Bush Plane Models by
James Court, Sept-Iles, Quebec

The two Beavers are Hobbycraft 1:48. They have the same treatment as the Otters and Norsemans. The skis on GYP are scratchbuilt from aluminum. The kit skis are the deHavilland ones, and this airplane had Federal skis.

The Canso is a Monogram ProModeller 1:48 PBY-5A with the blisters and nose turret cut off and replaced with aluminum panels. the nose was modified to semi-clipper status with body putty.

The Otters are Hobbycraft 1:48. All have complete interiors, the same as the Norsemans. The flaps, ailerons, rudder and elevators were cut away and repositioned. (Double slotted flaps are a bitch to build) The float planes have all the float hardware - water rudders, cables, paddles, splash rails and cleats. The wheel replacement skis on GBY were scratchbuilt from aluminum.

The Norsemans are Modelcraft 1:48, heavily modified, as the out of the box version is pretty bad. Both have a complete scratchbuilt cockpit and interior, seats, belts, with wall panels and headliners. All cockpit controls - throttle, mixture, prop, trim and flap levers, fire extinguisher, tank selector and rudder pedals - are installed. The skis and pedestals are scratchbuilt from basswood. 

The engines on all the models are from Engines & Things out in St. Albert AB. I modified them with ignition harnesses, push rod covers and spark plugs.

Sent: May 19, 2006

CF-ILN, a Norseman Mk V belonging to Northern Wings, about 1960.The model itself is the Modelcraft !:48 kit, modified somewhat. 

I started with the engine, the P&W R1340 Wasp from Engines & Things. I drilled out the crankcase and installed a length of 1/8" aluminum tube to be used as a propeller bearing. I added push rod covers and an ignition harness, including bits of wire for the spark plugs and plug wires. I discarded the kit propeller and used one from the junk box, cut and sanded to dimensions. I used a length of 1/16 od for the prop shaft and made up three counterweights for the pitch change mechanism using more aluminum tube. I used a short section of 1/8" aluminum tube for the prop hub.

For the wings and stab, I discarded the flaps and ailerons and made new ones from basswood, sanded to shape, and re-installed the flaps at the takeoff position. The other flying control surfaces were repositioned accordingly. The kit lift and jury struts were discarded and I made new ones from bamboo skewers. (When you live 500 miles from the nearest hobby shop, necessity really is the mother of invention.)

I scratchbuilt and installed a complete cockpit and interior. The cockpit has the rudder pedals, column, throttle, mixture and prop control, flap crank, fire extinguisher and scratchbuilt seats, cushions and belts. I installed a headliner, side panels, seats, cushions and seat belts in the cabin. The cabin and cockpit windows and windshield are 1/32 acrylic. The cabin floor is 1/16 th birch, in keeping with the real thing. J

The skis and pedestals were scratchbuilt using balsa and basswood, and the ski attach hardware was made up using aluminum tubing.

April 11, 2006 11:03 AM

Here's three pics of the model of C-GKBG, the Kenn Borek Twotter that went to South Pole in the middle of the winter on the medevac flight..

The model is the old Matchbox 1:72 kit, built pretty well straight out of the box. I added new props from the scrap box, new cockpit steps, new pitot heads, ski hardware and ski check cables. I cut away the elevators and rudder and repositioned the elevators, and installed the various antennas. The decals are from J-Bot.

Steve Sauvé, Website Custodian for IPMS Canada