The Little World

According to Skaarup, these Firefly aircraft flew with the Royal Canadian Navy from 1946 to 1952 – roughly about the same time they served with the Royal Australian Navy.

The carriers they flew from were Royal Navy donations to the Commonwealth countries – the MAJESTIC, BONAVENTURE, SYDNEY, AND MELBOURNE. The decks were perfectly suited to the late-war and Korean war propeller fighters.

The markings from the Airfix kit also indicate that the RN and the Royal Dutch Navy flew them at sea as well. Only a few of the kit decals were needed for this version, the others being supplied by home printing. This made good decals, but cutting the tiny maple leaf roundels out while trying to leave a yellow outer edge was trying.

One delight was the numerous airshow photographs of the plane taken in North America. Unlike museum shots that may be restricted in vantage point by the aisles of the buildings, open air and flight photos let you see a lot more of the decorated surfaces. The lighting may also be better – many museums opt for cheap, rather than accurate, lights.

Kudos to the Airfix design and moulding team for this 60’s kit – the canopies fitted perfectly, as did the landing gear.