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Finished entries

Started by nev, September 27, 2008, 07:13:55 PM

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nev

Please post images of your completed model here

1)  No more than 3 images per entry please.  This is to reduce loading time and clutter

2)  Please include a link to your build thread

3)  Could all members please refrain from making comments in this thread please - if you could use the build thread, that will again reduce clutter.

Many thanks.
Between almost-true and completely-crazy, there is a rainbow of nice shades - Tophe


Sales of Airfix kits plummeted in the 1980s, and GCSEs had to be made easier as a result - James May

Spey_Phantom

on the bench:

-all kinds of things.

puddingwrestler

There are no good kits, bad kits or grail kits, just kitbash fodder.

nev

Between almost-true and completely-crazy, there is a rainbow of nice shades - Tophe


Sales of Airfix kits plummeted in the 1980s, and GCSEs had to be made easier as a result - James May

kitbasher

Westland Warlock I JR128 'K', 656 Sqn RAF, February 1945
The Westland Warlock represents the coming together of several developments in aviation.  Industrially, it combined Westland's reputation for innovation, its history as a manufacturer of army co-operation aircraft for the RAF (such as the Wapati, Wallace and Lysander), its work in the 1930s on two autogyro designs, the CL-20 and the C-29, and its role as a manufacturer of the Supermarine Spitfire.  Indeed Westlands built more Spitfires than any other manufacturer and would go on to be the major designers of the Supermarine Seafire, the navalised conversion of the Spitfire.
Militarily, the Warlock represented a further development of the RAF's traditional army co-operation role.  This had originally focussed on policing from the air the various outposts of Empire, but during World War 2 had evolved into a close support role.  Tactics originally developed by the Desert Air Force in support of Montgomery's 8th Army were refined and applied by 2 ATAF in the European campaign before and after D-Day.  While rocket-armed 'cab-ranks' of Typhoons and other types provided invaluable support for the Army in the field, the Army wanted something that could provide 'organic' air support – something that could travel with the Army and operate from unprepared strips, roads even, and in concert with Auster-equipped Air Observation Post aircraft.
On hearing of this requirement, Westlands quickly devised a plan to capitalize upon its army co-operation, autogyro and Spitfire experience.  They proposed a design that would be quick to build and deploy.  The design would incorporate many refurbished components from early models of the Spitfire, and would pack a punch.  Thus was born the Warlock.
To meet the 'quick to build' requirement, Westlands decided to use redundant Spitfire Mk II and V airframes, to which Merlin 45s driving 4-bladed Rotol propellers would be fitted.  The fin and rudder were removed and a modified tailplane fitted.  The Warlock would not carry internal armament, instead weaponry was to be hung from modified Spitfire outer wing sections (the ailerons were removed and replaced by additional wing skinning).  A rotor mast and rotor were fitted.
The type entered service in small numbers in late 1944.  A Flight of six Warlocks was attached to each of the AOP squadrons supporting the British Ar's advance across Northwest Europe.  As they carried no internal armament, Warlock were always operated in pairs or multiples of two.  Each pair would consist of one Warlock carrying eight rockets, while the other would carry two Vickers 40mm 'S' cannons in the same manner as the Hawker Hurricane IId and IV (indeed, they were the same guns and pods).
Although Warlocks packed a punch, they could be vulnerable to ground fire if operating tactics were not followed to the letter.  They met with some success but never delivered the promised performance.  Essentially, the autogyro gunship was flawed – a powered rotor was need but helicopter development was in its infancy.  It would be another 65 years before the British Army got the dedicated battlefield gunship it needed back then.
(donor kits: Airfix Spitfire Ia, Kopro Spitfire IXc, Italeri Spitfire IXc, Eastern Express Spitfire I, Airfix Typhoon Ib, Airfix Mosquito NF.II/FB.VI/FB.XVIII, Airfix Whirlwind HAR.22) ;D ;D



See the build and more of the finished item at http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,21218.msg300998.html#msg300998
What If? & Secret Project SIG member.
On the go: Beaumaris/Battle/Bronco/Barracuda/F-105(UK)/Flatning/Hellcat IV/Hunter PR11/Hurricane IIb/Ice Cream Tank/JP T4/Jumo MiG-15/M21/P1103 (early)/P1154-ish/Phantom FG1/I-153/Sea Hawk T7/Spitfire XII/Spitfire Tr18/Twin Otter/FrankenCOIN/Frankenfighter

ysi_maniac

Will die without understanding this world.

Brian da Basher

Here's my Gloster-Nieuport Greyhound:







It sure ain't easy following that Elizabethan Spitfire!

Brian da Basher


Ed S

#7
In the early days as war was starting in Europe, the RAF realized it needed a high performance aircraft that could perform bomber and attack missions and not be as vulnerable to enemy fighters as it's existing bombers.  So Supermarine was asked to design a plane for this mission, which they based on the Spitfire since it was the most high performance a/c in the RAF at the time.

To meet the RAF requirement for a high performance bomber and attack a/c, the Supermarine company decided to base this new a/c on their Spitfire.  They went to work enlarging the Spitfire by 50%.  Called the Stormbird, it was designed for a crew of 3; pilot, bombadier/navigator and radio operator/gunner.  The greater size and weight meant that more power was needed.  So they made it twin engined.  The original prototype was quickly built and flew using two Merlin powerplants.  However, the Merlins were a higher priority for the high altitude fighters and bombers, so the a/c would have to be re-engined.  Normally aspirated Bristol Hercules engines were fitted and the Stormbird Mk II flew.  It proved to be an able performer at low altitudes, but without superchargers, it's high altitude performance was less spectacular.  Fitted with 4 forward firing 20mm cannons in the wings and two flex mounted .303 machine guns, the Stormbird was an affective strafing platform as well as a difficult target for enemy fighters.  It could carry 4 500 pound bombs in the fuselage bomb bay and had racks under the wings to carry additional weapons.  Capable of either level or dive bombing, the Stormbird found great favor with the RAF in SE Asia and the Pacific theater.

Here is the Spitfire bomber next to a 1/72 Spitfire Mk Vb.




Here is the underside of the bomber.




Here is the port side of the bomber.




The build thread can be found at:

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,21276.0.html


The Spitfire bomber started as a Hobbycraft 1/48 Spitfire Mk XIV and was "scale-arama'd" to 1/72.

Ed
We don't just embrace insanity here.  We feel it up, french kiss it and then buy it a drink.

nev

Sputumflamma Mk.II, personal transport of the Emperor Augustus Terencius Campionicus Aztecus







http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,22125.15.html
Between almost-true and completely-crazy, there is a rainbow of nice shades - Tophe


Sales of Airfix kits plummeted in the 1980s, and GCSEs had to be made easier as a result - James May

PR19_Kit

Looks like I found my way back here just in time.....

Supermarine Spitfire F32 TP781
34 Sqdn. FEAF Palam, India 1946.




   
Developed by Supermarine specifically for escorting the Tiger Force Lancasters on their long range attacks on
the Japanese home islands, the Spitfire F32 followed the classical 'twinning' formula in order to give much
greater range and endurance to the FEAF escort squadrons. 

34 Sqdn converted to the twin Spitfire from its previous Thunderbolts at Palam, near Delhi in June '45, and flew
on all the Tiger Force raids. Subsequently the squadron was forward based on some of the many small strips
on the Chinese mainland, where it supported the invasion forces during the landings on Honshu and Hokkaido.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Model built from two Aeroclub vacform Spitfire MkXVIII conversion fuselages, with outer wings from an Airkit
Mk 21. The center wing section came from an Airfix MkV, with added plasticard and Airkit cannons.
The cockpit interior and various accesory parts were donated by a brace of Heller MkXVIs. Mucho White Stuff
filled in the gaps, of which there were many, and inspiration for the whole thing came from my old mate Bob Owen,
late ofTrent Plastic Modellers, which is fairly amazing as he is a died-in-the-wool Luftwaffe nut!

Regards
Kit Spackman
Kit's Rule 1 ) Any aircraft can be improved by fitting longer wings, and/or a longer fuselage
Kit's Rule 2) The backstory can always be changed to suit the model

...and I'm not a closeted 'Take That' fan, I'm a REAL fan! :)

Regards
Kit

NARSES2

Do not condemn the judgement of another because it differs from your own. You may both be wrong.

nev

And that's all folks.  Thanks to all who entered  :thumbsup:
Between almost-true and completely-crazy, there is a rainbow of nice shades - Tophe


Sales of Airfix kits plummeted in the 1980s, and GCSEs had to be made easier as a result - James May