Airfix 1/72 Bristol Blenheim

[stona]

This will be my last excursion into 1/72 scale for a while, so I thought I'd start this thread to give myself a kick up the whotsit and get the model underway.

I don't have a whole lot of information on Blenheims and I toyed with making a model of the last surviving example, L6739, as an air show queen before stumbling across this image of a couple of No 25 Squadron Blenheims at Martlesham sometime (I would guess) in the summer of 1940, judging by the foliage and the national marking on the fin. The Sky underside was introduced in June, but Night/White did not disappear overnight and was seen well into July and even August. You would need a lot more of the new Sky paint for a squadron of Blenheims that for a squadron of Hurricanes!

I like the idea of the Night/White underside, which is not well represented among my models...and I love the black aileron!



I've got this kit and a Quickboost resin gun pack:



I should be able to cobble together some suitable decals for ZK-X. I think the serial number was L1408, so that's what it will have in the absence of any better evidence

 

[stona]

I have made a start....honest.

Slow progress, this one is just meandering along as and when

 

[BarryW]

I rather like the Blenheim, specially the long-nose later version. This is an aircraft that begs for a 1/32 HKM tooling...

I will follow this one with interest Steve

 

[stona]

This is an aircraft that begs for a 1/32 HKM tooling...

It does and would make a good subject. The Blenheim is really not that big, at least compared to a Lancaster. It's probably only about 35% bigger than a Hurricane.

 

[rtfoe]

That's a nice kit Steve, got one too but will build it per box top artwork more appropriate to this side of the world during the Japanese invasion.

Will follow your build to see if there is anything to watch out for in the process. A bigger scaled version would do nicely for our modeling societies build on WW2 Japanese Occupation.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[dave]

If it is anything like their new mkIV it will go together well, my only problem was the cockpit is crowded and part was not in exactly the right place so the canopy would not fit. Once I had repositioned it was fine

 

[stona]

There doesn't seem to be much in my cockpit!



I'm making the Mk IF so I've left out anything which I know was specific to the bomber version (like the bombsight and one of the seats). The fighters only had a two man crew, the pilot and air gunner.
I'm more worried it will look a bit sparse through all that 'glass'. Luckily it's only 1/72 scale.

 

[stona]

I've stuck what there is of the cockpit together and fitted the pilot. It won't look too sparse when it's part of the aircraft. I use GS-Hypo cement for clear parts and as the two halves of the cockpit have to be joined, largely by the clear parts, I'll be using it for that too. It will also fill the gaps where the fit of the clear parts is less than perfect.



Then all I have to do is stick it onto this bit to get something resembling a Blenheim

 

[Lee Drennen]

Steve. Nice updates I have this one but it’s all original so I’ll be watching more closely as you go

 

[stona]

Close of play and the nose is fitted. It's actually quite a fiddle to get everything to line up.

 

[papa 695]

Just seen this one Steve, is it the new tool Airfix kit? It looks very nice, and a great start by the way.

 

[stona]

Hi Ian, yes it's the kit released five or six years ago (AO4016). It also has the new style instructions which are quite good.

So far it has all fitted as well as can be reasonably expected. The plastic is quite soft and reacts very quickly to the Tamiya cement I'm using for most of the construction, which might be something to be aware of when you come to build yours. I quite like it as it makes clean seams easier

 

[stona]

I've stuck on a few more aeroplaney bits, which makes the model look a lot more like a Blenheim.



I've cleaned up and primed all of the engine bits (I hope) ready to be sprayed, which means I'll get the engines on in the next couple of days.

So far it has all gone together very nicely but, to be fair, I have to say that some parts came with seam lines, flash and rather chunky attachments which had to be dealt with. It's nothing beyond the wit of man or any one who built one of those blue plastic kits out of a bag back in the industrial age!
It's a nice little kit, similar to the Spitfire and not quite as nice as the Bf 109 I build for the BoB GB. I would certainly have no reservations recommending it to someone who wants a 1/72 Blenheim but it might not be one to serve as a starter kit in a youngster's Xmas stocking.

 

[stona]

This is now primed and ready for some camouflage:



I've also stuck the Quickboost gun pack on the bottom. It fitted as well as any resin extra, not particularly well, but it looks fine after a bit of fettling. The gun barrels can be added later, which is nice.



I like to leave the primer overnight, so I'll give it a polish and continue painting tomorrow.

 

[papa 695]

Clean and tidy work Steve. Looking forward to the painting.

 

[stona]

Clean and tidy work Steve. Looking forward to the painting.

It's a nice enough kit and I'm looking forward to getting it painted too. I'm not really feeling the love with this one for some reason, it's not the kit's fault

 

[scottie3158]

Steve,
All looking very nice.

 

[stona]

Just in time I have decided on a change of identity for this aircraft.

I wanted a black/white underside and have now found decals for another example NG-R, L8715, of No 604 Squadron as flown by F/O John 'Cat's Eyes' Cunningham, who surely needs no introduction. He and his gunner, later radar operator, Jimmy Rawnsley flew this aircraft late in 1939 (hence no fin flash).



I've never used 'Owl' decals, so if they are absolute crap I will revert to plan A.

 

[adt70hk]

Sorry Steve missed the updates. Looking very good so far!!

ATB

Andrew

 

[Tim Marlow]

Don’t forget to eat those carrots, they’ll help you see the model more clearly....