Here's my Grumman Goose (SwAF designation Tp 81) in 1/72! I originally started this build for the “Medics Campaign�, but other matters got in the way. No chance of a ribbon post campus, eh? Please...



I used the kit from Sword, which was quite neat. Unfortunately, the Swedish decals that I used were not very good. Some scratch building has been done, in particular the ski suspension.



I had to contemplate for quite some time before I could figure out a way to accomplish the noticeable beacon on the roof. Finally, I realized that the LED from my VCR remote would do the trick just nicely! Who's watching video these days, anyhow!?



The figures are an unholy mix of Hasegawa pilots, CMK personnel etc. The kneeling person is actually wearing a "regular" outfit, but with some paint and some work, he looks quite the season! The skier is a cross between an Italeri "Italian mountain troops", a Schnellboot figure from CMK (sticks = needles).



The ambulance aircraft in northern Sweden used an all orange paint scheme so that they could be easily located in case of emergency landings etc. - especially during the wintertime. I used mainly Tamiya Acrylics. The orange (X-6) was muffled with a little brown and a tad of red.



Pre-shading was made with dark brown and I washed the panel lines with some water mixable oil paints from W&N. The antennas were made from 0.04 mm fly-fishing line and stretched sprue respectively. Small details such as handles etc are either from Model Art or made by wire.



Please post hints and comments! There are always some finishing touches to be made!



Cheers!

Finally, here's one of the photos that inspired me to do this diorama:

Nice diorama, could do with some footprints.

David

Hi Björn!

Glad to see the Goose made a nice trip from Indochina to cold Sweden! I also see it got new clothes...
This is a very cool (cold) dio and you captured well the winter atmosphere. The plane looks great too. Compared to the French ones, seems the Swedish personal was short of white and red paint for the red crosses! :-)
To make things perfect you just have to figure out how to simulate cold air coming out of the figures!

Jean-Luc

Looks great and great write up to go with it.
Leon

Looks great Bjorn, it looks and feels very cold.
The only thing i would change is to paint or varnish the wood frame a darker colour, so the snow sticks out more.
Andy (++)

Nice build! Looks to me like it is worth getting up to change the channel.

Chuck

Hi Polar Bear,
Very nice little dio youve got there.
Unusual subject and paint scheme certainly makes it stand out.
The figures look great,even more so when i noticed it was in 1/72!
Sorry to hear about the demise of your PRU Spit!,,still look on the bright side,it gives you the perfect excuse to build another one! When Ive finished my FW190 Im going to have a go at my pink Spit.
Congratulations on a fine build.
The only comments I could make would be adding some footprints and painting the border of the base which have already been mentioned.
I wonder what other uses you can put the remains of the video to??? :-)
Nige

Great job PolarBear!
I love the color! The dio is also nicely done. I'd like to do something colorful like that in the future to liven up my display shelf.

Congradulations
Hermon

Thanks for all your comments, guys! It sure was a fun build, even though it seemed jinx'd for a while. I have never lost so many parts to the carpet monster before! I have had to scratch build more parts than you think!

Both TigerCat and Lampie have asked for more footprints. I will obide!!! I made a lot of footprints in the base but they disappeared when I added the last coat of snow (a mix of white paint and lots of baking soda). - I will also add traces of snow on the side of the skis. (I'll try to post some more pictures later).

Jean-Luc - What can I say? Apart from changing colour it shrunk to 1/72!, grew skis and was granted a safe haven in Laponia!

I would really love to see more versions of this beautiful aircraft. Even though only 345 Geese were built, it has served in so many airforces! How about an American, Cuban, Canadian, Japaneese or a Bangladeshi one?! Here are some really nice profiles that may serve as an inspiration for the rest of you!

Now we've seen one on land and one on snow. What we really need is one bobbing in the ocean!

There are also some really stunning paint schemes for those who build civilian aircraft, see for example here!

Jean-Luc wrote
Cold air!?! What do they teach the French these days?

Cheers!

Hi Björn!

Of course I meant warm air coming out... and getting cold...

Jean-Luc

That's a great link PolarBear, Thanks!
I fell in love with that Yellow Goose with the purple markings. Does anyone know of a Goose kit in 1/48 scale in current production and where I could get my hands on one?

Thanks,
Hermon

Hi Hermon!

Try here: French rescue Goose feature and Signifer 1/48 Goose Review
If you click on the Signifer logo (review), you will be forwarded to their web site. The Goose kit is on sale at the moment I think.

Jean-Luc

Hermon wrote:



You're in luck, Hermon! Your love may be answered!

I found decals for the yellow one at Draw decals!!

There is also a 1/48 Goose from Czech Models;




The Signifier kit is supposed to be really extraordinary, though!

Wouldn't it be nice if this turned into a Goose relay!

Jean-Luc wrote:



Why, that would certainly be no problem to build...

Cheers!

Hey thanks for those links Jean-Luc and PolarBear.
That Czech Model kit is listed in my Squadron catalogue now that you mention it. There is only one problem now. The link to "DRAW Decals" has too many awsome decal kits to choose from.

By the way, does anyone have a credit card I could borrow for a minute?

Hermon

That is pretty cool. I like it, it's a bit on the different.

Another great Goose, love it. 2 geese in a short time and both great looking models. I do like the orange as it certainly stands out. I will definately have to get me a goose. Thanks for the link to the profiles, but I'm really stuck for a scheme now
Mal

Here's a site with loads of info and pictures of the real aircraft. http://www.grummangoose.com/

This picture might serve as inspiration for a future diorama?



Who will pick up the baton!?

Cheers!