Fly boy's Spitfire surprise
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A little boy’s seemingly impossible birthday wish has come true – thanks to the technical and practical expertise of his grandfather.
Seven-year-old Fynn Paul, who lives with mum Jacqueline and dad Glenn Herbertson at Birichen, Dornoch, had only one request when asked what he wanted for his birthday.
The youngster, who is fascinated by war planes, was insistent he wanted his very own supermarine spitfire to fly.
Jacqueline, a beautician, said: “Fynn has a keen interest in all war planes but his favourite is the spitfire.”
The iconic single-seat fighter aircraft was used by the RAF and other Allied countries before, during and after World War I1.
And when grandad Allan Paul, who lives in Thurso, heard about the birthday wish, he set too with a will to build Fynn his heart’s desire.
A retired Dounreay instrument technician, Allan now spends most of his time in his “hobby shed” at his home in Wick.
“My dad is just really into building things with wood – he always has been,” said Jacqueline. “If we need something built, he will build it. He has been building model planes with Fynn since he was little.”
It took a whopping 200 hours to make but Allan, helped on occasions by Fynn, finally put the finishing touches to a prefect 1:3 scale model of a Supermarine Spitfire, painted in traditional colours and with a bull’s eye and Fynn’s name on it.
“It was taken down to Birichen on the back of a large transit and I made sure Fynn was away for the day,” said Jacqueline. “We put it in the garden to surprise him. He was super excited when he saw it.”
She added: “He spend a lot of time just sitting in his plane and pretending to fly.
“The plane gets so much attention – drivers slow down as they pass the house to take a look at it and I have had quite a few people asking if my dad would be interested in building another one for their children.”
