I don't usually do this, but...

[Brian da Basher]

I don't normally do this, but I'm pleased as punch upon completing my first vacuform so this is a repost for those of you who may not make it over to the Vac GB thread. I call this one the Canadair Howling Mouse and it was built as a tribute to that great whiffer and fine Edmontonian, Baz.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

Here's the backstory:

In 1946 The British Empire and its Commonwealth suffered from a post-war economic downturn. The Dominion of Canada was not immune and the cash-strapped Canadians were forced to seek new sources of revenue. Upon exhausting all other avenues, the decision was made to turn the Al-Can Highway into a toll road. This greatly upset their neighbors to the south who helped build the route to the Great White North and insult was added to injury when the tight-fisted Canucks refused to split the $348.75 in tolls with the Americans. The United States retaliated by cancelling plans to share military technology with Canada. Thus the Royal Canadian Air Force needed to seek indigenous designs for their post-war aircraft. Fortunately, Canadair stepped in to fill the void. In 1947 they designed and built the RCAF's first jet fighter, the Canadair Howling Mouse. This aircraft was comperable to the F-80 Shooting Star except that it had better cold-weather performance and was fitted with heavier armament including four 20 m.m. cannons in the wings and four "Yellowknife" air-to-air rockets. The Canadair Howling Mouse also had the advantage of being radar equipped, the Baz-a-tronic weather and targeting radar being designed and built by the native firm of Man-Ho Electric. The Canadair Howling Mouse shown here is part of No. 6 Squadron, also known as the Ellesmere Polar Sharks, RCAF Interceptor Command based at Alert. This squadron was famous for their interception of Communist Tu-5 bombers which invaded Canadian airspace in 1949 manned by Mongolian "volunteers". Another notable mission of Canadair Howling Mouses (or Howling Mice) was in 1954 when a flight of them (from No. 5 Squadron, the Fighting Otters) diverted Air Force Two (returning from a state visit to Japan) to a forced landing in Whitehorse where the U.S. Vice-President Richard Nixon was compelled to declare Curling the American Past-Time on a CBC nationwide broadcast. Stunned by the audacity and military might of the Canadians, the United States soon sought a negotiated settlement to the dispute which was brokered by French-Canadiens who were as neutral a party as could be found on short notice. The last Canadair Howling Mouse was retired from advanced training duties in the late 1960s and a few examples may still be found today in museums.

Brian da Basher

[The Rat]

WOOHOOOOOOOO!!! Get some molds made Brian, I want one!    

[Brian da Basher]

The kit is/was the 1/72 MPC Sukhoi Su-5, a mixed propulsion, post-war Soviet fighter. I decided that without the prop it looked a lot like an F-86D and an idea was born...

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

The Maple Leaf roundels (everything looks better with Maple Leafs) were a gift from Baz and the kit was generously donated by Leigh so I could take part in the GB. The undersides were painted with Tamiya RAF Sky acrylics and the uppers were painted in Tamiya Light Gray and Model Masters Euro Green acrylics. I used Liquitex artists acrylics for the radome, anti-glare panel and canopy. The little Canadian flags on the tail were cobbled together from spare decal bits and the impressionsitic Union Jack was hand-painted.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

I had a lot of fun (and some frustration) with this project. I'm amazed at how strong these little vacs are when built. It's already survived three sorties against my coffee-maker!

Vroooooooooommmm!

Brian da Basher

[Tophe]

I had a lot of fun (and some frustration) with this project.

For us seeing the result, this is just fun, and pleasure...
Nice one, congratulations!

[Brian da Basher]

Thank you Tophe. Your painted canopies were an inspiration to me on this project!

Brian da Basher

[lancer]

Brilliant Brian, just bloody brilliant.

[cthulhu77]

Once it's through blowing up the coffee maker, it can fly against larger utensils...it certainly looks up to the task!  Coolness!
            greg

[BlackOps]

Brian, you should be pleased! That is a beauty  

I could never build vac kits so I'm giving you double coolness points! I would never have known it was a vacuform kit if you hadn't told me.


Jeff G.

[Brian da Basher]

Thanks for the feedback, gents! Your comments are always an inspiration to me. Mr. Rat-San, if I thought it would survive the combined forces of the U.S. Mail and Canada Post I'd send it to you! Greg, it has successfully taken on the coffee maker and is now setting its sights on the microwave! Jeff, you are most kind. The camera helps hide a lot of flaws as does the thickness of the paint. I would definately tackle another vac but only if I had no luck finding something injection molded first.

Brian da Basher

P.S. Here's what it's supposed to look like.

[Tophe]

Here's what it's supposed to look like.

I prefer yours... ^_^  

[John Howling Mouse]

This is one very likable airframe.  In fact, I'd love to see you do this subject up as a two-seat (possibly slightly stretched) trainer.

Got another kit lying around by any chance???

[Brian da Basher]

That's a great idea, Mr Howling Mouse! I wish I had a couple more of these kits laying around so I could build a two-seat trainer version. Unfortunately, this is the only one I've ever seen. Heck, I never even heard of an Su-5 until this showed up on my doorstep (thanks again, Leigh!).

Brian da Basher