Dear all, welcome to our August 2025 Aircraft newsletter featuring some exciting new products.
All our hand carved Mahogany aircraft take in the region of 250 days to manufacture plus many more hours of drying time. For this reason we only make small numbers of each model and every aircraft is a limited edition masterpiece.
For those of you who wish to spread your budget when buying our aircraft, please note we do accept stage payments where you can spread the cost over several months. If you require further details of any of the aircraft in today's newsletter, please email welcome@gunnclub.co.uk and ask for a quote.
A big thank you to Mark Dyer with his assistance in the research and development of these models, it really has been invaluable.
All our aircraft now come with their own stands and can be displayed in flying mode if required.
Please note the Gunn Club discount has now been amended to 10% for the foreseeable future, however we reserve the right to amend this at any time should circumstances change. To claim your 10% Club discount, simply enter the word 'discount' at checkout in the coupon box to receive this offer.
All the TG/K&C/JJD figures/accessories displayed in this newsletter are shown for scale comparison purposes only and are not included.
WOW699
Royal Aircraft Factory BE-2C Zeppelin Killer
Second Lieutenant Frederick Sowrey, DSO, MC, AFC (25 July 1893 – 21 October 1968)
The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 was a British single-engine two-seat biplane, designed and developed at the Royal Aircraft Factory. Most of the roughly 3,500 built were constructed under contract by private companies, including established aircraft manufacturers and firms new to aircraft construction. The aircraft was designed extremely well for the reconnaissance role, weight distribution was such that under most flights circumstances, the aircraft would tend to almost right itself to level flight, without any major input from the pilot!
Early versions entered squadron service with the Royal Flying Corps in 1912 and the type served throughout WW 1. Initially used as a reconnaissance aircraft and light bomber. By late 1915, the B.E.2 was proving to be vulnerable to the recently introduced German fighters, leading to increased losses during the period known as the Fokker Scourge. Although by now obsolete, it had to remain in front line service while replacement types were brought into service. Following its belated withdrawal from combat, the B.E. continued to serve in training, communications, and coastal anti-submarine patrol roles. The aircraft found a new lease of life as a night fighter against the bombing threat to the UK, from the Zeppelin airships. As a single-seat night fighter the type destroyed 6 German airships between September and December 1916.
B.E.2c serial number 4112 was flown by Second Lieutenant Frederick Sowrey and his first victory was the shooting down of the German Navy Zeppelin L32 during WW I. On the evening of September 23rd 1916, Sowrey was on patrol around Joyce Green, at 13,000 feet, he spotted Zeppelin LZ 74 (L 32) at about 0110 hours and closed with it. Firing three drums of incendiary ammunition into the belly of the beast, before it exploded into flames. There were no survivors from the Zeppelin aircrew. In WW1 Sowrey became a flying ace, credited with thirteen aerial victories. Having risen rapidly in rank during the war, he remained in service until 1940 and achieved the rank of Group Captain before retiring.
We have 3 each of these 1/30 scale models available priced at $750 plus postage, Insert your 'discount' code into the coupon box and get your club discount of 10% on top of this, giving you a final purchase price of just over $675 plus postage.
The figures and accessories are shown for scale comparison purposes only and are not included.
WOW700
Royal Aircraft Factory BE-2C "2635 With Bombs"
No.13 Squadron Royal Flying Corps
No.13 Squadron RFC was formed on the 10th of January 1915, equipped with twelve newly built RAF BE2c aircraft and was dispatched as a Corps reconnaissance unit to France in October 1915. The squadron served at Savy in France during 1916. Later the Squadron was also equipped with RAF BE2d and BE2e versions.
Some of the aircraft were also fitted with racks for carrying 112lb ‘Cooper’ bombs. A Lewis machine gun was fitted for the observer and a second machine gun for the pilot. Ammunition drums were carried in racks mounted on the sides of the fuselage.
This particular aircraft was completely wrecked in a landing incident at the 7Sq aerodrome on July 17, 1916.
This 1/30 scale model portrays one of those aircraft kitted out for a bombing run in early 1916. We have 3 each of these models available priced at $750 plus postage. Insert your 'discount' code into the coupon box and get your club discount of 10% on top of this, giving you a final purchase price of just over $675 plus postage.
The Idflieg (Inspektion der Fliegertruppen - "Inspectorate of Flying Troops") was the bureau of the German Empire that oversaw German military aviation prior to and during World War I. Idflieg identified the airplanes flown by designating whether they were fighters (E for single wing or D for biplanes preceding model number: E.III, D-II etc.), 2-seater unarmed reconnaissance (B), and armed 2 seaters (C). In late 1916 Idflieg decided there was a need for a lighter version of their armed 2-seater airplanes, and designated them as Cl. It was a small and quite cramped aircraft for the crew. Pilot and observer were able to sit in the same cockpit, which made communication between the two very easy. However, due to the cramped conditions, it was hardly possible to take any equipment with you. As a result, many CL.II crews improvised and attached external load carriers around the entire cockpit to carry grenades, flare ammunition or other projectiles such as flying arrows. However, it was most dangerous for the observer when he had to defend himself on the rotating mount. Sometimes he even had to climb onto the seat or bend over the carriage ring to shoot.
The Halberstadt CL.II entered service in mid-1917, and proved extremely successful, its excellent manoeuvrability, rate of climb and excellent field of fire for its armament allowed it to match opposing single-seat fighters. The design was intended to provide a 2-seater airplane that could provide fighter protection for recon and bombing airplanes. By July of 1917, the Halberstadt Cl.II began to appear on the Western Front. They were grouped into units called Schustas to provide protection flights. Some individual Cl.IIs were assigned to other 2-seater recon or bombing groups to act as fighter escorts. The airplane was easy to fly, provided good visibility and was agile enough to hold its own against Allied fighters. By April, 1918 Idflieg reported that the Schustas preferred the Halberstadt Cl.II to all other types.
The 1/30 scale Halberstadt CL-II we are releasing is from the Royal Bavarian Schusta 26b. Six airplanes assigned to the Schusta, numbered 1 to 6, the number was painted in white on a red fuselage circle. The front of the airplane was decorated in red, ending in a flame-like marking that extended past the rear cockpit.
Some of the planes had the red outlined in white, some didn't. Some included names of wives or girlfriends placed inside the flames. The markings on this aircraft are both dramatic and elaborate, we can only imagine just how long the marking took to apply to the full sized aircraft, but we can grasp the intricacy from our experience of putting them on our scaled down aircraft. We have 5 each of these 1/30 scale models available priced at $750 plus postage.
The figures and accessories shown are for scale comparison purposes only and are not included with the model.
Now for something truly different. The Flettner Fl 282 Kolibri, was a single-seat intermeshing rotor helicopter, or synchropter, produced by Anton Flettner and claimed to be the world's first series production helicopter.
The German Navy was impressed with the Kolibri and evaluated it for submarine spotting duties. With an initial order of 15, to be followed by 30 production models. Flight testing of the first two prototypes was carried out through 1941, including repeated take offs and landings from the German Cruiser Köln. Intended roles of Fl 282 included reconnaissance and spotting, ferrying items between ships and reconnaissance and ferrying duties ship to ship and ship to shore. The aircraft had a very stable flying attitude (having a central centre of gravity), and the pilot had very good all round if somewhat cold vision!
Following completion the Fl 282 was thoroughly tested in the Baltic and the Mediterranean. Take-offs and landings were practiced from ships (mine layers and destroyers) under steam to which special 5 x 5 meter landing decks had been fitted.
Following the excellent test results the German Air Ministry issued a contract to BMW in 1944 to produce 1,000 machines, in part to fulfil Kreigsmarine requirements for a craft to carry out submarine spotting duties. But BMW’s Munich plant was destroyed by Allied bombing raids, and throughout the war, only 24 Fl 282 were ever built. Of these, by 1943 over 20 B-1 models were in service in the Baltic, Mediterranean and Aegean Seas with the Kriegsmarine operating from land bases and U-Boats.
We have 5 x 1/30 scale hand carved Mahogany Kolibri available priced at $550 plus postage. The internal engine detail has been faithfully recreated in metal and can be seen through the fuselage sides.
The K&C figures and TG accessories are shown for scale comparison purposes only and are not included.
WOW
Grumman F6F-5 "Paper Doll" VF-27, USS Princeton (CVL-23), October 1944.
The Grumman F6F Hellcat, was a WW2 American carrier-based fighter aircraft. Designed to replace the F4F Wildcat and to counter the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero, it was the US Navy's dominant fighter in the second half of the Pacific War. In gaining that role, it prevailed over its faster competitor, the Vought F4U Corsair, which initially had problems with visibility and carrier landings. In addition to its good flight qualities, the Hellcat was easy to maintain and had an airframe tough enough to withstand the rigors of routine carrier operations. Like the Wildcat, the Hellcat was designed for ease of manufacturing and ability to withstand significant damage. The U.S. Navy greatly preferred the more docile flight characteristics of the F6F over the Vought F4U Corsair, despite the Corsair's superior speed. This preference was particularly evident during carrier landings, which were a critical requirement for the Navy's success. The Hellcat remained the standard carrier-borne fighter for the U.S. Navy until the F4U series was finally cleared for U.S. carrier operations in late 1944.
The Hellcat first saw action against the Japanese on 1 September 1943, when fighters off USS Independence shot down a Kawanishi H8K "Emily" flying boat. Soon after, on 23 and 24 November, Hellcats engaged Japanese aircraft over Tarawa, shooting down a claimed 30 Mitsubishi Zeros for the loss of one F6F. Over Rabaul, New Britain, on 11 November 1943, Hellcats and F4U Corsairs were engaged in day-long fights with many Japanese aircraft, including A6M Zeros, claiming nearly 50 aircraft.
The plane was so lethal that it earned the nickname “Ace Maker” because of the large number of pilots that earned their 5 + victories while flying it.
Our 1/30 scale F6F-5 Hellcat 'Paper Doll' was initially flown by Lt. Robert Burnell. On October 24, 1944 during the Battle of Leyte Gulf it was flown from the USS Princeton by Lt. Carl Brown Jr.
Brown along with other US aircraft intercepted Japanese aircraft heading for the U.S. Fleet and managed to down 5 enemy aircraft during the ensuing dog fight. During the battle Brown and his aircraft were badly hit but he managed to land on the USS Essex since the USS Princeton was ablaze. "Paper Doll" was pushed into the sea to make room for all the extra aircraft that were being recovered onto its flight deck.
We have 3 models available priced at $750 plus postage and packing.
The figures and accessories shown are for scale comparison purposes only and are not included.
That's all for this month, we sincerely hope you enjoy the pictures and would love to hear from you if any of these magnificent models appeal to you. They are all now on our website www.jumpthegunn.co.uk and can be paid for upfront or over an extended monthly period.
All Gunn Club members qualify for a 10% discount on the website listed price, joining is free so well worth registering.
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