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Boulton Paul Balliol "Civilian & Foreign Users" 1:72 Special Hobby The Boulton Paul Balliol was designed to meet an Air Ministry requirement for a three seat advanced trainer. The original requirement was for a turboprop aircraft and the conventional low-wing monoplane design was to be powered by an Amstrong Siddeley Mamba. In the aircraft the Student and instructor would sit side by side with an observer behind. The Air Ministry had second thoughts concerning the turboprop and reissued the specification for an aircraft powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin. The Merlin powered Balliol was selected but the requirement for a third seat was deleted. Deliveries to the RAF started in 1950 however the Air Ministry again changed its mind and decided they needed a jet powered trailer which would be the Vampire T.11. Thus the Balliol only saw limited RAF service. The only export customer for the Balliol was the Royal Ceylon Air force who received 7 for cancelled RAF orders and 5 direct from RAF stocks. Two of these aircraft survive today with the now Sri Lanka Air Force museum, one Balliol survives in the UK which is being restored by the Boulton Paul Association. The Kit This is a re-release of the 2012 New tool kit from Special Hobby to reflect the Civilian & Foreign users of the aircraft. There are three sprues of plastic parts, a bag of resin parts, the canopy, a small PE fret and an instrument panel film. It should be noted that all the parts are still in the kit to make the Sea Balliol the Navalised version, the modeller will just have to make up their own decals. Construction starts unsurprisingly enough with the cockpit. The centre control console is added to the cockpit floor followed by the rudder pedals and control colums. The instrument panel is made up from a plastic/film/PE sandwich and installed. The seats are added forllowed by the A frame which sits behind them. The PE seatbelts then attach to this frame and drape over the seats. Once the cockpit if finished it can be installed into the main fuselage along with the rear cockpit bulkhead. The Fuselage can then be closed up. The main underslung engine radiator is then made up and added under the fuselage. The engine exhausts are also added at this time. The wings are next up and these are of conventional left & right (upper & lower parts), and are then added to the main fuselage. As mentioned the parts of the folding wing of the Sea Balliol are in the kits, and on the instructions but they are not shown as part of this review. The tail planes are also added at this time. The prop is made up from individual blades and added. The landing gear is also made up and added at this time. The main gear doors fitting direct to the legs. The canopy is then added along with the drop tanks if you wish to use them. Last touches are the windscreen wipers and the aerials. Decals Decals look to be in house and are ok, the Royal Ceylon markings are slightly out of register. Markings are provided for 4 examples; G-ANSF Company Demonstrator. CA310 Royal Ceylon Air Force. CA301 Royal Ceylon Air Force. Preserved air-frame in Sri Lanka, picture thanks to Mike Costello. Conclusion This is a simple little kit but it should make up to be a good interesting model. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Special Hobby is to reissue its 1/72nd Boulton Paul Balliol kit - ref. SH72356 Source: http://www.specialhobby.net/2016/12/sh72356-b-balliol-172-boxart.html Reported with decals for demonstrator and two Sri Lanka AF a/c. Release in 2017. Box art Original release in 2012 & as - ref. SH72234 - Boulton Paul Balliol T.2 "RAF Trainer" - ref. SH72236 - Boulton Paul Sea Balliol T.21 FAA Trainer V.P.

Nice quick and easy build of the Special Hobby Sea Balliol as the aircraft on display at Cosford. I originally drew and printed my own decals to use on a Pegasus Balliol kit I had in the stash but left it there after getting this kit for about half price at a show last year. Painted with Halfords Nissan Silver and Xtracolor dayglo, with a matt varnish after decalling. Steve