Walrus swamp skimmer

[loupgarou]

I am sure I won't complete this build (as always) but wanted to try and join in.
Had an old Matchbox Walrus, thought about ways to civilize    it.

When I opened the box, I found that the fuselage halves had been already glued together (not by me), I hope I won't be accused of an advance start. 
I think long wings are OK, but too many wings aren't serious. First idea was to make a monoplane used by something like British Antarctic Expedition, then I went a step further: will reduce the lower wing to a stump, just to support the floats, and it will be a typical swamp skimmer for crocodile hunting in australian swamps.
I think that the Lewis machine guns will be accepted as regular civilian small arms, given the mission. 
Apart that the kit is also missing the rear engine struts and the front engine cone, having the fuselage already glued is annoying, putting a floor and a minimum of equiment is much more difficult, like building a ship in a bottle. 

[Mossie]

Cool, kind of an air boat then, or more of a ekranoplan type thing???

[KiwiZac]

This is a cool idea! I'm very keen to see how you execute it.

[Dizzyfugu]

Sweet. My first Walrus (loooong ago) lost its upper wings and the engine after some time, so I left it as a monoplane but added a podded radial on a single pylon on the back.
Have another one in the stash, and that will probably end as a monoplane, too, also with a new engine (Merlin) and high wings. Looking forward to see what becomes of this one. 

[zenrat]

Crikey! what a great idea.

[NARSES2]

Flippin Ada !!!  I'd think you'd need a C.O.W. gun at least for that croc rather then a 0.303"

[loupgarou]

Thaks for the comment. I hope my crew will meet smaller crocs, else I should start converting a Do-18...  
Update: I forgot to write that whoever glued the fuselage, managed to leave some pretty sets of gluey fingerprints around...
Managed to open the fuselage (except the fin) for an easier access to create a floor etc.
Wing stumps cut, glued and first putty on, found a cone for the engine nacelle (possibly a radar pod from some Corsair ?).





NOTE: concerning the ungodly cleanliness and free space you can see on my workbench, it's just because I have to work at my computer desk, the workbench is hopelessly covered with half-baked models, parts, books, old teapots ... no hope of using it at the moment.  

[scooter]

Managed to open the fuselage (except the fin) for an easier access to create a floor etc.

Cut the vertical stab off and reattach later with spacers might make it even easier.

[Captain Canada]

Neat idea. It looks like a walker in the one pic 

[zenrat]

Neat idea. It looks like a walker in the one pic 

Supermarine Mud-Skipper?

[loupgarou]

I am - slowly - working on my skimmer.
Wing stumps attached and some sessions of PSR done. Floats are not yet glued.
Have managed to insert floors and a rear wall for the cockpit. Some seats, instruments etc, will be created and positioned when external work is more advanced.
I will retain the amphibious capability, my crew refuse to get down in the water to push the craft when there are crocs around.
Wing stumps will be useful to carry killed crocs, but I'll have to find a deader-looking croc. 

[VickersVandal]

This is looking excellent. Is it going to be open-cockpit?

[loupgarou]

This is looking excellent. Is it going to be open-cockpit?

Yes, given the climate, I am going to cut open the transparent  part (hoping not to destroy it).

[KiwiZac]

That croc is adorable. If it's resin - it looks it? - then maybe using the "hot water method" for de-warping parts could help to deadify him? As soon as I saw "deader-looking croc" I thought "on his back, matching the airfoil". Maybe with stapping in an X-shape on his belly, looped over the stumpwing leading and trailing edges? Maybe I should make my own...

BTW great work on the actual machine! This is a very cool build.

[loupgarou]

That croc is adorable. If it's resin - it looks it? - then maybe using the "hot water method" for de-warping parts could help to deadify him? As soon as I saw "deader-looking croc" I thought "on his back, matching the airfoil". Maybe with stapping in an X-shape on his belly, looped over the stumpwing leading and trailing edges? Maybe I should make my own...

BTW great work on the actual machine! This is a very cool build.

Thanks for the comments.
The croc is not resin, it comes from a VERY ancient box of Airfix zoo animals. I too (after loading the photos) thought that just putting it on his back would be better. And of course it will have to be tied down, when the build is complete, for the moment I had only posed it for the photo.
I'll have to look if there are other brands of crocs around   . That box is a collector item, it would be better to sell it on evilbay than using the animals as props.