First Kill Hudsons – RCAF Eastern Air Command and USN U-boat Hunters (revised & updated edition)
Back by overwhelming demand thanks to the handsome new (August 2026) ICM kit. This extensively revised edition of our original long-sold-out 2014 Hudson set caters for the newer1/48 kit with USN tail flashes redesigned to better fit its separate rudders, and a few other detail decal changes. The documentation has been subjected to a fresh edit which incorporates new(er than 2014) research and historical interpretation.
Decals to model at least two (one RCAF and one USN) of eight different aircraft with multiple variations of several of them, featuring enough common markings and, if you choose your subjects with variety in mind, you may get two models of RCAF subjects – one early and one late scheme out of a single set.
One subject is a Hudson I, which will need the older Classic Airframes kit or conversion (to reflect the engine change) of the ICM kit’s first boxing.
The aircraft and crews represented in this set had varied degrees of success against at least nine U-boats; U-85, U-165, U-458, U-503, U-517, U-521, U-656, U-658, and U-754. All actions occurred in 1942 off the Atlantic coast of North America.
Printed on one full A4 sheet (trimmed into 3 smaller sheets to keep the packaging size down for compact shipping).
Eleven 8.5 x 11in. pages of illustrated documentation included – printed full colour throughout.
• Hudson Mk.I #784 of 145 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Squadron, RCAF, Torbay Newfoundland.
F/O Robinson and crew– U-658 sunk 30 October 1942. Two scheme variations are covered for this aircraft.
• PBO-1 Hudson 82-P-8 of VP-82, US Navy, NAS Argentia, Newfoundland
Ensign Tepuni and crew – U-656 sunk 1 March 1942.
• PBO-1 Hudson 82-P-9 of VP-82, US Navy, NAS Argentia, Newfoundland
AMM 1/C Mason and crew – U-85 attacked 28 January 1942, U-503 sunk 15 March 1942.
• Hudson Mk.IIIA BW403 of 113 (BR) Squadron, RCAF, Yarmouth Nova Scotia (Chatham, New Brunswick, detachment)
P/O Keetley and crew – U-165 attacked 9 September 1942.
• Hudson Mk.IIIA BW616 of 113 (BR) Squadron, RCAF, Yarmouth Nova Scotia (Mont Joli, Quebec, detachment), winter 1942 / 1943
Unique SCR-521A radar-equipped aircraft was very active on squadron during the Battle of the St. Lawrence.
Optional scheme and markings for the time this aircraft spent at Test & Development Establishment, Rockcliffe, Ontario for radar integration through the summer of 1942.
• Hudson Mk.IIIA BW617 of 113 (BR) Squadron, RCAF, Yarmouth Nova Scotia
Flown by S/L NE "Molly" Small on second sortie of the day when U-754 was sunk (see BW625)
• Hudson Mk.IIIA BW624 of 113 (BR) Squadron, RCAF, Yarmouth Nova Scotia (Chatham, New Brunswick detachment)
F/O Belanger and crew – U-517 attacked three times between 25 and 29 September 1942. U-517 had sunk nine vessels in Canadian coastal waters between the northern entrance of the Strait of Belle Isle an up the St. Lawrence as far west as Cap-Chat prior to being driven off. F/O Belanger was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in large part for his actions during the engagements with this particular U-boat.
• Hudson Mk.IIIA BW625 of 113 (BR) Squadron, RCAF, Yarmouth Nova Scotia
Officer Commanding S/L NE “Molly” Small and crew – U-754 sunk southeast of Sable Island, 31 July 1942. U-89 and U-458 were also encountered by this crew, in this aircraft, within a week of the U-754 action.
The richly detailed Docs file – the Aviaeology "magazine article in a decal bag" you may have heard about – is also available as a PDF e-publication that you can use to zoom in to high magnification on-screen, or print out in colour. Internet-connected registered owners of this decal set get the docs for free.
Additional material in this particular set's Docs includes reference photographs and illustrated articles on modeling radar and ILS aerials used on various subject aircraft, and on the finish and markings of Hudson aircraft operated by Eastern Air Command through 1942.decal An article on RCAF Hudson camouflage scheme evolution, as well as detailed decal placement and painting instructions for all subject aircraft variations completes the coverage.
A separate general decal preparation / application instruction sheet completes the package.