Jump to content

1/72 Airfix Firefly


Recommended Posts

Continuing the Royal Navy theme, it's way back to the time of HMS Glory serving in the Korean War, with her air group of Fireflies and Sea Furies.

 

First up, the Fairey Firefly. I'll be making it oob as usual but adding a few odd bits here and there. I might try and do a different serial number/code to the decals, as I try not to ever make models of aircraft that have crashed. Only problem is, information from this far back is hard to come by; I have no idea which specific Fireflies 812 NAS used, so it might be time for artistic licence. 

 

Nice box art ...

 

spacer.png

 

It's an old kit, so I assume there'll be errors and fit issues? Anyone have any tips?

 

As a start, I've given the observer a few more boxes to play with, his position was looking somewhat sparse.

 

spacer.png

 

And the crew can now safely belt up ...

 

spacer.png

Edited by Lord Riot
  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Lord Riot said:

 

First up, the Fairey Firefly. I'll be making it oob as usual but adding a few odd bits here and there. I might try and do a different serial number/code to the decals, as I try not to ever make models of aircraft that have crashed. 

 

I try to do a similar thing if it's a crash with few or no survivors while not in combat for anything after WW2, it's a bit difficult to get accurate information on many aircraft in WW2, and so many went down. What's your reasoning behind not making aircraft that crashed?

I'll probably make an exception for 9M-MRO at some point... that's a bit more personal than most. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Adam Poultney for me it just seems a bit disrespectful to the lost crews if I get pleasure out of representing something that took their lives. I guess some will see it different and a model can be a tribute, which I totally understand as a different point of view. I just wouldn't want to look at a model on my shelves and think that people died flying the real one. I always feel sad when we lose aircrew, risking their lives to defend freedom.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmm the ethics of modelling. I think of it as a snapshot of history. If you’re modelling military subjects then for the most part the real thing most probably may have killed someone, at the very least it’s what they were designed for. 
 

I suppose this is why I dislike egg kits as I feel they trivialise this aspect of military modelling.

 

To be completely free of this you could only model non military subjects, but even they can have killed test pilots etc, particularly common in early aviation.

 

To each their own sensibilities.

Edited by Marklo
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Lord Riot said:

@Adam Poultney for me it just seems a bit disrespectful to the lost crews if I get pleasure out of representing something that took their lives. I guess some will see it different and a model can be a tribute, which I totally understand as a different point of view. I just wouldn't want to look at a model on my shelves and think that people died flying the real one. I always feel sad when we lose aircrew, risking their lives to defend freedom.

 

That's pretty much how I feel about it. Although I think most of my WW2 aircraft that I've found information on went down but that was war (including a Spitfire flipping while taxiing where no one was hurt).

I think the ethics of what we do is quite important to consider. I think everything we do is non-political, and from an objective, respectful and neutral viewpoint. As @Marklo said, we are recreating a snapshot in history. 

 

 

 

Edited by Adam Poultney
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

To add to my point, I have Jewish ancestry  but have no issue building Luftwaffe or Wehrmacht models ( ironically my wife and daughter got upset at the swastikas, so now anything German gets a different treatment ie my fw190 was in captured American markings. I’m building a Ju 87 which will either be Japanese or Spanish civil war, haven’t decided yet)

 

As well as modelling I am a big history buff. So I think it’s that that underpins my love of modelling and the subjects I choose, although these days ( with the exception of modern jets and Luftwaffe schemes) I tend to just model whatever takes my fancy.  I used to specialise in Luftwaffe and WWI German aircraft, but not anymore.  
 

 

 

Edited by Marklo
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's an interesting point isn't it. All down to personal feelings I guess. Certainly I could never make fairly recent crashed aircraft. Like Adam says, WW2 would be kind of ok, illogically because it's so far away to me, although I'd still try to make one that nobody was killed in if possible.

 

There's no logic to it though, as I sit here I can see a Vulcan with a Blue Steel stuck under it! All I can say is thankfully Blue Steel never actually killed anyone, quite the opposite in fact, in terms of its deterrent value, so to me that's ok. Crashes seem somehow worse.

 

Anyway, back to the Firefly! I added a few extras in the cockpits, but on closing them up it's so small you can't really tell!

 

spacer.png

 

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am slowly but surely building out a collection of aircraft flown when making claims by Royal Navy Aces.  To me the important thing is remembering the Pilots.  The FAAs contribution to operations in WW2 is largely forgotten but should be remembered.

 

Now, the Firebox, one of the best looking propellor aircraft of the Royal Navy (not sure that's much of a compliment)...

 

Mind if I sit by the bar for this build....

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If one does not wish to depict the sadly lost and missed WB271,might one direct one to this:

 

https://www.fleetairarm.com/exhibit/fairey-firefly-tt4-vh127/6-30-22.aspx

 

She was built as an FR.4 and initially served 812 at Ford(FD tail code)side numbered 208.

 

One would imagine the external differences 'twixt FR.4 and FR.5 will be minimal?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Despite its age, it goes together quite well. No major issues so far.

 

Extra dark sea grey upper, glossy, the same as the Phantom. 

 

spacer.png

Edited by Lord Riot
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just the canopies left to paint, then it should be ready for decals. I'll probably need to do some weathering behind the exhausts after that. 

 

spacer.png

 

I added a few little extras in both cockpits, though they don't really show much in this scale!

 

spacer.png

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Back on the Firefly after a couple of weeks off getting married!

 

Lots of framework to paint on the cockpits. It's a shame these can't be shown open really, I think most of the cockpit detail I made will be pretty much hidden.

 

spacer.png

 

Ready for decals!

 

spacer.png

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...