 152 from the left side. As you can see, it also doesn't carry gun.

If plane didn't have the gun on the place fitted - it doesn't mean that it didn't have the guns. Most of Harts photos I have seen - they don't also carry any guns on observer's mount...

[Marcel Kares]

Hi Toomas.

Many thanks for your another answer and your commentar.

I have one another question. My friends from Kora Models would like prepare decals with Soviet red stars for this Estonian Hawker Hart´s set also.
After the occupation of Estonia by Soviet Union was form from former aircraft and members of Estonian air force Independent squadron on airfield Jägala. This unit used among others six ex-Estonian Hawker Harts. We know many photos of ex-Estonian Henschel Hs-126 with Soviet red stars but any photo of Hawker Hart with red stars. I know only one photo of Soviet (ex-Estonian) Hawker Harts in Soviet service but on this photo are probably three totally burnt Harts (probably after the attack on Soviet Union by Nazi´s Germany).

Exist some information or photo about using of ex-Estonian Hawker Hart with Soviet red stars?

Thanks.

Regards, Marcel.

[arvolv]

Esteemed Marcel;

Given the herewith afforded opportunity, please permit me to add a few thoughts re Estonia's Hawker Hart's to this thread.

To date, I too have not come across any photographs showing Estonia's Hawker Hart's in Soviet markings. That said, please permit me to offer you the following for your consideration.

As you may be aware, two Estonian pilots, Mr. Mart NAPA and Mr. Ants REPNAU, were assigned to fly Hawker Hart a/c in the late 1930's and into 1940. Mr. NAPA flew Estonia's Hart, nr, 148; and Mr. REPNAU flew Estonia's Hart, nr. 149; both individuals were life-long friends. Of interest to note is that according to Mr. NAPA, Estonia's nr. 148 was a land-based fighter for her entire career; while Estonia's nr. 149 was both a sea plane and a land plane. Mr. NAPA was only qualified for "land" based a/c, while Mr. REPNAU was qualified for both "land" and "maritime" a/c. I had the pleasure of talking to Mr. NAPA on many occasions re his military career before he passed away - and the topic of "his" Hawker Hart often came up. I also had an opportunity to talk with Mr. REPNAU's daughter, Tiina, and was able to study Mr. REPNAU's personal documents/photo album.

When queried about the fate of "his" nr. 148 after September of 1940, Mr. NAPA advised me that Soviet military officials quickly painted over all of the Estonian national recognition triangles as well as the IAN (Individual Aircraft Number; fuselage number). Painting over the rudder of the bird makes sense, as this was in the colors of the Estonian flag. The fuselage numbers of Estonia's Hawker Hart's were black, with a cornflower blue drop-shadow. Painted against a silver-doped fabric covering, this gave the illusion of the colors of the Estonian flag - cornflower blue-black-white. Thus, Soviet military officials also painted over the Estonian IAN. Mr. NAPA no longer recalled exactly how the Soviets painted over "his" Hawker Hart - I assume that they used a similar "silver" base paint, perhaps something a bit darker/different in tone, if the "silver" paint was drawn from Soviet paint stocks. Mr. NAPA was quite sure that the Soviets did not re-skin all of the Estonian Hawker Harts in an effort to "de-Estofy" them in September of 1940.

I prepared my color plate of a VVS-marked Hawker Hart, based on the general description provided to me by Mr. NAPA and "his" Hawker Hart nr. 148; and am working on preparing a more accurate and updated series of color plates of Estonian Hawker Hart aircraft for an upcoming publication project on Estonian aviation.

Please also note that the W/T stencils, as well as the RAF notations for a/c manufacturer and paint codes, were apparently applied only on to the starboard side of Estonia's Hawker Hart's. The W/T markings show that the (British) AID (Aeronautical Inspection Directorate) verified the electrical bonding of the metal parts. This took the form of wire connections throughlut the aircraft to prevent the build up or sudden discharge of static electricity and the consequent risks of radio interference or fire. As far as I know, W/T and R/T Wireless (Morse Code) telegraphy and radio (audio/voice) telegraphy were also terms used by the RAF, but they are not related to the "W/T" stencils. On Estonian Hawker Hart's, these W/T markings were applied in the UK, when the airplanes were manufactured and readied for Export to Estonia, and the W/T stencils were retained in Estonian service. I would assume that they were retained in Soviet service as well, as these markings were not political in nature, but were of technical relevance. There are a series of well-publicized photographs of Estonia's Hawker Hart, nr. 146, which nicely show the starboard side markings. I believe that the Manufacturer/Paint Code and W/T stencils were also applied to the outer edges of the lower main and rear wings/ailerons, as was the RAF norm for the period.

Both Mr. NAPA and Mr. REPNAU highly praised the Hawker Hart. It was rugged, reliable, dependable mount/design and a pleasure to fly. I would strongly suspect that other Estonian pilots assigned to fly Hawker Hart's were of similar mind. If you need a complete roster of Estonian pilots certified on the Hawker Hart's, I am sure that such a list can be assembled with relative ease.

I hope that the above has been of some value to you.

Thank you for the honor of your time and happy new year to you as well.

Regards;

Arvo L. V.

[Marcel Kares]

Dear Estonian friends.

I would like inform you that Czech firm Kora Models now offers their new products for friends of Estonian aviation:

- complete resin kits (with Estonian decals sheets) of Estonian Hawker Harts in wheel, float and ski versions, and ex-Estonian Hawker Harts in Soviet service with Red stars.
- decals sheets for Estonian Avro Anson Mk.I and Miles M.14 Magister

All products are in 1/72 scale.....

Best regards, Marcel from Czech Republic.

[Marcel Kares]

- and another views of new Estonian products from Kora Models .....

[Marcel Kares]

The some photos of the scale (1/72) models of Estonian Hawker Harts from Kora Models....

[Marcel Kares]

and another....