Merlin Models 1/72 Avro Rota (Cierva C.30A)

[acklington]

AP507, 529 Sqdn, Ouston c 1943 (6) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
AP507, 529 Sqdn, Ouston c 1943 (2) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
AP507, 529 Sqdn, Ouston c 1943 (1) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
AP507, 529 Sqdn, K6132, Ouston Stn Flt, L1525, 3 RSS, Ouston, 1940 - 43 (12) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr

This is a rather ancient mixed media kit with plastic main parts and rather crude metal bits for the rest. Much cleaning up was required, and most of the various struts were replaced with scratch built items. The propellor came from my long deceased 1950's Airfix Fokker DR.1 (the 'Red Baron').

The Avro 671 Rota was a licence built Cierva C.30A, and it is shown in 529 Squadron markings circa 1943. Based at Duxford but detached to calibrate 'Chain Home' Radar Stations all around the British Isles, including regular visits to RAF Ouston, Northumberland. The Rota would slowly circle a fixed target anchored in the sea at the limit of the Radar's range, and this was effectively at the 'front line' of contact with enemy aircraft. Therefore the Rota would have a fighter escort which also provided radio contact, the Rota not having a radio or an electrical system.

At RAF Ouston in 1940 - 41 the fighter escort was provided by the Gloster Gladiators of Ouston's Station Flight. The RAF's Hurricanes and Spitfire fighters had proved useless for this task, as their Merlin engines would rapidly overheat at slow speeds. Thus the Gladiator was used, and at other places the Fleet Air Arm's Skua fighter. It all eventually proved to be unnecessary when, in 1942, an unescorted Rota was attacked by Germany's latest and deadliest fighter, two FW190A. They left having used up all of their ammunition, and the agile Rota flew home without a scratch on it.

The other part of the 1941 radar calibration 'service' was the Bristol Blenheim Mk.1, used to simulate larger enemy aircraft, and L1525 is shown. It was on the strength of 3 RSS at Ouston, "radio servicing section" being a 'spoof' designation for this top secret radar calibration work.

AP507 was a pre-War civil aircraft G-ACWP, and initially flown as such early in the War before being impressed as AP507. There were only 17 Rotas available at the start of the War, and with very careful maintenance, much rebuilding from spare parts, and the inherent safety of the design, 12 of them survived the War to be re-sold on the civil market in 1946. Four are on now on display in British museums, and AP507 is in the Science Museum London.