The Little World

Get the holiday tree and the eggnog ready – we’ve got the Turkey.

The Sword model of the TBM is all all I want in a model – the decals look good and the landing gear stays rigid. If all the models in the SMCWA clubhouse were as sturdy i would not have to do running repairs every time the cabinets are changed.

The plane was flown at the time that the RCN ( and probably the RAN ) followed the RN practice of putting a British fin flash on rather than a national flag. I’m grateful for this as it throws just that little more colour into a scheme that was basically designed to hide the thing from observation under or over.

The deletion of any defensive armament I guess was predicated that the plane would operate over the Atlantic where there were likely to be no Soviet fighter planes to attack it – at a time when there were no Soviet aircraft carriers. Whether they contemplated sending RCN fighter cover – Sea Furies or Banshees out to the ASW hunting grounds is uncertain. Of course with the two ex-British carriers – the HMCS MAGNIFICENT and the HMCS BONAVENTURE – there were fighters available.

I am particularly interested in the companion aircraft – the Grumman Guppy. It is also a Sword kit – as soon as i see one I’ll grab it and salt it away for a similar build. Of course like all old planes, the Turkey and the Guppy have been used for other duties – Ag aircraft and fire tankers – and these are also a great temptation.