Airfix 1/72 Short Sunderland III

[Cougar]

Hi Guys,

Does anybody know if there is a conversion set that converts the Airfix 1/72 Short Sunderland III kit into a Short Sunderland Mk. V?

Regards,

Cougar

Edited November 2, 2010 by Cougar

[LDSModeller]

Hi Guys,

Does anybody know if there is a conversion set that converts the Airfix 1/72 Short Sunderland III kit into a Short Sunderland Mk. V?

Regards,

Cougar

To my knowledge there is not a "set" per se

What time period are you planning your build for ? (WWII /Post WWII)

If WWII then the following will suit

To build a Mk V:

The engines you could obtain the Pratt & Whitney R 1830s

from either AeroClub (E072) or Engines and Things, and also E&T did

make/stock the ASV Mk III domes.

Propellers you could obtain from AeroClub (sorry don't have part No. at present)

You could try Quickboost Cowling/Props for the PBY Catalina which would suit the Mk V)

(Note you could also use the Quickboost C47 or PBY 5 Engines as they are R 1830's also)

Quickboost

The Fish tail Exhausts can be found at Red Roo models (for a the PBY Catalina but essentially the same)

Red Roo

The canopy/turrets you will need to make your self

The WEM cockpit set is only for a MK I/II or early Mk III

The Bomb bay doors will need to have the 3 windows filled in and two Portholes

drilled out or make a new set

The Aft Fuselage Gunners window/panel will need drilling out for pot hole and scribing of

panel.

Entrance hatches fore/aft will need recribing, as they are more rounded than on the Airfix model

Post WWII Mk V/MR5 then engines props etc as above plus the entrance hatches

bow/aft will need rescribing and the doors will need clear panels added for the fire fighting equipment

Also on Post war Mk5/MR5's the upper turret was removed and there should be a hump with a hatch

scribed in

If you have any queries either ask here or PM me

If you want to build AN accurate Sunderland you could check out my build on Britmodeller (WIP)

Short Sunderland Build

HTH

Alan

Edited November 2, 2010 by LDSModeller

[agboak]

Red Roo do P&W cowlings (including engines, but not as separate parts) for the Beaufort/Hudson, so they should work on the Sunderland.

[LDSModeller]

Red Roo do P&W cowlings (including engines, but not as separate parts) for the Beaufort/Hudson, so they should work on the Sunderland.

That would work too, but you would need to add the

carburettor intake under the upper cowling lip,

that was quite prominant on the MkV/MR5 as in this

photo.

Photo used for illustration only

Regards

Alan

[Cougar]

Hi Alan,

Thank you for the link to your build - Brilliant work

My intention with the Sunderland is to build it into a post war Mk. V that was used by 35 Squadron of the South Africa Air Force during the 1950's. I'm also chucking the idea around in my head of creating a diorama of a section of the Congella Flying Boat Base that the Sunderlands flew from.

I have a couple of questions RE your first post...

The Bomb bay doors will need to have the 3 windows filled in and two Portholes drilled out or make a new set

Could the centre porthole not be filled in and the other two left or are their locations incorrect?

Also on Post war Mk5/MR5's the upper turret was removed and there should be a hump with a hatch scribed in

Is it possible that some of the Mk. V's retained their upper turret or could these have been previous Mk's?

Click Me - 35 SQN SAAF Sunderland with upper turret.

Regards,

Cougar

[stevehnz]

Engines & Things also do the underwing radomes if the version you want to do needs them. Thanks for that list Alan, looks like I need to tidy up my shopping list.

Steve.

[LDSModeller]

Hi Cougar

The MkV/MR5 Bomb bay doors were different

from the Mk 1-3 doors in that the new two porthole configeration

were (more or less) in between the three porholes.

See my attached picture to give you some idea, the photo is of

a MR5 door and I have painted in where the MK 3 holes would have

been

As far as the upper turret goes post WWII, I know RAF/RNZAF/French

MkV/MR5's had the deleted turret. Interestingly I found

a photo on the net of SAAF MkV's with both together- But I don't know whether

this photo is during WWII or post WWII.

Congella Sunderlands

It's possible that the SAAF continued to fly both post war for a time ??- I don't have much

info on SAAF Sunderlands

I know that in West Africa during WWII circa 1944 Mk III Sunderlands

were flown sans upper turret, due to the fact the Luftwaffe were not

considered a threat in that part.

I have plans to build a few RNZAF MR5's similar to your idea but

in their own dioramas, as I don't have the room to build Hobsonville

flying boat apron with a Sunderland in Hangar, one on the hard and one

moored in the braby (would look way cool though)

Regards

Alan

[Cougar]

Hi Alan,

Thank you for the information RE the portholes on the bomb doors :lol:

I came across the photograph of the Congella Sunderlands that you posted a couple of days ago and I'm fairly certain that the photograph was taken post World War Two. Two of the aircraft in the photograph, 1702 RB-K and 1715 RB-P, were delivered in November 1945 (Source: Flying Boat by Ivan Spring).

The Sunderland in the photograph I linked to above (1710 RB-D) was delivered in June 1945.

It's possible that the SAAF continued to fly both post war for a time ?

From what I understand, 262 Squadron RAF was re-designated 35 Squadron SAAF on the 15th of February, 1945. Prior to that, I think 262 Squadron RAF had been flying Catalina aircraft but unfortunately I cannot be sure. I have started reading Ivan Spring's book mentioned above, which discusses the history of 262 Squadron RAF and the origins of 35 Squadron SAAF, but unfortunately I'm only a few pages in - I do know that 35 Squadron SAAF received it's first Sunderland aircraft on the 24th of April, 1945 though.

A brief history of 35 Squadron SAAF.

I have plans to build a few RNZAF MR5's similar to your idea but in their own dioramas, as I don't have the room to build Hobsonville flying boat apron with a Sunderland in Hangar, one on the hard and one moored in the braby (would look way cool though)

Have you given any thought to donating the completed display to a museum?

Regards,

Cougar

Edited November 3, 2010 by Cougar

[gregair]

Hi Cougar,

Good news for you, the photo that you provided in the link " Click Me - 35 SQN SAAF Sunderland with upper turret." Is very definately POST WAR,

The Springbok roundels displayed on the aircraft in the photo were introduced in November 1950 (According to the SAAF Museum)

On a side note, the sea plane control tower is still in its position on the esplanade in Durban although the base (Congella) itself is +- 1km away and is now used by shipping companies..

So good luck with your project, as I live in Durban I look forward to seeing the finished product.

Edited November 3, 2010 by gregair

[Cougar]

Hey Greg,

From what I understand the hanger is no longer there and the area is now used to store shipping containers?

Regards,

Cougar

[redwoodmodels]

You could try Quickboost Cowling/Props for the PBY Catalina which would suit the Mk V)

(Note you could also use the Quickboost C47 or PBY 5 Engines as they are R 1830's also)

Quickboost

I just looked into this. The Academy PBY cowls are drastically smaller than the Airfix nacelles in diameter. It looks like it'd be a VERY difficult conversion to do using the Quickboost parts (assuming they're of similar size for the kit they're supposed to fit).

[LDSModeller]

I just looked into this. The Academy PBY cowls are drastically smaller than the Airfix nacelles in diameter. It looks like it'd be a VERY difficult conversion to do using the Quickboost parts (assuming they're of similar size for the kit they're supposed to fit).

Yes, I discovered this too, not so long ago.

I believe (from what I have read) that they are about 2mm

too small.

Few things I can suggest is :

1) Hollow out the Airfix parts, removing also the

gills and replace with scratch built items from card

2) Bryan Ribban (owner of Seawings site) in his Mk V build

used a spare set of Stirling cowlings and scratch built

the gills.

Seawings

(See model articles)

3) Build a master and vacuform some new cowlings

With any of the above three you will need to add the

prominant intake at the upper lip

When I build my Mk V's (MR5) I probably will do the third

Regards

Alan