[ZS-VAN]

Nice pics 1250Ships! Tell us more about the model though. The cockpit detail looks clumsy to me. What are your thoughts?

[parsig9]

Originally Posted by "Bitzahawk"

Yes "Diecast Ace" does have good shots of the I-16. They have good shots of alot of planes, Thanks.

Ya know Dabs (Diecast Ace) is a member here! Goes by Pappy B now and yes, he has great photos and not enough display space.

[1250ships]

Originally Posted by ZS-VAN

Nice pics 1250Ships! Tell us more about the model though. The cockpit detail looks clumsy to me. What are your thoughts?

Well it is an Altaya so it shares most of the plus and minus of that series. The panel lines are drawn one. The props, antennas, and landing gear are all plastic. The bulk of the plane is metal. The landing gear are pretty weak though of the five Altaya/IXO models I have this one has the best landing gear. Parts are included so you can show the model wheels up or wheels down- I prefer my models wheels down so I have to deal with the crappy gear.

The bomb when fitted covers the stand hole. If you plan to display her flying you can't fit the bomb. Same is true for the Grace model- can't install the torpedo when the plane is on the stand.

The radio antenna does not stay in place- likes to lean over.

Painting is good and the camo pattern matches the photos I've seen. Color is subjective of course as the photos are black and white. There is no registration number on the plane. Only other flaw paintwise is that the four wing guns are not present.

The overall shape is good. The cowl on the engine should flare up a bit more where it is mounted on the plane. The odd tail is properly done.

There is no detail inside the cockpit. The canopy is basically correct. Some of the frame parts are thicker than they should be and it should actually have more frame across the top of the pilot area.

Not perfect but it is likely the only Skua you are going to see in the foreseeable future. I wish they would do a Blackburn Roc too.

["Bitzahawk"]

How many crewman were in a Skua, definately two, possibly 3 ? Looks like there is room.

[ZS-VAN]

Great review 1250Ships! Thanks for your insights. I agree, a Roc would be great with the Skua.

[1250ships]

Two man crew. Some history:

Skuas are credited as the first British aircraft to shoot down an enemy aircraft in the Second World War: a Dornier Do 18 flying boat was downed over the North Sea on September 26, 1939 by three Skuas flying from the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal. On April 10, 1940 16 Skuas flying from the Orkney Islands sank the German cruiser Königsberg in Bergen Harbour during the invasion of Norway. This was the first large warship sunk by allied forces in the war.

Though it fared reasonably well against Axis bombers over Norway and in the Mediterranean, the Skua suffered heavy losses when confronted with modern fighters, particularly the Messerschmitt Bf 109, and they were withdrawn from front-line service in 1941. The aircraft was largely replaced by another two-seater, the Fairey Fulmar which doubled the Skua's forward armament and also boasted a 50-mph speed advantage.

Here is the performance data:

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 35 ft 7 in (10.8 m)
• Wingspan: 46 ft 2 in (14.1 m)
• Height: 14 ft 2 in (4.3 m)
• Wing area: 312 ft² (29.0 m²)
• Empty weight: 5,490 lb (2,490 kg)
• Loaded weight: 8,228 lb (3,730 kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Bristol Perseus XII radial engine, 905 hp (675 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 225 mph (195 knots, 360 km/h) at 6,500 ft (2,000 m)
• Range: 800 mi (700 nm, 1,300 km)
• Service ceiling: 20,200 ft (6,150 m)
• Wing loading: 26.4 lb/ft² (128 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 0.11 hp/lb (180 W/kg)

Armament

• Guns:
  • 4× 0.303 in (7.7 mm) forward-firing Browning machine guns
  • 1× rear-firing Lewis gun
• Bombs: 1× 500 lb (230 kg) bomb

A Total of 192 were built. Only two partial examples survive. The Fleet Air Arm Museum (UK) has a Skua forward cockpit section. In Norway a wreck was raised from Rombaksfjorden and a Norwegian musuem hopes to reconstruct the plane.
Information from http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/Aircraft/Skua.htm and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackburn_Skua

[Tri-motor]

225 MPH. Whew, talk about a sitting duck..... Thanks for the info.

[jim]

speaking of ducks, shall we talk about the Fairey Barracuda or shall I go wash my mouth out.

Originally Posted by Tri-motor

225 MPH. Whew, talk about a sitting duck..... Thanks for the info.

[Ted in DC]

Question: Does anyone know the particular aircraft/squadron/date as depicted in IXO's model?

[SkyBuffalo]

Originally Posted by Ted in DC

Question: Does anyone know the particular aircraft/squadron/date as depicted in IXO's model?

This is the information blurb I found for the IXO Skua :

"No. 800 Squadron (FAA), Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, January 1940"