1:48 Blackburn Skua, 803 Sqn FAA

[Dunny]

Hi All,

 

My first completion for 2022 is Special Hobby's 1:48 Blackburn Skua. The model was completed as L2963 of 803 Sqn FAA, pilot Lt C H Filmer, TAG Midn T A Mckee DSC, flying from HMS Ark Royal. The aircraft was shot down during the raid on the Scharnhorst on 13th July 1940, and force landed near Trondheim with both crew being taken as PoWs. The aircraft was recovered by German forces, and several good photos of the aircraft therefore exist (copyright Michael Balss - images used for discussion only and will be removed on request).

 

 

There are a couple of notable things about the scheme:

 

- The non-standard centre to the fuselage roundels

- The interesting personal marking by the cockpit, which shows an arm in naval uniform firing a Luger at a wasp with a human Hitler head (of course)

- The propeller is finished with an aluminium front and black rear

 

Here's the scheme as presented by SH:

 

 

I have replicated the non-standard fuselage roundels, but chose to use standard 'B' type roundels on the wings instead of the 'A' type provided, as I felt these would be more appropriate(due to their small size I used 1:72 wing roundels from a Wildcat, which were the perfect size ). I also retained the black & white underside, although there had been an Admiralty order around this time to overpaint the underside in Sky (invoking Modeller Rule #1 - it's my model and I shall do as I wish!)

 

The kit as presented has a couple of inaccuracies, some of which I chose to correct (some of which I learned about too late!). In no particular order:

 

- The underside cavity for the bomb is the wrong shape - it should be rectangular, rather than the 'lozenge' shape presented.

- This aircraft should only have a landing light on the port wing, rather than both (this was serial number dependent)

 

As I had applied primer before I was aware of these inaccuracies, I chose to let them lie. I did however make a number of additions which hopefully have improved the end result:

 

- Scratch built the rear bulkhead in the TAG position

- Boxed in the landing lights and added lamps

- Added wingtip formation lights using clear sprue

- Scratch built the distinctive bomb release crutch using plastic rod

- Drilled wingtip hand holds

- Modified the main undercarriage legs to emulate the distinctive vertical stance

- Added non-slip walkways to both wing roots

- Changed the a/c code letter on the tail from black to blue, as was standard FAA practice at this time

 

Here's the WIP if anyone is interested:

 

I've thoroughly enjoyed learning about this unusual type, and the quality of the build has been helped immensely by several contributors, including @iang, @mick b, @Grey Beema, and @Heather Kay - thank you all very much for your advice and contribution. Anyway, enough waffle and on with the photos!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally (and just to illustrate scale, you understand ), I took a couple of shots with FAA contemporaries the Fairey Swordfish and Vought Chesapeake (one of which was a lumbering old dog, and the other was a Swordfish 🤣):

 

 

 

I've very much enjoyed building this most unusual of aircraft, and learning more about its significant contribution in the dark early days of the war. The desire to build a companion Blackburn Roc has significantly increased, as it would be rather rude not to! 

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Roger

[RMCS]

Fantastic 

[Grey Beema]

Great job Roger. Lovely finishing..

 

It’ll look great in the cabinet..

[Dunny]

33 minutes ago, RMCS said:

Fantastic 

 

11 minutes ago, Grey Beema said:

Great job Roger. Lovely finishing..

 

It’ll look great in the cabinet..

Thanks for the kind words gents - much appreciated!

[Gatesy64]

A great Skua, lovely finish.

[Homer]

Congratulations on a beautiful model, the other partner's look fine well done 👏 

[bigbadbadge]

Great work on this one Roger, it is a wonderful model.  Great finish as always too, looks great with the other two FAA aircraft and they all look gorgeous fella.

Great work  and a joy to follow.

Chris

[tonyot]

You`ve done an excellent job on this one Roger,....... I covered this very same aircraft in one of my Model Aircraft Monthly articles some years ago,........ it is just a shame that SH got the propeller wrong, being too short and possibly a little too wide,...... and it is hard to find an after market replacement? 

I love the research that you`ve done and the Skua fits in lovely with your other Fleet Air Arm models,..... all beauties mate,

Cheers

          Tony 

[Dunny]

34 minutes ago, Gatesy64 said:

A great Skua, lovely finish.

 

10 minutes ago, Homer said:

Congratulations on a beautiful model, the other partner's look fine well done 👏 

Thanks for the kind words gents - much appreciated!

[Dunny]

18 minutes ago, bigbadbadge said:

Great work on this one Roger, it is a wonderful model.  Great finish as always too, looks great with the other two FAA aircraft and they all look gorgeous fella.

Great work  and a joy to follow.

Chris

Thanks very much for the kind words Chris! Glad you enjoyed it and great to have you along for the ride,

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

13 minutes ago, tonyot said:

You`ve done an excellent job on this one Roger,....... I covered this very same aircraft in one of my Model Aircraft Monthly articles some years ago,........ it is just a shame that SH got the propeller wrong, being too short and possibly a little too wide,...... and it is hard to find an after market replacement? 

I love the research that you`ve done and the Skua fits in lovely with your other Fleet Air Arm models,..... all beauties mate,

Cheers

          Tony 

Thanks for the kind words Tony - much appreciated! I did see reference to your build during my research, although I did not personally sight it. It is a shame about the prop, but I chose not to address it. It's certainly been a learning experience about this unusual type,

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

[tonyot]

Hiya Roger,...... I think that you got the markings spot on mate,....... some of them had odd camouflage colours used after they were camouflaged to cover up the old silver and I used a series of colour pics depicting a Skua in Norway as reference;

 

 

 

And here is the model based on these colours;

 

;

 

Just to show that we are always learning,......I also did this old 1/48th resin kit (below) wearing Sky undersides using old info,....... if I were building it today I might use Sky Grey, then add Sky Blue to the undersides,..... it appears when the order to add SKY. to the undersides without any paint references or colour chips was received onboard while serving in the Med, this was interpreted as being light blue,..... as that was the colour of the Sky above after all,.... ,...... and people serving abroad had no idea what colour the official Sky paint actually was! This left  a strip of Sky Grey along the middle of the fuselage!

 

  

 

This photo shows the Sky Grey,...... with light Blue (Sky Blue?) undersides;

 

Well done again mate,..... superb job.,.... this is just for future reference if you fancy doing another in slightly different colours?Cheers

          Cheers,

                   Tony

 

Edited January 4, 2022 by tonyot

[Dunny]

18 minutes ago, tonyot said:

Hiya Roger,...... I think that you got the markings spot on mate,....... some of them had odd camouflage colours used after they were camouflaged to cover up the old silver and I used a series of colour pics depicting a Skua in Norway as reference;

 

 

 

And here is the model based on these colours;

 

;

 

Just to show that we are always learning,......I also did this old 1/48th resin kit (below) wearing Sky undersides using old info,....... if I were building it today I might use Sky Grey, then add Sky Blue to the undersides,..... it appears when the order to add SKY. to the undersides without any paint references or colour chips was received onboard while serving in the Med, this was interpreted as being light blue,..... as that was the colour of the Sky above after all,.... ,...... and people serving abroad had no idea what colour the official Sky paint actually was! This left  a strip of Sky Grey along the middle of the fuselage!

 

  

 

This photo shows the Sky Grey,...... with light Blue (Sky Blue?) undersides;

 

Well done again mate,..... superb job.,.... this is just for future reference if you fancy doing another in slightly different colours?Cheers

          Cheers,

                   Tony

 

And that's why this hobby is so rewarding, because the knowledge base keeps on evolving. I think one of @Grey Beema's builds captured the Sky underside, which was clearly implemented piecemeal. Thanks so much for sharing Tony - despite its foibles I may yet do another Skua, and I'm definitely going to get my hands on a Roc!

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

[Grey Beema]

L2927/A Flown by CO 803 NAS (Lt Cmd JM Bruen) Ark Royals Sky Blue undersides..

 

 

Hope this helps..

[Dunny]

5 minutes ago, Grey Beema said:

L2927/A Flown by CO 803 NAS (Lt Cmd JM Bruen) Ark Royals Sky Blue undersides..

 

 

Hope this helps..

That's the one GB - thank you! Lovely work by the way...

[Dunny]

12 hours ago, tonyot said:

Hiya Roger,...... I think that you got the markings spot on mate,....... some of them had odd camouflage colours used after they were camouflaged to cover up the old silver and I used a series of colour pics depicting a Skua in Norway as reference;

 

 

 

And here is the model based on these colours;

 

;

 

Just to show that we are always learning,......I also did this old 1/48th resin kit (below) wearing Sky undersides using old info,....... if I were building it today I might use Sky Grey, then add Sky Blue to the undersides,..... it appears when the order to add SKY. to the undersides without any paint references or colour chips was received onboard while serving in the Med, this was interpreted as being light blue,..... as that was the colour of the Sky above after all,.... ,...... and people serving abroad had no idea what colour the official Sky paint actually was! This left  a strip of Sky Grey along the middle of the fuselage!

 

  

 

This photo shows the Sky Grey,...... with light Blue (Sky Blue?) undersides;

 

Well done again mate,..... superb job.,.... this is just for future reference if you fancy doing another in slightly different colours?Cheers

          Cheers,

                   Tony

 

@tonyot just looking at those lovely colour photos. What is the structure behind the vertical stabiliser - is that the anti-spin parachute housing? Asking for a friend 😉

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

[mahavelona]

Awesome job. I've built this kit and it does not go together easily but you've done it proud

[Dunny]

11 minutes ago, mahavelona said:

Awesome job. I've built this kit and it does not go together easily but you've done it proud

Thank you for the kind words - much appreciated!

[Norman]

Lovely job !!!!!

[Dunny]

54 minutes ago, Norman said:

Lovely job !!!!!

Thanks for the kind words Norman - much appreciated!

[tonyot]

2 hours ago, Dunny said:

@tonyot just looking at those lovely colour photos. What is the structure behind the vertical stabiliser - is that the anti-spin parachute housing? Asking for a friend 😉

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

Hiya Roger,...... yes I think that it was an anti spin parachute,...... the dinghy was in front of the fin(you can see the opened and empty dinghy housing) and the chord for it was attached to the outside of the fuselage running from the rear cockpit. 

Edited January 5, 2022 by tonyot

[Dunny]

1 hour ago, tonyot said:

Hiya Roger,...... yes I think that it was an anti spin parachute,...... the dinghy was in front of the fin(you can see the opened and empty dinghy housing) and the chord for it was attached to the outside of the fuselage running from the rear cockpit. 

That makes perfect sense - thank you!

[Maginot]

Very nice model indeed. The camouflage colours are very good. Impressive trio of FAA types.

[Dunny]

44 minutes ago, Maginot said:

Very nice model indeed. The camouflage colours are very good. Impressive trio of FAA types.

Thanks for the kind words - much appreciated!

[73north]

Super job , shame nae bomb ! 

[wellsprop]

Utterly superb.