Daz's Movie Madness!

[MarkyM607]

Here's another one for you to think about, Daz: Topper's fighter (aka a Folland Gnat in grey with "The Navy" on its side in large blue(?) letters) from Hot Shots! It'd make a good companion for the F-14 and "MiG-28".

Of course, given what happened to the aircraft in question during the film, you might not want to actually assemble the kit...!

Special Hobby do that scheme in their Gnat F.1 kit, although current opinion is that the ones in the film weren't F.1 Gnat's but T.1's (or the trainer version).

[DazDaMan]

Possibly with the rear cockpit faired over....?

[MarkyM607]

Possibly with the rear cockpit faired over....?

Yes, that's what is thought. Crikey they're tiny things aren't they!?!.

[DazDaMan]

Good against Sabres, apparently.

[DazDaMan]

A couple of works in progress:


Spitfire Ia (replica) from First Light, and Hurricane IIc from Angels One-Five. Both 1/72 Airfix kits.

[DazDaMan]

It might surprise each and every one of you that I haven't yet built a plane from this film:



However, I do plan on remedying that very soon!

There is, of course, more than one aircraft that has to be done from the film. David Niven, playing test pilot Geoffrey Crisp, flies a Spitfire Mk.II at the end of the film, and succeeds in knocking down a Bf109. Although it's just a bog-standard Mk.II, in normal 501 Squadron markings, I feel that it definitely warrants an inclusion in the collection.

The other, of course, is the replica of the prototype, K5054, which flies towards the end of the film, with Niven's character at the controls.

The aircraft is a Mk.II, but it appears to be fitted with a two-blade prop (which is certainly seen later on in the film). As far as the colour scheme goes, well.... The film is in black and white, so the closest I can think is a light grey. Standard RAF markings all round, too, so it should be easy enough!

[ShaunW]

I agree Daren, a couple of Spits from this film are definitely worthy of inclusion into your film star collection. I don't know what kit you have in mind but the Airfix new tool MkI/IIa should give you all the parts you need including the two-bladed prop. Of course it's hard to say what colour that replica prototype should be, light grey might well be a good bet.

[DazDaMan]

Yep, the Airfix kit was my thinking, too!

[DazDaMan]

First Light Spitfire Ia, finished:











And here's the real thing:

(Well, it's technically a replica, but you know what I mean!)

[Tarkas]

Crikey, they're tiny things aren't they!?!.

Not big at all... I may have told this one before, but what the heck, it bears repeating. Some years ago, I was studying at a university which had its own airfield (which probably immediately identifies it for anyone in the UK ). At said airfield was based an ex-RAF, ex-Red Arrows Gnat T.1A, whose owner would go flying in it on the weekend. Accordingly, every Friday, around about lunchtime, he would turn up to make sure it was ready for the weekend, and particularly that it was full of fuel. He would do the latter by towing the Gnat down to the fuelling station behind his car -- a huge great black limo, significantly longer that the aircraft . And so one of the sights of the place was watching this ginormous black car tow this tiny little bright red aircraft behind it. Honestly, you'd have sworn it was a couple of out-of-scale toys from a kid's toy box.

As regards the Hot Shots aircraft, definitely T.1s, and yes, the Indian AF did christen the Gnat F.1 (not to mention their own improved version, the Ajeet) the "Sabre Slayer". Whether the name was justified is a matter of some debate, but the Indians don't care.

[DazDaMan]

Well, it looks like at least one of the First of the Few Spitfires is gonna get built soon!

[ShaunW]

The First Light Spit has turned out well Daren

[DazDaMan]

Cheers, Shaun. It took me far too long to do, though!

[Migrant]

A very nice collection Daz. Have you seen this 1/72 Pfalz D.III from the 'Blue Max' movie? It's the Roden kit but comes with decals for all of the spurious lozenge.

[DazDaMan]

Ooh, I've never seen that!

I haven't done a Blue Max movie plane yet, as that lozenge pattern scares the bejesus out of me! However, I might be tempted to get that one to add to the collection.