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A model plane made out of a real plane

Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2014 8:47 am
by billpe
So I was photographing my Leo and saw in the back ground 3 models made by my grandfather. A Sunderland and a Whitley made from brass and a Hurricane made from perspex. All my by my grandfather during his time in the RAF, during the war.

These are rather unique for a few reasons. The materials come from the actual aircraft themselves. He was a triage nurse in the RAF, firstly with Bomber Command and then the 2nd Tactical Airforce. His job was to crawl inside of crash landed aircraft and stabilise the injured crews while they were cut out, hence he had plenty of access to written off airframes. I never asked how he got enough brass, or melted it down and cast it. I assume they were bullet casings from 0.303s. The Sunderland I know was made why he was posted to the Shetland Islands but I'm not sure about the others.

Either way, I doubt he took them without asking, he did 30 years in the Police after the war and was about the most morally upstanding person I ever met. He even handed his driving license back to the DVLA himself when his sight started to go. He passed away in 2008, at the age of 87.

Sadly there was also a Spitfire but my grandmother, in a bout of dementia, did something with that one and we were never sure what.

Re: A model plane made out of a real plane

Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2014 1:11 pm
by ALPHA
billpe wrote:So I was photographing my Leo and saw in the back ground 3 models made by my grandfather. A Sunderland and a Whitley made from brass and a Hurricane made from perspex. All my by my grandfather during his time in the RAF, during the war.

These are rather unique for a few reasons. The materials come from the actual aircraft themselves. He was a triage nurse in the RAF, firstly with Bomber Command and then the 2nd Tactical Airforce. His job was to crawl inside of crash landed aircraft and stabilise the injured crews while they were cut out, hence he had plenty of access to written off airframes. I never asked how he got enough brass, or melted it down and cast it. I assume they were bullet casings from 0.303s. The Sunderland I know was made why he was posted to the Shetland Islands but I'm not sure about the others.

Either way, I doubt he took them without asking, he did 30 years in the Police after the war and was about the most morally upstanding person I ever met. He even handed his driving license back to the DVLA himself when his sight started to go. He passed away in 2008, at the age of 87.

Sadly there was also a Spitfire but my grandmother, in a bout of dementia, did something with that one and we were never sure what.
Very cool Bill.... Modelling is in your blood... your grandfather had hands of a craftsman... the spitfire.... canopy material ?

ALPHA

Re: A model plane made out of a real plane

Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2014 4:36 pm
by billpe
Yes, but not sure from what aircraft sadly. He probably told me a long time ago but I've forgotten.

Re: A model plane made out of a real plane

Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2014 7:55 am
by ALPHA
billpe wrote:Yes, but not sure from what aircraft sadly. He probably told me a long time ago but I've forgotten.
Understood Bill.... they are all still nice pieces of your history...the kind of stuff that stirs memories ...and inspire more ;)

Thanks for sharing them :thumbup:

ALPHA

Re: A model plane made out of a real plane

Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 9:11 am
by Tdodge34
New to the forum so only just seen this post!

I have a model of a Spitfire made from plane material somewhere, it was made by my grandmother.

She worked at Westland in Yeovil building spitfires she worked as a 'Foreman', most of the workers were women, but the foreman were all men 'except her' must have done something right

I will try to find th model and post a photo