Blenheim I at Duxford

 

400th post and just passed 993,000 page views. Here's something you don't see too often, some nice cockpit views of the Blenheim I at Duxford, courtesy of Ian Carvell.

Airifx Valiant BK Mk.1 in 1:72 scale

Yes that bid is mine, so if I fail to win the above auction and you have one to dispose of please do get it touch! But seriously, have you noticed how scarce this kit has suddenly become ? I guess that always happens just when you want one. For a relatively recent new tool I was surprised to not see it in the latest Airfix catalogue and as a result ebay prices are going through the roof, averaging anywhere between £80 to £90. Even 'partially' built examples (more like 90% completed..) are going for large sums - I bid £34 on the example below ..and still didn't win. Of course circumstances like this  more than justify the large stash. Just a shame I hadn't added one of these to it!

Airfix new-tool B-17 G Flying Fortress in-box first look - 214 Sqd, 100 Group RAF "spooks"

Just got back from Turner's Models in Dover with the latest addition to the stash - the new-tool Airfix B-17 G Fortress. Inspired by Tony O'Toole's build on BM I'm planning this one as a Bomber Command aircraft; a 214 Sqd Fortress III with H2S radome and ABC aerial. Note the H2S radome on the clear sprue  above - this replaced the chin turret on the Forts used by Bomber Command in the comms jamming role. So it certainly appears that Airfix are planning a Bomber Command version at  some stage. In the meantime I will be building this as 214 Sqd Fortress III "BU-W" serial KH999 mounting an ABC aerial and the H2S radome. Decals for this machine are available via DK decals "100 Group" set..

Other than a brief flirtation with the Fortress I in 1941 Bomber Command showed little interest in the B-17 as British types could carry greater loads - even the twin-engined Mossie could carry a bigger load to Berlin than the Fortress! However the B-17 had good endurance and could fly high so was considered for a new role in the RAF - radio counter measures (RCM). The US 8th AF supplied surplus Forts to Bomber Command's 100 Group and in January 1944 the first machines flew into Sculthorpe in Norfolk to begin RAF crew training, 214 Sqd being one of the RAF's last Stirling units. The first ops were flown during April 1944. Bristling with aerials the Fortresses flew at 25,000 ft jamming enemy radar and disrupting the voice comms used to direct Luftwaffe night fighters.

In total some 80-odd Fortress IIIs were assigned to the RAF (some of which were reassigned back to the USAAC). Working principally from Freeman/Osbourne and the wonderful 214 Sq website, but also other sources like the Streetly 100 Group book it has been established that some 43 Fortress IIIs were assigned to 214 Squadron.

Below;  a Fortress Mk II, B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number KJ118) in RAF service. Handwritten on reverse : 'KJ118'

Airfix new-tool Blenheim Mk I (F) 25 Sqd

My second Airfix new-tool Blenheim finished in 25 Sqd markings, ZK-I, RAF North Weald, February 1941. Fighter belly gun-pack taken from the Blenheim IV kit, decals by ROPOS models from Czech, a limited edition sheet printed to 200 copies that I found on Hannant's site.

Not a particularly 'photogenic' aircraft - difficult to get a shot I was happy with

Some of the Blenheim reference I used - the Airframe book from Valiant Wings is really very good and great value for money..as are the French-language monographs produced by Lela Presse

The Aircraft Restoration Company's Blenheim Mark One Night Fighter video by Malcolm Auld. Excellent video Malcom! A single click to watch here via the youtube 'embed' code

No. 211 Squadron RAF Blenheim Mk I UQ-R Tatoi, Greece, new-tool Airfix Blenheim I build review finished #5

Finally!  I've managed to finish the first of my new-tool Airfix Blenheim Is - although it 'looks' like a nicely detailed replica for a new-tool I have to say that I hate this kit! A terrible build experience, worse than the worst of any short-run non-fitting builds I've ever done. Be warned, nothing fits, apart from the undercarriage! Just about everything else required much fettling and filing and filling! My transparencies were short-shot and Hornby never came back with any replacements either. Fortunately a fellow-Britmodeller from Australia sent me a spare sprue that he had so it was while waiting for that to arrive that I very rashly decided to start a second Airfix Blenheim Mk I which I was a little happier with - but not much! Here's the first one in the markings of UQ-R of No. 211 Squadron seen in Greece in 1941 (note the 'R' was not displayed on the aircraft..)

IWM pictures of the machine modelled, licence-fee-free reproduction via the IWM site

Bristol Blenheim Mark I, L6670 ‘UQ-R’, of No. 211 Squadron RAF preparing to taxy at Menidi/Tatoi, Greece. Note the individual letter 'R' was not displayed..

Below; the Commanding Officer of No. 211 Squadron RAF, Squadron Leader J R Gordon-Finlayson, and his wireless operator/air gunner, Pilot Officer A C Geary, photographed in a Bristol Blenheim Mark I at Menidi/Tatoi, Greece, after returning from Corfu. On 24 November 1941, Gordon-Finlayson's aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire during a bombing raid on Valona, Albania. Unable to reach Menidi, he force-landed on a beach at Corfu, where he and his crew were toasted and feted before returning to the mainland by fishing boat and rejoining their unit. Gordon-Finalyson is carrying bottles of wine and other gifts given to them by their Greek hosts.

ROYAL AIR FORCE: OPERATIONS OVER ALBANIA AND IN GREECE, 1940-1941.© IWM (CM 292)

Revell (Matchbox) Wellington Mk X, 304 (Polish) Squadron

A small tribute to the brave Polish aviators who flew Coastal Command Wellingtons out over the Atlantic from windswept Scottish bases during WWII. This is "T" (DV 597) of 304 Squadron from the elderly Revell kit (minus the serial for the moment..). Brush painted finish 'dirtied' with an oil wash to bring out some of the nice surface detail. Decals from the spares box. For such a relatively poor quality kit I must admit to being quite pleased with the way this one turned out, quite tempted to do the Trumpeter Wimpy now.

Following heavy losses suffered in the bombing raids over Germany, 304 'Land of Silesia' Squadron transferred in May 1942 from Bomber Command to Coastal Command. After a short training period at Tiree from May 1942 in anti-submarine operations, the squadron left Tiree for North Wales for operations over the Bay of Biscay in June 1942. Operations over the sea involved flying very long missions over the Atlantic. The unit returned to Scotland to face the difficulties of operating from Benbecula in the Outer Hebridies in the winter of 1944-1945 and over Atlantic waters.

"....The first impression on almost everything else seemed to be bad. The new airbase was on the tiny Isle of Tiree in the Western Isles, only a few miles wide and less than 20 miles long. The place looked howling and under constant onslaught of capricious Atlantic weather.There were virtually no navigational aids. Living quarters were mere Nissen huts, always damp and rattling under heavy winds.  The airmen had no previous experience of flying over the sea and many strenuous hours of patrolling in gray monotony were needed. Generally low marine knowledge of aircrews was a hindrance in the squadron's conversion. Most of the Polish airmen never even saw a submarine, and one crew attacked a solitary rock of Rockall jutting out of the sea some 300 miles west of Scotland. Despite all this, the transition from the Battle of Germany to the Battle of the Atlantic fared well.
    No. 224 (RAF) Squadron flying Hundsons was also stationed on Tiree. A few days after their arrival, the Poles got to know their British colleagues and immediately a healthy, friendly rivalry was born: who would sink the first U-boat. Soon the great comradeship by the British was displayed, when their CO had all his aircraft ready within half an hour, for a search of one Polish Wellington ditched in the Atlantic. On 18 May 1942, S/Ldr Poziomka made the first operational sortie, a six-hour patrol over Atlantic's Western Approaches. From that day on, Polish Wellingtons were regularly airborne for U-boat hunting. On 26 May, the crew of navigator F/O Skarzynski spotted and attacked a U-boat, which was the first attack of that type by Polish aircraft. British Admiralty believed it to be a successful one and that the U-boat had been damaged...."

http://www.polishsquadronsremembered.com/304/304Story.htm

.. from the superb 304 (Polish) Sqd blog - a neat pic of a Wellington in difficulty on Benbecula, image possibly 'colorised' but so close to how I finished my model that I had to post it here!