Airfix 1/72 Short Sunderland III Flying Boat Kit (06001)

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Airfix 1/72 Short Sunderland III Flying Boat Kit (06001)
The Short Sunderland was one of the finest flying-boats ever built and it served with Royal Air Force Coastal Command for 21 years. A development of the Short Empire flying-boats, the Sunderland was designed to a 1933 Air Ministry specification for a long-range general reconnaissance and anti-submarine patrol flying-boat to replace the biplanes then in service.

The prototype first flew in 1937 and production Sunderlands entered service in 1938. At the outbreak of the Second World War three squadrons of Sunderlands were operational with Coastal Command. The type showed its worth on September 18th 1939, when two aircraft from 204 and 228 Squadrons rescued the entire crew of 34 from the sinking freighter "Kensington Court" off the Scilly Isles, the rescued men all being back on land within an hour of being torpedoed. As the war continued, Sunderlands were used increasingly against U-boats. The 2,000lb bomb-load was carried internally, the bombs, mines or depth charges being run out through the side of the hull on rails for dropping. No fewer than ten machine guns in three power-operated turrets were carried (seven being fitted to the MkIII) and the formidable firepower presented by these weapons earned for the type the nickname "Flying Porcupine" from the Germans. On one occasion a single Sunderland was attacked by eight JU 88s and shot down three of them, damaged a fourth and drove off the remainder. Sunderland production ceased in 1945 - 739 aircraft being completed - although the type continued in regular service with the RAF being used on the Berlin Airlift and during the Korean War. On anti-terrorist operations in Malaya, Sunderlands normally carried 200 fragmentation bombs. The Sunderland III, for which 456 were built, was powered by four 1,065 h.p. Bristol Pegasus XVIII engines giving a maximum speed of 210 mph and a cruising duration of 12 hours. A crew of 13 was carried. Wing span 112ft 9 1/2 in, length 85ft 4in, height 32ft 10 1/2in. Markings are provided for an aircraft of 423 Sqn Royal Canadian Air Force based at Castle Archdale, Northern Ireland, in 1943-44, for North Atlantic patrol duties

Polystyrene Cement and Paints Required = 27,33,34,64,86.

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