53,937 Feet “World Altitude Record” - Frog / Novo 1/72 Bristol 138A

[Rabbit Leader]

Seems like I start more kits than I finish these days, however I’m very happy to announce that this Frog / Novo Bristol 138A kit is now finished. As a 10 year old (circa 1980), I still clearly recall seeing this kit at a local Department store and was most curious by it’s appearance. I was initially going to buy it, however as it didn’t have any guns or bombs put it back on the shelf and purchased the Novo Supermarine Attacker instead (Big mistake!). 
 

Roll on another 35+ years and I saw this kit again at a local swap meet for a measly $5, I couldn’t buy it quick enough! A quick google came up with images of the OOP Rising Decals AM decal sheet, which looked to be a ‘must have’ to successfully complete this kit. Fortunately I managed to track down these decals a couple of months ago and within a few days of delivery made a start to this High Flying Bristol 138A model. 
 

Like most model kits of 1964 its a fairly basic box of bits, but I was pleasantly surprised how large it builds up to be for a single engined 1/72 model. During construction a few minor improvements were made along the way. I knocked up a bit of a cockpit (which now can hardly be seen), improved the chin radiator opening and front shutters, thinned down the engine cowl trailing edges, pinched an engine from a Matchbox Gladiator and replaced the underwing aileron actuators with plastic card and strip. 

 

Here’s a few more ‘atmospheric’ photos and a small selection of WIP pics. You can see its size in comparison to a 1/72 Spit and its nice to finish up with a model that’s about three times the size of the box it came in…. That doesn’t happen too often these days! 

 

Cheers and regards.. Dave 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Rob S]

Very nice!  Well done!  
 

(Now get another one and make the projected/started Kestrel engined version!) 

 

[Rabbit Leader]

9 minutes ago, Rob S said:

(Now get another one and make the projected/started Kestrel engined version!) 

Nah… that’s why I bought a 2nd one for you to do! 

[JWM]

Great result! This machine  is not often seen here...

Regards

J-W

[Maginot]

Very interesting. Good modelling.

[Farmerboy]

Unusual aircraft, l have never seen one before. I must say your paint work is superb, she looks brilliant, good job!

[busnproplinerfan]

Nicely done. Never heard of this one, must have been cold in it at that altitude.

[stevehnz]

Very nicely done Dave, as good a build of one of these I've seen I reckon. 👍

Steve.

[AdrianMF]

Smashing job on this one. FROG at their finest - unusual subject, good shape, not over-encumbered by detail (!).

 

Regards,

Adrian

[alt-92]

Lovely. 

I presume the main advantage of the Rising decal set is the stencil block below the cockpit and the interwar roundels?

Asking for a fren

 

[wellsprop]

Stunning! 

[cardiff guy]

Great work, love it.

[Kari Lumppio]

HI!

 

Great model! To me, the plane looks like a big crop duster. Sort of.

 

Cheers,

Kari

[MACALAIN]

13 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Seems like I start more kits than I finish these days, however I’m very happy to announce that this Frog / Novo Bristol 138A kit is now finished. As a 10 year old (circa 1980), I still clearly recall seeing this kit at a local Department store and was most curious by it’s appearance. I was initially going to buy it, however as it didn’t have any guns or bombs put it back on the shelf and purchased the Novo Supermarine Attacker instead (Big mistake!). 
 

Roll on another 35+ years and I saw this kit again at a local swap meet for a measly $5, I couldn’t buy it quick enough! A quick google came up with images of the OOP Rising Decals AM decal sheet, which looked to be a ‘must have’ to successfully complete this kit. Fortunately I managed to track down these decals a couple of months ago and within a few days of delivery made a start to this High Flying Bristol 138A model. 
 

Like most model kits of 1964 its a fairly basic box of bits, but I was pleasantly surprised how large it builds up to be for a single engined 1/72 model. During construction a few minor improvements were made along the way. I knocked up a bit of a cockpit (which now can hardly be seen), improved the chin radiator opening and front shutters, thinned down the engine cowl trailing edges, pinched an engine from a Matchbox Gladiator and replaced the underwing aileron actuators with plastic card and strip. 

 

Here’s a few more ‘atmospheric’ photos and a small selection of WIP pics. You can see its size in comparison to a 1/72 Spit and its nice to finish up with a model that’s about three times the size of the box it came in…. That doesn’t happen too often these days! 

 

Cheers and regards.. Dave 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice I like it

 

Alain

[DaddyO]

Nice work Dave 

(I remember this kit from many moons ago although I must say that yours turned out a lot better than mine did)😊

 

Paul

[Head in the clouds.]

What a beautiful paints job, sharp and crisp and a fine build ta-boot.

[Rabbit Leader]

12 hours ago, busnproplinerfan said:

Nicely done. Never heard of this one, must have been cold in it at that altitude.

Well if you see what the pilot had to wear to withstand such altitude, I’d be very surprised if the poor chap didn’t perspire to death by the time he got there! 

 

9 hours ago, alt-92 said:

Lovely. 

I presume the main advantage of the Rising decal set is the stencil block below the cockpit and the interwar roundels?

Asking for a fren

 

The additional stencils, correct font serial numbers, small Dunlop tyre logos and correctly sized light coloured roundels all help to get this model so much closer to what the actual thing looked like back in 1937. Although I’ve got a large decal bank, all these items eluded my spare stash. 
 

Big thanks to everyone who has stopped by and left a comment or like. It’s all very encouraging and motivating.. much appreciated. 
 

Cheers… Dave

[Paulaero]

Very nice, like the reflections taken on the glass...

 

Glad I'm not the only one that starts more kits than I finish.......

[Marcel]

Beautiful replica of an interesting plane. And great photos as well -thanks for sharing.

[Spitfire31]

What a delectable model! (The only fitting adjective that comes to mind when viewing it…)

 

The TLC that you have lavished upon this rather, er… basic kit has certainly elevated it to a much higher altitude (metaphorically speaking), than the 35 years younger Attacker-basher might have reached with the same kit bits.

 

Kind regards,

 

Joachim

[Rabbit Leader]

14 hours ago, Spitfire31 said:

What a delectable model! (The only fitting adjective that comes to mind when viewing it…)

You are way too kind Joachim, I’m very much humbled. 
Cheers.. Dave 

[Vulcanicity]

Never seen one of these built up but this one is a cracker! A nice tribute to a largely forgotten record setter, and from my neck of the woods too! (I'm a Bristol lad in exile!)

[dogsbody]

After re-reading the history of this aircraft, I wonder why Bristol didn't develop higher rated superchargers for their other engines, like the Hercules?

 

 

 

Chris

[Learstang]

Excellent job on that unusual aeroplane!

 

Regards,

 

Jason

[kapam]

Absolutely beautiful!

There's a neatness and precision in your work that I aspire to (while never quite achieving).

👏👏