Plastic model of the Felixstowe F.2a flying boat

The photos show a plastic model of the Felixstowe F.2a flying boat from World War I. The model was built in a 1:32 scale from a kit by Wingnut Wings from New Zealand.

The model is very large and therefore was difficult to fit in the frame. The fuselage of the model is 44 cm (17.32 in) long and the wingspan is 91 cm (35.83 in).

Photoetched parts were also included in the set.

From the modeller's workshop

How to make rigging the wings so that the lines look taut and do not peel off or break?

To complete this task, you need metal turnbuckles and a special heat shrink polymer line. These accessories are not included in the kit and must be purchased separately.

In the plastic model, photos of which are posted on the website, used turnbuckles from GasPatch Models and polymer lines from EZ Line.

You need to drill holes in the anchor points of the cords in the plane and glue the turnbuckles into them. Then put the lines through the eyes in the brackets and it is best to glue them with some instant glue. Once the lines are attached, use a hair dryer. The warm air will cause the lines to shrink and they will look as if they were very tense.

How to make plywood imitation on a plastic model plane?

The model of the plane boat in the photos looks as if it was made of plywood and boards, although in reality it was glued together from plastic parts. To achieve this effect, the modeller used decals from HGW Models. The external surfaces of the plastic model were first painted in the appropriate colours. Then, after the paint dried, transparent decals imitating plywood or boards were glued on.

The propellers in the presented model flying boat are also plastic although they look wooden. In this case, no decal were used, but the propellers hand-painted with two types of paint, acrylic and oil.

About the Felixstowe F.2a flying boat

The Felixstowe F.2a was a long-range reconnaissance aircraft. It could stay in the air for 10 hours. It was capable of carrying 208 kg (460 lb) of bombs and attacking ships and submarines. It was also armed with 5 machine guns.

In the years 1917-1919, 100 copies of the aircraft in the F.2a version were produced.

Some technical data:

• Wingspan: 29.13 m (95.57 ft),
• Hull length: 14.1 m (46.26 ft),
• Max weight: 5,216 kg (11,500 lb),
• Max speed: 156 km/h (97 mph),
• Ceiling: 3,048 m (10,000 ft).

Sources:

• http://www.wingnutwings.com/ww/product?productid=3117

8 Jan. 2025