Halifax desktop metal model

[GimmeAnF]

Hello,

This is my very first topic so hope you'll forgive me if this is not the right place for a desktop metal model!

http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=1&u=11938121

http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=2&u=11938121

http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=3&u=11938121

http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=4&u=11938121

My father served in WW2 with 346 Sqdn/Groupe Guyenne, flying in Halifaxes from Elvington, Yorks in 1944-45, but he never told me where it came from. I very much doubt it could have been made in France after the war, when his unit was stationed at Bordeaux-Mérignac.

Has anybody ever seen that sort of model? And has anybody any idea if this was an "official" one or whether it was a one-off made during one's "spare time"?

Thanks in advance!

[rdxtnt]

Can't really help you on that one chap. Good to see you and a big to the site anyway. Why not come along to the new members section on the chat forum and say hello to everyone. Might be someone who'll know.

Gary

[keefr22]

Hello,

This is my very first topic so hope you'll forgive me if this is not the right place for a desktop metal model!

http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=1&u=11938121

http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=2&u=11938121

http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=3&u=11938121

http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=4&u=11938121

My father served in WW2 with 346 Sqdn/Groupe Guyenne, flying in Halifaxes from Elvington, Yorks in 1944-45, but he never told me where it came from. I very much doubt it could have been made in France after the war, when his unit was stationed at Bordeaux-Mérignac.

Has anybody ever seen that sort of model? And has anybody any idea if this was an "official" one or whether it was a one-off made during one's "spare time"?

Thanks in advance!

When I was a kid (a long,long time ago in a galaxy far,far away....), I used to covet two models in a similar style to this one, that were owned by the next door neighbour of my late aunt. They were a Mosquito & Spitfire, and they were a little more detailed (had prop blades, stands etc) They'd actually been made by the late husband of the lady that lived next door to my aunt, & she told me he'd been a silversmith (IIRC) before the war & did his national service in the RAF as a metalworker repairing battle damage. The models had apparently been made from 'recycled' aluminium from either a wrecked RAF or Luftwaffe aircraft!! They were stunning models (at least to an impressionable 8-10 year old!!) & she told me I could have them when she departed this mortal coil. Unfortunately when she passed away her relatives (who'd been conspicuous by their absence for all the years my aunt could remember) descended like locusts & stripped the house bare within a day!!!

Keef

[John]

Brass models like this were fairly common in this part of the world (Central Scotland) when I was a kid in the 1960s. They were made in the local foundries, Falkirk being a centre of the light casting industry until about 20 years ago with Carron Company and Allied Ironfounders having a major presence in and around the town. My dad, who was an engineering patternmaker with Allied, told me they were made from scrap, often flash or offcut from munitions work, and were cast to simple patterns knocked up by anyone in the foundry who was keen on building wooden models.

They made all sorts of things "on the side", from scrap and offcut.

John

[GimmeAnF]

Ok, thanks for the answers.

For all I know, this was most probably a one-off, 'trench art' as I've been told.

Cheers !

[bodchris]

It's not a one off trench art! My father has one of these, exactly the same as your model. He served with 10 Sqd on Halifax's at Pocklington.

The origin of these brass models is quite simple: My father informed me that enterprising individuals would make a model to cast a mould, gather shell cases, melt them down, pour the molten metal into the mould and then sell to servicemen the resulting rough cast model. The purchaser had then to rub down and polish to make a finished item. This was the case with my father's model. He borrowed files and emery paper and made a very passable model. He also has a Spitfire made from airframe white metal airframe alloys supplied by the same chap.

Apparently a fair number were made! Do not confuse these with cheap Indian sourced rubbish floating around, the originals are dimensionally quite accurate.

Sorry, I don't have photo's, but next time I'm with him I'll try to remember to take some shots.

Regards

Chris

[GimmeAnF]

It's not a one off trench art! My father has one of these, exactly the same as your model. He served with 10 Sqd on Halifax's at Pocklington.

The origin of these brass models is quite simple: My father informed me that enterprising individuals would make a model to cast a mould, gather shell cases, melt them down, pour the molten metal into the mould and then sell to servicemen the resulting rough cast model. The purchaser had then to rub down and polish to make a finished item. This was the case with my father's model. He borrowed files and emery paper and made a very passable model. He also has a Spitfire made from airframe white metal airframe alloys supplied by the same chap.

Apparently a fair number were made! Do not confuse these with cheap Indian sourced rubbish floating around, the originals are dimensionally quite accurate.

Sorry, I don't have photo's, but next time I'm with him I'll try to remember to take some shots.

Regards

Chris

Hi Chris,

Now that's some information! Thanks a lot : I've already tried to obtain information on a couple of forums but you're the first to state it's not a one off.

Pocklington and Elvington both being in Yorkshire (how far apart?), this would go some way towards explaining why the two models are exactly the same, I suppose?

Of course I'm looking forward to seeing some photos of your model.

Thanks again. Cheers