An incomplete Harvard story in 1/72 - new photos and correction

[JWM]

Hi

If North American would not designed Mustang, the Harvard/Texan family will be perhaps the best achievements of this company from WWII. OK, perhaps Mitchell - but forgot for moment about this .

The story starts with fixed u/c NA 57 .

My is done from Azur kit, drawer decals represents markings from French Ecole de Pilotage (Flying School) No 1 at Etampes in April 1940.. Profile and photo of this machine was published in book by B.Belcarz - "Polskie lotnictwo we Francji" ("Polish aviation in France"), Stratus publisher, 2002.

 

 

 

 

 

Next in my incomplete set of the whole family is Harvard Mk II b, FX 215, in markings of No 16 (Polish) FTS RAF, Newton UK. Kit by Academy, decals by Techmod.

 

 

 

 

Australian company Commonwealth based on Harvard Mk I the CA-1 Wirraway - multi purpose machine which served also as "emergency fighter". On 12 December 1941, Pilot Officer J. S. Archer of 24 Squadron RAAF shot down a Zero/Zeka fighter flying Wirraway. This is my attempt of construction this machine (kit by MPM):

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wirraway was then developed to CA 13 Boomerang - mine is made 30 years ago from Airfix kit:

For the end the whole family:

 

 

Comments welcome

Regards

Jerzy-Wojtek

 

P>S> from 2021

My Harvard family increased by NA 50 

 

I converted her from new Special Hobby Harvard in RAF kit. The longer canopy for RAF Harvard left after this build so I corrected mine old RAF Harvard  installing extended canpy:

 

 

 

And the extended family

 

Regards

J-W

 

Edited July 25, 2021 by JWM
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[BerndM]

Great looking builds from old scool kits, the only of those, that made it on my shelfs is the Boomerang.

Its always nice to see your builds :-)

[Buzby061]

Nice collection. Always had a soft spot for the Boomerang, chunky and pugnacious.

Pete

[JWM]

Thank you Bernd and Pete for comments

cheers

J-W

[Luis Alfonso]

Hi Jerzy!!!

I haven't watched this topic before but looking how to send a PM to you, found it!!!

I have a special love for the Texan planes as the old Yellow Hawk T6/SNJ rendition WAS one of my first real and serious kits in 1/72 when a friend of mine sold one with a missing canopy for Just some coins, just to get rid of she...but anyway, watching at your nicely done work, this nice family look wonderful each one portrait or together, just a nicely done rendition to this one maybe considered The greatest trainer of all times. As my country's Air force had many variants in service since WWII years, I have in my stash many variants of Texan as the Hobby Boss, Academy, Heller, Encore, Airfix in two guisses, and some 5 of the older and simpler Hawk/Testors kit (nice to make a quick build to show something here), and hope if I could make the Airfix Boomerang she will look so fine as yours are.

Thank you for sharing and let us enjoy your work.

Cheers,

Luis Alfonso

[JWM]

Thank you Luis! - I've found somwhere profile of Texan/Harvard with bombs used for anti submarine patrols over Caribbean Sea in WWII - I think it was a Mexican one. I have to find it in my files again.

Cheers

J-W

[Dennis_C]

Nice builds and story! Never knew that Boomerang is based on Texan... So, thank you for education!

[Luis Alfonso]

Thank you Luis! - I've found somwhere profile of Texan/Harvard with bombs used for anti submarine patrols over Caribbean Sea in WWII - I think it was a Mexican one. I have to find it in my files again.

Cheers

J-W

Hi Jerzy!!!

Thank youvery much for the info,as far as I know the Braziliand and Mexican did something with thisold warrior, and if by luck you

you have the chance to get the profile, would be grateful if you can share it,

Cheers!!!

Luis Alfonso

[JWM]

Hi Luis,

Here is something about this Mexican Texan which droped depth charges on an U-boat:

https://athabaskang07.wordpress.com/tag/mexican-air-force/

The link to another article, I was thinking about, is not working now (error 404). I will PM you with stored page.

Cheers

J-w

[Luis Alfonso]

Hi Luis,

Here is something about this Mexican Texan which droped depth charges on an U-boat:

https://athabaskang07.wordpress.com/tag/mexican-air-force/

The link to another article, I was thinking about, is not working now (error 404). I will PM you with stored page.

Cheers

J-w

Hi Jerzy!!!!

Thank you very much!!! I have read the story and seen the pics, and in the other page found the story about the Texan who dived into a German Sub....GREAT!!! Will tell my friend Mr Aldo Flores, owner of Aztec decals in México if he has something about that, and will tell you later.

Cheers!!!

Luis Alfonso

[JWM]

Thank you Dennis and Luis for comments.

BTW - it is interesting how the Mexican Texan/Harvard carried bombs? - it is not clear from those texts and photos...

Cheers

J-W

[Luis Alfonso]

Thank you Dennis and Luis for comments.

BTW - it is interesting how the Mexican Texan/Harvard carried bombs? - it is not clear from those texts and photos...

Cheers

J-W

Hi Jerzy!!!

Lets go discovering how......maybe in the ventral point as the AT6D has a provision to take a Drop Tank in the central part of the wing and the Harvard has some points but only take eight 10-15 pound bombs as the ones used in the Mau Mau problem in Africa.....but let us check and as soon as posible we have something you will be properly informed!!!...while, just enjoy Glenn Miller Time!!!

Cheers and happy week!!!!

Luis Alfonso

[JWM]

Hi,

I modified (corrected) mine RAF Harvard using new SH canopy or rather only last section of it.

The family was enlarged also by recent build of NA 50

Regards

J-W

 

[Bertie McBoatface]

You did a solo group build of a neglected subject and did it very well. 

[JWM]

11 hours ago, Bertie Psmith said:

You did a solo group build of a neglected subject and did it very well. 

Many thanks. This is something what fascinating me - the development of a construction. I am strongly tempted to do all variants and usually I have to fight against it, not to end up with a dozen models of a single specie (resulting in non build any of the others specie) ... But 3 or 5 are still reasonable, I hope, especially concerning  a type which was  a subject of massive production.  

Regards

J-W

 

[Bertie McBoatface]

Your fascination is my fascination. On my shelf are four Hellcats and ready for my next armour build are four Valentine tanks. I think 3-5 is a good number of models to explore a type. Or a theme such as a particular battle.

 

It's also a way to make the best use of a single reference book

[Bertie McBoatface]

6 minutes ago, JWM said:

Many thanks. This is something what fascinating me - the development of a construction. I am strongly tempted to do all variants and usually I have to fight against it, not to end up with a dozen models of a single specie (resulting in non build any of the others specie) ... But 3 or 5 are still reasonable, I hope, especially concerning  a type which was  a subject of massive production.  

Regards

J-W

 

Your fascination is my fascination. On my shelf are four Hellcats and ready for my next armour build are four Valentine tanks. I think 3-5 is a good number of models to explore a type. Or a theme such as a particular battle.

 

It's also a way to make the best use of a single reference book

[abat]

That's a great theme and a nice collection J-W.

[JWM]

9 hours ago, Bertie Psmith said:

our fascination is my fascination. On my shelf are four Hellcats and ready for my next armour build are four Valentine tanks. I think 3-5 is a good number of models to explore a type. Or a theme such as a particular battle.

 

It's also a way to make the best use of a single reference book

I am prepared to bulid some Russians this way - four Petlyakov Pe2 (including Pe3, trainer and radial engine one), two Sukhoi Su2, two Yak bimotor fighterss (Yak 2 and 4), three Tupolev SB2 (+fourth - the Arkhangelsky Ar 2) and five different variants of  Po-2 (only five!). It sounds like a year plan, what terrifying me... I have to dilute it with other projects... Seven JU 88,188 and 388 waits many years as five B 24 do also... Now I stacked in Capronis upper wing machines (101 finished, 111 and 133 on the way)...

 

 

9 hours ago, abat said:

That's a great theme and a nice collection J-W.

Thank you. I like to do the second liners including the trainer machines, They are so rarely constructed....

 

Regards

J-W

 

 

 

[Bertie McBoatface]

5 minutes ago, JWM said:

I am prepared to bulid some Russians this way - four Petlyakov Pe2 (including Pe3, trainer and radial engine one), two Sukhoi Su2, two Yak bimotor fighterss (Yak 2 and 4), three Tupolev SB2 (+fourth - the Arkhangelsky Ar 2) and five different variants of  Po-2 (only five!). It sounds like a year plan, what terrifying me... I have to dilute it with other projects... Seven JU 88,188 and 388 waits many years as five B 24 do also... Now I stacked in Capronis upper wing machines (101 finished, 111 and 133 on the way)...

I am not surprised that you are terrified by a list like that!

 

If my models on the Phantom Group Build turn out ok I might do a few extra, F-4B to J, just the major variants and in 1/72 to save space. Hawker Hurricane variants are also within reach. On the ground, I'm slowly building a series of M3 Medium tanks. Fortunately, there's no end to the subjects we can choose. Happy modelling!