1/72 Frog Vampire FB.5

Gallery Article by Dirk Schenk on Oct 9 2017

 

      

I bought and built the Frog Vampire FB.5 many years ago before better models became available. Like most Frog models, it required a fair amount of file, fit and fill but the result was not too bad. The Vampire was the South African Air Force's first jet fighter and entered service in 1950 when 10 FB. 5s arrived in Cape Town in knocked down form. Later the SAAF received another 10 FB.6 planes followed by 6 T.11s, another 30 FB.9s and a final batch of 21 T.55s. They were withdrawn from SAAF service by 1972 and many of the SAAF surplus stock found its way to the Rhodesian Air Force.

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I decided to model my FB.5 in the early 1950s scheme used by the Bumblebees aerobatics team. I used MAV decals to depict a plane assigned to 1 Squadron. Strictly speaking, the squadron markings should not have gone onto the nose of this particular plane but I thought I will use a bit of artistic license since it was such a nice decal and not to use it would have been a shame.

I hope you enjoy the pics of this iconic and quaint little plane. It certainly is one of my favourites.

Dirk Schenk

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Photos and text © by Dirk Schenk