1/72 Canadian Car & Foundry Arctic Fox

[Brian da Basher]

In the early 1930s, there was unrest among the native tribes in Northern Canda, led by a Soviet OGPU agent known only as Chief Red Star who successfully infiltrated and then took over the Isquatinigloo tribe. Eventually the Isquatinigloo people declared their independence from Canada and the Soviet Union began supplying them with weapons and aid as part of their "Red Flag over the Pole" operation. Of course, Ottawa would have none of this and attempted to put down the uprising but was stunned when their obsolescent Bristol Bulldogs were totally outclassed by Isquatiniglooian ANT-10s supplied by the Soviets. An answer had to be found and fast. Fortunately, a purchasing manager for the Canadian Car & Foundry Co. was on very good terms with his opposite number in the Gloster Aero Co. and was able to secure advance designs for their forthcoming Gladiator. The Canadian Car & Foundry Co. added a few things that would make their new aircraft more suitable to the harsher conditions of Canada and the Arctic Fox was born. It was the first RCAF fighter to feature an enclosed canopy and a four gun armament (two being in underwing pods). It had an upgraded heating system and was powered by the famous Whitehorse double row radial engine. The Isquatinigloo independence movement was finally defeated in a climactic skirmish near the Great Slave Lake called the Battle of Wounded Groin in which Chief Red Star was shot in the crotch during a strafing run by Arctic Foxes led by Wing Commander John Barrysnell-Shell. Chief Red Star was spirited back over the Pole by an OGPU dogsled brigade and never heard from again, while Wing Commander Barrysnell-Shell was promoted to Air Commodore and charged with the defense of the Canadian Arctic. His Acrtic Fox, P3069 can be seen today at the Canadian Forces Arctic Museum in Yellowknife, across from the icebox in the cafeteria.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

The inspiration for this project is the Matchbox Group Build over on ARC and the base kit is the 1/72 Matchbox Gladiator which was generously donated by our own Mr Howling Mouse. I modified it by replacing the kit canopy with parts of a Devastator canopy and swapping the engine for an un-cowled double-row version from my spares box. I also replaced the kit prop with a three-bladed all-metal version and decided skis were more appropriate landing gear for the Great White North. The skis are from an Airfix Avro 504 and the tail ski was left over from an He-70. The entire model was brush painted by hand with cheap craft-store acrylics and rigged with model railroad wire attached with Gator Glue which I highly recomend for attaching small parts and canopies.

Mr Howling Mouse, thank you for the kit and the wonderful trip down memory lane!

Brian da Basher

[kitnut617]

the Isquatinigloo tribe.
Brian da Basher

Thanks Brian  , I've a new monitor coming  coffee all over it.   No really, I had a good laugh reading the backstory, I'm still chuckling right now.  Great build too!

[Captain Canada]

Yes, it was definately hard to read the story after getting the tribal name.....har-har-har ! You a very funny man, Brian !

Love the bird....'specially that second shot. Really looks the part.

Thanks for that !

[retro_seventies]

Great stuff - there are NEVER enough Gladiators! 

[John Howling Mouse]

Ho h-o-o-o-o!  That's perfect.  Really satisfying to see what you did with this kit, Brian.  Always a treat and it's not that often that I find myself laughing my igloo off reading Canadian history!  So, are those skis made from plastic spoon handles?  Just think, if you had built this great little model up here, you could us a real winter/snow background too! 

Beware the Return of Chief Red Star (I'm hoping for a Sequel....hint-hint!)

[dogsbody]

I don't know what I like better, your models or the stories that go with them.

Keep up the excellent work.

[kitbasher]

Is this a forgery, the product of an impostor?  I mean, the modeller claims to be Brian d B, but just where are the spats??

[Brian da Basher]

Is this a forgery, the product of an impostor?  I mean, the modeller claims to be Brian d B, but just where are the spats??

It's funny you should say that as I'd originally intended to build a Gladiator with Gloster Gauntlet spats. I had problems sourcing one at a reasonable price and Mr Howling Mouse came to the rescue. Since he was kind enough to send me the kit, I figured building it in tribute to the Great White North was the way to go.

Brian da Basher

P.S. The skis were leftovers from two Airfix Avro 504s. As for Chief Red Star, you never know when or where he might show up.

P.P.S. Here's a couple of extra shots that I didn't think were good enough to make the cut. In these you can see how the Devastator windscreen and canopy change the outline a bit.

[BlackOps]

  Looks good Brian, always get a chuckle from your stories too 

[ysi_maniac]

I love Gladiator an this cutie ...

[K5054NZ]

 

Fantastic my dear Mister Perri! Another gem! I'm in stitches after that backstory! Hilarious!

A real Canadian-looking machine, just great! Very well-executed and believable. Well done Bri! 

[noxioux]

"There are strange things done in the midnight sun
By the men who moil for gold;
The Arctic trails have their secret tales
That would make your blood run cold;
The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,
But the queerest they ever did see. . ."

Excellent build!

[Joe C-P]

Spatted SKIs! Lovely!

Oo, could do a group build of ski-equipped aircraft. They could have served on the iceberg carrier Habbakuk!

JoeP

[cthulhu77]

First spats, now skis ?  Wonderful work, Sir B !