Sunderland MkV Flying Boat

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Guys, this is an old limited edition Corgi die cast model. I bought this one because it carries the markings of No.4 (Coastal) Operational Training unit. My Great Uncle Sid was killed in 1944 while flying as an Air Gunner in a Sunderland with this very unit.

Cheers, Ade.

[Panzer 3]

Hi Ade,
Nice model i heard that it was a bit hairy in the Sunderland at times, by my Mum's cousin he was also flying in them. He said that when they went out to pick up downed airmen they had to pick up the jerries as well, but if they kicked off they chucked them back were they came from. It would be nice to put a small memorial to your
G-uncle Sid at the bottom of the model as rememberance.
Dave.

[Stewy S]

Cracking model Ade & now sadly "sold out". Glad you got one,as it was your Great Uncles unit. Stewy S

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Guys, thanks for the comments.

I had to search for this one for a while, and eventually got on online. It was not cheap, I think I had to pay £45, but I really wanted one.

I intend to display it next to my Uncle Sid's photos and medals.

Cheers, Ade.

[ironcross1]

Awesome , cheers Raymond

[Jason L]

Hi Ade,
I think you made Great Uncle Sid proud.....sharp looking plane.
Cheers,
Jason

[davejb]

What a great looking model Ade and a fitting tribute, I have had a number of Sunderlands models over the yrs but the best one was always the Airfix. My dad made the first one for me and told a story that could have ended his military career. Once whilst at Lyme Regis he was teaching raw recruits how to use the Bren gun as an anti aircraft weapon using blanks. Their targets, Sunderland flying boats which were operating along the coast, they were flying quite low either taking off or landing just a 1/4 mile out to sea. One recruit took a bead on one just as it was taking off and my dad looked and saw that the top of the magazine was painted red, live ammo! ,the recruit fired as my dad pulled the bren butt downwards and watched as a nice little line of tracer sailed high into the sky and over the top of the Sunderland, dad was placed on a charge but because he took quick action he didnt lose his stripes but two days pay.Afterwards he sought out the quartermaster who had issued the ammo and got him to check the blank round boxes, among 40 boxes, there were eighty live tracer rounds.This got reported and i can only imagine that someone was reduced to cleaning out the latrines for the remainder of the war.But the good news was that the coastal command crew who had been the "target" sent my dad a crate of beer in gratitude. Dad always said that if anything was going to go wrong it always managed to find him in some way,even in war there were some of the funniest moments!, although at the time serious in their possible outcome.

[canadianpatriot]

Walking through a Sunderland at an air museum here in Florida I was amazed that guys could spend hours and hours on anti sub patrol and not go bugs with the noise, vibration and confined spaces
mike

[Adrian Stevenson]

Thanks for the comments guys.

I enjoyed hearing the story Dave.

I agree Mike. I have a wartime propaganda film on video which shows life on board.

Cheers, Ade.

[Woolgar]

Thats a great model Ade with sentiment attached.

Where was the unit stationed?

Nick