1/32 Tamiya Spitfire “Grey Nurse”

[chameleon2009]

1/32 Tamiya Spitfire “Grey Nurse”

 

Robert Henry Maxwell Gibbes, DSO, DFC & Bar, OAM (6 May 1916 – 11 April 2007) was an Australian fighter ace of World War II, and the longest-serving wartime commanding officer of No. 3 Squadron RAAF. He was officially credited with 10¼ aerial victories, although his score is often reported as 12, including two shared; Gibbes was also credited with five aircraft probably destroyed, and a further 16 damaged. He commanded No. 3 Squadron in North Africa from February 1942 to April 1943, apart from a brief period when he was wounded.

Born in rural New South Wales, Gibbes worked as a jackaroo and salesman before joining the Royal Australian Air Force in February 1940. Posted to the Middle East in April 1941, he flew with No. 3 Squadron in the Syria–Lebanon Campaign, and became commanding officer during the Western Desert Campaign, where his leadership and fighting skills earned him the Distinguished Service Order and the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar. Subsequently, posted to the South West Pacific, he served with No. 80 Wing of the Australian First Tactical Air Force, and took part in the "Morotai Mutiny" of April 1945. After the war, he spent many years in New Guinea developing local industry, for which he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2004. He continued to fly until the age of 85.

 

This is the Tamiya build, with resin wheels, and HGW seatbelts, she went together rather well, as you would expect with Tamiya, I used both Tamiya paints and MRP paints, with various washes and pigments to enhance panels, enjoy Mike

 

[jenko]

That's really nice and great weathering. A small point ... can you repaint the crow bar on the door.... not red please .. interior green. 

 

Thanks for sharing 

 

Dick

[SAT69]

Beautiful rendition of an amazing airplane. Like the background story as well. Your photography is excellent.

[chameleon2009]

4 hours ago, jenko said:

That's really nice and great weathering. A small point ... can you repaint the crow bar on the door.... not red please .. interior green. 

 

Thanks for sharing 

 

Dick

Dick thanks for the comments, its been painted over, so you can just see minimum red under the green, thats what the client wanted Mike

[jenko]

5 minutes ago, chameleon2009 said:

Dick thanks for the comments, its been painted over, so you can just see minimum red under the green, thats what the client wanted Mike

No probs. Mike.  Modern day H&S that seems to creep into authentic. ..... the well known Spitfire bug bare. 

 

Cheers

 

Dick

[bigbadbadge]

Oooooo I like this,  cracking Spitfire.   Great work. 

Chris