More "Aircraft of the Aces"

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Some forum members were kind enough to commend my efforts in making a tribute to Eric Lock, and so I thought I’d post a couple more of my “Aircraft of the Aces” that I completed during the lockdown period. So here are two of the aircraft flown respectively by Robert Stanford-Tuck and by Douglas Bader.

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Starting with the Stanford-Tuck Hurricane, I’ve built it as the aircraft flown by him in September 1940 as Acting Squadron Leader of 257 Squadron, based at RAF Coltishall. /media/tinymce_upload/7dc17b69f9819d1e6e34c4571a2d36c3.jpg

It was built from the 1/72 scale Hawker Hurricane Mk I (Gift set!) A55111. With the exception of the squadron codes and the serial number (DT-A V6555), and the ‘kill’ symbols along the side of the area forward of the cockpit, everything else was straight out of the box. /media/tinymce_upload/23fe48f0cb974a864d4ff1ba2d894cb4.jpg

As usual, it was painted using brush-applied Vallejo Model Air, then sprayed with Vallejo Matt Varnish which I find helps to blend the decals, but also mutes the colours slightly without the need for any pigment filters being applied. /media/tinymce_upload/161784ea59cd2ea49c1fdadc7330de4a.jpg

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The Spitfire Mk IIa represents the aircraft flown by Wing Commander Douglas Bader, OC Tangmere Wing in March 1941. /media/tinymce_upload/0f35fcab22af4b33b910cd523e1da816.jpg

I have to confess that it is not built from an Airfix kit. I couldn’t find a Mk IIa Spitfire currently in production other than the one made by a company beginning with a ‘R’. You’ll be aware that the only visual difference really between a Mk I and a Mk II is the slight bulge of the Coffman starter on the fight of the fuselage just behind the airscrew: /media/tinymce_upload/db929455bd7b9d84fadbf59054f0db97.jpg

It does build into a nice little model – obviously I’d rather it was an Airfix kit, but sometimes “needs must”. It was a "Spitfire Fund" aircraft, the money having been donated by the Isle of Man; the 'Manxman' decal was home-printed.

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Again, it was brush-painted using Vallejo Model Air, and other than the decals, was also – like the Hurricane – an OOB effort.

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Hope you approve!

[Peter s]

I approve! I think the airfix Va kit is basically a IIa. There's a choice of spinners and all sorts of spare parts in that box.

BTW for radio aerial cables I use 0.2mm brass rod for the horizontal and for the smaller wire hanging down a bit of my wife's hair. Thats long and reddish blonde and often sticks to models whether I want it or not. Its about the right scale and sticks easily with superglue gel.

[Dominic Thomas]

Your comment at the start of this post about sharing some more pictures of your other Aircraft of the Aces prompted my to look through all your posts.

You don’t pull any punches, do you? Your photography is first class in that it reveals excellent detail, in focus. I would be very scared to do this, but your Modelling skill is rewarded by this I think. Where the model is top quality, the pictures reflect this. They also reveal some issues which result from older mouldings which would be very difficult to address in an OOB model. 

Well done and thank you for sharing these informative pictures.