In Box Review of Smer 1/48th Scale
British Supermarine Walrus Flying Boat
Art. 114
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1978
Kit is available from Kit Linx for $15.18, an individual in the USA on the net for $5.00 and 3 places overseas on the net.
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1978
Kit is available from Kit Linx for $15.18, an individual in the USA on the net for $5.00 and 3 places overseas on the net.
HISTORY:
The Supermarine Walrus (originally known as the Supermarine Seagull V) was a British single-engine amphibious biplane reconnaissance aircraft designed by R. J. Mitchell and first flown in 1933.
Designed for use as a fleet spotter to be catapult launched from cruisers or battleships, the Walrus was later employed in other roles, notably as a rescue aircraft for aircrew in the sea.
The Walrus continued in service throughout the Second World War, with the Fleet Air Arm (FAA), Royal Air Force (RAF), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF).
It was the first British squadron-service aircraft to incorporate in one airframe a fully retractable main undercarriage, completely enclosed crew accommodation and all-metal fuselage.
The Walrus was initially developed as a private venture in response to a 1929 Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) requirement for an aircraft to be catapult-launched from cruisers and was originally called the Seagull V, although it only resembled the earlier Supermarine Seagull III in general layout.
Construction was started in 1930 but owing to other commitments Supermarine did not complete the aircraft 1933.
The single-step hull was constructed from aluminium alloy, with stainless-steel forgings for the catapult spools and mountings. Metal construction was used because experience had shown that wooden structures deteriorated rapidly under tropical conditions.
The wings were slightly swept back and had stainless–steel spars, wooden ribs which were covered in fabric. The lower wings were set in the shoulder position with a stabilising float mounted under each.
The elevators were high on the tail-fin and braced on either side by N struts. The wings could be folded, giving a stowage width of 17 ft 6 in (5.33 m). The single 620 hp (460 kW) Pegasus II M2 radial engine was housed at the rear of a nacelle mounted on four struts above the lower wing and braced by four shorter struts to the centre-section of the upper wing.
This powered a four-bladed, wooden pusher propeller. The nacelle contained the oil tank, arranged around the air intake at the front as an oil cooler; electrical equipment and had a number of access panels for maintenance. A supplementary oil cooler was mounted on the starboard side.
Fuel was carried in two tanks in the upper wings. The pusher configuration had the advantages of keeping the engine and propeller further out of the way of spray when operating on water and reducing the noise level inside the aircraft.
The propeller was safely away from any crew standing on the front deck, when picking up a mooring line. The engine was offset by three degrees to starboard, to counter any tendency of the aircraft to yaw, due to unequal forces on the rudder caused by the vortex from the propeller.
A solid aluminium tailwheel was enclosed by a small water-rudder, which could be coupled to the main rudder for taxiing or disengaged for takeoff and landing. Although the aircraft typically flew with one pilot, there were positions for two.
The left-hand position was the main one, with the instrument panel and a fixed seat, while the right-hand seat could be folded away to allow access to the nose gun-position via a crawl-way.
An unusual feature was that the control column was not fixed in the usual way but could be unplugged from either of two sockets in the floor. It became a habit for only one column to be in use; when control was passed from the pilot to copilot or vice versa, the control column would simply be unplugged and handed over.
Behind the cockpit, there was a small cabin with work stations for the navigator and radio operator.
Armament usually consisted of two .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers K machine guns, one each in the open positions in the nose and rear fuselage; with provision for carrying bombs or depth charges mounted beneath the lower wings.
Like other flying boats, the Walrus carried marine equipment for use on the water, including an anchor, towing and mooring cables, drogues and a boat-hook.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Amphibious-reconnaissance aircraft
National origin: United Kingdom
Manufacturer: Supermarine
Designer: R. J. Mitchell
First flight: 21 June 1933
Introduction to service: 1935
Primary users: Royal Navy, Irish Air Corps, Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force
Produced: 1936–1944
Number built: 740
Developed from: Supermarine Seagull
The Supermarine Walrus (originally known as the Supermarine Seagull V) was a British single-engine amphibious biplane reconnaissance aircraft designed by R. J. Mitchell and first flown in 1933.
Designed for use as a fleet spotter to be catapult launched from cruisers or battleships, the Walrus was later employed in other roles, notably as a rescue aircraft for aircrew in the sea.
The Walrus continued in service throughout the Second World War, with the Fleet Air Arm (FAA), Royal Air Force (RAF), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF).
It was the first British squadron-service aircraft to incorporate in one airframe a fully retractable main undercarriage, completely enclosed crew accommodation and all-metal fuselage.
The Walrus was initially developed as a private venture in response to a 1929 Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) requirement for an aircraft to be catapult-launched from cruisers and was originally called the Seagull V, although it only resembled the earlier Supermarine Seagull III in general layout.
Construction was started in 1930 but owing to other commitments Supermarine did not complete the aircraft 1933.
The single-step hull was constructed from aluminium alloy, with stainless-steel forgings for the catapult spools and mountings. Metal construction was used because experience had shown that wooden structures deteriorated rapidly under tropical conditions.
The wings were slightly swept back and had stainless–steel spars, wooden ribs which were covered in fabric. The lower wings were set in the shoulder position with a stabilising float mounted under each.
The elevators were high on the tail-fin and braced on either side by N struts. The wings could be folded, giving a stowage width of 17 ft 6 in (5.33 m). The single 620 hp (460 kW) Pegasus II M2 radial engine was housed at the rear of a nacelle mounted on four struts above the lower wing and braced by four shorter struts to the centre-section of the upper wing.
This powered a four-bladed, wooden pusher propeller. The nacelle contained the oil tank, arranged around the air intake at the front as an oil cooler; electrical equipment and had a number of access panels for maintenance. A supplementary oil cooler was mounted on the starboard side.
Fuel was carried in two tanks in the upper wings. The pusher configuration had the advantages of keeping the engine and propeller further out of the way of spray when operating on water and reducing the noise level inside the aircraft.
The propeller was safely away from any crew standing on the front deck, when picking up a mooring line. The engine was offset by three degrees to starboard, to counter any tendency of the aircraft to yaw, due to unequal forces on the rudder caused by the vortex from the propeller.
A solid aluminium tailwheel was enclosed by a small water-rudder, which could be coupled to the main rudder for taxiing or disengaged for takeoff and landing. Although the aircraft typically flew with one pilot, there were positions for two.
The left-hand position was the main one, with the instrument panel and a fixed seat, while the right-hand seat could be folded away to allow access to the nose gun-position via a crawl-way.
An unusual feature was that the control column was not fixed in the usual way but could be unplugged from either of two sockets in the floor. It became a habit for only one column to be in use; when control was passed from the pilot to copilot or vice versa, the control column would simply be unplugged and handed over.
Behind the cockpit, there was a small cabin with work stations for the navigator and radio operator.
Armament usually consisted of two .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers K machine guns, one each in the open positions in the nose and rear fuselage; with provision for carrying bombs or depth charges mounted beneath the lower wings.
Like other flying boats, the Walrus carried marine equipment for use on the water, including an anchor, towing and mooring cables, drogues and a boat-hook.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Amphibious-reconnaissance aircraft
National origin: United Kingdom
Manufacturer: Supermarine
Designer: R. J. Mitchell
First flight: 21 June 1933
Introduction to service: 1935
Primary users: Royal Navy, Irish Air Corps, Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force
Produced: 1936–1944
Number built: 740
Developed from: Supermarine Seagull
THE KIT:
Smer is an old model company based in Prague, Czech Republic. They have been around since the 1950's.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a Walrus flying against a yellow sky. It is in a wave pattern of green and grey over a sky undercarriage and is in the markings that are supplied in the kit of the British roundel, fin flash and a letter "B" beside the roundel.
Smer is an old model company based in Prague, Czech Republic. They have been around since the 1950's.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a Walrus flying against a yellow sky. It is in a wave pattern of green and grey over a sky undercarriage and is in the markings that are supplied in the kit of the British roundel, fin flash and a letter "B" beside the roundel.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains 9 light-grey trees, a loose light-grey propeller, struts, wing, engine cylinders, elevator and pontoon halves in 2 clear sealed cello bags. A clear tree, decal sheet and instructions.
The instructions is a single-sheet, folded in the center to create 4 pages in 8 1/2" x 12" page format. Folded again to fit the box.
Page 1 begins with another version of the box art. It shows the Walrus with the letter B fuselage code rescuing the downed pilot alone. Over the history of the Walrus.
Across pages 2 & 3 is 4 exploded drawings on yellow circles, a lot of Czech text and a listing of all the names of the kit parts. 86 of them.
Page 4 has more history and specifications of the Walrus and Smer as being located in Prague, Czech Republic in Czech, with a 4-view illustration of a Walrus in a wave pattern of grey and green over a sky undercarriage, with white fuse code AA4T under the nose and white PZF on the sides of the rear of the fuselage. It has a red, white and blue vertical flash on the rudder and STRANGELY no British roundels shown.
Part trees are not alphabetized, nor illustrated in the instructions and have no part number tabs next to the parts on the trees. Bad move Smer !!
The first light-grey tree holds: seats, crew figures, machine guns, steering yoke, struts etc. (21 parts)
The kit contains 9 light-grey trees, a loose light-grey propeller, struts, wing, engine cylinders, elevator and pontoon halves in 2 clear sealed cello bags. A clear tree, decal sheet and instructions.
The instructions is a single-sheet, folded in the center to create 4 pages in 8 1/2" x 12" page format. Folded again to fit the box.
Page 1 begins with another version of the box art. It shows the Walrus with the letter B fuselage code rescuing the downed pilot alone. Over the history of the Walrus.
Across pages 2 & 3 is 4 exploded drawings on yellow circles, a lot of Czech text and a listing of all the names of the kit parts. 86 of them.
Page 4 has more history and specifications of the Walrus and Smer as being located in Prague, Czech Republic in Czech, with a 4-view illustration of a Walrus in a wave pattern of grey and green over a sky undercarriage, with white fuse code AA4T under the nose and white PZF on the sides of the rear of the fuselage. It has a red, white and blue vertical flash on the rudder and STRANGELY no British roundels shown.
Part trees are not alphabetized, nor illustrated in the instructions and have no part number tabs next to the parts on the trees. Bad move Smer !!
The first light-grey tree holds: seats, crew figures, machine guns, steering yoke, struts etc. (21 parts)
The second light-grey tree holds: propellers, more struts, cockpit floor etc. (12 parts)
The third light-grey tree holds: wheels, more struts, panels etc. (14 parts)
The fourth light-grey tree holds the fuselage halves (2 parts)
The one piece elevator was loose in the box.
The fifth light-grey tree holds: pontoons, engine-nacelles (6 parts)
The sixth light-grey tree holds upper wing top halves (2 parts)
The seventh light-grey tree holds the upper wing bottom halves (2 parts)
The seventh light-grey tree holds the upper wing bottom halves (2 parts)
The eighth light-grey tree holds the lower wing upper halves (2 parts)
The ninth light-grey tree holds the lower wing bottom halves (2 parts)
The ninth light-grey tree holds the lower wing bottom halves (2 parts)
The decal sheet completes the kit.
Detail is both engraved and raised type. Flaps and control surfaces are all molded solid.
Recommended.