1/48 Bristol Blenheim Mk IV. - Defense Of Britain/Atlantic.

[Ohm-men]

User Name: Ohm-men
Name : Jerry
Category : Intermediate
Kit : Classic Airframes Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV
Scale : 1/48
Accessories: none.

This wil be my choiche for this group build. Classic Airframes Bristol Blenheim Mk IV.
I'm gonna go with the version of the box art. A Coastal Command version based at Mount Lossie.
Suits the subject of this group build spot on!

This kit sat on my shelf for the past 7 years. I bought it as a used/started kit back then from a friend.
Only the wings were glued. Should this be a problem for this group build, mods, please let me know.

 

[Wayne Little]

NICE! look forward to seeing how this kit builds up.

 

[Airframes]

Good one, and Coastal Command in this instance should fit fine.

 

[Wurger]

 

[A4K]

Great choice Jerry! Looking forward to this build.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Like your choice Jerry and have no problem with the wings but can you give us a photo indication of what is already done.

 

[Crimea_River]

No problem here. Not often you see this kit and I look forward to watching. take lots of pics!

 

[Ohm-men]

Ok, thanks!
I'll post a pic of what' already done. I checked the kit over and it's just the wings glued.
Unfortunatly the lower turret is missing and the upper turret is broken. So these will have to be replaced. But I'll take as many pics as possible of this build. Dry fitting showed less trouble then I've usually encountered with these older CA kits. And the resin cockpit is really good and show lots of detail.
The turrets are unfortunate, but nothing I can't fix. Decals were printed by Aeromaster, so I guess these are good. I did some diggin in my spares box and found a set of badly yellowed Sanger/contrail clear parts for a Blenheim IV. But these are very crude, but perhaps a base to make a new set.

I hope to commence building this kit next week, if work permits, I'll hae some time on my hands.
But these Group Builds really fuell my modelling enthousiasm!!!

 

[Airframes]

Me too ! I've been wanting to add one to my collection for years, so look forward to seeing what the kit is like.
Looking forward to seeing an Airfix 1/48th Blenheim, as the CA kits cost a King's Ransom and your first born, when they appear on a certain auction site !

 

[Ohm-men]

Me too ! I've been wanting to add one to my collection for years, so look forward to seeing what the kit is like.
Looking forward to seeing an Airfix 1/48th Blenheim, as the CA kits cost a King's Ransom and your first born, when they appear on a certain auction site !

Oh... I wasn't aware of that. Seams I have the original issue. I paid € 15,- for it (as it was a started kit and the pacage included a Contrail 1/48 Blenheim Mk I, which I sold as quick as I could...)...I just read up on the history of this CA Mk IV. kit and I just could find one pic of a build example on the www.

So, I guess I'll have some high expectations to forfill for this build....a bit scary... But I do my best...

 

[Lucky13]

Awesome!

 

[Airframes]

I think that there might be canopies and turret glazing in one of the 'Falcon Clear-vax' vac-form sets, available from Hannant's, but I'm not 100% sure - maybe check their web-site.
I have some detail shots of the cockpit and nose section, removed from the Duxford Blenheim during it's conversion to Mk1F standard, if you need them.

 

[destrozas]

very good to me this plane resists me when I search and can not find it when I find I do not have the capital to buy a shame.
Another good plane for this GB is already very interesting and that is the beginning

 

[Ohm-men]

Here is the content of the CA Blenheim Mk IV.

This is how I bought the kit. Wings were glued by the previous owner. I taped the fuselage. As you can see the turret is broken and the nash underside turret is missing. The vacu clear parts are from Contrail and very unusable. Unfortunately, the decals are also missing. This is a bit of a letdown. As there are not much aftermarket decals.
I hope to find some.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Airframes]

Neat kit.
I read somewhere about the wheels being a bit small, and I believe there are resin wheels available - again, Hannant's should have them.
As for decals, there are some around, but it's probably easier to get Xtradecal sheets of roundels and code letters which, of course, can also be used for future projects.
If you are unable to get another vac-form turret, then that Contrail example should polish-up, and after a dip in 'Future' should be OK.
EDIT:- I've just checked the Hannant's web-site, and resin wheels are available at £5.70 - a touch expensive if you don't really want to change the kit wheels.
There isn't a vac-form set of canopies in this scale - I must be thinking of 1/72nd scale, in one of the multiple sets.
The only RAF Blenheim decals are for the Mk.1, apart from a Coastal Command, 1940 Mk.IV, which is part of a set for Defence of Britain (!), which includes other aircraft types on the sheet.

 

[le_steph40]

An original and good choice

 

[Ohm-men]

Neat kit.
I read somewhere about the wheels being a bit small, and I believe there are resin wheels available - again, Hannant's should have them.
As for decals, there are some around, but it's probably easier to get Xtradecal sheets of roundels and code letters which, of course, can also be used for future projects.
If you are unable to get another vac-form turret, then that Contrail example should polish-up, and after a dip in 'Future' should be OK.
EDIT:- I've just checked the Hannant's web-site, and resin wheels are available at £5.70 - a touch expensive if you don't really want to change the kit wheels.
There isn't a vac-form set of canopies in this scale - I must be thinking of 1/72nd scale, in one of the multiple sets.
The only RAF Blenheim decals are for the Mk.1, apart from a Coastal Command, 1940 Mk.IV, which is part of a set for Defence of Britain (!), which includes other aircraft types on the sheet.

Thanks for the neat advice. I read about the wheels being a tad to small and I think there are Barracuda replacement wheels.
I like your idea about the X-tradecal sheets for the roundels and codes. Though I might try a few other fora and see if there are modellers willing to part with the Coastal command decals for this kit. CA just re-released the Blenheim Mk IV as a Hannants exclusive. (Though pretty expensive imho) but with 5 instead of the original 2 decal options.

I'm gonna try and make something decent of that Sanger/contrail vac turret. It seams the original was semi retractable.
But I'm gonna have to do some research first. I also gladly take you offer of posting some detail pics of the Mk IV cockpit.
I went thru my library and I came up with "nada" regarding the Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV....

 

[fubar57]

If you can't make do with the turret glass, you could always go this route. The first is a Mk.I and the second is a Mk.V so I'm thinking turret covers should be available for the in between Marks.

Geo

 

[Wurger]

Here , three variants of the Blenheim dorsal ,semi-automatic retracted turret . All of them look the same. The difference seems to be the armament only.

A - BI Mk.III with one Vickers K 7.7mm MG.
B - BI Mk.IIIa with two Vickers or Lewis 7.7mm MGs
C - BI Mk.IV with two Browning 7.7mm MGs