Things With Spats

[sequoiaranger]

And why NOT its own thread?

There was a time before retracting landing gear when it was thought prudent to streamline the wheels in airflow. Thus "spatted" wheels, taking their clue from the coverings of shoes popular in the 20's and 30's. Turned out that miliary aircraft in the field often dispensed with the spats, as they really didn't do much for additional speed, and got in the way when changing tyres (dig that Britspelling!) or getting clogged with mud. But oh....the **LOOK**! 

So I will start off with a few of my examples, and let the thread careen on its own thereafter!

Macchi-Castoldi MC 72 Paloma of the Vatican Air Force!

Supermarine Defender S8C tandem-engined bomber-destroyer!

The Dunlop Maxfli executive transport!

If these don't bring a smirk to your face, ya ain't fecking HUMAN!

[pyro-manic]

The Maxfli made me chuckle. 

The other two are pretty damn sexy as well - got any more pics?

[sequoiaranger]

>got any more pics?<

OK, three more.

He-61 Aguililla (Little Eagle) Argentine fighter-trainer.

Supermarine Swallow Channel Islands defender.

Arado 196T "Seepferd" (Seahorse) interim naval dive bomber until the See Stuka was ready.

[Ed S]

Interesting models.  And well done.  I'm curious how you did the dimples on the Dunlop?

Ed 

[jcf]

Ahem,
we at the Pointy-headed Pedants Society (PPS) must point out that the He-61 has a proper trousered rather than a spatted (vile Americanism) undercart.

[sequoiaranger]

>I'm curious how you did the dimples on the Dunlop?<

With a burring tool on a "Moto-tool".  Laborious, lemme tell ya! I put a pencil mark at each future dimple to insure straight lines. Before dimpling the plane looked like it had a pox!

When I made this model in the '80's, golf balls generally followed the straight-line dimple pattern. In fact, there was a "fixed" number of dimples on all golf balls. Then the "close packing" dimple patterns followed and all sorts of experimentation on dimples--hex dimples, dimples in dimples, etc. So the plane "dates itself"--no big deal to me! The red "bulls eye" was also a trademark of the Dunlop Maxfli ball, no longer seen. In fact, I think Dunlop is not in the golf-ball business any more, though there is the "Dunlop Masters" tournament played at St. Andrews still, I think.

[sequoiaranger]

>we at the Pointy-headed Pedants Society (PPS) must point out that the He-61 has a proper trousered rather than a spatted (vile Americanism) undercart.<

Yeah. I guess when they decided to do away with them, they "dropped their trousers"?

[Daryl J.]

Ok....I've been in far too much female company for too long.      I saw it as a maxi, with wings no less.     
Can you tell yours truely has never golfed.



Daryl J.

[Brian da Basher]

I think I need a cold shower now.

The Dunlop Maxfly is one of the wackiest spatted builds I've seen in a while, and the one you scale-o-rama'ed from an He-111 is one of the most brilliant spatted concepts I've seen in a long time, but the beauty contest winner has to be the Supermarine Defender!

Of course, they're all beauties in my book.

We are in the presence of greatness.

Brian da Basher

[pyro-manic]

I must say I completely missed the golfball thing re. the Maxfli. I just thought it was an amusingly daft concept for a transport.

I'd love to see more pics of the Defender as well - looks absolutely gorgeous.

[sotoolslinger]

sequoiaranger needs his own Gallery page

[sequoiaranger]

Quickly, because I am desperately in need of a nap, the 1/72 Defender is basically a 1/48 Supermarine S6B with 1/72 Spitfire  four-bladed fan, and 1/65(?) Monogram Snap-Tite Spitfire canopy. The spats are from a 1/48 Hawk Travelair Mystery Ship. Yes, that is a French 75mm cannon sticking out the back of the cockpit! Bombers Beware!


YAAAWWWWN. More later, maybe.

Uh...how do I make a "Gallery Page"?