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1:72 Bristol Beaufort Mk.Ia, No.2 Torpedo Training Unit *FINISHED*


Dunny

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Hi All,

 

My next build will be Airfix' lovely little Beaufort. Now some of you may have a rather alarming sense of deja vu, as I only completed one of these kits in November 2022 (itself a repeat build of an earlier failure), but fear not dear reader - this will be completed as a Mk.Ia!! I enjoyed the last build, and fancied a different scheme for this project. A bit of light browsing bought up this:

 

3-550x550w-jpg.webp

 

I am planning to complete as the bottom left scheme, which is LR906 of No.2 Torpedo Training Unit, based at RAF Castle Kennedy, Scotland, in September 1943. I cannot find any photos of this aircraft, but the scheme appears repeatedly on various decal sheets. As you can see it is finished in white with EDSG upper surfaces, with DSG aircraft codes - until I hear different I shall go with this.

 

I shan't bother with sprue shots as I've already built this kit - here's the WIP if anybody wishes to see it:

 

 

Now if you look at the above schematics, you may note that the major difference between the MkI.a and the Mk.I is the turret (I think the Mk.Ia also used a later version of the Bristol Taurus). Now I dimly recalled that there had been some discussion on @Rabbit Leader's lovely build a couple of years back, and indeed a search through Dave's most entertaining WIP unearthed that the kit does contain the required turret components. Here's the thread:

 

 

You will find the turret information on page 4 (thanks also to @AdrianMF for his significant contribution). Here is the clear sprue which shows the two turret types:

 

20230126-122008.jpg

 

You can see the glazing for the Mk.Ia Bristol turret bottom left, with the original Mk.I Daimler turret top right (I think that's the right way round?). Rather curiously, the sprues do not appear to contain the twin Brownings required for the Bristol turret, so some scratch-building may be required. 

 

The other interesting thing for this build will be the torpedo - my understanding is that training versions of the torpedo had a red or yellow nose, which will surely brighten up the scheme! Anyway, it should prove to be an interesting build!

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Roger

Edited by Dunny
Grammar & spelling
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Hi All,

 

Whilst searching in vain for pictures of LR906 I did turn up some interesting torpedo pics, both of which are related to ICM's British Torpedo Trailer kit (presumably carrying a training torpedo with red nose):

 

48405-en-2.jpg

 

48405-6.jpg

 

Whilst I'd ideally like to see photos of the torpedo concerned I think that's enough for me to go for red, at least for the moment!

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Roger

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Hi All,

 

Another quick update. Whilst searching using a different browser (on laptop vs. phone 🤪) I turned up a photo of a Beaufort in a similar scheme:

 

Beaufort-Mk-Ia.jpg

 

Although it does show a different aircraft, as I suspected should be the case the white wraps around the leading edge of both wings and stabilisers - an important visual cue which I have seen missed on other builds of LR906. Interesting to also note that the aircraft carries no squadron or aircraft codes, and that the turret has been faired over. Also I could be mistaken, but is that a Yagi antenna mounted under the wing? The plot thickens,

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Roger

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Should be another great thread to follow. It's always nice seeing an Airfix Beaufort build and am slightly surprised we haven't seen another boxing for a Mk 1a among Airfix's 2023 releases. I'm sure it'll come one day soon. 

Cheers and all the best.. Dave  

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32 minutes ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Should be another great thread to follow. It's always nice seeing an Airfix Beaufort build and am slightly surprised we haven't seen another boxing for a Mk 1a among Airfix's 2023 releases. I'm sure it'll come one day soon. 

Cheers and all the best.. Dave  

Thanks Dave - I'm also surprised given the popularity of the Mk.I release. I have also just noted that the Mk.Ia carries a nose-mounted MG in some pics, so may need to plan for that too!

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

Edited by Dunny
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13 minutes ago, Dunny said:

I have also just noted that the Mk.Ia carries a nose-mounted MG in some pics, so may need to plan for that too!

 

Yes, I believe Tony O'Toole added these guns on a few of his great quick builds, however sadly those images have been taken down from the old WIP thread. 

I've also been tempted to start a second Beaufort kit and have a set of P & W engines and nacelles to go with it, however I've committed myself to a few GB's this year, so doubt I'll find the time to fit this one in.  

Cheers.. Dave 

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1 minute ago, Rabbit Leader said:

I've also been tempted to start a second Beaufort kit and have a set of P & W engines

Nice - sounds like a DAP build in the wings?

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11 minutes ago, bigbadbadge said:

Ooooooo anther Beaufort, looking forward to this one Roger, still got mine in the stash, to do one day!!!

Chris

 

 

Thanks Chris - I couldn't resist the colour scheme!

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Excellent choice Roger,

I'm planning a Mk.Ia when I get round to mine so this will be invaluable.

I thought i'd seen some photos and builds with the nose guns and will be looking forward to what you find.

 

Cheers,

Alistair

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Hi All,

 

Rather than diving in headlong as is my normal approach, I thought in the case of the turret a little investigation was required. Here's the instructions for the Mk.I turret:

 

20230127-114237.jpg

 

There are no instructions for the Mk.Ia turret, so to summarise, the changes are as follows:

 

- Components D19 and D20 are retained and assembled in the same manner

- Mounting ring D21 is replaced by D25

- Glazing components F18 and F10 are replaced by a single piece F13

- 2 x Browning 0.303 guns to be sourced/scratch built

- Fuselage mount A5 replaces A3

- Fairing D36 deleted

 

I thought a dry fit of the assembly was in order:

 

20230127-114951.jpg

 

Finally, here's the assembly within the appropriate fuselage mount (A5):

 

20230127-115122.jpg

 

With that important change bedded in I can now crack on with the build proper!

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Roger

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On 25/01/2023 at 21:09, Dunny said:

Hi All,

 

Another quick update. Whilst searching using a different browser (on laptop vs. phone 🤪) I turned up a photo of a Beaufort in a similar scheme:

 

Beaufort-Mk-Ia.jpg

 

Although it does show a different aircraft, as I suspected should be the case the white wraps around the leading edge of both wings and stabilisers - an important visual cue which I have seen missed on other builds of LR906. Interesting to also note that the aircraft carries no squadron or aircraft codes, and that the turret has been faired over. Also I could be mistaken, but is that a Yagi antenna mounted under the wing? The plot thickens,

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Roger

 

Notice that this Beaufort has no turret.

No, that is not a Yagi-style antenna under the wing. All I see is a straight rod-like antenna, the fuel dump pipe and the extended flame-dampening exhaust pipe.

 

 

 

Chris

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I think the Bristol-style 1a turret is the same as the Blenheim? In which case it could carry either a Vickers gun or Brownings? Any photo that showed the gun barrel(s) clearly would show which gun(s) were mounted, I guess.

 

Looking forward to the white acheme!

 

Regards,

Adrian

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14 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Thats's a great help to identify what turret parts to use / discard.

Much appreciated Roger. 

Cheers.. Dave 

Thanks Dave - I figured that it may be of help tp somebody!

12 hours ago, bigbadbadge said:

Great thinking getting that bit sorted. Looking forward to the build proper now.

 

Chris

Thanks Chris - hopefully plain sailing from here!

3 hours ago, dogsbody said:

 

Notice that this Beaufort has no turret.

No, that is not a Yagi-style antenna under the wing. All I see is a straight rod-like antenna, the fuel dump pipe and the extended flame-dampening exhaust pipe.

 

 

 

Chris

Thanks for the clarification Chris. It is a little curious. On looking at the photo again it appears to be completely unarmed - curious?

2 hours ago, AliGauld said:

Thanks for those instruction Roger,

They will be invaluable.

 

Cheers,

Alistair

Thanks Alistair - as I said to Dave above, I figured it could help somebody...

50 minutes ago, Dr. Quack said:

Absolutely cracking scheme..........and a less well known Scottish airfield.

 

I'm in.

 

Niall.

Welcome aboard Niall!

38 minutes ago, AdrianMF said:

I think the Bristol-style 1a turret is the same as the Blenheim? In which case it could carry either a Vickers gun or Brownings? Any photo that showed the gun barrel(s) clearly would show which gun(s) were mounted, I guess.

 

Looking forward to the white acheme!

 

Regards,

Adrian

Thanks Adrian - so I could just mount a single Vickers? That would make life easy...

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2 minutes ago, dogsbody said:

As for a torpedo trolley, each Airfix Swordfish kit comes with one.

 

 

Chris

...and ask who's the fool who didn't keep his after his Swordfish build? :wall: Never mind...

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37 minutes ago, Dunny said:

...and ask who's the fool who didn't keep his after his Swordfish build? :wall: Never mind...

What? Dude, I have spare parts that were left over from kits I built in the early 70's!

They're all stored in these two units:

 

51791128880_fb9aa33c60_b.jpg

 

 

 

 

Chris

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3 minutes ago, dogsbody said:

What? Dude, I have spare parts that were left over from kits I built in the early 70's!

They're all stored in these two units:

 

51791128880_fb9aa33c60_b.jpg

 

 

 

 

Chris

That's impressive - I feel rather inadequate now

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