Started the Academy (Hobbycraft) I-16 in 1/48th.
I extended the engine/nose and added a 3-blade prop.
It's now an Irish Air Corps Clydeside Co-Operative Buzzard III.
The Buzzard was a straightforward copy of the I-16 produced in Glasgow after plans were smuggles out under the kilts of Scottish volunteers who'd fought in the Spanish Civil War. The I-16 was produced under licence in Spain by the Republicans.
The Buzzard I was a straightforward copy and briefly served with the RAF in 1940.
The Buzzard II was an up-engined variant, often seeing service in North Africa and the Far East with the RAF. Other operators were Greece, the RAAF, Irish Air Corps and Egyptian AF.
The Buzzard III was a steptoo far. Only a few were built, and these were passed to theIrish Air Corps who frequently crashed them.
