discussion Fleet Air Arm

[Guest]

Hello.
Does any manufacturer make a good 1/72 Fairey Firefly or Blackburn Skua?
The latest Scale Aircraft Modelling mag suggests Special Hobby for the latter, but my experience of them is not good.
Ideas welcomed.
Thanks
DS

 

[Steve Jones]

These links should help you Dave. Good to see you on the forum:thumb2:

https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?fkSECTION[]=All&q=1:72+1/72+Fairey+Firefly*

https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?fkSECTION[]=All&q=1:72+Blackburn+Skua*

 

[rtfoe]

I have the Special Hobby Balckburn Skua Dave and it's a nice kit. Haven't put it together but dry fitting seems ok.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[rickoshea52]

I have the Special Hobby Balckburn Skua Dave and it's a nice kit. Haven't put it together but dry fitting seems ok.

Cheers,
Richard

Will you be building it soon? I have the Roc and would be interested in your progress.

 

[Guest]

Thanks, folks.
I'll investigate.
Cheers.
DS

 

[yak face]

I know that Pavla did a skua dave , these sometimes turn up on ebay , not sure what this kits like but i did their fieseler 167 and it wasnt bad at all , bit of etch , vacform canopy but built up ok. The other option is the ancient frog / novo skua and get the airwaves etch ,which is what i’m doing as i got a cheap novo kit at cosford !

 

[rtfoe]

Will you be building it soon? I have the Roc and would be interested in your progress.

Rick, since I've just revisited the box, I might just start it. I forgot its got resin parts for engine and wheel wells, PE for seat belts and instrument panels. They even gave a negative for the instrument dials. Whats missing are the ordnance. They should have at least given the main bomb as it has the wish bone cradle and bay for it. Unless for the Norwegian campaign no bombs were carried...strange.

Dave, below are pics of the kit for your reference...

View attachment 301031View attachment 301032

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Guest]

Thanks, Richard.

 

[Guest]

Yes, it seems odd to leave the bomb out, but still include the attachments.

 

[Guest]

Dave
you can pick up on Evil Bay Frog or Novo (Russian remake ) 1/72 Skua's and Mk1 Firefly's a lot less than the special hobby or Pavla versions View attachment 301818
View attachment 301819
Here are two of mine hope this helps ? also quite easy to convert to a Roc for the Skua or a two seat trainer T1 for the Firefly
View attachment 301820
View attachment 301821
from my distant past
I have done the old Airfix mk 5(V) in the past , they also resurface occasionally on the above web site . Hope this Helps
Bobby

 

[Guest]

Dave
Forgot to mention The Airfix firefly V also had a folding wings option .
Bobby

 

[Guest]

Thanks Bobby.
I'll take a look.
DS

 

[Tim Marlow]

Hi Richard/Dave
In the Norwegian campaign they may well have been used as fighters....no point in carrying bombs then, they were slow enough as it was LOL.
Tim

 

[Guest]

...And any aircraft modeller probably has a bomb or two in his spares box anyway. A little scratch building and artistic licence and you're sorted!

 

[Tim Marlow]

It’s actually a plane I’ve always liked, I have the same 1/48th in the stash...but what was it with the Roc?...
Who was the genius that hung a wacking great turret on the back of a dive bomber???

 

[rickoshea52]

It’s actually a plane I’ve always liked, I have the same 1/48th in the stash...but what was it with the Roc?...
Who was the genius that hung a wacking great turret on the back of a dive bomber???

I read the other day that the Roc was a fighter, not a dive bomber, and was the Royal Navy's choice given that the RAF had the Defiant.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Hi Rick
I thought that at the time the RAF was in charge of procurement for the FAA? It’s why the Skua didn’t get a dive bomb site until after it had been designed and built...RAF didn’t want one so FAA didn’t get one... I may be wrong though,.there is a good book on the Skua that was cheap on Kindle, but it’s a while since I read it....
Cheers
Tim

 

[rickoshea52]

I just remembered that the Special Hobby Skua is featured in this month's Scale Aircraft Modeller - it doesn't look like a kit for the faint hearted!

 

[Tim Marlow]

Oh goody! I might leave it there for a while longer then LOL. Currently not in aircraft mode anyway....I have a part built Crikey that looks at me accusingly every time I sit at the bench...
Cheers
Tim

 

[rickoshea52]

If 1/48 was a scale you were interested in then this kit has arrived at Hannants - https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/TU05810