1/72 Scratch-built Ireland Privateer P-2

by Gabriel Stern

--------------------

 

“…Privateer, lowest priced amphibian of the world!”
That’s what the advertisement stated in the early 30’s.  They also added that was so easy to fly that even people like me could do it.
I had to try it. I took-off from the dinner table –wife not at home at the time- making the appropriate sound, flew around the living room and alighted in the bathtub, first tucking the wheels under the wings, of course.
They were right. Even I could fly it.

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

The extraordinary gentlemen at the Wings of Peace forum and especially Jon Noble were instrumental regarding the info needed to scratch this glamorous amphibian.
At the moment of choosing the livery for the model the “Turret cigarettes” one resulted particularly appealing.

By this time you probably know what I use and what I do –I still don’t- so I’ll let the images speak, but I wanted to tell you that I found a new way –at least for me-  of making wing sponsons and teardrop navigation lights, for which I feel unreasonably happy. The sponsons are a continuous sheet (rounded at the nose, glued together flat a the tail) with an inserted piece to make for the “bow”.  Epoxy was used to contour the bottom, filling the space. The nav lights are shaped thin wire carefully coated with white glue, twice. Once dry the rear part of them was painted, leaving the front clear “lens” untouched.  Wheels, engine –Warner Scarab- and prop are from Aeroclub Models.  The engine cowl ring was made of two laminations of styrene sheet on a tube of adequate diameter, streamlined once dry.  Everything else came from the Scratchland offices of the Winged Elf Works.

A small number of planes were built; the one portrayed here had Canadian registration.  It could carry two people at a moderate speed for a moderate distance for a moderate price.  All very moderate, but the bathtub-cum-spider web design is really beautiful. Ready for a splash?

Gabriel

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

Photos and text © by Gabriel Stern