Short Sunderland RCAF 422 squadron

[prem895]

I really need some help here guys. I was talking to my dad and he started to talk about his long time friend Lawson(Bud) Allison who flew with this unit. He is still with us at 96. I would like to build him the Airfix 72 scale replica of the plane he was part of. My dad is getting a little forgetful and could not remember his position in the flight crew. I just wish there was a better option, but this 1959 mold will have to suffice, as there is no other option. Any info or pics would be so appreciated.

 

[Airframes]

Italeri do two Sunderland kits in 1/72nd scale, a Mk1 and a Mk.III, which look excellent, with far more detail and finesse than the old Airfix kit, although for it's age, the old kit is still reasonable.
The Italeri kits were released a couple of years ago, with the Mk.III being released, I think, last year.
Here's a pic of a 422 Sqn Mk.III, code 2 - U, serial number EK391.

 

[javlin]

Italeri Short Sunderland Mk.1 1:72 - Page 3 of 3 - Scale Modelling Now
and there is a brass kit out weras you you get to build a scaffold for the engines and brass eyes for ports I am so so on that aspect.

eduard 72586 1/72 Sunderland Mk III Maintenance Platforms detail set for Italeri | eBay

 

[Crimea_River]

Go here: Royal Canadian Air Force operations record books - Héritage

422 Squadron ORBs are on microfilms C-12295 and C-12296. You might find entries with Allison's name on them and the plane he was in, though not likely if he was not the pilot.

 

[Walrus]

Special Hobby/MPM are going to be releasing a MkV this year
It might be worth checking out as IIRC the surface detail is more refined. It just depends on your own preferences whether that will be a problem.

Special Hobby EN: Search results for Sunderland

 

[Airframes]

That looks good, although 422 Sqn only operated the Mk.III.
Looks like the kit is engineered in such a way that other Marks can follow.
From what I've seen of the two Italeri versions, albeit only in photos, the detail, surface and interior, is good. I have their Stirling kit, and although some of the surface detail is a touch heavy, once painted it should look fine, and this, and their Sunderlands, are obviously far superior to the old Airfix versions - which can still be turned into nice models.

 

[Walrus]

Cool
TBH I haven't seen the Italeri kits myself so am not in any real position to criticise the kit.
Likewise only seen the photos and heard comments, but what one person finds unacceptable another is perfectly happy with.

The Italeri looks a nice kit with some good looking interior detail

I have a second hand Airfix kit which only cost me £8.
However it would need a lot of scratch building or the WEM photo etch which would cost more than the Italeri kit! lol

Good luck with the project
Look forward to seeing it progress if you post the WIP pics

 

[Airframes]

I'm presuming the surface detail on the Italeri Sunderland kits is similar to that on their Stirling kits. If that's the case, then the only very minor criticism I have, is that the engraving of the fuel tank covers on the wing upper surfaces is a touch heavy. But as previously mentioned, once painted, and with a gloss clear coat and matt clear coat, it should look fine, and I can live with that.
The internal detail (on the Stirling Mk1 kit) is very good indeed, with PE parts, including the internal frames on the gun turrets, and I believe the Sunderland kits have similar detail.
I discovered this after spending hours scratch-building internal detail on the Airfix kit, for a commission, when the kit was released part way through the work - needless to say, I bought the Italeri kit !!

 

[A4K]

I've got 2 Airfix kits and the Italeri Mk.III. While the panel lines are indeed a bit 'heavy' (like the Stirling which I also have), the overall kit is much better detailed than the Airfix offering. The Mk.III kit even has the wing radomes necessary to make a Mk.V...just need to replace the engines with some Pratt & Whitneys.
I just got most of the Eduard PE sets for the Italeri kit last week, including that platform. I can post some pics, of the sets and /or the kits, if anyone wants. (Was also looking at the White Ensign Models sets for the Airfix kit - you can buy a whole Italeri kit for less money!!!)

 

[Airframes]

Sounds good Evan, and yes, go ahead and post some pics of the Italeri kit parts.

 

[A4K]

No worries Terry, I'll get onto that tomorrow. (Noah's asleep in the next room, don't want to wake him)

 

[Airframes]

Thanks mate.

 

[dogsbody]

From: Osprey Combat Aircraft-019 - Sunderland Squadrons of WW2


Chris

 

[Airframes]

Hm. I'm a bit wary of those profiles, especially the second one, showing the later '2' code - this should be in Dull Red, and although I'm not certain, I think the earlier 'DG' codes should be too.
I've found a number of errors in the various Osprey books.

 

[Wurger]

I agree with Terry. Just had a look at the net sources and found these.

The image captions say both of them belonged to the 243 Squadron.But I'm not sure why if the code starts with "2" what indicates the 422 Squadron. However I would say the code letters were of red colour. The colour tone of letters looks almost the same while comparing to the Insignia Red in the RAF roundel and the fin flash.

The Sounderlands below are believed to belong to the 422 Squadron. ...

These ones seem to be wearing the codel letter of the Red colour too.

However I found a better shot of the 2-U plane .... the enlarged pic shows that the letter colour wasn't the red rather. I would say it was of a kind of a dark grey paint. The difference in the colour tones can be noticed.

 

[Crimea_River]

Terry Higgins, in "Canadian Aircraft of WWII", writes of aircraft 2U above. It's EK591 and the code letters were painted Light Slate Grey.

 

[Wurger]

Sounds good, Andy. Was it the top camo colour as well?

 

[Airframes]

Yep, I checked some other refs, and although Dull Red was the colour used on some Coastal Command types on a white finish, such as the Warwick and Wellington, the Light Slate Grey was used primarily.
In the profiles, it looks more like Sky, whereas in colour photos of the Sunderland, and other types, it's more towards Medium Sea Grey in appearance, but slightly darker, with the blue-green tinge of slate grey.

 

[dogsbody]

The profiles below are from Canadian Aircraft of WWII AviaDossier, by Carl Vincent and illustrated by Terry Higgins. Published by Aviaeology ( 2009 ). This book is available at the following:

Canadian Aircraft of WWII AviaDossier - softcover, photos & many colour profiles 978069633 | eBay

 

[Crimea_River]

Not sure Terry H would appreciate scanned pics from his book being posted Chris unless you got his permission.

Wojtek the uppers by this time were fully EDSG.