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This is my 1/72 AZ Models Fulmar - Will be built as Fulmar Mk.II N4065 of 804 Squadron as utilised from the Navy’s Fighter Catapult Ships (FCS) One of my earlier builds this year was a Hurricane of the MSFU. Before the MSFU the Fleet Air Arm was catapult Launching Fulmars from ships (The Fighter Catapult Ships (FCS)) To continue the theme, the aircraft I am building, N4065, was launched at least twice from an FCS and was flown from HMS Springbank on 10 June 1941 by PO(A) Frederick James Shaw, RN (who incidentally made the first operational launch from an FCS on 11 January 1941) . His three documented operation launches from an FCS accounts for 1/4 of the 12 recorded FCS operational launches. Tragically PO Shaw was killed on 02 August 1942, Aged 28, with 881 Sqn when his Martlet stalled and crashed in the sea whilst landing onto HMS Illustrious.

The 48th scale Sea Hurricane by Airfix presents a choice between two equally interesting subjects. In particular, P2731 is well documented in a photograph that has been published in more than one place. The best reproduction I have is in the Aeroplane Collectros' Archive issue on Fleet Air Arm Aircraft of World War II. The Airfix camouflage diagram gives the aircraft as based on HMS Eagle in 1941, however what the published photo shows is rather clearly the deck of HMS Furious. The history of this aircraft, reported in Sturtivant "Fleet Air Arm Aircraft 1939 to 1945", is: To RN 3.41; 880 Sqn 9.41; 804 Sqn ('S7F') 10.41; Yeovilton 1.11.41; Eagle 26.11.41; 760 Sqn Yeovilton 2.42 - 5.42 ...etc. however, something does not match. Furious left Britain on 30 August, carrying Hurricane reinforcements for Malta and embarking four Sea Hurricanes of 880A Sqn. P2731 was reportedly one of these; Furious left Gibraltar on 18 September and eventually reached Norfolk, USA for a refit lasting from 7 October to March 1942. P2731 was reportedly left in Gibraltar Eagle left Gibraltar on 21 October 1941, headed to Liverpool and a refit; having no fighters in her complement (only the Swordfish of 813 and 824 Sqns) Eagle was assigned two Sea Hurricanes for protection during the passage home. P2731 may have been one of the two; Eagle's refit lasted from 1 November 1941 to 9 January 1942, which is compatible with the date of 1.11.41 for P2731 at Yeovilton; the date of 26.11.41 for Eagle makes no sense, could it be 26.10.41? the code 'S7' is usually associated with 804 Sqn. However, this unit is not recorded aboard Furious, where P2731 indeed was. Putting everything together, it would seem that the first half of September 1941 is the only time when P2731 may have flown from Furious. The fact that it had 804 Sqn codes might be explained by the assignment to 804A Flt in Gibraltar, this unit forming right on 18 September. Everything rests on conjecture. Can anybody help with additional information?

Finished this one two days ago, and here are the photos, followed by an interesting 'back story';Sea Hurricane IIc, NF700, 804 Sqdn, Ouston, January 1943 (1) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrSea Hurricane IIc, NF700, 804 Sqdn, Ouston, January 1943 (6) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrSea Hurricane IIc, NF700, 804 Sqdn, Ouston, January 1943 (9) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrSea Hurricane IIc, NF700, 804 Sqdn, Ouston, January 1943 (10) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrSea Hurricane IIc, NF700, 804 Sqdn, Ouston, January 1943 (22) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrSea Hurricane IIc, NF700, 804 Sqdn, Ouston, January 1943 (24) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrSea Hurricane IIc, NF700, 804 Sqdn, Ouston, January 1943 (27) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrThe kit was built 'out of the box', without modification, but the markings became one of my head banging exercises. I wanted a Sea Hurricane to join my RAF Ouston, Northumberland, collection, because 804 Squadron FAA were based there for a month in January 1943. This was the only time that the Navy ever used Ouston, and possibly they were doing trials or exercises with new built warships off the Tyne. I thought it would be easy to find 804's markings, given that it is well known FAA squadron, and I had a definite date to work with. Wrong!Sea Hurricane NF700 had an interesting history, and was originally built as a Hurricane Mk.IIc for the RAF with the serial number KW921. However it was retained in the factory and together with others was converted to become a Sea Hurricane IIc. Together with its six (later nine) companions NF700 was delivered to 804 Squadron and embarked on the aircraft carrier HMS Dasher. In October 1942 they sailed for the Mediterranean to join the American led invasion of French occupied North Africa. This was "Operation Torch", and to try and disguise the British participation, all aircraft taking part were painted with American 'stars' in place of the British markings. The theory was that the Vichy French defenders were more likely to capitulate to their 'friends' the Americans.HMS Dasher returned to Britain late in 1942 and 804 Squadron disembarked and spent brief periods at two FAA airfields before arriving at RAF Ouston. By then it is assumed that the "Operation Torch" markings would have been removed and replaced with 804's normal codes, as shown on the model above. After spending the month of January 1943 at Ouston, 804 Squadron moved to Northern Ireland at the beginning of February, and handed all their aircraft over to 835 Squadron, including NF700. The story does not end there, because 835 Squadron had the aircraft overpainted in 'Arctic white' and embarked on the aircraft carrier HMS Nairana to join the Arctic convoys to Russia. It was on this voyage in 1943, that NF700 was landing back on the carrier in rough seas, when the pitching ship made it strike the stern, and it ended up crashed on the flight deck with a broken back. It was classed as a write off, and would have been stripped of useable spare parts, and dumped over the side into the sea. Cold and deep Arctic waters have low oxygen levels, so even salt water corrosion is held at bay, and it is quite likely that the remains of NF700 still exist to this day in its watery grave off Norway.The 'white' Sea Hurricanes of 835 Squadron have been much modelled, and therefore serial numbers for NF700 were readily available. So this was the serial I chose for the model. However the individual code letter it wore with 804 Squadron is unknown, so I guessed at 'S7-A' on the thin assumption that 804's Commander would have chosen the new aircraft with the 'best' serial number for himself.Thanks for looking.