The Little World

I have a suspicion that the Airfix Grumman Duck in 1:72 scale is an older mould – the raised rivet lines. Perhaps a Matchbox kit re-issued. I also find that as I am an older modeller – it doesn’t bother me in the slightest. That is the fine legacy of being able to build the kits of the 50’s when they were new – cruder productions they may have been, but we loved ’em. They ticked all the boxes for us then, and if we encounter a few of the older production methods now…well we can still generous enough in spirit to allow our boxes to be ticked again.

All that said, you may be wondering what an amphibian is going to do on the tarmac of either RCAF WET DOG or Wet Dog Regional Airport. Alberta is at least one province and several mountain ranges away from the sea at the very least. Well, so I reasoned, until someone pointed out that the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre in Sault Saint Marie, Ontario has a number of float planes in the collection. It dawned on me that Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the entire North West Territory is dotted with bush lakes – and that’s just where the bush pilots with floats land. The wheels that sit on the side of the Duck float can be used to gingerly let it down on a runway when maintenance is needed.

So – I do not have a military plane here at all – I have my first bush plane, and it is time for a research trip into Google to see if anyone did use them. If not, I’ll start my own charter air service and invent a livery – I’ve already mastered the art of wing call letters in large size. The other attraction of a bush service will be the colouration – no camouflage for me – as bright as possible…within reason.