Maryland airframes flown by daring but ill-fated RAF recce pilot Adrian Warburton can be represented in this re-welcome re-release, reviewed by CHRIS CLIFFORD.
It was often the deeds of fighter pilots that hit the headlines during World War Two… but one man to buck the trend was reconnaissance wizard, Wg Cdr Adrian Warburton. Flying Martin Marylands from Malta, Warburton and colleagues photographed the Italian fleet at Taranto (which led to a successful attack). Later in his wartime career he also ‘shot’ potential landing beaches for the invasion of Sicily, plus many other important targets. Warburton eventually became the RAF’s most highly decorated recce pilot.
This fascinating man’s Marylands are ripe subjects if you favour reconnaissance as a modelling theme. Thankfully, Czech company Special Hobby has reissued its original tooling from 2010, with the same markings. These allow the replication of two airframes flown by Warburton, along with another two. The notable scheme is that of the first on the instructions, the airframe being a former French Air Force asset still wearing that air arm’s camouflage, with the roundels and fin flashes simply replaced by RAF insignia.
Above and below: Panel line engraving is fine and …
