Supermarine Spitfire VB - "Paddy" Finucane Airfix 1/72
Discussion
Not another boring old Spitfire, I hear you say.
Well, having struggled for the last few weeks with a fiddly and time consuming decal session on an Airfix Trident airliner (it will be finished soon, I promise), I decided to fall back into my comfort zone and build something World War 2 and simple.
Well, you can't get much simpler than the 1974 vintage Airfix Spitfire VB.
The kit shows its age and is devoid of any meaningful cockpit interior. However, with the thick cockpit canopy in place, most of the interior will be completely invisible. So I have decided to scratchbuild a crude instrument panel and some basic sidewall detail but nothing else. I will also insert Paddy the Pilot ( you will see why I've chosen this title later) as he will help fill the void.
Overall, the outline of the kit is pretty accurate and when built it definitely looks every inch a Spitfire.
The version of the kit I am using is a recent release but it still contains the scheme for the version that was issued 40 years ago, i,e, Jan Zumbach's RF-D. However, as I built that version a few years ago, I decided I would have a go with with a plane that represents that of another immigrant RAF pilot, this time one from a bit closer to home.
Brendan Eamon Fergus Finucane was from Rathmines in South Dublin. His dad was an ex-member of the IRA and had fought against the British in 1916 and 1921. Despite that, Brendan and his brother Raymond were 'plane mad and desperate to join the RAF. His dad apparently had no problems with this and, in fact, the whole family emmigrated to London in 1936.
True to their ambitions, both brothers were successful in joining the RAF. Raymond ended up in Bomber Command and survived the war. Paddy (as Brendan became known to his RAF colleagues) became a fighter ace and eventually the youngest Wing Commander in the RAF (he was 21 at the time).
He was credited with downing 28 enemy aircraft.
Sadly, he was lost on operations in 1942 when he had to ditch his Spitfire in the Channel. He was unable to get out of the sinking aircraft.
This will be my tribute to Ireland's greatest World War 2 ace.
Well, having struggled for the last few weeks with a fiddly and time consuming decal session on an Airfix Trident airliner (it will be finished soon, I promise), I decided to fall back into my comfort zone and build something World War 2 and simple.
Well, you can't get much simpler than the 1974 vintage Airfix Spitfire VB.
The kit shows its age and is devoid of any meaningful cockpit interior. However, with the thick cockpit canopy in place, most of the interior will be completely invisible. So I have decided to scratchbuild a crude instrument panel and some basic sidewall detail but nothing else. I will also insert Paddy the Pilot ( you will see why I've chosen this title later) as he will help fill the void.
Overall, the outline of the kit is pretty accurate and when built it definitely looks every inch a Spitfire.
The version of the kit I am using is a recent release but it still contains the scheme for the version that was issued 40 years ago, i,e, Jan Zumbach's RF-D. However, as I built that version a few years ago, I decided I would have a go with with a plane that represents that of another immigrant RAF pilot, this time one from a bit closer to home.
Brendan Eamon Fergus Finucane was from Rathmines in South Dublin. His dad was an ex-member of the IRA and had fought against the British in 1916 and 1921. Despite that, Brendan and his brother Raymond were 'plane mad and desperate to join the RAF. His dad apparently had no problems with this and, in fact, the whole family emmigrated to London in 1936.
True to their ambitions, both brothers were successful in joining the RAF. Raymond ended up in Bomber Command and survived the war. Paddy (as Brendan became known to his RAF colleagues) became a fighter ace and eventually the youngest Wing Commander in the RAF (he was 21 at the time).
He was credited with downing 28 enemy aircraft.
Sadly, he was lost on operations in 1942 when he had to ditch his Spitfire in the Channel. He was unable to get out of the sinking aircraft.
This will be my tribute to Ireland's greatest World War 2 ace.
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