Airfix Bristol Bloodhound 1:76 – build review

Vintage Classics release

Kit ref: A02309V
Feature Review: Tim Haynes

Just before we get started, here’s a quick look at how this classic kit release turned out…

Background

Having recently built the Kit Form Services 1/24 offering of the BAC Bloodhound Mk2 (see my full build here in SMN), when Airfix re-released their 1:76 kit under the Vintage Classics banner I had to get one. The aim being to create a few forced perspective photos of the two together.

The Plan

The Airfix kit is based on a very early Mk.1, in a non-operational colour scheme, and was also produced with various moveable features common in the era. My plan was to add further detail to the launcher and missile in terms of some rough scratch-built items, additional markings and a more representative paint scheme.

Box Contents

There are six sprue frames, two of which cover the missile trailer, and one each for the missile main body plus boosters, the Land Rover, the launcher (with missile wings) and one with various figures. In general, the mouldings are quite good with minimal flash evident (on my kit), and the surface detail is not too soft. The figures are less good, but I was not planning to use these anyway, so they were deposited in the spares box. There are no decals included in the kit.

The contents build into four distinct models, so can be tackled separately or in parallel as you prefer.

References

I used the instructions from my Kit Form Services and the finished model as my main reference for the missile and launcher. For the Land Rover and trailer I Googled some images.

Read On…