maltadefender Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 (edited) I've decided that the next batch of builds should show something of what I've learned from my fellow GB-ers in the past 6 weeks. Mostly that involves patience and detailing, but also a significant amount of weathering. Maybe one day I'll combine all three. As a result I'm slipping a little side project in, which might become a GB entry or might not. Ducking out of 1/48 and back into 'gentleman's scale', I'm going to have a play with the old 1/72 Airfix Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV. I can't think of many people with the same level of courage as the Blenheim crews. On the rare days that ten aircraft could be mustered to go out after an enemy convoy, flying at 50 feet and popping up over the superstructure through a blizzard of flak, it was not unusual for six to be lost. The diary of the Air Sea Rescue crews in Malta records precious few Blenheim call outs. There was simply no margin for recovery. A squadron could be lost in three weeks. The level of dedication and courage among those crews who survived one or two trips and still kept flying is, from this vantage point, almost completely unfathomable. I'm going to try the hairspray and, with luck, salt weathering techniques. Very few Blenheims lasted long enough to get weathered properly, but would have aged pretty quickly. If it comes off it will be in the markings of 110 Squadron. Here we go, then... Edited June 30, 2012 by maltadefender Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Lloyd Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Looking forward to it. Much applause for your frequent reflections on what the crews had to face. It seems in any theatre being a Blenheim crewman was basically a suicide mission, the only question being how many missions- France, Malta, Malaya, North Africa and Europe, in all the attrition rates were horrific. What a generation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maltadefender Posted May 16, 2012 Author Share Posted May 16, 2012 Thanks Peter! Here's the box of delights together with the 110 Squadron decals pulled together for me by The Decal Bank many moons ago... And the sprues... And after washing them I've given the whole lot a dose of aluminium silver followed by hairspray... The plan is to paint it as normal then have a go with various mild abrasives to see what, if any, will work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usetherudders Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 One of the very first kits I built as a kid that airfix one, came with RAF and Free French markings if I remember. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maltadefender Posted May 17, 2012 Author Share Posted May 17, 2012 One of the very first kits I built as a kid that airfix one, came with RAF and Free French markings if I remember. It still does! I've bought a scalpel in an attempt at proper masking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maltadefender Posted May 30, 2012 Author Share Posted May 30, 2012 (edited) Dear all, A few days of family drama and subsequent catching-up on life have kept me away. I'm terribly sorry about that but everyone's progress looks fantastic. I'm back in the saddle now and intend to remain as such. The Blenheim IS going to be a build. I'm actually happier with it than with either the Spit or 109 at the present time - even if it's a kit whose parts are barely on speaking terms with one another. Progress so far - hairspray technique in action: It works! So, as a proper build, it's going to end up as a 110 Squadron aircraft. After taking a battering in Western Europe, a force of 17 Blenheims from 110 Squadron arrived in Malta early in July 1941 to attack convoys in the Mediterranean, plus Italian ports and airfields and the North African coast. They set the standard for bravery that the rest of the Blenheim units would equal against quite astonishing odds. 110 Squadron's first operation from Malta was on 9th July 1941 when seven aircraft flew to Tripoli to bomb the harbour, where they met both flak and a flight of Fiat CR.42s. Four of the seven aircraft failed to return. Sergente Maggiore Aldo Buvoli of the 378 Squadriglia, 155°Gruppo Autonomo, was decorated for his part in the action, while Maresciallo Montanari of the 366a Squadriglia and Sergente Ottorino Ambrosi of the 368a Squadriglia were also credited with a Blenheim each. After this disastrous opening encounter, 110 Squadron remained in Malta for the remainder of the month. It was decimated and, in the three months to September, a total of 18 Blenheim crews would be lost. Despite this, the Blenheims pressed home their attacks and caused significant disruption to Axis supply routes until February 1942. As such I'm building my Blenheim as a survivor of almost a whole month on Malta in the summer of 1941. Blasted by flak and small arms, plus the occasional near miss on the airfield at Luqa - bloodied but unbowed. Edited May 30, 2012 by maltadefender Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maltadefender Posted June 30, 2012 Author Share Posted June 30, 2012 It's been a funny finish to this GB for me and I'm sorry to anyone who feels I let them down by enforced absence in the latter stages. Ultimately I learned a lot from the old Airfix Blenheim - although that was mostly trying to replicate the results most other folk on the GB had achieved. What is abundantly clear, though, is that the Airfix kit isn't something that a duffer like me can get a result with. Not like an Eduard or even many Revells. Too many parts are too far out of line and made up of 60% flash. I firmly believe that the Blenheim Mk.IV deserves a decent kit in 1/48 and 1/72 from a major manufacturer. Something that you can come to and know that alignment is going to be OK and that glasshouse is going to look all right even after the most meticulous work. I'm glad that I attempted to build a Blenheim, but very sorry that the kit was beyond me to make into a decent job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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