Gloster F5/34 Fleet Air Arm fighter

[Admiral Beez]

I'm mocking up a 1:72 Gloster F5/34 as a folding wing FAA fighter, entering service in early 1941. I plan to use the decals from a RN Sea Hurricane or Martlet, as the Skua and Fulmar would likely be too large.

 I've ordered the below decal set. I'll go for the circled paint and decal scheme but will add the Royal Navy inscription more common to later schemes.

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 The end product paint scheme will look like this Corgi Sea Hurricane.

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I've also reproduced the wing from resin cast so I can practice cutting and installing the doll house hinges.    The ideal fold will result in an aircraft that is narrower than the 22ft wide lift on HMS Ark Royal, but lower than the 14ft hangar height found on the Illustrious class.

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Here are some good photos https://forum.warthunder.com/t/gloster-f-5-34/246894.  I am going to keep the partially exposed undercarriage wheels on the premise that Folland and Gloster thought them useful for recoverable deck landings when the main gear is disabled.   If I had a 3D printer I would consider printing a new wing with Hurricane or Fulmar like undercarriage, but I'll be happy with the original spec for this go.

[The Wooksta!]

You'll need to re-engine it, likely with a Taurus or possibly a Perseus.  Had it got into service for the Navy, the RAF would have chucked their toys out of the pram about the engine being a Mercury, as they needed them all for the Blenheims.  This is why the in service Skuas had Perseus whereas the prototypes flew with Mercuries.

[Admiral Beez]

Here's what ChatGPT suggests it would look like, with FAA scheme superimposed onto existing photos of the prototype.

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[kerick]

Nice looking aircraft. Carry on!

[chrisonord]

Nice looking bird 

[kitbasher]

Gloster Gannet.

Might just prevent the Sea Lords renaming Hellcats 'Gannets' (it also hastens their decisions to revert to Wildcat and Avenger instead of Martlet and Tarpon) and doesn't stop Fairey using the name for their beastie.

[The Wooksta!]

I do have a mould for Perseus cowlings, plus what I think is a P&W Wasp (I was gifted a Magna master for Liberator transports). 

[Mossie]

Twin wasp has some potential as a few types that had Bristol powerplants were re-engined with it.

Gloster Glorious? Gloster Grenadier?

[Mossie]

The British never installed US motors in their own aircraft.  Bristol Australia put P&W into their Beauforts, but I expect Bristol UK was told to sod off by Canberra, lol.   

The RAF operated the Beaufort Mk.II with Twin Wasps, as well as the Sunderland Mk.V and Wellington Mk.IV (albiet in Polish squadrons).

[The Wooksta!]

Miles Master and Vickers Warwick also few with US engines, not to mention all the Spitfires, Mosquitoes and Lancasters with US built Packard Merlins.

There was a war on, we needed and used what we could get.

[CammNut]

ChatGPT did some interesting things to the two aircraft in the background! AI hallucinations?

[PR19_Kit]

ChatGPT doesn't know the rules for FAA aircraft.....................

They didn't carry fin flashes. 

[jcf]

Gloster Gannet.  Might just prevent the Sea Lords renaming Hellcats 'Gannets' (it also hastens their decisions to revert to Wildcat and Avenger instead of Martlet and Tarpon) and doesn't stop Fairey using the name for their beastie.

And we can claim copyright, even if Gloster's first Gannet was rubbish.  If we can make a good Gannet we might not see either the Fulmar or Sea Hurricane, freeing up Merlins for the RAF.  Gloster was part of Hawker Siddeley, so we'd better keep Sir Sydney Camm happy.

" ... claim copyright ... " on what?
The FAA assigned the name Gannet to the Hellcat not Grumman.

[kerick]

ChatGPT did some interesting things to the two aircraft in the background! AI hallucinations?

AI just can't understand what to do with propellor blades. Both of the aircraft in the background look like they've been in a wreck. Plus I think it tried to make them look like a Brewster Buffalo!

[Admiral Beez]

The micro hinges have arrived.  I'm now test fitting them onto the demo wings, having first cut a channel.