Ed Russell Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 This is at last a model of something from the Blenheim nightfighter thread from some years ago. It is the 1998 Cooperativa boxing of the 1969 Frog kit. The plastic is the same but an etched fret is added and the decals are different. I used some of the etch - cockpit interior and wheel hubs - but not the decals. Why use this ancient model kit? Well it was a Christmas gift from one of my colleagues and perhaps a challenge to make something decent from it. Having done this and an early Airfix Mk.IV bomber my next Blenheim builds will be the newer Airfix kits. As has been said, these were the RAF’s state of the art nightfighters and their pugnacious appearance with radar, flame damping exhausts, sinister overall black finish and five forward firing guns belied their general ineffectiveness. Sure there were some kills but their main usefulness was to expose crews to a new form of night fighting they would put to good use in Beaufighters and Mosquitos. It is pretty much OOB although an engine was missing from the sealed box so I substituted some resin engine/cowling sets. Additions were landing lights, flame damper exhausts from an early Airfix Mk IV and the ventral gun pack from a newer Airfix kit – both the Frog and older Airfix are the larger Mk.IV pack. The blast shield was scratch built. The four sets of radar antennas (nose, engine nacelle and above and below port wing) were also scratch built. The Cooperativa kit includes etched ones but they are too flat to look convincing. This is the aircraft almost invisible in the picture in Post #85 of the thread above. It is BQ-W and good detective work by Selwyn has identified it as L1647 in Post #96. Thanks! The decals were a combination of a couple of Owl sheets (reviewed here) http://www.hyperscale.com/2017/reviews/decals/owlds72076reviewer_1.htm http://www.hyperscale.com/2017/reviews/decals/owlds72079reviewer_1.htm and MSG serial numbers by Ventura decals. BQ codes on rear fuselage both sides are a common theme in 600 aircraft. Paint was Mr Surfacer 1500 Black followed by a coat of Future applied with a large brush followed by several sprays of Dullcote. The official night fighter finish for winter 1940 was RDM2 but I suspect that they might have been a bit polished to improve their performance and appearance (600 Sqn remember). Radar antennas were a mix of gunmetal with a touch of blue. This aircraft was one a of a multitude lost in non-operational flying training with all of its crew. These many, many un-heroic deaths were a great tragedy but an unavoidable consequence of the war effort. It’s hard to say they did not die in vain but they should be remembered. 37 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDSModeller Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Hi Ed, That's quite a nice and unique model of a Blenheim. Does look quite sinister. From you post, it sounds like it was not as effective, but as a stop gap, helped give RAF night fighter crews valuable experience, for later on. I quite like it Thanks for sharing your build with us and help us remember these great men Regards Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev67 Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Very nice build, if I remember this was one of Frogs sought after kits, as no one at the time produced this version Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 59 minutes ago, Ed Russell said: It is pretty much OOB although an engine was missing from the sealed box so I substituted some resin engine/cowling sets. Apparently somone was trying to do Master II Ed, that must be kind of heroic work on Frog (not complete) Blenheim Mk I . Nice to see it, thanks for sharing. Any chance of proper gunpack view? Regards J-W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanC Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 Nice result, especially with the extra work you put in. I look forward to seeing your new Airfix Blenheims - though they have their challenges too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Russell Posted February 25, 2018 Author Share Posted February 25, 2018 Gunpack views as requested A. On the model above B. Comparison of what is available 1. Early Airfix Blenheim IVF 2. Frog Blenheim IF 3. New Airfix Blenheim IVF 4. New Blenheim IF With a bit of plastic card, a plan and basic modelling skills one can make any sort from scratch but most of the Airfix Blenheims seem to have two anyway. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael louey Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 Nicely done Ed, Hope to see it on the weekend. By the way, a quick google search shows this picture of a gun pack https://warbirdtails.net/2014/12/20/the-blenheims-back/ looks a little more complicated than any of the kit ones... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 Great job Ed,love the Finish I'm on with the Frog original right now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glatisant Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 11 hours ago, stevej60 said: Great job Ed,love the Finish I'm on with the Frog original right now. Indeed,I've got three Novo editions and some Airfix MKIV bits and pieces. Your build inspirational!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 Nice one Ed,.....great to see a turret-less Blenheim night fighter and done so well too, Cheers Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 Very nice, Ed. If I may point out one small issue. You have painted the prop hubs a metallic colour. These should be the same colour as the prop blades. No RAF aircraft at this time would have had unpainted prop hubs. Even imported/Lend-lease aircraft had painted hubs. The only Blenheims I can find, after a few years of searching, that had unpainted hubs were Mk.V's or Bisleys. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Russell Posted February 27, 2018 Author Share Posted February 27, 2018 Thanks guys (M)ichael - The newer Airfix kits capture the look of the gunpack pretty well I think. The photo of the restored Blenheim you refer to has a shadow on the side, it is flat. The small bulges on the bomb bay doors are in the newer Airfix kits and replicate the bulge in the picture quite well. They are not in older Airfix or Frog kits. Chris - You are correct about the spinners. The evidence is in the picture of BQ-G in the thread referred to. They have been repainted! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
28ZComeback Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 Sorry to be late to the thread but does anyone have any information on John Cunningham's Blenheim nightfighter in August 1940? Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulfman Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 A lovely build on the old Frog, I’m inspired to do mine ! Wulfman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith in the uk Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 Very nice indeed , good to see these old kits still being built . If i recall this was the better option at the time for a Blenheim , the Airfix kit suffered from engine cowlings being to long over the wing , and the tail being the wrong shape plus thousands of raised rivets. The trick was to cross kit the Frog with the Airfix kit to produce a decent MKIV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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