Gully Gu-16 Galah PDRV Navy

[zenrat]

The Peoples' Democratic Republic of Victoria followed the lead of the Soviet Union in naming aircraft after the design bureau responsible for the plane.
The Gully Bureau, headed by Gordon A Gully produced the Gu-16 Galah for the PDRV navy to meet a requirement for a shore based interceptor which was also capable of operating from the carriers that were at the time under construction in the great shipbuilding yards of French Island.  Because carrier operability was a secondary requirement Galahs did not have folding wings, just a hook.
Powered by a Victorian Engine Works Willie-Willie MCCMXX Nine-cylinder single-row supercharged air-cooled radial engine the Galah was an all metal open cockpit single seat monoplane.  As an interceptor rate of climb and speed were considered to be the most important attributes so armament was limited to two synchronised 50 calibre machine guns mounted in front of the pilot.
92 Galahs were built between 1936 and 1938 with at least one flight being posted to each PDRV naval installation with an airfield.
The aircraft pictured is Aircraft No.4 of the 7th Naval Defence Wing stationed at Werribee Naval Air Station in September 1936.
Gullly Gu-16 Galah (5) by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
Gullly Gu-16 Galah ( by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
Gullly Gu-16 Galah (9) by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
Gullly Gu-16 Galah (12) by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The model is a 1/72 Matchbox Curtis SBC4 Helldiver fitted with the wings and tail surfaces from an Airfix Yak 9d.  I faired in the second seat and then hours of PSR followed.  The spinner is a headlamp shell from a 1/25 AMT 1936 Ford Coupe.  The original tailwheel went to the spiders under the bench so a rummage in the box labelled parts produced one I suspect is from an Airfix Swordfish.

*Hmmmm, I see in my excitement to get this one photographed I forgot to attach the exhausts.  It could also do with an aerial.*'

[Captain Canada]

That's a neat looking little bird there ! Very colourful too. I like the idea of the old car lamp as a spinner ! Nice one ! And you're certain;y going to know what ervice she belongs too as she flies overhead eh ?

[PR19_Kit]

That is pretty darn sharp Mr. Zenrat.  

Where did the main landing gear come from and how did you graft it in there?

[Later] Ah yes, an M'box Helldiver, that's the bi-plane one, isn't it? In which case the wheels came like that, sorry.

[NARSES2]

Oh I like that 

[ericr]

excellent choice of colors !

[Tophe]

Nice model! Unconventional, weird, all that I like...

[perttime]

Single seat - check
Open cockpit - check
Radial engine - check
Tapering wings - check
Moderate amount of armament - check
A bit of colour - check
 

[pyro-manic]

Love it, love everything about it! Seriously well done.

[major]

Now thats just OTT Cool! Loving the colours.
Would have been left guessing for a while as to what went into it. 

[zenrat]

Thanks folks.
Yes, it's this one.

The wheels mean that the wings have to be set back quite far.
I had thought about using the Yak undercarriage folding up into the wings but I like the way the Curtis system means you can see right through the fuselage.  I did consider cut outs for wheel clearance at the wing roots or forward swept wings but in the end just went for the simplest option.

[Dizzyfugu]

Oh, that's sweet. I always wondered how an SBC monoplane would look like! Great - and the livery looks nice, too! 

[zenrat]

Back on the bench.  Getting an aerial, exhausts, panel line wash and some paint touches I missed.
I'll shoot some new pics when its done.

[perttime]

In the photo, the pilot looks a bit pale  Maybe he needs a wash too?

[zenrat]

No, he's a Taswegian.  Not much sun down there.

[perttime]

No, he's a Taswegian.  Not much sun down there.

Reminds me of a friend who is no more... Way back, her family went to the Mediterranean sun for a couple of weeks. When she came back, somebody who didn't know about the trip commented: "You're looking a bit pale". Some just don't get a tan.