Jamie McTrusty
LightNews LightNews
banner
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
Jamie McTrusty
@jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
2.6K followers 51 following 4.6K posts
Posts on (mostly) Second World War aviation and naval history. See ALT text for picture credits and additional information!
Posts Replies Media Videos
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
Beitzen was one of three German destroyers engaged in an offensive sweep, which also sank a tug and a barge. They were then engaged by British destroyers, with HMS Javelin having her bow and stern blown off, losing 45 crew. She was towed back to port and repairs took a year.
📷 keymilitary.com
Mangled wreckage that was once the bow of a British destroyer. Mangled wreckage that was once the stern of a British destroyer. Diagram titled ‘DAMAGE CONTROL SAVED HMS JAVELIN’, with a sectional illustration of a destroyer highlighting how the ship was kept afloat.
November 29, 2025 at 7:48 PM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
Great as always - BTW you mentioned the aircraft in the illustrations - they’re Grumman Martlets, the Fleet Air Arm version of the American Wildcat fighter. Here’s one about to take off from HMS Formidable, which took part in the operation.
Grumman Martlet naval fighter, a compact, rather chunky radial engined aircraft. It’s pictured on an aircraft carrier flight deck, engine running.
November 28, 2025 at 6:18 PM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
There was one other aspect to the Welkin programme. A single NF Mark II two-seat radar equipped version was completed, though no production order followed. There was no need for the type when Mosquito night fighters were already proving highly successful.
📷 yeovilhistory.info
🧵6/6
Overall grey camouflaged Welkin on a concrete airfield dispersal under overcast skies. It carries a ‘thimble’ radome on its nose.
November 27, 2025 at 3:59 PM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
The Welkin’s armament was four 20mm cannon. The type officially entered RAF service in May 1944, though in the event just 2 aircraft were used to develop high altitude tactics at the Fighter Interception Unit until September. The type was officially retired in November.
📷 historynet.com
🧵5/6
Overhead view of an overall grey camouflaged Welkin in flight at medium altitude amid scattered white clouds. Below is an irregular patchwork of fields bordered by hedges and trees.
November 27, 2025 at 3:59 PM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
The Welkin’s cockpit was pressurised, but set at 24,000 feet, meaning pilots still had to wear an oxygen mask and survival suit. The need to maintain a seal around the cockpit resulted in a complex electrical system, which required extensive checks before every flight.
📷 historynet.com
🧵4/6
Frontal view of a Welkin on a wet concrete airfield dispersal, surrounded by waterlogged ground. Its 4-bladed propellers and large wing root radiator intakes are evident.
November 27, 2025 at 3:59 PM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
The most striking aspect of the Welkin’s design was its wingspan of 70ft, necessary to maintain stability at its maximum altitude of 44,000 feet. However, this resulted in the aircraft needing careful handling and the risk of losing control at high speed was significant
📷 militarymatters.online
🧵3/6
Underside view of a Welkin banking steeply to port. It’s in standard day fighter camouflage and carries a ‘P’ prototype marking on the fuselage.
November 27, 2025 at 3:59 PM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
Though bearing some resemblance to the Westland Whirlwind, the Welkin Mark I was a very different beast. Its two 1,200hp Merlin 76/77 engines were fitted with two-stage superchargers to maximise high altitude performance. In tests, the aircraft reached 385mph at 26,000ft.
📷 IWM ATP 12398E
🧵2/6
Welkin on a wet concrete airfield dispersal. It’s in standard day fighter camouflage of light undersides and two-tone dark upper surfaces.
November 27, 2025 at 3:59 PM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
The Westland Welkin (1942) was designed to counter sorties by high altitude Luftwaffe bombers over Britain. In the event, this threat was short-lived and existing fighters proved able to perform the same role. 67 aircraft were completed, but none saw operational use.
📷 militarymatters.online
🧵1/6
Overall grey camouflaged Westland Welkin banking to starboard in clear skies at altitude above a layer of overcast. It’s a rather graceful twin inline-engined aircraft, the nacelles extending beyond the trailing edge of the wing. The aircraft has a short nose, behind which sits the cockpit, mounted above the long-span wing. A slender fuselage tapers to a straight-cut tailplane.
November 27, 2025 at 3:59 PM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
Yes, I had the 88 as well - these photo boxes were my early Airfix years, which is probably why I usually went for the more exciting-looking Matchbox kits!
1980s vintage Airfix kit of a Junkers 88, featuring a photograph of the completed model as the ‘box art’.
November 23, 2025 at 4:41 PM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
A number of Junkers 88s ended their days as flying bombs, part of the ‘Mistel’ program. Fitted with shaped charge warheads, a fighter mounted on top would control both aircraft, releasing the Ju 88 close to the target. Very few successful missions were flown.
📷 historyofwar.org
🧵10/10
Junkers 88 fitted with a large warhead, a long conical fuse protruding from the front. Mounted above on struts is a Messerschmitt 109 fighter. The combination is parked on an airfield dispersal.
November 23, 2025 at 12:08 PM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
The Junkers 88S was optimised for speed, with the ventral gondola and external bomb racks removed. Used from early 1944 as a bomber and pathfinder, the type could reach 380mph when GM-1 nitrous oxide boost was used. Relatively few saw service, however.
📷 plane-encyclopaedia.com
🧵9/10
Junkers 88 with streamlined glazed nose and no ventral gondola flying above a broken cloud layer. It carries mottled camouflage above, with black undersides.
November 23, 2025 at 12:08 PM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
The Junkers 88D was a specialised photo reconnaissance variant. This Romanian D-1/Trop, flown by a defecting pilot to Cyprus in July 1943, was handed to the USAAF for evaluation. It’s now at the National Museum of the USAF in Dayton, Ohio.
📷 media.defense.gov
🧵8/10
Colour image of a restored Ju 88 in Romanian markings, parked in a museum hangar with other aircraft alongside.
November 23, 2025 at 12:08 PM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
The Junkers 88G was arguably the most capable night fighter operated by the Luftwaffe. Mounting improved SN-2 radar, it carried 4x20mm cannon in a belly pack and could also mount the lethal ‘Schräge Musik’ upward firing guns.
📷 IWM CH 15686
🧵7/10
Junkers 88 parked on an oil-streaked airfield dispersal. It mounts prominent offset radar antennae on its solid nose. There’s no undernose ‘gondola’, but a belly pack of guns can be seen further back, below the bomb bay.
November 23, 2025 at 12:08 PM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
The Junkers 88R was a dedicated night fighter, equipped with more powerful BMW engines. This aircraft, equipped with what was then the latest Lichtenstein radar set, was flown to Scotland by a defecting crew in May 1943. It’s now preserved at the RAF Museum, Cosford.
📷 IWM HU 108219
🧵6/10
Junkers 88 on an airfield taxiway. Though in day camouflage of dark upper and light undersurfaces, it mounts radar antennae on its solid nose, through which gun muzzles protrude.
November 23, 2025 at 12:08 PM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
The Junkers 88C was a long range fighter and night fighter, mounting 3 forward-firing machine guns and three 20mm cannon. Ju 88s of KG 40 mounted patrols into the Bay of Biscay, posing a serious threat to RAF Coastal Command. These aircraft were pictured in May 1943.
📷 falkeeins.blogspot.com
🧵5/10
Echelon left formation of three Junkers 88s, viewed across the wing of a fourth, flying at low altitude above a mixed rural/urban area. Predominantly camouflaged in light colours, their wings have a darker irregular wave pattern applied.
November 23, 2025 at 12:08 PM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
Other ‘A’ variants included ‘tropicalised’ aircraft, torpedo bomber and ground attack. This Ju 88A-4 of KG 77, with distinctive camouflage, has been optimised for anti-shipping use with a forward-firing 20mm MG-FF cannon. It was based at Comiso in Sicily.
📷 Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-417-1766-03A
🧵4/10
View of a Ju 88 from below, flying in clear skies. Its light coloured undersides have received a dappling of dark spots. The muzzle of a fixed gun protrudes from the front of the ventral gondola.
November 23, 2025 at 12:08 PM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
The most numerous variant, with a lengthy array of subtypes, was the Ju 88A bomber. These entered service in late 1939 as the A-1 (pictured here), but although it soon emerged as the most capable Luftwaffe bomber the Ju 88 was still vulnerable against fighter opposition.
📷 IWM MH 6115
🧵3/10
Echelon right formation of three Junkers 88s flying at altitude through broken cloud cover. Single machine guns are visible in the front and rear cockpits and the lower rear gondola.
November 23, 2025 at 12:08 PM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
The original concept for the Junkers 88 was a ‘Schnellbomber’, faster than some contemporary fighters. The first prototype is pictured here. However, a dive bombing requirement and a growing list of additional equipment soon compromised this vision.
📷 vintageaviationnews.com
🧵2/10
Unpainted Junkers 88 flying at low altitude over fields. It’s carrying a prominent civilian registration but has a swastika on the tail. Unlike production aircraft, only the lower half of the nosecone is glazed.
November 23, 2025 at 12:08 PM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
The Junkers 88 (1936) evolved into the most versatile aircraft used by the Luftwaffe during the Second World War. It served on all fronts in roles including bomber, heavy fighter, reconnaissance aircraft and night fighter. Over 14,600 were produced.
📷 Roy Cross/Airfix
🧵1/10
Colour artwork depicting a splinter camouflaged Junkers 88 diving towards a Royal Navy cruiser, steaming at speed, which is surrounded by bomb splashes. A bomb is falling from underneath the port wing. On the sea below, brown smoke rises from a crashed aircraft. The Ju 88 is a twin engined aircraft with all its crew in a forward compartment with glazed nose and large cockpit canopy. There’s a ‘gondola’ underneath to accommodate both a lower rear gunner and a bombsight forward.
November 23, 2025 at 12:08 PM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
Several complete Helldivers remain today, including this SB2C-5 at the Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy Center. Too late to see combat, it flew from USS Lexington in the Pacific between September and December 1945.
📷 airandspace.si.edu
🧵10/10
#NavalHistory
Immaculate Helldiver, camouflaged overall midnight blue, in a museum hangar. Its wings are folded, meeting above the cockpit.
November 22, 2025 at 11:40 AM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
Several nations operated the Helldiver into the postwar period, but Britain wasn’t one of them. Only 1820 NAS was actually equipped with the type, for evaluation purposes, and they were disbanded in December 1944. This aircraft is pictured at RNAS Burscough.
📷 royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk
🧵9/10
Helldiver in British markings, parked on a damp tarmac taxiway on an airfield.
November 22, 2025 at 11:40 AM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
A variant of the Helldiver, the A-25 Shrike, was developed for the USAAF but they weren’t required by the time production aircraft arrived. 410 were transferred to the USMC, where only one squadron used them operationally and the rest were used in second line roles.
📷 warbirdsresourcegroup.org
🧵8/10
Camouflaged closely resembling a Helldiver, flying at medium altitude through broken cloud.
November 22, 2025 at 11:40 AM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
USS Lexington Helldivers returning from a mission to support the Marines on Iwo Jima, March 1945. By this point, the type was proving its worth to the fleet. SB2Cs could be fitted with underwing rockets and gunpods to make them more effective in a ground attack role.
📷 NHHC 80-G-412523
🧵7/10
Loose formation of five Helldivers flying at medium altitude over the ocean, which is sparkling with reflected sunlight.
November 22, 2025 at 11:40 AM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
SB2Cs from USS Intrepid en route to attack the Japanese fleet during the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, 24th October 1944. By this point, the type was proving its worth to the fleet. The radio operator manned twin 0.30 guns, while the pilot controlled two wing-mounted 20mm cannon.
📷 NHHC S-475.01
🧵6/10
Viewed across the wing of another aircraft, a Helldiver flies in clear skies. The radio operator is manning his guns in the rear cockpit, canopy open.
November 22, 2025 at 11:40 AM
jamiemctrusty.bsky.social
For all its faults, the Helldiver was faster than the Dauntless, featured an internal bomb bay and could carry a heavier payload. It was also able take some punishment and continue flying, as with this SB2C from USS Essex after a raid on Marcus Island in March 1944.
📷 80-G-373614
🧵5/10
Grinning pilot in flying gear looking through a sizeable jagged hole in the rudder of a Helldiver. His crewman, standing in front and below, seems rather less impressed.
November 22, 2025 at 11:40 AM