We sincerely hope you enjoy the pictures from this release and would love to hear from you if any of these magnificent models appeal to you. They are all now on our website www.tomgunn.co.uk and can be paid upfront or over an extended monthly period.
All Gunn Club members qualify for a 5% discount on the website listed price, joining is free so well worth registering.
The Sikorsky S-58 was developed as a lengthened and more powerful version of the Sikorsky Model S-55, or UH-19 Chickasaw, with a similar nose, but with a tail dragger rear fuselage and landing gear, rather than the high-tail, 4-post pattern. It retained the nose-mounted radial reciprocating engine with the drive shaft passing through the cockpit placed high above the cargo compartment.The aircraft first flew on 8 March 1954. The first production aircraft was ready in September and entered in service for the US Navy initially designated HSS-1 Seabat (in its anti-submarine configuration) and HUS-1 Seahorse (in its utility transport configuration) under the U.S. Navy designation system for U.S. Navy, USMC and USCG aircraft. The U.S. Army and Marine Corps, respectively, ordered it in 1955 and 1957. French evaluations on the reported ground fire vulnerabilities of the CH-34 during the Algerian war may have influenced the U.S. Army's decision to deploy the CH-21 Shawnee to Vietnam instead of the CH-34, pending the introduction into widespread service of the Bell UH-1 Iroquois. U.S. Army H-34s did not participate in Vietnam or fly in the assault helicopter role.
However USMC H-34s were also among the first helicopter gunships trialed in the Vietnam theatre, being fitted with two M60C machine guns and two 19-shot rocket pods. The operations were met with mixed enthusiasm, and the armed H-34s, known as "Stingers" were quickly phased out. From then on H-34's were used in the troop transportation role by the USMC until being replaced by the Bell UH Iroquois and the US withdrawal from the Vietnam theatre.
Our 1/30 scale hand carved Mahogany H-34 is available in 2 variants: WOW429 with two eyes painted on front and serial number YP20.
WOW430 with serial number YN19 and yellow paint on top of the fuselage.
Both of these USMC aircraft served in Vietnam. We have two of each model available priced at $1400 each plus postage. The K&C figures and TG accessories are shown for scale comparison purposes only and are not included.
The Mitsubishi Ki-51 "Sonia" was a light bomber in service with the Japanese army during WW2, it first flew in mid-1939. Although not as well known as the A-6 Zero it served the army faithfully throughout its service career. The first two prototypes were completed in June and August 1939. Eleven service test aircraft followed by the end of the year - at this stage 6mm steel armour was added under the engine and cockpit.
It had originally been planned to produce two versions of the Ki-51 - the Army Type 99 Assault Plane and the Ki-51a Army Type 99 Tactical Reconnaissance Plane, carrying cameras in the rear cockpit. Instead of this the Army decided to give every Ki-51 the ability to carry cameras, and the aircraft could easily be swapped between roles in the field.
A total of 1,459 production aircraft were built by Mitsubishi and around 926 by the Tachikawa Dai-Ichi Rikugen Kokusho (the Army's own arsenal). During the production run the 7.7mm wing guns were replaced by two 12.7mm machine guns, but otherwise the design remained unchanged, production of the Sonia ended in July 1945. Total production was around 2,385 units of all types. The Ki-51 was first used in a close support role in China and then in every theatre where the Japanese army fought during the Second World War. Although the Ki-51 lacked speed it was manoeuvrable, and unusually for a Japanese aircraft of the Second War, well protected. It was also easy to maintain and could operate from small airfields close to the front line. Only in the last few months of the war were the last surviving aircraft used for kamikaze missions, carrying one 551lb bomb under the fuselage.
On the day Hiroshima was destroyed by an atomic bomb, a single Ki-51 was responsible for the last Japanese sinking of a US submarine during WW2, the USS Bullhead with all hands lost at sea.
Our 1/30 scale Sonia comes in an eye catching light blue with olive drab swirl pattern camouflage pattern and served with the 10th Sentai in New Guinea. She is priced at $799 plus shipping and is limited to three in number worldwide. The figures and accessories are shown for scale comparison purposes only and are not included.
The Supermarine Walrus (originally designated the Supermarine Seagull V) was a British single-engine amphibious biplane reconnaissance aircraft designed by R.J ,Mitchell and manufactured by Supermarine at Southampton. The Walrus first flew in 1933, the design effort having commenced as a private venture four years earlier. It shared its general configuration with that of the earlier Supermarine Seagull. Having been designed to serve as a fleet spotter for catapult launching from cruisers and battleships. The aircraft was largely employed in other roles, notably as a maritime patrol aircraft and as a rescue aircraft for ditched aircrew. The Walrus featured numerous innovations for the period, being the first British squadron-service aircraft to incorporate in one airframe a fully retractable main undercarriage, completely enclosed crew accommodation and an all-metal fuselage. Early-build aircraft featured the original metal hull design for its greater longevity in tropical conditions, while later-build examples instead used a wooden counterpart to conserve the use of light metal alloys. The first Seagull Vs entered service with the RAAF in 1935. The type was subsequently adopted in quantity by the Royal Navy, RAF, RNZN and RNZAF.
Walruses operated throughout the Second World War against enemy submarines. By the start of WW2, the Walrus was in widespread use. Although its principal intended use was gunnery spotting in naval actions, this only occurred twice: Walruses from Renown and Manchester were launched in the Battle of Cape Spartivento and a Walrus from Gloucester was used at the Battle of Cape Matapan in teh same role. The main task of ship-based aircraft was patrolling for Axis submarines and surface-raiders and by March 1941, Walruses were being deployed with Air to Surface Vessel (ASV) radars to assist in this. During the Norwegian Campaign and the East African Campaign, they also saw limited use in bombing and strafing shore targets.
In August 1940, a Walrus operating from Hobart bombed and machine-gunned an Italian headquarters at Zeila in British Somaliland. By 1943, catapult-launched aircraft on cruisers and battleships were being replaced by the improved radar capability being fitted to Allied ships. A hangar and catapult occupied a considerable amount of space on a warship. Walruses continued to fly from Royal Navy carriers for air-sea rescue and general communications. The low landing speed of the Walrus meant they could make a carrier landing despite having no flaps or tailhook.
Our 1/32 scale Supermarine Walrus is one used at the Batlle of Spartivento to spot the Italian fleet, after the battle, the sides of the Walrus were adorned with "Spotter of Spartivento" to commemorate the role played by its crew.
We have 5 x models available priced at $950 plus shipping. The K&C/JJD figures are shown for display purposes only and are not included. The water jetty mat by TG is however included for free with this purchase!
The Fairey Battle was a British single-engine light bomber designed and manufactured by the Fairey Aviation Company. It was developed during the mid-1930s for the RAF as a successor to the Hawker Hart & Hind biplanes. The Battle was powered by the same high-performance Rolls Royce Merlin piston engine that powered various contemporary RAF fighters such as the Hurricane and Spitfire. As the Battle, with its three-man crew and bomb load, was much heavier than these fighters, it was therefore much slower. Though a great improvement over the aircraft that preceded it, its relatively slow speed, limited range and inadequate defensive armament of only two 7.7 mm machine guns left it vulnerable like the Stuka to enemy fighters and anti-aircraft fire.
On 2 September 1939, during the Phony War, 10 x Battle squadrons were deployed to pre-selected airfields in France to form a portion of the vanguard of the British RAF Strike Force. Once the Battles arrived, the aircraft were dispersed and efforts were made to camouflage or otherwise obscure their presence; the envisioned purpose of their deployment had been that, in the event of German commencement of bombing attacks, the Battles based in France could launch retaliatory raids upon Germany, specifically in the Ruhr Valley region, and would benefit from their closer range than otherwise possible from the British mainland.
On 20 September 1939, a German Me 109 BF 109 was shot down by Battle gunner Sgt F. Letchford during a patrol near Aachen; this occasion is recognised as being the RAF's first aerial victory of the war. Nonetheless, the Battle was hopelessly outclassed by faster Luftwaffe fighters, being almost 100 mph slower than the contemporary Bf 109 at 14,000 ft. That same day, three Battles were engaged by German fighters resulting in two Battles being lost.
On 12 May, a formation of five Battles of 12 Squadron RAF attacked two road bridges over the Albert Canal; four of these aircraft were destroyed with the final aircraft crash-landing upon its return to its base. Our model PH-F was one of the aircraft involved in this attack and did not return, its crew were captured by the Germans and became prisoners of war.
We have five 1/30 scale models in stock priced at $950 plus shipping. The figures and mat are only shown for scale comparison purposes and are not included. This model comes with full interior and bombs fitted under the wings.
PH-F on that fateful day, the amount of damage received by flak can be seen very clearly in the above photograph.
Dear all, welcome to our February 2023 Aircraft newsletter featuring a new selection of our latest warbirds.
We are now up to serial 400+ on our Warbirds with many more in the pipeline for 2023.
A big thank you to Mark Dyer with his assistance and others who prefer not to be named in their 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.
Dear all, welcome to our February 2023 Aircraft newsletter featuring a new selection of our latest warbirds.
We are now up to serial 400+ on our Warbirds with many more in the pipeline for 2023.
A big thank you to Mark Dyer with his assistance and others who prefer not to be named in their 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.
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