The Supermarine Walrus was a British single engine amphibious biplane reconnaissance aircraft, designed by R.J. Mitchell who was also responsible for the illustrious Spitfire. The aircraft first flew on June 21st, 1933. Operated by the Fleet Air Arm, it also served with the Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force as well as the Royal New Zealand Navy.

The Walrus was the first British squadron service aircraft to incorporate a fully retractable undercarriage, completely enclosed crew accommodation and an all metal fuselage. Designed for use as a fleet spotter to be catapulted from battleships or cruisers, the Walrus was later employed in a variety of roles most notably as a rescue aircraft for downed aircrew and even as a whale spotter. It continued in service throughout the Second World War. A total of 740 aircraft were built between 1936 and 1944.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a Irish Air Corps Supermarine Seagull Walrus reconnaissance aircraft. Now in stock!

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 7-3/4-inches
Length: 6-1/4-inches

Release Date: October 2017

Historical Account: "I am the Walrus" - During World War II (or The Emergency) there are no records of Air Corps planes engaging any belligerent aircraft, although dozens of escaped barrage balloons were shot down. Requests for more aircraft from Britain resulted in 13 obsolete Hawker Hector biplane light bombers being supplied during 1941. Twelve Hawker Hurricane Mk. Is were initially ordered for the Irish Army Air Corps in 1940 but were not delivered due to a wartime embargo imposed by the British government. Eleven Hurricane Mk. Is were eventually delivered to the Air Corps, from surplus RAF stocks, between July 1943 and March 1944, and the Hurricane Mk. I (no.93), that crash-landed in County Wexford in 1940, was the twelfth aircraft. These were supplemented by 6 Hawker Hurricane Mk. IIcs that were delivered to the Irish Army Air Corps in March 1945, to eventually replace the Hurricane Mk. Is of No.1 Fighter Squadron. Supplied from surplus RAF stocks, the Hurricane Mk. IIcs were the last batch of aircraft to be delivered to the Air Corps before the end of World War II. The Hurricanes were the first monoplane fighter aircraft to enter service with the Air Corps and were also the first aircraft capable of reaching 300 m.p.h. in level flight. The Hurricane gave the Air Corps a proven modern fighter, and -- at peak -- 20 flew in Irish colors. 163 belligerent aircraft force-landed in Ireland during the war, and in this way, the Air Corps acquired a Lockheed Hudson, a Fairey Battle, and three Hawker Hurricanes.