Jump to content

Grumman Gosling /Widgeon


rob Lyttle

Recommended Posts

16 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

it’s a simple but lovely kit!

You stop right there, Adrian!! 

 

I got myself one of those S5 kits in 1.48 just to be cast iron sure about Airfix avoidance if I ever want a Supermarine Racer.... 😎

 

So, I've got this.... 

IMG_20210923_231440

 

IMG_20210923_231501

Watery blue washed into the wood grain. 

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've gone with the "West Coast Air" decor supplied with the DHC-6 kit as it seems reasonably appropriate to the Grumman without being a representation of an aircraft that took to the skies, or the water for that matter. 

IMG_20210926_211807

 

IMG_20210926_211410_BURST004

Of course the tailfin of the DHC-6 is considerably bigger and the yellow seabird silhouette was a bit of a challenge. A compromise was arrived at by cutting across a wing and adding it back underneath the tailplane. So it's still on a blue background. I'm happy to go with a What if decoration on this. 

As for the aircraft itself, it's a bit of an oddity for a company like Grumman, isn't it? 

Wildcats, Hellcats, Avengers and even their biplane F3F "Flying Barrels" all seem to be up for a fight compliments of the US Navy and Marines, and these little guys come off the production line from time to time...... 😎

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Certainly not an oddity for Grumman: they began with the Loening single-engined floatplane design which was developed (as in complete redesign) to the JF Duck.  This was in turn followed by the successful twin-engined amphibian the Goose, and the Gosling is a smaller aircraft to the same configuration.  This was in turn followed by the Albatross and the Mallard.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You're right of course, Graham. I guess it's just there's so much focus by modellers, aviation historians and kit manufacturers on military stuff and guns and bombs and missiles, the normal aviation gets sidelined and left as an afterthought. 

I've been playing with cotton wool 😃🤣

IMG_20210926_232901

 

IMG_20210926_232916

 

IMG_20210926_232636

 

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Oh dear.... 😕

Afraid I've been off doing another project and time has just roared past. 

Deadlines here are looming. 

Well, this one is just about done and dusted, with the wing floats now attached (again....) and the exhaust pipes getting sorted there's not a lot else to do to get to the finishing line. I can see evidence of rigging lines on those floats but that's just asking for trouble. 

My DHC-6 Twin Otter is a bit more behind schedule and will require an intensive push to get to the galleries in time. 

But let's have a go..... 😎🤞

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last tweeks on the little Grumman and I think she is done. 

IMG_20211114_233553

 

IMG_20211114_233445

 

IMG_20211114_233636

I had a go at hand painting the flash streaks on the cowlings which seems to be a very typical styling for these planes. 

There's no denying that this ancient wee kit is a "challenge". Even if it is reissued as a Vintage Classic you can be sure that Airfix has done nothing to improve or resolve any of the issues embedded in the kit. 

I expect many of them end up in the bin so I'm just pleased to get some kind of a finisher out of it. 😎

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

 

Well, after a hectic weekend working in High Street retail and pretty much zero spare time, the deadline swept past. I just managed to get the Twin Otter into the galleries with the help of CliffB.... 👍

This little rascal missed the boat, but let's be honest, the only category to enter is "Dogged determination in the Face of Adversity" build. But I took a couple of gallery pictures while I was at it and I'll add them here for the sake of completeness. 

I'm being a bit harsh on this Airfix survivor from 1958 - we kinda know what we are getting into when we start a kit like this! Modelling for the fun has its own reward and fun was had alright. 

Here we go, she shall go to the Ball.... 💃🧚🧚‍♂️

IMG_20211129_111641

 

IMG_20211129_111449

 

IMG_20211129_111557

 

IMG_20211129_111735

 

And thanks for the company along the way 😎

  • Like 4
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...