Heather Kay Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Gloster Gladiator MkI, 1 Escadrille, 1 Groupe, Aéronautique Militaire Belge, Schaffer Airfield, Diest, Belgium. The Matchbox Gladiator was first introduced in 1972. It came in two colours of plastic, a bright red and a cream. Markings were provided for an inter-war RAF machine in silver. Being me, I built mine - acquired secondhand at a show about ten years ago - to represent a British Expeditionary Force Air Component aircraft sent to France in 1939. Since then, Airfix produced their new kit, of which I have an example built up to represent the sole RAF Gladiator squadron that saw any action in the Battle of Britain. I also bought another boxing, which included the parts to make a MkII with the three-blade propeller, and transfers for the BEF plane, plus a Belgian example. An idea was hatched to repaint the Matchbox kit using the Airfix transfers to become a Belgian plane. My go-to web site for information on Belgian aircraft is Belgian Wings, created by Daniel Brackx. How better to give a potted history of the Gladiator in Belgian service than to link to his page dedicated to the type. That's the link, bold and underlined. G30 was lost in a weather-related accident in 1938. As such, it doesn’t quite fit in my 1940 theme, but stands as a representative of the Gladiators in Belgian service in May 1940. Paint used was Humbrol acrylic and enamel, transfers from Airfix, satin varnish coat from Phoenix Precision Paints. Rigging is Uschi thread - a fiddle, but worth the effort. The rebuild thread starts here: 36 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangor Lad Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 That's a really nice build, Heather. I've seen a number of really nice Matchbox builds lately. I have a few in the stash so I'm tempted to get one or two out as soon as I have space on the bench...and time! Thanks for sharing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelh Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 (edited) Very good. Love the photos too. It looks as if it's just being pulled out of hangar ready for a day's flying. I can almost smell fresh morning air and hear a Lark twittering somewhere overhead. Classic airfield scene. Matchbox really did well with their biplanes. All very buildable and somehow just looked right. Edited April 23, 2020 by noelh 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Very, very nice Heather, that looks smashing 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickydicky210 Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Lovely Gladiator 👏👏 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invidia Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Looks great, wouldn't believe that was the matchbox kit!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kay Posted April 23, 2020 Author Share Posted April 23, 2020 Just now, invidia said: Looks great, wouldn't believe that was the matchbox kit!! Thanks! The Matchbox kits were pretty good for their time. Engraved panels, albeit a bit deep at times, and loud plastic colours, but they were fairly accurate overall. Of course, the modern Airfix kit takes things on a couple of leaps, but for fifty years ago the old Matchbox kits weren’t half bad. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Really nice work Heather. As I recall, this is a re-fit, correct? I like the image with the other Belgian aircraft in soft focus behind it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kay Posted April 23, 2020 Author Share Posted April 23, 2020 18 minutes ago, John Masters said: As I recall, this is a re-fit, correct? I like the image with the other Belgian aircraft in soft focus behind it. Indeed, it was a refit. Stripped the old paint and dodgy rigging and repainted. The other plane is a Renard R-31 I built last year from an Azur kit. I’ve got three more Belgian service planes to build: Fairey Battle, Fairey Fox and Hawker Hurricane. The jury's out on whether to get a further Fiat CR.42. As with the French Air Force in 1940, it’s very easy to get carried away and be completely obsessive about completing the set! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 1 hour ago, Heather Kay said: The jury's out on whether to get a further Fiat CR.42 Oh...do it. That would look fabulous! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invidia Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 1 hour ago, Heather Kay said: Thanks! The Matchbox kits were pretty good for their time. Engraved panels, albeit a bit deep at times, and loud plastic colours, but they were fairly accurate overall. Of course, the modern Airfix kit takes things on a couple of leaps, but for fifty years ago the old Matchbox kits weren’t half bad. I agree I have a number of furys and siskins in the stash the biplanes where better than the other stuff. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Fantastic work on the Matchbox kit Heather, and your base with the grass field really makes it come alive. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire31 Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Excellent Gladiator, further enhanced by the evocative setting, not least the car! Kind regards, Joachim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnticlockwisePropeller Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 Super work, Heather!! What a smart little Gladiator!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corsaircorp Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 Well Done Heather Congratulations !! Really nice Gladiator !! We'll share a bit of rocket fuel on this one !! See SMW2021 !! CC 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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