SLAF turnout model aircraft

By Shanika SRIYANANDA

Staf Officer Sarath Pathirana

Surely there can’t be anyone who didn’t fly a paper airplane which was made simply by folding a sheet of paper. Recall how we rejoiced when it flew high and glided before it smoothly landed on the ground. The team, which was carefully crafting wooden pieces and scanning each tiny detail of the sketches on their tables, reminded me of how we as children folded paper to make paper planes.

This is the story of airmen crafting model airplanes, which are difficult for one to separate from original plastic models.It was after the opening of the SLAF Museum at Ratmalana, the former Air Force Chief and the present Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonetileke instructed officials to come up with ideas to manufacture some unique products to display in the Museum.

Squadron leader Udaya de Silva

MSC Jayaweera

While the officers were on the ‘hunt’ for skills, the present - a MI24 attack helicopter model made out of wood by the SLAF technician- gifted a model MI24 at the opening of its new hangar at Hingurakgoda, influenced the Commander to open a separate unit to manufacture model aircraft.N.T. Sarath Pathirana, the owner of the model was ‘summoned’ by Commander Goonetileke, who gave him the task of crafting some aircraft to be displayed at the Museum. With an initial cost of Rs. 60,000, the new unit was set up with four airmen led by Pathirana in mid-2008. The ‘four man team’ included skilled craftsman M.S.C. Jayaweera, Corporal Ranatunge and Sergeant Kumaranayake. They started modelling the miniature craft utilising the allocation for making simple machines to facilitate their ‘products’.It was the birth of the ‘Model Aircraft Bay’, the small factory at the Ekala Air Force Base which was the country’s first ‘factory’ which manufactures model aircraft. It is wonderful to see the giant air planes that decorate the sky, rest on one’s palm.

Like small children happily walking with their favourite toy planes, each person came to the compound proudly with their master pieces which were of various hues. It was fascinating to see the aircraft, especially the attacking gunships and historical planes adorned the SLAF, from theMig 27 to Kafir to MI24, MIT 17, Bell 212 and Bell 412, Beach Craft, AN 32, Tiger Moth to Chipmunk which are handcrafted in this tiny aircraft manufacturing bay.”

We use this machines to carve small wooden cubes to get the shape of the body, wings and other small parts of the aircraft”, explained Jayaweera assisted by Pathirana.

A journey through the factory will take you through a fascinating ride through new and old aircraft that are showcased.

“ We take a scale of 1:80 and use attonia wood for the body and mahogany wood to carve the wings”, Pathirana, who fell in love with aircraft from his teens, said demonstrating the process of carving a model aircraft from A to Z.

The team had started carving a Kafir C 2, which is used by the No. 10 Fighter Squadron of the SLAF since 1996, using ‘state-of-the-art’ machinery invented by them.

The machines made with left overs at the Air Force Base and fixed to brand new motors, expedited manufacture to cater to the demand for model aircraft.The maiden product - MI 24- was re-done several times following the advice of Commander Goonetileke to improve the quality before it was sent to the Museum.

With a growing demand for miniature model aircraft within the SLAF, which gifts these miniatures in their internal ceremonies for squadrons, the SLAF had to increase its manpower and carried out a ‘head hunt’ for skilled craftsmen who have an interest in making miniature aircraft.

“We informed each unit to find them. Group Captain Janaka Nanayakkara helped us from the initial stages by giving us different tasks given to him by Commander Goonetileke”, Jayaweera said adding that manpower grew from four to 13 and stands at 22 today.

The duo said it would take more than three days to complete a miniature MI 27 aircraft model and half-a-day to make a F7. “SLAF is providing us the facilities to make the miniature aircraft.

We make all types of models on requests by the Ratmalana Museum. The number of aircraft made in the factory varies depending on the orders placed from the Museum”, Pathirana who is an aircraft technician for over 22 years and engaged in repairing MI24 gunships for over 10-years said.

The highest demand is for the flying legend -De Havilland Tiger Moth, which is one of the oldest aircraft in the SLAF fleet and fetches the highest price among all the models. According to Pathirana, they have sold over 100 Tiger Moth models during the past four years.

Squadron Leader Udaya de Silva, Officer-in-Charge, said SLAF craftsmen had made Cessna 337F Sky Master, which is in operation from 1972, K 8, PT 6 and Avro models but they were at experiment level and waiting for the final nod from the SLAF Commander Air Marshal Harsha Abeywickrama to release them to the market. “Commander Abeywickrama helps us to improve the facilities of the unit. Group Captains - Laksiri Gunawardena, the CO of the Ekala SLAF base and Andrew Wijesuriya, the SO to the Commander always guide us to improve the quality of the products”, he said adding that the team will be taken on ‘tours’ to SLAF squadrons to see aircraft as there are some craftsmen who have never seen the models that they make.

“We intend to expand the manufacturing process to cater to the demand, which we sometimes can’t fulfill”, he said.According to de Silva, those interested in purchasing a model can contact the Museum outlet or go on-line to the SLAF website.

The team has shown their talent in crafting ‘Eagles’, which has a fair demand within the SLAF, where ‘Eagles’ are gifted on special occasions as gifts of exchange when foreign Air Force high officials visit the country.

“ Group Captain Nanayakkara came with an ‘Eagle; that the Commander received from a foreign country and asked us whether we can make a model. We took the challenge and did it with fibre glass.

From that day we have been getting good orders for eagles and we have done over 300 models of ‘Eagles’”, Pathirana said.

For these craftsmen each model is unique and is a new product. “Onne model ekaak dunnoth apita ee vidihatama hadala denna puluwan” (Give us any model we will do it), the team which is confident about their skills in carving these miniatures said.

”When selecting new craftsmen we check for skills and commitment. When we are doing a model, we get the scale and give them the sketches.

The newly selected craftsmen will be given a month’s training on handling the machines before they are assigned to tasks, which they do under the supervision of seniors.

We are happy to say there are some young craftsmen who have learn the art of aircraft modelling fast”, the two master craftsmen said.

The new recruits are given study tours to the Museum at Ratmalana to see the shapes of airplanes.

“Some have never seen an aircraft in their lives”, said Pathirana, who still runs out when he hears the sound of an airplane in flight.

“The young craftsmen in the unit have skills, though they are not from the aircraft engineering unit. they need interest, commitment and freedom to carve an aircraft. They need 200 percent patience to finish a model. It’s playing with tiny pieces and all of them need extra patience to become aircraft craftsmen”, said Jayaweera.

He said when one is angry and feels lethargic he can’t carve a product.

They need to assemble 82 parts to make a Mig 27, 58 and 72 parts for Kafir and MI24.However, unique these models are, they are sold at reasonable prices as the earnings of each model goes to the Commander’s Welfare Fund.

The team enjoys the satisfaction when they complete a model and this happiness doubles when they receive a thank you card or when high ranking officials say ‘well done’.In this era of plastic models and where the Chinese sophisticated toys have dominated the world, miniature aircraft made by the SLAF airmen are unique pieces.These airplanes do not glide slowly from the hills but they will bring pride to the nation as they are crafted by our own airmen. When I see these airmen showcasing their products, I recall a saying from an article which I read about airplane craftsmen: “So, once you finish that wooden model, it is time to make one take to the sky!”.