Aeronavale Firefly FR.1

The Rat · August 12, 2019, 03:56:32 PM

When in the market for a naval patrol and anti-submarine aircraft during the post-war period, France was presented with the options of either the Grumman TBF Avenger or the Fairey Firefly. The Firefly was chosen, and a number of FR.1 aircraft were transferred from the Royal Navy. They were fitted with a wing mounted radar pod, and flew from both carriers and ground stations. They participated in Operation Musketeer, often being used to aid in attacks by the F4U-7 Corsair. They were retired in the early 1960s when they were supplanted by the Breguet Alize.

Why do I keep doing this to myself? Buy a cheap kit that I know is probably crap, open the box and discover I was correct, and build it. Oh well, It's done.

This is apparently the old Frog kit, later Novo, and now Modelcraft. Crude by today's standards, and possibly even by the original standards. The worst part is the transparencies, which may not be the correct term for what it comes with. There were no instructions or decals with this one, but the only part I was unsure of was the orientation of the aerial; did it slope forward or back? Bah, this is the whiff world, so it can go either way. The parts are totally stock except for the radar pod, which came from a 1/72nd Corsair, and the tailwheel which was purloined from an old Frog Tempest, and glued in place just a few minutes before I found the kit one. Aerial wire is stretched sprue.

Sharkmouth decals came from the MPC boxing of the North American T-6, originally an Airfix mold I believe. Numbers are from the Revell Corsair, roundels from a sheet produced by Carpena. Tail stripes were hand painted.

In keeping with the toy aspect of the times, both the propeller and the wheels turn. Because they should.

TomZ · August 12, 2019, 11:20:02 PM

I like it. It looks beautiful in this colour scheme.
Great result from this kit!

TomZ

Dizzyfugu · August 13, 2019, 12:14:46 AM

That's nice - simple, but very effective.

And the Firefly looks very good in the all-blue livery, would not look wrong with RAF roundels, too.

Old Wombat · August 13, 2019, 12:29:32 AM

Looks good to me!

PR19_Kit · August 13, 2019, 01:00:33 AM

Despite the ancientness of the kit, you've made it look really good.

Mossie · August 13, 2019, 01:58:15 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on August 13, 2019, 01:00:33 AM
Despite the ancientness of the kit, you've made it look really good.

Agreed, great work! Despite the age of the kit, it captures the essence of the Firefly and your work helps bring out the best in it.

I couldn't remember if France had the Firefly or not and thought the whiff might be the earlier variant, sign of a good one.

zenrat · August 13, 2019, 03:03:19 AM

Is it my eyes or does the fuselage have a slight curve to it?

Whatever, you made a silk purse out of it. I love the paint job. Well done.

Old Wombat · August 13, 2019, 03:41:25 AM

Quote from: zenrat on August 13, 2019, 03:03:19 AM
Is it my eyes or does the fuselage have a slight curve to it?

Looks that way to me & the glazing's a bit shoddy but the build is excellent!

kitbasher · August 13, 2019, 05:18:37 AM

Nice! I Sabred up a NOVO Firefly a while ago (https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=31452.msg483260#msg483260). Yes a simple, old kit but I found mine to be a straight forward build regardless of the rhinoplasty.

NARSES2 · August 13, 2019, 06:14:37 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on August 13, 2019, 01:00:33 AM
Despite the ancientness of the kit, you've made it look really good.

Agreed

TheChronicOne · August 13, 2019, 08:10:15 AM

That's looks really snazzy!! Great work.

Glenn Gilbertson · August 13, 2019, 09:42:38 AM

Looks really good in those colours!

comrade harps · August 14, 2019, 05:45:37 AM

Nice job

I've got a broken one in the stash (if will never look as good as yours); still, you have inspired me to give it a go.