I’m calling this done.
Build here:
I’ve made a little scene very loosely based on this well known image
[ATTACH]106240.IPB[/ATTACH]
My scene has Flt Lt ‘Willie’ Lindsay arriving at the floatplane base on Egypt’s Bitter Lake to see exactly what he has volunteered for. Lindsay was on a ‘rest’ tour at the Middle East Gunnery School at El Ballah, in Egypt, when he heard a call for Spitfire pilots to drop into the Adjutant’s office with details of hours on type. Lindsay thought this sounded interesting, so off he went. He was subsequently sent off to report to the station commander, Wing Commander Wilson MacDonald.
I’ll let him explain in his own words:
“My answers to some prepared questions seemed to satisfy the CO, who then said, “Lindsay, at this stage I am unable to tell you much about the operation you have volunteered for, but it will involve flying sea planes. Pack your shaving gear and a clean shirt and organise a Harvard for after lunch tomorrow when you will fly me to 107 Maintenance unit at Kasfareet on the Great Bitter Lake.” I was not aware that I had volunteered for anything, but the prospect of something new and different sounded interesting, and seaplanes at that.”
Here’s Lindsay and his future charge:
[ATTACH]106241.IPB[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]106242.IPB[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]106243.IPB[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]106244.IPB[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]106245.IPB[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]106246.IPB[/ATTACH]
The sharp eyed will notice that the Spitfire is camouflaged in the Temperate Sea Scheme, which must have stuck out like a sore thumb in the desert. This is because the intention was for the float planes to operate from secret bases in the Greek islands, supported by radar equipped submarines, against Italian supply routes. The military situation prevented this ever happening. It was probably just as well. The floats leaked badly, not a problem when the aircraft could be hauled out onto a slipway (as in my scene) and the floats drained, but a rather more serious issue when operating off water permanently!
The Trumpeter kit, on which this is based went together nicely, but you can't make this float plane from the kit!
I had to use Xtracolor paints for the upper camouflage colours as my preferred Colourcoats are currently unavailable. They sprayed nicely and I'll use them again if I have to. They take a looong time to dry.
It was good fun, but I'm not sure I'll be building anything else in this scale anytime soon. The model is just too big
Cheers
Steve
Build here:
I’ve made a little scene very loosely based on this well known image
[ATTACH]106240.IPB[/ATTACH]
My scene has Flt Lt ‘Willie’ Lindsay arriving at the floatplane base on Egypt’s Bitter Lake to see exactly what he has volunteered for. Lindsay was on a ‘rest’ tour at the Middle East Gunnery School at El Ballah, in Egypt, when he heard a call for Spitfire pilots to drop into the Adjutant’s office with details of hours on type. Lindsay thought this sounded interesting, so off he went. He was subsequently sent off to report to the station commander, Wing Commander Wilson MacDonald.
I’ll let him explain in his own words:
“My answers to some prepared questions seemed to satisfy the CO, who then said, “Lindsay, at this stage I am unable to tell you much about the operation you have volunteered for, but it will involve flying sea planes. Pack your shaving gear and a clean shirt and organise a Harvard for after lunch tomorrow when you will fly me to 107 Maintenance unit at Kasfareet on the Great Bitter Lake.” I was not aware that I had volunteered for anything, but the prospect of something new and different sounded interesting, and seaplanes at that.”
Here’s Lindsay and his future charge:
[ATTACH]106241.IPB[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]106242.IPB[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]106243.IPB[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]106244.IPB[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]106245.IPB[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]106246.IPB[/ATTACH]
The sharp eyed will notice that the Spitfire is camouflaged in the Temperate Sea Scheme, which must have stuck out like a sore thumb in the desert. This is because the intention was for the float planes to operate from secret bases in the Greek islands, supported by radar equipped submarines, against Italian supply routes. The military situation prevented this ever happening. It was probably just as well. The floats leaked badly, not a problem when the aircraft could be hauled out onto a slipway (as in my scene) and the floats drained, but a rather more serious issue when operating off water permanently!
The Trumpeter kit, on which this is based went together nicely, but you can't make this float plane from the kit!
I had to use Xtracolor paints for the upper camouflage colours as my preferred Colourcoats are currently unavailable. They sprayed nicely and I'll use them again if I have to. They take a looong time to dry.
It was good fun, but I'm not sure I'll be building anything else in this scale anytime soon. The model is just too big
Cheers
Steve
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