1/48 Firefly FR.4
This is the recent Special Hobby kit finished as a Dutch Navy example based in New Guinea. These were the last Fireflies in service anywhere, and were replaced by Hawker Hunters in 1962. The model assembles extremely well and really puts Special Hobby on the verge of joining main -line manufacturers. The wheel well is one giant piece of nicely cast resin, as are the exhausts, and the rocket rail blast plates are photo-etch. Everything else in the kit is plastic. The rear canopy fit very well, unlike the pilot's canopy. It needed some careful trimming, brute force, and CA glue to get it to fit. Both canopies had some imperfections molded into the clear plastic. These were the biggest problems with the kit. I painted it with Xtracolor and Humbrol enamels. I added Eduard seat belts and pirated two 250lb. British bombs from an Eduard Spitfire to hang on the bomb pylons. The pylons are included in the kit, but I had to modify shackles from some Eduard Mig-21 parts. Finally, I used a pair of Roy Sutherland's outstanding Barracudacast resin wheels.
This is an extremely enjoyable kit and I have another started and a third in the stash. These two will become a BPF Mk.I and a Korean War RAN FR.5
Nice work.
Thank you, Tom!
Thanks Tom!
Good looking Firefly John. Really like the Dutch markings and the colorful nose art.
Thank you Rick. I was originally going to build this as an FR.5, but the shark mouth suckered me in!
An ugly airplane (IMO), but a nicely built and photographed example.
Thanks Craig!
Beautiful job on a unusual seldom-seen aircraft!
Thanks Juan! We can thank our friends in the Czech Republic for making these great kits of unusual planes. Nobody else would touch them.
Great job John. I like this version of the Firefly best. I look forward to seeing the Korean War example.
Thanks Gregor. I'll try to build fast!
Very nice John, well finished indeed.
Thank you Simon. I tried to keep it nice and clean with just a bit of oil/soot staining around the engine. Photos show these Dutch Fireflies to be well kept even in their final days.
That came out real nice John. You did a great job on the canopy and greenhouse, really like those Dutch marking also, as you know mine will be Dutch as well.
Thanks John. Yes I do remember your Firefly, it's a fun kit, isn't it?
Nice one. Go the Durch. 🙂
Dutch that is... Lol
Dutch that is... Lol..
Thanks Paul!
Good to see something different, John, and very nicely built and finished.
Thanks George! I really like this kit. I liked it so much that I'm about half way done with a Special Hobby Firefly F.I that builds even better then this one did.
John,
Late to the party and I will add that you did anExcellent job on this.
Hello John,
As a Dutchmen, with an interest in Dutch Naval Aviation, this is a cracking model. I can understand the shark mouth "suckered"you in to this markings.
The "B "stands for the island Biak. The main operating base in the fifty's and early sixty's.
Constructed by the Japs and modernised by the engineers from general MacArthur., the Dutch used it extensively. Due to the long runway, the DC-8 from KLM had no problems touching down. But more importantly, also taking off.
The base is still operational, but now under Indonesian Flag.
The Firefly was in use from 1946 until 1959-1960.
regards,
Dirk / The Netherlands.