The maritime LRRP (long-range reconnaissance patrolling) and ASW (anti-submarine warfare) aircraft; the Short Aircraft Company's Sunderland 'Flying Boat'.
One of my first ever kits was the Airfix 1:72 scale version of this beast, basically a box-full of portholes, most of which I foxed, sticking them first to my fingers, then the carpet before stuffing them - un-trimmed of flash or gate-scars and complete with their new furry covers - into their cavities, leaving the crew with no vision whatsoever...I was about 7!
I was given it by a girl I hardly new (she was the brother of a primary-school mate...Ben someone or other?) who had been invited to my party to make-up the numbers (and because her brother was attending and it was 'fair' - Britain used to aspire to fairness!). Anyway, it was the best present I'd had from an invitee to any birthday, and I decided she must fancy me! I was - as it happens - in bed with a temperature, so the party was carried-on in my absence, for the benefit of my brother (?!%!#!?&?!), and when she came up to give me the parcel (clearly - whatever I had - it wasn't contagious!) she stuck her hand under the covers and I decided we were in love...I never saw her again, the little hussy!
Still, how shallow am I that I can be bought with a Sunderland! No, really...35-odd years later I told the story to a lover and she found me one on Amazon, when I still didn't know what Amazon was! It arrived out of the blue with a gift card and little personal message, brilliant!
Previously on Small Scale World;
- Boulton-Paul Defiant, Wellington and Lockheed Hudson with main blurb.
- 'Flying Wing' from Alfred
- Two versions of the Spitfire
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