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Showing results for tags 'Z7271 MQ-K'.
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Hello everyone Back with another W.i.P. thread, but be forewarned, this may get messy... I started work on the Airfix 1/72 Blenheim IV about a year ago, intending to do it as Blenheim IV Z7271 MQ-K of 226 Squadron as flown by Sgt. Jack Onions D.F.M. and Bar, from Middlesbrough, who won his Bar for his actions on on July 19th 1941. From the ORB Form 541: Wattisham July 19th 1941 Blenheim IV Z7271 K Up: 13.30 Down: 17.56 to 18.10 Sgt. John Onions - Pilot F/Sgt Philip Warmington - Observer F/Sgt J F L Morton – A/G Convoy N.W. of NORDERNEY, 7 M/v’s escorted by flak ships were bombed at 15.32. Vessel of 8000 tons, grey, unladen, bombed and machine gunned, hits scored. Large column of white smoke seen. Aircraft hit by cannon shells, through nose and starboard wing trailing edge. A.G. wounded in foot. Hydraulics U/S. pilot made belly landing. 4 x 250 lb bombs, 480 rounds rear gun. Nice box artwork, some Eduard etch and masks, ready to go. A new state of the art Blenheim kit, what could possible go wrong...? Well, one of the first things I noticed on opening the box was that the upper turret glazing (part G3) had some moulding flaws: No problem, thinks I, e-mail to Airfix, bish-bash-bosh get a new one...nope, out of stock, sorry. Still waiting a for new part... Anyway, Keep Calm and Carry On. Starting with the cockpit, I added some of the very nice Eduard stuff and few extra bits and bobs: All very nice, and on to the undercarriage bays, again adding Eduard's very nice etched stuff: That was all painted, and the wing tops and bottoms joined up. I joined the two rear fuselage halves together, and that's when things started to go a bit Pete Tong. I couldn't for the life of me get the wings and rear fuselage to join neatly. Sand, scrap, curse, try again...nope: There seemed to be a big step on the bomb bay join too: I did wonder if I'd done something wrong, and tried to test-fit a few other parts: The starboard aileron, which doesn't quite fit: The starboard flaps, which don't quite fit: The horizontal tail, which does fit, but not that well: That's where I left it feeling pretty fed up and frustrated, consigned to the Shelf of Ultimate Shame which I got on with my Italeri Stirling IV (a well-fitting doddle by comparison, ahem). Now it's down from the S.o.U.S. and time to crack on, despite the ill-fitting parts and the very odd Airfix plastic with its slightly waxy-like nature that seems ever so slightly impervious to sanding. This is its last chance, so a deep breath, stand-by for some serious fettling and away we go... Simon
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Hello everyone It's been a two year build, off and on (mostly off), but at last I've finished my Airfix Blenheim. I started it in April 2018, got distracted, returned in March 2019, got completely fed up with it, then finally steeled myself into completing it this April. It's been a frustrating exercise, partly down to the way Airfix designed it, partly down to me not thinking it through properly or understanding fully what needed doing to overcome the kit's idiosyncrasies, and partly through Blenheims of 226 Sqn being a bit of an enigma, reference-wise, but hopefully worth it. W.i.P. thread here: Anyway, it's all done. The back story to begin with: Blenheim IV Z7271 MQ-K of 226 Squadron as flown by Sgt. Jack Onions D.F.M. and Bar, from Middlesbrough, who won his Bar for his actions on on July 19th 1941. From the ORB Form 541: Wattisham July 19th 1941 Blenheim IV Z7271 K Up: 13.30 Down: 17.56 to 18.10 Sgt. John Onions - Pilot F/Sgt Philip Warmington - Observer F/Sgt J F L Morton – A/G Convoy N.W. of NORDERNEY, 7 M/v’s escorted by flak ships were bombed at 15.32. Vessel of 8000 tons, grey, unladen, bombed and machine gunned, hits scored. Large column of white smoke seen. Aircraft hit by cannon shells, through nose and starboard wing trailing edge. A.G. wounded in foot. Hydraulics U/S. pilot made belly landing. 4 x 250 lb bombs, 480 rounds rear gun. And the pics. Aftermarket props, intakes, wheels and Eduard etch for the interior and exterior, new turret interior plus a base done in Photoshop: I'm pretty happy with the way it came out (eventually!), and I reckon that if/when Airfix bring out a 1/48 version of their Blenheim IV it'll be a cracker. Now, time to crack on with the Airfix Beau... Cheers Simon