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It's not that I have enough models on my workbench currently, let's start one more! I mean, why not - it's not like one more is gonna do any difference :P 

 

So I was rummaging thru my dads stash once more and he had like three or four Tamiya Beaufighters there. One he had already built and says it's very good kit to build. Which I don't doubt, it's a Tamiya after all. So I snatched one for this GB - my build will be a beautiful Bristol Beaufighter Mk.VI in sandy colours. We have a deal with my dad, I can build pretty much anything from his stash, but I must return it to him once I'm finished.

 

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Beautiful box art. Also this is the scheme I will be doing.

 

 

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Box contents, decent amount of plastic but not too much.

 

 

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This is the paint scheme, Malta 1942. It will be a fighter bomber version, so with a rear gunner. Not sure what kind of load out is appropriate - maybe rockets?

 

 

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I’m sure a Tamiya Beaufighter is going to provide a splendid build - no pressure!

 

Strange that the RAF in the MTO often seemed to get by with a single letter for ID whereas in UK based ops they used the two letter squadron code plus ID letter.

 

Regards,

Adrian

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I always look in on Beaufighter builds. One of my favourite aircraft. 

 

As for armament, If rockets, no wing guns. These were removed and the gunports taped over. If a torpedo, then no rockets. Same with bombs.

 

 

I await further progress.

 

 

Chris

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20 minutes ago, dogsbody said:

As for armament, If rockets, no wing guns. These were removed and the gunports taped over. If a torpedo, then no rockets. Same with bombs.

As a kid I would have to have differed. Guns, torpedoes and rockets please, and bombs too if there was room!

 

If I had known about the Martin Mauler back then it would surely have been my favourite!

 

Regards,

Adrian

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5 hours ago, dogsbody said:

I always look in on Beaufighter builds. One of my favourite aircraft. 

 

As for armament, If rockets, no wing guns. These were removed and the gunports taped over. If a torpedo, then no rockets. Same with bombs.

 

 

I await further progress.

 

 

Chris

Thanks for the info, that makes sense. It seems there will be a plate that goes over the wing gun shell ejection ports to where the rocket rails are attached to. 

 

What do you think about the nose cannon ports - from the box cover you get the impression that they would be taped over too?

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3 hours ago, reini said:

Thanks for the info, that makes sense. It seems there will be a plate that goes over the wing gun shell ejection ports to where the rocket rails are attached to. 

 

What do you think about the nose cannon ports - from the box cover you get the impression that they would be taped over too?

Cannon ports were taped over, sometimes pretty roughly too.

xt5o2j7yerk31.png?auto=webp&s=f19bef5e3f

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Nice choice Reini

 

It may or may not be of interest to you but about a month ago Tony Otoole started a topic in the ww2 forum about Beaufighter camo in the MTO. There were some quite interesting chats on more than that besides.  Might be worth looking it out. 
 

James

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One I'll be looking in on. I'm reading Roy C Nesbit's "The Armed Rovers" which features 272 squadron prominently. For the period of the colour call in the kit, I would venture armament would be cannon & machine guns with occasional bombs, 250 pound ones seem to be mentioned most often. I'm up to Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily & no mention of rockets as yet.

Steve.

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1 hour ago, stevehnz said:

One I'll be looking in on. I'm reading Roy C Nesbit's "The Armed Rovers" which features 272 squadron prominently. For the period of the colour call in the kit, I would venture armament would be cannon & machine guns with occasional bombs, 250 pound ones seem to be mentioned most often. I'm up to Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily & no mention of rockets as yet.

Steve.

Were rockets ever used at all in the MTO Steve. Just thinking there weren’t many Typhoons in theatre which was the usual mode of delivery and the Americans weren’t very keen on them. 
 

Reini, sorry for the thread hijack. 
 

James

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15 minutes ago, franky boy said:

Were rockets ever used at all in the MTO Steve. Just thinking there weren’t many Typhoons in theatre which was the usual mode of delivery and the Americans weren’t very keen on them. 
 

Reini, sorry for the thread hijack. 
 

James

I'm assuming they were from photos I have seen, including one which is from the time 227sqn was becoming 16 sqn SAAF, later on in Italy & I'm sure the aircraft was rocket armed, maybe about the same time Hurricanes operating in Yugoslavia were using them too so at a similar time & area but I'm not up to that part yet. :)

Steve.

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3 hours ago, franky boy said:

Nice choice Reini

 

It may or may not be of interest to you but about a month ago Tony Otoole started a topic in the ww2 forum about Beaufighter camo in the MTO. There were some quite interesting chats on more than that besides.  Might be worth looking it out. 
 

James

Thanks! So it seems Extra Dark Sea Grey and Dark Slate Grey it is. Nice looking scheme :)

 

And don't worry about the 'hijack' - this is all good information and very interesting :)

 

@stevehnz Thanks for the info. Keep me updated on the rockets :D

 

@DaveyGair Thanks for the awesome photo, I will definitely try to recreate something similar :)

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Yes, I would go for taped over cannon ports.

 

As for that colour photo Dave posted, I wouldn't use it as paint guide, as it's a colourized B&W photo. Those exhaust collector colours are way off.

 

 

 

Chris

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17 minutes ago, dogsbody said:

Yes, I would go for taped over cannon ports.

 

As for that colour photo Dave posted, I wouldn't use it as paint guide, as it's a colourized B&W photo. Those exhaust collector colours are way off.

 

 

 

Chris

Yes, second that. They do more harm than good. 

There will be B&W shots somewhere on the 'net, I can almost never find what I want when I do a search!

 

Davey.

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  • 1 month later...

Finally got around to start the Beaufighter.

 

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Cockpit parts.

 

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There were some ejector pin marks - but they were in spots that were not visible so I did not remove them.

 

 

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Ready for primer.

 

 

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First I put down some NATO black.

 

 

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Then the green.

 

 

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And a quite messy layer of MIG panel line wash. To be cleaned up later with some enamel thinner.

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@franky boy Thanks :) It's been waiting a while now, it's about time.

 

 

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Some of the wash cleaned up.

 

 

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It was still bit too dirty so I did some drybrushing.

 

 

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Then added some chipping.

 

 

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Instrument panel is done so all I have to do is to paint the pilot & gunner and I can start closing the fuselage halves.

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On 03/11/2020 at 11:39, modelling minion said:

Very nice work Reini, the cockpit interior looks great.

I built one of these a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it, no fit issues at all.

 

Yeah that's what my dad said. So far no issues. But then again, I haven't really assembled anything major yet.

 

Have to get these two guys out of the way:

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A black basecoat done.

 

 

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A layer or two of the colours applied - I'll let them dry and continue with some shading.

 

 

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Washes done to bring out some details. To be honest, I think they would suffice to be hidden inside a cockpit like this - but I think I keep adding some highlights and details.

 

 

 

 

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