I managed to finally finish off the 1/72nd scale Supermarine Walrus last week, it has been sitting half finished for months , but just couldn't seem to find the time to complete it.
Pretty much out of the box this one, but added in port and starboard windows, rigging, radio aerials and decided to give it a seawater-weathered finish.
The model features the Supermarine Walrus MkII of 1700 NAS, Operating from HMS Emperor, as part of the British Pacific Fleet in the Far East in 1945.
Although fragile in appearance, this amphibious aircraft proved to be extremely rugged, could take punishment from enemy fire, land on rough seas, and even take the strain of a catapult take-off from a ship. During trials, one Walrus was accidentally landed in the sea with the wheels down, resulting in a sudden and abrupt cartwheel upon contact with the water surface. One would have thought that the aircraft would have been ripped apart and would have sunk with loss of life with such an event, but amazingly the aircraft remained intact, afloat and the pilot was rescued (albeit a bit battered).The aircraft was serviced and back in full operation within a few days!
The walrus was used effectively throughout WW2 predominantly as a reconnaissance and rescue aircraft (assigned to rescuing downed pilots adrift at sea). This particular model features the aircraft flown by Lieutenant A.F.Lawrence RNVR, who rescued a pilot from the sea, 200 yards from Japanese forces on Car Nicobar on July 8th 1945.
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