The Seagull which became a Walrus

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.

By now, most Workbench readers will be fully aware that they are in the latter stages of a blog double double Easter treat, the second consecutive week of dual blog postings to mark the impending release of four fantastic new models. With blogs already posted to welcome the newly tooled 1/72nd scale Consolidated B-24H Liberator and the re-introduction of the Supermarine Swift FR.5 and Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.V, we enter the final LEGG (did you see what we did there?) of our Easter update quartet by marking the return of a hobby classic, and another aircraft emanating from the design department at the Supermarine Aviation Works.

Our subject for this update is an aircraft which was colloquially referred to as the ‘Steam Pigeon’ and even though it came from the same stable as the team which went on to design the Spitfire, the Supermarine Walrus could hardly have looked more different from the fighter which went on to become the most famous aircraft in the world. Having said that, the Walrus was a rugged and extremely versatile amphibious biplane and was in fact the very embodiment of everything the Supermarine company had built their reputation on. It would also go on to serve with distinction throughout the Second World War, and just happens to make for a truly spectacular model build project, particularly in this 1/48th scale incarnation.

Our second, separately posted blog for this Easter weekend marks the welcome return of the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.V kit to an Airfix range, in a guise which first appeared as a new tooling release back in 2015 and as such, just too early to benefit from featuring in a Workbench update – we will be addressing that situation this weekend. Although a rather unusual looking aircraft, we will see how the Whitley was actually an advanced bomber for its time, introducing a number of ‘firsts’ for an RAF aircraft following its service entry. We will, of course, also be covering the details behind the two quite different scheme options included with this kit, in addition to seeing how no collection of Bomber Command aircraft models can be considered complete unless it includes a Whitley.

As always, these and indeed every other edition of Workbench ever posted can be accessed by visiting our main Workbench hub, which now serves as an interesting Airfix aide-mémoire in its own right and barring technological disasters, is the place where you will always find our latest publications.

Right then, let’s pretend we have bailed out of our aircraft and are bobbing about in the English Channel, awaiting the impending and extremely welcome arrival of the Airfix Supermarine Walrus.

Walrus – A reputation built on the sea

The Walrus marked the latest development of a successful series of amphibious and maritime aircraft designed by Supermarine, aircraft on which the reputation of the company was made.

If you gathered a group of people together, a cross section of people including those describing themselves as aviation enthusiasts and the rest certainly not, and asked them what the word ‘Supermarine’ means to them, chances are that the vast majority would reply by saying the name ‘Spitfire’. There is certainly no doubting that the Spitfire is the most famous aircraft designed by Reginald J Mitchell and his team at Supermarine and continues to be a source of fascination to this day, however, the heritage of the Supermarine company was actually built around the construction of rugged and extremely effective marine aircraft, even if they didn’t all look as aesthetically pleasing as the Spitfire.  

Even when accepting this as a fact, most of us would probably immediately go on to conjure up mental images of the beautiful Schneider Trophy winning Supermarine S.6B, which was itself a development of the company’s earlier racing seaplane designs and the ultimate aircraft in Mitchell’s quest to design the perfect racing seaplane. Historically though, even though the Supermarine name is undoubtedly synonymous with the pursuit of speed, its true heritage was built on the development of effective seaplanes and amphibians, aircraft which could be described as being more functional than fast! 

The Supermarine Company established their impressive aviation reputation on their ability to design and produce effective, rugged and reliable marine aircraft, both for individual buyers and for military applications, some of which were produced to bespoke specifications. With several extremely successful marine and amphibious aircraft designs already to their name, the years prior to the outbreak of the Second World War were very much about marine aeroplanes for Supermarine, because that’s where their sales revenue was coming from.

Nevertheless, with a name as famous as Supermarine and one of their designs arguably going on to become the most famous aircraft ever to take to the skies, all the aircraft which bore their name will forever be judged against the Spitfire, something which will always put them at something of an aesthetic disadvantage. That is certainly the case when considering the Walrus, an aircraft which could hardly look more different from the Spitfire and could never be described as elegant, or could it?

Designed to perform some of the most demanding tasks an aircraft could be asked to undertake, the Walrus may not have been the most attractive aeroplane to look at, but if you found yourself in need of its services, would you have wanted to see any other aircraft type?

Despite its somewhat ageing and ungainly appearance, the Supermarine Walrus proved to be an incredibly effective aircraft in the role for which it was designed and indeed, proved flexible enough to take on other roles in some of the most demanding operating environments imaginable for an aeroplane. Coming at the end of a long line of capable single engined flying boats and amphibians, the Walrus was actually the product of a Royal Australian Air Force requirement for an updated and more robust version of their existing Supermarine amphibian, the Seagull III, an aircraft they had come to rely on.

The new aircraft, which was later named the Seagull V, would need to be rugged enough to be catapult launched from Royal Australian Navy cruisers, so the wooden hull of the earlier aircraft had to be replaced with a strong, yet reasonably light metal design, with additional stainless steel forgings added as catapult spools and mountings. The Australians were delighted with their new Supermarine amphibian, but despite their enthusiasm, the British military were almost dismissive of the aircraft and indeed decreed that they had no need for such a craft. That being said, they would soon be making something of a strategic U-turn.

After the conclusion of successful trials with the new aircraft at Felixstowe, it became clear just how effective this new Supermarine amphibian was and with a large expansion of their own naval forces currently underway, the new Seagull V offered the Admiralty an effective aircraft for reconnaissance spotting and gunnery targeting for their cruisers and battleships. After using some of the Australian machines for additional trials, they decided to place their own order for the latest Supermarine amphibian, with the aircraft destined for British service subsequently being named Walrus, even though they were basically identical to the Seagull V aircraft destined for Royal Australian Air Force service.

Artwork produced to mark the second release from the Walrus tooling, this image shows an aircraft in the seconds immediately after it had been catapult launched from its home warship.

If those coming across the Supermarine Walrus for the first time were in need of any convincing of the aircraft’s impressive attributes, what happened at the 1933 Hendon Air Pageant should serve as effective illustration. Despite the fact that the prototype Seagull V had only flown days earlier in the hands of famous Supermarine test pilot Joseph ‘Mutt’ Summers, the aircraft was sent to provide a flying display at that year’s huge Hendon Airshow. Unbelievably and in stark contradiction to the aircraft’s rather ungainly appearance, Summers stunned the huge crowds in attendance by proceeding to loop the amphibian, a feat which was only possible due to the strength of the design and how it had been stressed to withstand multiple catapult launches. In aviation terms, that’s definitely how to announce the arrival of your latest new aeroplane design!  

Unquestionably, the Supermarine Walrus would go on to become one of the finest amphibious aircraft ever produced and in its role as a Search and Rescue amphibian, gain a reputation as a saviour of downed Allied airmen.

Entering British service in 1935, with the first deliveries to RAF squadrons taking place the following year, the introduction of the Walrus marked a period of significant transition in naval warfare, where the previously all conquering Battleships of the world’s most powerful navies were now vulnerable to attack from enemy ships, submarines and particularly from aircraft. This vulnerability meant that possessing a beyond visual range reconnaissance capability was vital if these naval assets were to operate successfully, with air power effectively defending against enemy air power.

These massive vessels, which possessed huge destructive power and were crewed by hundreds, if not thousands of men, now relied on a handful of airmen and their catapult launched Walrus amphibian aircraft to effectively be their ‘eyes in the sky’, constantly checking for signs of enemy activity and supplying real-time range and direction finding support for their ship’s gunners in the event of naval engagement.

Airfix and the Walrus

The artwork associated with the re-introduction of this magnificent kit, one which features the aircraft which inspired the lead scheme option of the three included with this kit.

Thanks to the foresight of Airfix designers at the time, the Supermarine Walrus has been captivating modellers since it first appeared as a 1/72nd scale bagged kit back in 1957 and since that date has been built by generations of modellers following that introduction. Anyone who has ever built this kit will no doubt consider this to be one of the most interesting kits they ever built, and in the days when playing with our models was just as important to us as building them, you could always rely on your built Walrus to make a perfect landing on your front room carpet when a downed scale Hurricane pilot was in need of rescue.

As we got older and our modelling skills improved, many modellers had thoughts of how fantastic it would be if someone was to release a decent kit of the Walrus in the larger 1/48th scale and if they did, how interesting a build that model would be. Thankfully, Airfix designers came to our rescue once again and in 2017, a spectacular new kit of the Walrus was released, a kit which would go on to receive many industry accolades in the months which followed its introduction. 

This latest blog project update marks the welcome return of that original release to the current Airfix range, complete with three fascinating scheme options for us to consider finishing our kits in. 

Let’s take this opportunity to take a closer look at each of those options now:

Scheme A - Supermarine Walrus Mk.I, P5658 AQ-M, No.276 Squadron, Royal Air Force Harrowbeer, Devon, England, 1944.

The early aerial skirmishes fought over the English Channel during the Second World War saw a pressing need arise for a dedicated and coordinated aerial search and rescue service to be established. It became a critical requirement for the RAF to ensure as many downed airmen as possible could be saved from the sea and returned to flight operations as soon as possible, however, the existing High-Speed Launches of the Royal Navy were struggling to perform this task effectively. In order to reach stricken airmen as quickly as possible, aircraft and specially trained airmen would need to be utilised, but as the Spitfires and Hurricanes of Fighter Command were needed to repel the incessant attacks of the Luftwaffe, the first aircraft to be used in this role were Westland Lysanders and Boulton Paul Defiants.  

Although these aircraft had the ability to locate a downed airman much sooner than a launch could, they were only in a position report their position and drop items to aid he airman’s survival chances, which would hopefully prove sufficient until a rescue launch could attend. Although undoubtedly an improvement, what the service really needed was an aircraft which had the ability to land on the water, saving critical minutes in preserving the lives of airmen forced to endure the cold seas surrounding Britain’s vast coastline. That aircraft would be the Supermarine Walrus.

Stationed at RAF Harrowbeer in Devon, No.276 Squadron was dedicated to the location and rescue of airmen forced to ditch in the seas around the southern coast of Britain. The unit was equipped with several different aircraft types to help them perform their crucial task, but typically used the Avro Anson for longer search patrols, dingy equipped Spitfires for shorter range spotting and fighting off the attentions of enemy aircraft and the Supermarine Walrus for undertaking the sea rescue itself. The successful sea rescue of a downed pilot might involve the use of all three of these aircraft types in a cohesive operation.

Full scheme details showing the aircraft which inspired the creation of the box artwork for this stunning kit release.

Walrus Mk.I P5658 entered service with the Royal Air Force in the Air Sea Rescue role and was to prove particularly effective in saving a great many downed airmen.  The aircraft is interesting to modellers for many reasons, but specifically as it displays lifebelt ‘mission markings’ on the port side of the forward fuselage, proudly display not only the number of successful rescue missions the aircraft had been involved with, but also the number of airmen they rescued on each occasion.  

The first one is marked with ‘Seven’ airmen rescued and related to the crew of a ditched B-17 Flying Fortress, which sounds like quite the story in itself. The Walrus had a crew of three and could take off with a maximum number of five people on board, which suggests that whilst the B-17 crew would have been relieved to have been picked up by the Walrus, they would have possibly floated to safety, as opposed to being flown to their salvation.

This rather distinctive Walrus would subsequently be transferred to Royal Navy service but would have presumably performed a similar role in Fleet Air Arm service to the one she did for the RAF.

Scheme B - Supermarine Walrus Mk.I, L2228 ‘Spotter of Spartivento’, No.700 Naval Air Squadron, Royal Navy, on board HMS Sheffield, 1941.

The Royal Navy became early admirers of the qualities of the Supermarine Walrus and saw the aircraft as the ideal choice for an effective reconnaissance spotter and gunnery range-finding aircraft for its battleships and cruisers.  Despite its unusual and somewhat antiquated appearance, the Walrus was an incredibly tough aircraft and was ideally suited to the rigors of operations at sea – the wings could be folded back for stowage in the limited space available on the Navy’s ships and the robust hull was capable of withstanding catapult launches and being winched back aboard its home ship following the end of its latest sortie.

The procedure for catapult launching a Walrus from a warship was quite a complicated affair and required the use of specialist equipment and a crew of men trained in this complex process. Once the Walrus had been placed on its catapult cradle in preparation for launch, the pilot would run the Bristol Pegasus engine up to take-off power as a check, something which would result in the tail and horizontal stabilisers vibrating in alarming fashion, just prior to the ship being turned into wind in the seconds prior to lunch. 

Once in position, the Walrus was thrust into the air under great force, using an explosive charge to provide enough power for the catapult, allowing it to embark on its latest sortie, surveying the immediate area for potential dangers and engaging in wider ranging patrols, all ultimately aimed at protecting its parent ship. Once completed, recovering the Walrus back aboard the ship was an equally complicated and labour-intensive procedure and once again called on the strength of the aircraft’s design.

With the pilot having to land the aircraft relatively close to its home vessel, usually in the open ocean and often in rather choppy waters, the crew would have to attempt to catch a winch from the ship and attach it to cables anchored to the top wing, before both aircraft and crew could be hauled back aboard the ship. Once successfully completed, the aircraft would need to be placed back on its manoeuvring bogie, checked and prepared for its next flight, before having its wings folded back prior to being safely stowed in the cramped confines of its deck hangar – clearly the Walrus was a tough old bird.

Full scheme details for this stunning Royal Navy ‘Spotter of Spartivento’ scheme, followed by a pair of built model images finished in these markings. Is there a more appealing build project available in our hobby at the moment?

In addition to spotting for the gunners aboard some of Britain’s most capable warships, the Fleet Air Arm’s Walrus reconnaissance aircraft were tasked with searching for enemy surface raiders and U-boats, plotting their position, and reporting their movements back to an Allied force possibly now rushing to meet the threat. These ‘eyes in the sky’ were crucial during the early months of the war and as these operations could be carried out in the hostile environment of open expanses ocean, the rugged construction of the Walrus would earn the aircraft an excellent reputation.  

As the war progressed however, the improved effectiveness of radar, in addition to the greater numbers of Axis fighters sent to challenge the Navy’s Walrus spotters, dictated that these amphibians would be used less in the range-finding/spotter role and more dedicated to Air Sea Rescue duties, a task at which the Walrus also excelled. Indeed, as naval gunnery spotters, the Walrus would only be involved in two naval actions during WWII, those being the aircraft of HMS Renown and Manchester during the Battle of Cape Spartivento and the Walrus of HMS Gloucester at the Battle of Cape Matapan, both engagements facing the powerful Italian Navy.

No.700 Naval Air Squadron was responsible for both supplying the Walrus aircraft stationed aboard Britain’s battleships and cruisers, as well as providing the training for the aircrews which manned them. At the height of its wartime strength, the squadron had no fewer than sixty-three Supermarine Walrus aircraft under its charge, one of which was Walrus Mk.I L2228, the aircraft assigned to HMS Sheffield. Wording carried on the side of the aircraft makes reference to the actions against the Italian Navy at Cape Spartivento, with the legend ‘Spotter of Spartivento’ being carried on the starboard forward fuselage of the aircraft. 

As some clear wartime photographs exist of this very aircraft, this will prove a difficult finish option for modellers to overlook.

Supermarine Walrus Mk.I,  X 9515/FK-A, No.5 CF (Fleet Co-operation Squadron), Royal Australian Air Force, Australia and New Guinea, early 1943.

As Supermarine’s famous wartime amphibian was developed as a direct result of the Australian Navy’s successful use of this series of aircraft, it’s somehow fitting that a Walrus wearing RAAF markings should be included with the release of this impressive kit. As we have already seen, the development of the Walrus was very much linked with the Royal Australian Air Force and their search for a rugged and effective fleet reconnaissance amphibian, one which was capable of being catapult launched from their impressive HMAS Albatross sea-plane carrier vessel.

Although successfully operating Supermarine’s Seagull III amphibian in the spotter role, they were looking for an improved version of the aircraft, so when the company unveiled their much-improved Seagull V prototype (later to be renamed the Walrus Mk.I), they thought they had found just the aircraft. Despite initially not being of interest to the Royal Navy, the Australians couldn’t have been more delighted with theirs, but having been asked to allow one of their aircraft to be used by the Royal Navy for deck trials, probably wouldn’t have been too surprised to hear they had changed their minds.

The vast expanses of ocean in the Pacific Theatre made the deployment of effective amphibious aircraft absolutely essential and many Walrus aircraft were to see service in these slightly warmer, if no less hostile waters. Once again required to take on a variety of roles, but specialising in Air Sea Rescue duties, the rugged nature of the basic Walrus design would allow a great many Allied airmen to be rescued from a watery fate and provide anyone flying operations over the ocean with some reassurance that they would be rescued should they find themselves in difficulty.

Full scheme details for our Royal Australian Air Force tribute to the Walrus, followed by a computer rendered image produced from the Walrus design CAD, showing some of the impressive detail this kit can boast.

This particular Walrus (X 9515/KF-A) was involved in the rescue of a downed Avro Anson crew in 1943 and a P-38 Lightning pilot in July 1945, proving that the wings of the Walrus had an influence right across the globe during the Second World War. As the Walrus possessed some undeniable Antipodean links, could this actually prove to be the scheme option to tempt you?

We are delighted to have the Supermarine Walrus back in an Airfix range and for anyone looking for a build project with real character, one which has links to the Spitfires we all undoubtedly have within our collections, then this might just be the kit for you. 

Keep your eyes peeled for this one, because the Walrus might just be the most impressive kit build you attempt this year!

Before you head off to gorge yourselves on chocolate eggs, could we please remind you to also check out our Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.V blog which has been posted separately this Easter weekend, as we have brought you updates from our scale kit tributes to two so called aviation ugly ducklings, but both of which unquestionably make for fascinating modelling subjects.

We are afraid that's all we have for you in this latest edition, but we will be back next Friday with more project development updates and the very latest Airfix kit exclusives. In the meantime, we are always keen to hear your views on all things Airfix and in particular, any thoughts and opinions you may have regarding our Workbench blog. If you would like to drop us a quick line, could we please ask that you use our workbench@airfix.com email for all correspondence. 

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