Airfix Bristol Blenheim Mk.1 1:72

Review by Dave Coward
Read Geoff’s Here Now In-box Review

Background

Now and again I like to step away from my normal 1:32nd scale builds that do all get a bit complex and time consuming and do something simple and straightforward; I’ve found that the ideal subjects for this are Airfix`s new 1:72nd aircraft kits. They are simple builds that don’t tax the old grey matter too much that allow you quickly get back to the basics and in quick time have a finished model that in many cases will get that modelling `mojo` back if you’re having a bit of a nightmare with your current `big` project.
Needless to say I was having one of these moments (again) so into the stash I went for a sanity build and out came this kit so let`s see if it can restore my enthusiasm in modelling.

A bit of background to the type…

The Bristol Blenheim is a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the first two years of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter. It was one of the first British aircraft to have all-metal stressed-skin construction, retractable landing gear, flaps, a powered gun turret and variable-pitch propellers.

A Canadian-built variant named the Bolingbroke was used as an anti-submarine and trainer. The Blenheim Mk I outran most biplane fighters in the late 1930s but stood little chance against the German Messerschmitt Bf 109 during daylight operations, though it proved successful as a night fighter. The Mark IV variant was equally unsuccessful in its daylight bombing role, suffering many losses in the early stages of the war.

Let’s get on with it…

Right – the plan is for a quick, simple out of the box build so no clever ideas, or aftermarket additions.

On with the build…