re: Were the WW2 seaplanes the most Gucci planes ever?

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I purchased the 1/72 Tamiya Spitfire through Amazon. It’s in the case that I pictured earlier.

It came through US customs from Japan. There is a fire extinguisher that has to be cut, glued, and painted that sits in the cockpit area. Crazy. As you know, the entire model will fit in the palm of my hand.

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I got a lot of models from Amazon. I also have a couple of good hobby shops in Hoover and Alabaster I shop at as well. Sometimes I will go to Homewood Toy Store but their prices are a bit out of line.

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still love the Guillows above all. And now they are laser cutting their balsa.

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I’ve never er done a balsa Kit.

Your hand painting is top notch. I would have sworn that that Italian bird was spray painted.

Do you have a room with shelves, or cases, to display them all?

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John Alexander Cruickshank (1920-) was born on 20th May 1920 in Aberdeen, Scotland, and was a pupil of Aberdeen Grammar School and later, Daniel Stewart’s College, in Edinburgh; during which time he became a Boy Scout patrol leader in the 4th Edinburgh Troop. In 1938 he gained employment with the Commercial Bank of Scotland as the start of a banking career, but on 10th May 1939, a few days before his 19th birthday, he enlisted in the Royal Regiment of Artillery, Territorial Army as a gunner.



On the outbreak of war, he was called for service and continued to serve with the Royal Artillery until early 1941, when he applied for a transfer to the RAF for training as aircrew. On 30th June he officially transferred from the 129th Field Regiment, RA, to the RAF’s aircrew reception centre, and on 19th July 1941 began basic training at No 11 Initial Training Wing; being promoted to Leading Aircraftman on 1st September. Posted to Toronto, Canada on 15th September, he underwent elementary pilot training and later commenced his advanced instruction on 10th December 1941 at the US Naval flying base at Pensacola, USA. Completing his instruction, he was awarded pilot “wings” on 9th July 1942, and the following day was commissioned as a Pilot Officer, RAFVR. Arriving in England in early October, Cruickshank was next posted to No 4 (Coastal) OTU at Invergordon for operational training and crewing; where, on 10th January 1943, he was promoted to Flying Officer. Finally, fully-qualified as a flying boat pilot and with his crew, he joined his first operational unit, 210 Squadron, on 25th March 1943.

Flying the squadron’s Consolidated Catalina flying boats, Cruickshank soon adapted to the unit’s routine of operations, and on 10th July 1944 was further promoted to Flight Lieutenant. By then Cruickshank had completed 24 full operational sorties, apart from many other “non-operational” flights, but – in common with many of his fellow “boat” skippers – had seen little excitement or direct offensive action against the enemy. Nevertheless he was by now one of the most experienced aircraft captains in his squadron; recognised as an utterly dependable pilot, skilled in his duties.



On the 17th July 1944, Cruickshank began preparations for his 25th operational sortie. His aircraft was Catalina JV928, DA-Y, and for this trip he was taking a ten-man crew, including himself as captain. His second pilot was Flight Sergeant Jack Garnett, while a third pilot, Sergeant S I Fidler, was fresh to operations and included to gain experience.



At 9.45pm, their radar screen showed contact with a surface vessel five miles ahead. As they approached they realised it was a German U-Boat, and Cruickshank’s response was to do a complete circuit around it, and begin a bombing run. When passing over, the Catalina’s depth charges failed to release, so he turned to port, climbing to 800 feet and continuing his turn to begin a second run. As they attacked, they were strafed by flak shells, and one of them exploded inside the Catalina. The explosion killed the Catalina's navigator and injuring four including the second pilot Flight Sergeant Jack Garnett and Cruickshank himself. Cruickshank had been hit in seventy-two places, with two serious wounds to his lungs and ten penetrating wounds to his lower limbs. Despite this he refused medical attention until he was sure that the appropriate radio signals had been sent and the aircraft was on course for its home base. Even then he refused morphine aware that it would cloud his judgement. Flying through the night it took the damaged Catalina five and a half hours to return to Sullom Voe with the injured Garnett at the controls and Cruickshank lapsing in and out of consciousness in the back.



Once there Cruickshank returned to the cockpit and took command of the aircraft again. Deciding that the light and the sea conditions for a water landing were too risky for the inexperienced Garnett to safely put the aircraft down, he kept the flying boat in the air circling for an extra hour until he considered it safer and they landed the Catalina on the water and taxied it to an area where it could be safely beached. When the RAF medical officer boarded the aircraft he had to give Cruickshank a blood transfusion before he was considered stable enough to be transferred to hospital.



On 1st September 1944, the London Gazette announced the award of a VC to John Cruickshank, and a DFM to Jack Garnett for his splendid part in the whole action; and on 21st September both men attended an investiture at Holyrood House to receive their awards from the hands of King George VI.



Cruickshank’s injuries were so severe that he never returned to operational flying, being posted to HQ Coastal Command at Northwood, Middlesex on 14th December 1944; and he eventually left the RAF on 13th September 1946 to resume his “interrupted” banking career. In early 1977, after a successful career in international finance, “Jack” Cruickshank came home to Edinburgh to retire from business. Cruickshank is currently the only living recipient of the Victoria Cross from World War II, and lives in a nursing home in Scotland and is rarely seen in public due to his age.



LOCATION OF MEDAL: HELD BY JOHN CRUICKSHANK HIMSELF.

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Do you have a room with shelves, or cases, to display them all

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Yes. I have my “study” upstairs. It’s really an extra bedroom. I have my model desk in the front window. My models are on shelves around the room. This is my desk...



Typically I’ll be up there on Friday nights after the wife and kids go to bed and Sunday afternoons after we get home from church and lunch. I have my stereo (it’s on the floor to the left of my desk. I’ll listen to the radio and work on my models I’m peace. I absolutely love it.

ETA: that’s an older pic of my desk. I now have a lamp on both sides and a little rack for my cement and tools.

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Damn Darth you've put together a heck of a collection. I see you post in these threads each time they come up and I'm always impressed. Like some of the other posters in this one, I put together some models as a young lad. You always make me want to revisit the hobby. Unfortunately I don't have the facilities at his stage of my life to do so.

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Thank you. We’re talking about selling this house and moving out to the country. Our oldest is graduating this year and our youngest will graduate in six years. We won’t need this big house in a sub-division. One stipulation I have though is wherever we move, I’ve gotta have my model room. Period.

This is what my desk looks like right now. That’s a B-26B Marauder I started on yesterday.

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HerkFlyer

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Thanks for the ride baw

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How's your eyesight? I would assume you need generally good eyesight for the hobby. I had 20/20 until recently but I managed to damage my vision pretty significantly over the past year. Would that be a hindrance?

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I’ve worn contacts or glasses since I was in like 7th grade. I’m nearsighted and now have progressives. However, when working on a model I take my glasses off and see fine. But I’m thinking of getting me some of these because I am getting older.

My grandfather used them, and my dad used them (jeweler).


Hell, I can see using them for intricate paint details (on a smaller kit).

I member it. Liked it a lot when it was on but it hasn't crossed my mind in 35 years.