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Phil Steele
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1/72 Grumman J2F Duck by Airfix (and me)

June 2, 2016 · in Aviation · 36 · 3.8K

This is one of my long promised re-shoots of an earlier build. This is Murphy's flyin' lavatory (from the movie Murphy's war), a highly modified Airfix kit. If you have ever seen the movie, then you will recognize it. Quite a bit of scratch building and after market stuff. It's a "ONE OFF" ! (off to find that flamin' submarine)

Reader reactions:
11  Awesome

7 additional images. Click to enlarge.


36 responses

  1. Nicely done, Phil...I like it (nice touch with the spinnin' prop, too).

  2. I really like it Phil, You need to find a small version of the movie poster to go with it. I can almost Peter O'Toole sitting in the cockpit !

    • Thanks Terry ! I did my best to replicate Murphy. The pilot was made using several lads from the spares box, who donated their limbs, etc. to the project. The floppy grey hat was vac. formed.

  3. I loved the movie and your model brings the story alive again - and you even got the fish net "bombing devices". Great work. Wonder how many people would have seen the movie, I had to check at IMDB, it is from 1971, so really old now.

    http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTgxMzIwMDczNl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMDcxNDU3MTE@._V1_SY1000_CR0,0,1226,1000AL.jpg

    • Glad you like it ! I saw the movie sometime in the late 80's and remember thinking ---hmmm--project---. It took a while, and a bit of planning believe me.

  4. Murphy war

    Like nice

  5. That's an absolute beauty Phil
    when you think of what was in the box and what came out of it
    kind of magic...
    what do you think of the Classic Airframes offering of that machine
    in quarter scale ?

    • Thanks kloster ! The base model I used was a -5, and the movie aircraft was a -1 with the cowling ripped off. Lots of re-profiling needed, as well as a replacement engine. A "TON" of work.
      I haven't seen the Classic Airframes offering in 1/24.

  6. By the way
    thanks to you all plastic gluers for your friendly welcome.
    Long live I modeler !

  7. A blast from the past, great job.

  8. Phil, great work, rivets a-go-go! You could remove calluses with the fuselage. Only one I know of in 1/72nd, at least from a mainstream company.
    Good job removing the cowling, the plane is a late one, a -6. Some outfit called Columbia made them, as well as Grumman.
    Unusual airplane and scheme, well done!

  9. By the way
    is "Murphys war " worth downloading or is
    it kind of really too old ?

  10. A new outfit called Merit has a 1/48th -5 Duck, fairly recent. As usual, I want an earlier one, in Marine Scouting Yellow Wings scheme. Maybe some day...

  11. Great looking duck! I built one of these (think I posted in my blog) but didn't take the time to de-rivit and re-scribe like you have done. Yours is the better end product! I like the very different scheme as well, and where the motivation came from. All in all, excellent project!

    • Thanks Greg ! The aircraft in the book was actually a Sword Fish. When none could be found for the movie adaptation, the story was changed to use the Duck instead, which the RN never used. Never under estimate artistic licence.

  12. Is that sort of like the opening scenes of A bridge too far?
    Spit XVIe overflying some hidden enemy? The duck is real nice, Phil. You pulled the rigging off in grand style.

  13. Well done Phil.

  14. I am loving this Phil! Great modeling. I love the hat.
    California Steve

  15. Great subject 🙂 and a great build!

  16. Great Duck, Phil!

    I really like the movie as well, and yes, it is VERY recognizable! My Dad saw this movie and told me about flying Ducks during the war. He really liked anything to do with water & airplanes, so he enjoyed seaplanes especially. So much so that when he passed, we had a PBY (his favorite aircraft that he flew) engraved on his tombstone.

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