The Little World

I’m being unfair. I should have written in the plural. Because the British Fleet Air Arm for a long time seems to have been somewhat of a duck farm. Flocks of ’em; Fairey Fulmar and Barracuda, Blackburn Skua and Roc. The Swordfish and Walrus and Stranraer. All were perfectly flyable and in some cases quite successful in picked battles…but Lordy they were ugly.

None more so than the Barracuda. I am just about to build a Special Hobby Barracuda MkII that was on special from Metro Hobbies. It will be a good model, I’ve no doubt, but the box art shows a design that seems to have been batted back and forth between the Quirk Committee and the Ministry of Weird.

Now the real things were useful in the attack on the TIRPITZ and surprisingly out here in the Indian Ocean area and the islands. Apparently they were successful.

The kit itself has very little flash, no visible sink marks, and only non-troubling ejection pins. The interior side walls are commendably detailed. I see no brass or resin, though I do see some resin thinking in the injection parts; the propeller blades are separate from the hub and spinner. I trust they have enough registration area to cement well but they’ll still get assembled on a jig.

There are two external stores; a torpedo and a US Navy 1600 lb armour-piercing bomb that the FAA used on the TIRPITZ – I think the FAA borrowed them from the USN but then never returned them…

The mid wing and the Youngman flaps will make for an interesting painting sequence – I may elect to do the wings separately from the fuselage and trust to luck joining them later. The landing gear is odd, but looks as if it will make up to a very sturdy assembly indeed. A fine change from the miseries of the Grumman Wildcat and various spindle-legged amphibians.

The real point that will be interesting is the array of aerials this type sported. They are of the non-streamlined clothesline and garden rake variety favoured by the British Coastal Command. They’ll go on very last because they look like they’ll snag on everything including the cat.

Note that the decals look fine and the Special Hobby instruction sheets are getting more colourful and detailed as time goes on. I almost admire them.

Note: I’m building the 1600 lb bomb aircraft as you don’t get many chances for one like that.