The Legión Arrogante de la Morsa (or: San Torta's Contribution)

[puddingwrestler]

During the spanish civil war, Germany sent the Condor Legion. This is widely known.
At the same time, San Torta sent it's own legion. This is not very well known.

San Torta has always had strong ties to spain; after all, much of her population is of Spanish origin, and Spanish is the official language. When the Spanish Civil War broke out, the San Tortan's felt they needed to do something to help. Presidente Erik Körsbärpaj (this was before his tragic accident) quickly formed and dispatched The Legión Arrogante de la Morsa to aid the Republicans. Unlike the German Condor Legion, the San Tortan legion was fairly small (which may account for it's being overlooked by history so often), and was equipd with some fairly ecclectic machinery as it was operating whatever could be spared at the time. Naturally, all of the planes where seaplanes, and the legion arrived on the cargo vessel 'Madre Residencia Made Pastel de manzana' in September 1936.
The Legions primary aircraft, indeed the machine from which it took it's name was the SPA/S Arrogante De La Morsa Mk.II twin-hull anti-piracy/smuggling amphibion. Better known in the west as the Supermarine Walrus Mk.I, converted by San Pudin Aviacione into a longer ranged twin-hulled version, and given the affectionate nick name 'Arrogant Walrus'.

San Tortan planes in the service of the Republic of Spain retained thier normal paint schemes, but had the characteristic Red/Yellow/Purple stripes applied ot thier tails along with thick red bands on the fuselage. San Torta's characteristic cake wedge markings where retained on the wings.

In all, 227 San Tortans served in the Legión Arrogante de la Morsa under the command of Coronel Pan Budin. At one stage, Rodrigo Empanada, aging and eccentrc founder of the STAF was attached to the Legion, and even flew some sorties. San Tortan casualties where fairly light, with 22 air crew killed or wounded in service and some minor injuries to mechanics and ground staff, mostly caused by the infamoous 'Night of the Exploding Tea-Urns' in 1937.


Bagde of the Legion, worn on the right shoulder of the uniform tunic. Similar motifs appeared on some aircraft and other equipment.

[puddingwrestler]

And yes, I will be building an Arrogant Walrus as soon as a second kit arrives and I have finished my diorama work.
So soonish, anyway.

[puddingwrestler]

Well come on, could you possibly think of a better adjective for the walrus in the logo (which is about the fifth google image result for 'walrus')

[proditor]

That

is

AWESOME!!!

[pyro-manic]

the infamoous 'Night of the Exploding Tea-Urns' in 1937.

I must have details!!

[puddingwrestler]

Think of a cross between the dreaded tea trolley disaster of '67 from Bristow and Major Bloodknock...

[puddingwrestler]

Who's batman was private Neddy Seagon of the 5th Heavy Things, yes.
Only with the muttering in spanish.
And spanish tea, obviously.
And spanish brandy as well.

[puddingwrestler]

Now you're just reading it so that your ideas fit.

[pyro-manic]

Entirely lost now, I have to admit....

[puddingwrestler]

Goon show references my dear Pyro. One must be either as old as the hills or have had a strange and wonderous up bringing to understand - it was a BBC radio coemdy series in the 1950s, written by Spike Milligan, who starred in it along with Harry Secombe and Peter Sellers. It helped inspire Monty Python.

[pyro-manic]

Ahhh. I have encountered the Goons, but not recently, and not in any significant quantities.

[Weaver]

Ahhh. I have encountered the Goons, but not recently, and not in any significant quantities.

Knock yourself out then   :

The Case of the Mukkinese Battlehorn

[puddingwrestler]

The second Revell Walrus arrived yesterday so I can start on this as soon as I finish 'home on the range'

[puddingwrestler]

I've finally started! Detailed up the interiors and glued the fuselages together yesterday and started work on the inbetween wing thing.

[puddingwrestler]

I'm stuck in PSR at the present moment...
I'll try to post some pics later today.