Curtiss R-3C-4 Pirate Escort Fighter

[Green Dragon]

I finally finished this build from the Pirate GB in 2010 and it's only taken a year!
Pilot is Kenji Takeshi, Scourge of the Far East, a mercenary hired by Canadian and American booze runners.








I scratchbuilt the two .50 calibre machine guns, number 14 decals are from an ancient Airfix Blenheim and the Skull & Crossbones are from a small Games Workshop sheet that was (I think) free with a magazine. Previous thread here. http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,29553.0.html

Paul Harrison

[Doc Yo]

 Appropriate coloring there, Paul Good looking build, too!

[PR19_Kit]

I like the conversion to the single float config, nice one indeed. Or should I be saying 'Ooooooarrrr me hearty!' 

[tc2324]

Thats very cool. not for the feint hearted when landing through....

[RussC]

Great build ! Reminds me of some of the planes in El Porco Rosso.

[Captain Canada]

Beauty ! Love the colour. The part about Canadians and Yanks smuggling booze isn't very plausable, tho. But then again, this is what if !

[Green Dragon]

Many thanks guys! Doc Yo and Cap'n Canada the paint is Number 12, Dark Green from a UK company called Miniature Paints who do a very nice range of wargaming acrylic paints. Most of mine are over fifteen years old and still go on like new, The Guardroom has a full listing here. http://www.guardroom.co.uk/products/tools/paintlist.htm

Kit, thanks for the "Ooooooarrrr me hearty"! Very much appreciated!   Only did the single float because half a float was missing from the kit and Testors didn't have a spare available. less than a week after the conversion two new floats arrived from the States!  
Really don't like my half-arsed attempt at the outrigger floats (should have used my whole arse!).

tc2324, I reckon it would sink immediately!

Russ, Porco Rosso is one of my favourite movies. Did a bigger one a while back most definitely based on the Porco planes.
Captain Canada, I was also building an alcohol tanker plane called the Booze Moose that flew booze to Chicago from Canada for Al Capone during prohibition, complete nonsense of course! Might dig it out and finish it too.

Paul Harrison

[Stargazer]

Porco Rosso... Now THAT was a great cartoon movie! More Porco Rosso-inspired stuff, prrrrrrrleeeease!!

[RussC]

Many thanks guys! Doc Yo and Cap'n Canada the paint is Number 12, Dark Green from a UK company called Miniature Paints who do a very nice range of wargaming acrylic paints. Most of mine are over fifteen years old and still go on like new, The Guardroom has a full listing here. http://www.guardroom.co.uk/products/tools/paintlist.htm

Kit, thanks for the "Ooooooarrrr me hearty"! Very much appreciated!   Only did the single float because half a float was missing from the kit and Testors didn't have a spare available. less than a week after the conversion two new floats arrived from the States!  
Really don't like my half-arsed attempt at the outrigger floats (should have used my whole arse!).

tc2324, I reckon it would sink immediately!

Russ, Porco Rosso is one of my favourite movies. Did a bigger one a while back most definitely based on the Porco planes.
Captain Canada, I was also building an alcohol tanker plane called the Booze Moose that flew booze to Chicago from Canada for Al Capone during prohibition, complete nonsense of course! Might dig it out and finish it too.

Paul Harrison

Superb flying boat build ! I recognize the Dornier 18 at the core plus a lot of great extras.
 
One flying boat that was not a what-if that really would have been great in "Porco" would have been the Savoia S-55
 

 
Scratchbuilt S55 in 144th scale, wooden hulls and engine fairing, rest paper.

[Green Dragon]

Damn, that's a beaut Russ! Always wondered why Italeri hasn't done one?
If you're interested here's the build thread of my attempt at a Dabohaze-oid from the Flying Boat group build of 2009, forgot it started as a straight Do18 build until I dropped it! http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,23284.0.html
And here's the whole Flying Boat GB page. http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/board,74.0.html

Paul Harrison

[NARSES2]

Lovely S-55.  Delta 2 did one in 1/72 - I have one in the stash 

[RussC]

Lovely S-55.  Delta 2 did one in 1/72 - I have one in the stash 

  Didn't know that! I thought the only S55 out there was that old kit in "Box Scale" by a manufacturer called Ringo Inc. That kit came with a metal prop and the result of building was a very toy-like replica.
  Great news that more kits are there.

[Green Dragon]

Glencoe do one in 1/96th, can't remember who's it was originaly (Hawk, ITC?).

Paul Harrison

[pyro-manic]

I may be wrong, but I think the S-55 did actually feature in Porco Rosso, if only very, very briefly.

Nice build, Paul - I still need to finish my pirate build from that same GB. Must dig out the bits and get on with it.

[sequoiaranger]

Nice work, especially in 1/144.

I think it was "Supermodel" that had a 1/72 model of the S.55 way back when. I had one, too!

I *WAS* going to make a Japanese S.55 version of an "air-sea rescue" aircraft with a twist. Since Japanese warriors often felt disgraced if bested in combat, the twin hulls of the S.55 would serve two purposes. One would be a small "floating hospital" in which the rescued pilot could find medical attention and solace; the other would have a ceremonial seppuku chamber where the disgraced pilot could commit ritual hara-kiri in a "proper" setting! But I sold off the S.55, so the whif will remain in my head!