Felixstowe F2A Flying Boats by C. Rupert Moore, Scale Models Dec-77

[Jamo]

'Exacting data and colour notes' by C. Rupert Moore, Scale Models December 1977











I love the artwork in these plans, hi-res 2.0Mb click on image to enlarge

[Jamo]

Profile by Peter Green, from Scale Aircraft Modelling April 2003, hi-res 1.0Mb

[petrov27]

Such a cool aircraft - thank you for posting!

Wouldn't this be an impressive beast in 1/32?

[Berman]

The  Felixstowe F.2a in both early and late versions will soon be available in 1/48th scale kits. For more information, contact Mike West at Lone Star Models at   [email protected]

[Bluesfan]

Thanks - great to see.

Totally agree with Petrov - I think this would be an inspired choice by WNW as their first Allied multi-engine kit. Not much bigger than the Gotha and with loads of interesting variants and colour schemes [/daydream mode]

Mark

[Des]

Thanks very much James for the very interesting post on an awesome aeroplane.

Des.

[rlrimell]

Hi Guys,

It sure is a surprise to see all these old Scale Models articles resurfacing here,especially as I fondly remember putting the material together and working with those great guys now no longer among us. Rupert's colour features were always concise and accurate -and he could back it all up with his own unique references. Some latter-day experts have seen fit to denigrate some of Ruperts' material now that he is no longer around -but that seems fair game these days. His Grand Slam Lancaster was a case in point with his choice of colours being put into question. I can assure those critics that Rupert studied these aircraft personally, made copious notes and matched the actual colours carefully-mixing up paints and applying it to sticks held against the  airframe in front of him  to ensure a match. No need for Methuen or Munsell codes ....

He was doing this from before the First World War and I have visited his studio in Radlett  and seen the amazing colour records myself-they are now with the Royal Aeronautical Society. So if Rupert reported the colour of Felixstowe boats as dark green- then despite any official colour name-they were dark green. Rupert did have one supreme advantage over most of us-he was actually there at the time to record the colours of classic aeroplanes. Those latter- day writers basing their opinions on monotone photos are hardly in a good position to cast doubt on Rupert's credibility,but I have begun to wander off the point. Just fond memories of good days seeing these old articles again..

Cheers,

Ray R

[Jamo]

I just noticed AIMS have re-released the beautiful white swirl decals for the Roden F2A kit. Hannants have them in stock



http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/AIMS7204

[Jamo]

Hi Guys,

It sure is a surprise to see all these old Scale Models articles resurfacing here,especially as I fondly remember putting the material together and working with those great guys now no longer among us. Rupert's colour features were always concise and accurate -and he could back it all up with his own unique references. Some latter-day experts have seen fit to denigrate some of Ruperts' material now that he is no longer around -but that seems fair game these days. His Grand Slam Lancaster was a case in point with his choice of colours being put into question. I can assure those critics that Rupert studied these aircraft personally, made copious notes and matched the actual colours carefully-mixing up paints and applying it to sticks held against the  airframe in front of him  to ensure a match. No need for Methuen or Munsell codes ....

He was doing this from before the First World War and I have visited his studio in Radlett  and seen the amazing colour records myself-they are now with the Royal Aeronautical Society. So if Rupert reported the colour of Felixstowe boats as dark green- then despite any official colour name-they were dark green. Rupert did have one supreme advantage over most of us-he was actually there at the time to record the colours of classic aeroplanes. Those latter- day writers basing their opinions on monotone photos are hardly in a good position to cast doubt on Rupert's credibility,but I have begun to wander off the point. Just fond memories of good days seeing these old articles again..

Cheers,

Ray R

I didn't know anything of Rupert Moore until I was going through these old magazines and found this article about him, presumably written by you Ray?

[rlrimell]

Guilty as charged Jamo, though as I recall Rupert had some input into the  final galley proofs. Rupert was also a very fine flying scale modeller and his wartime rubber-powered Tiger Moths and Spitfires were something to see!

Cheers
Ray

[youngtiger1]

This thread has some good information and will be very useful for the new WnW kit.

Mike

[PrzemoL]

This thread has some good information and will be very useful for the new WnW kit.

Mike

Absolutely!

We might even start suspecting that Jamo knew something about the newest WNW releases beforehand. 

And I can only confirm - the AIMS decals are superb. They fit the model perfectly and are technically perfect - white is very opaque and they conform ideally to the model surface which is by no means flat (walking boards, doubly curved areas!)

[Jamo]

No I had no idea at all, the WNW guys are obsessively secretive about their work in progress. It makes it awkward actually, seeing Richard Alexander reasonably frequently but not being able to talk about his current work at all.

Here is another article about the Felixstowe F.2A from Owen Thetford's book "British Naval Aircraft since 1912" originally published in 1938 and updated in 1971.







The AIMS decals and the Roden instructions for the sworl marked F.2A vary slightly from the single extant photo:





Rowan may find this useful if he decides to release these markings for the WNW kit.

[Bluesfan]

Thanks again! One interesting line:

"The scheme of each individual F.2A was charted, and copies were held by all naval and air units operating off the East Coast."

Do none of those copies survive? It would be fascinating to see one, maybe it would answer questions such as whether the schemes were mirrored or not, etc.

Mark

[Jamo]

This image shows quite a few of the F2A markings, but source is not referenced (and text is in Russian). Its quite a big image.