Matchbox Noorduyn Norseman

Today's completion is one of those odd projects that take on a life of its own. I originally had a notion to build a Noorduyn Norseman, a chunky transport aircraft of the type I seem to like, in American olive drab and gray markings. But that isn't exactly the world's most inspiring set of markings. So off I went to a google search to see what else was available.

Lo, I found myself a Norseman model from the British Army, in green and brown wraparound. Basic decals (though I would need to assemble the serial number from individual bits) and it was a wheeled variant, which I prefer. So I saved the model photo and started work. I'm always up for a good Brit scheme.

As the model was under construction, I began getting notes with skepticism that the Norseman ever served with the Brit army. I went back to my photo, tracing it to an ARC posting. And then I noticed the date of the posting - April 1, 2011. Oy. I'll admit to feeling pretty sheepish at that point, since I never even checked before adopting the photo. But then I do have a tendency to charge ahead, occasionally without looking to see what I'm about to run into.

But y'know, I had not long before finished a what-if 1:72 B-36, for heaven's sake. I've done numerous whifs in the past. So I certainly wasn't going to let the fact that the plane never existed stop me. It would simply be my version of what a Norseman in the British army would look like.

The kit is the elderly Matchbox plastic, but it still assembles very well considering its age. Some of the transparencies are a bit tricky and don't want to seat into their assigned spots. A couple of windows I left until after painting and filled with Kristal Kleer. This however caused some downstream issues since the open windows allowed sprayed paint into the cabin and affected the main forward windscreen. Next time (and the second Norseman is already in process) I will definitely install and mask all windows in order to prevent the overspray.

Markings came from Xtradecal white lettering, and as I mentioned the serial number was assembled (badly) with individual numbers. That is meticulous work and my inborn impatience got the better of me on that one. But it didn't come out too badly overall. The second Norseman will be a real world commercial aircraft from Ear Falls Airways. There might even be a third on the horizon, since I have the Lima November Norseman sheet.

This is completed aircraft #461 (#28 for the year), finished in April of 2016.