Old Man

The photographs put up by the gentleman from Wales are a real find. It is an interesting period for design, but part of its attraction for me is the air of 'calm before the storm' that hovers about service types in those few years before they were put to unforgiving trial.

I have nearly finished a 1/72 model of a 155 Sqdn Mohawk IV in late 1943. I recently took another look at this well-known picture... It seems to me that looking from the wing-tip to the fin of both 'F' and 'B', lines can be observed that are consistent with the radio equipment Curtiss installed in P-36s delivered to the USAAC. Is it possible Mohawks in Burma were using pre-war US radios in August 1943? I am open to suggestions I have discovered Professor Lowell's canals on Mars, and seeing things that aren't there. In fact, I'd kind of rather they weren't, i

Thanks, Russ. I always look forward to your Indo-China builds.

It is quite a spread, Sir. About the only thing I've seen come close is this: Wallis and the Vicker's engineer Pierson calculated such a high aspect ratio wing would have great aerodynamic advantages, especially at higher altitudes. Their calculations also showed if an attempt was made to construct such a wing with then-current techniques, these advantages would be forfeit either through great weight or great fragility. The geodetic structure Wallis pioneered was strong enough and light enough to build such a wing.

Glad you like it, Sir. There were some sand-mottled examples on the Republic's side. It's just a guess, but based on the schemes applied to the Fury, and later Ni-D 52 machines, its use on Soviet types might indicate it had got a thorough overhaul. I have read that the 'no tocan' marking was to indicate a machine not in airworthy condition, rather than a pilot's emblem. The Soviet Warplanes site is a great place to poke about for information on the colors and schemes of Soviet types in Republican service. http://massimotessitori.altervista.org/so

Something I don't think serious builders nowadays consider when contemplating the panel line 'trenches' sometimes featured on Matchbox kits is that most of these kits were put together by young people who brushed on enamel paint, and if the line was to be evident at all after that, it had to be somewhat exaggerated.

Thanks, Steve. It is always fun to come upon a ripping yarn....

Thank you, Sir. Your derivation had never occurred to me, and I can see how such stenciling might have contributed. The proportion of wing to fuselage, and the machine's manouverability, certainly do suggest a housefly....

Thank you, Sir. I like them as well, particularly their biplanes. They kitted a lot machines you'd never expect to see a big company do.

One is supposed to be a mirror image of the other, swapping sides and colors. Early on it was thought if machines all had the same camouflage pattern, that might stand out to an observer. That's a nice compendium of the Wellesley's greatest hits. Thank you.

Nicely done, Sir. I've scratch-built two English machines involved --- a Short 827 and a Martinsyde Scout, both in 1/72. It was a campaign of singular interest.

Glad this bobbed back up, Sir. I had not seen it before. Damned good show!

My thanks, Sir, and welcome to the forum! That's quite a trove of pictures your dad snapped. It is good of you to share them. It looks like your dad got into a most interesting pitch doing his bit. Your model looks very good. One of us is 'B-scheme', it looks like, but I've no idea which it is. I've liked the Wellesley ever since first seeing it in a Putnam catalogue of RAF aircraft as a boy. Before I started looking for background towards a peacetime subject, I was surprised to find out how much publicity was devoted to the Wellesley in the early going of t

Thanks, J-W. The finish is flat except under the lamps in the light box, at certain angle. It got a good coat of Tamiya rattle-can matte. New Soviet machines would have had a gloss finish, and the Spanish paint probably started out gloss, at least. But I wasn't trying for any effect. I agree many volunteers in the International Brigades were not themselves Communists, though recruited through Communist parties, and serving under Communist control. That sounds like quite a way to read Orwell....

Great build of a wonderful subject, Sir! That is a fascinating period.