The Composite was designed to make a same day mail delivery to the United States possible. It was designed by Major Mayo.
The lower component was the named the Maia after the mother of the greek gods.
The upper component(the mail carrier )was named Mercury, who in Greek mythology was the messenger of the gods.
The starting point. A pre-war 1/72 scale plan was reduced to 1/144th, some wood and some tracing paper.
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One half of the fuselage is carved in outline, it will then be glued to the second piece to give the required thickness.
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the main planes and fuselage are carved and prepared for joining. The fin is already fitted because all of the aligning will be referenced to it.
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The wings are fitted and the engine nacelles and the nacelle locating cut outs are prepared.
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The engines and the tailplanes are fitted and the floats are carved ready for fitting.
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Now for Mercury, the fuselage is carved and the tailplanes are fitted, the wings engines and engine nacelles are carved and prepared for assembling.
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At last the two airframes are seen together.
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Carving floats for Mercury, it can be a messy business.
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Mother and son are united and nearing completion.
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A Little paint and some decals and they're done.
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Seen from another angle. Mercury still holds the worlds distance record for an aircraft of its type. Only one operational mail delivery was completed before WW11 intervened. Sadly Mercury was destroyed in a German air raid on Poole Harbour.
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