1:72 Supermarine Seafire FR Mk. 23, Aéronavale, 1949

[Knightflyer]

Looks good to me, and the engine surgery just adds to the excellence as always 

[NARSES2]

Guaranteed way to wind up HM Sailors is to ask them when last won a sea battle just using ships!

I was going to say Mattapan, but then realised HMS Illustrious was involved, plus the Italian fleet was first spotted by a Sunderland. So I suppose we need to agree what differentiates a battle proper from a naval skirmish (sounds like something you get an ointment in Boots for  )

[PR19_Kit]

(sounds like something you get an ointment in Boots for  )

You probably can............... 

[Old Wombat]

Mind you both the Army and RN reckoned the RAF was just a 100 year experiment anyway.

The Army and the Navy are just bitter about the fact that the RAF always blags the best accommodation (official translation of 'Per Ardua Ad Astra' is 'Any Fool Can Be Uncomfortable').
Guaranteed way to wind up HM Sailors is to ask them when last won a sea battle just using ships!

My response as a former member of the RAN FAA;

How many sea battles were won by an Air Force?

And, for the ground pounders amongst us;

How many square miles of enemy held territory were captured by an Air Force?

Answer to both;

NONE! (Well, maybe a few of square miles by the RAF Regt)

An Air Force's function is to attain air superiority, so troops & ships can operate in relative safety. That function can just as easily be done, in many cases better, by Navy & Army operated air services.

They may, also, have strategic attack & defence roles (dropping ordnance on high command, logistics & manufacturing targets well beyond the "front" in mostly civilian occupied areas, & protecting their own command, logistics, etc., targets), which may be better performed by a dedicated Air Force.

[royabulgaf]

Seems as good an idea as any.  I know in the US surplus aircraft and stuff was going for pennies.  How was that handled in the UK?  It would seem new builds simply would not be able to compete.  Ahh, whbat the hell.  How about the RN cancelled the contracts after VJ Day and left Cunliffe Owen with a bunch of mostly complete airframes.  Merlins could be picked up for little more than scrap, and C-O could at least get something.  Yeah, that's the ticket.

[steelpillow]

Wonderful whiff. You can never have enough Spitfires, but there are very few whiffed up with this level of detail and conviction. 

Mind you, I am mildly surprised to see HG Wells's Invisible Man flying for the Aeronavale half a century later. His grandson, perhaps?