**** DONE: 1/48 Bristol Beaufighter Mk.If - Night War of WWII

[le_steph40]

Username: le_steph40
Name: Stephane (Steph)
Category: intermediate
Scale: 1/48 scale
Kit: Tamiya 61053 Bristol Beaufighter Mk.VI
Accessories: CMK4118 (tail) + Cutting Edge CEC48096 (Cockpit) + Cutting Edge CED48058 (decals) + Quickboost QB48043 (porcupine exhausts but probably not used on my project).

 

[le_steph40]

The project is Beaufighter Mk.If R2101 flown by Flt Lt John Cunningham, 604 Sqn based at Middle Wallop during Spring 1941.

The man
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cunningham_(RAF_officer)
CUNNINGHAM John

The project

 

[Airframes]

Good one Steph.
Note that the tail-planes are horizontal, whereas the kit parts have dihedral. This is easily remedied by swapping the kit parts, starboard onto port, and vice versa, and possibly a little filler.

 

[Wurger]

 

[JKim]

Great choice! Looking forward to seeing your take on the all-black!

 

[le_steph40]

Hello,
Before to start building and painting cockpit, I tried to define the panel lines on upper wings to modify it during assembly. Sources are Modellers Datafile 6, Squadron Signal and Quarter Scale Modeller. I have to define the same for the under wings....
In red: to delete, in blue: to add

 

[Wurger]

 

[Airframes]

Those marked with a red 'X' were duplicated, by Tamiya, from the pattern aircraft they used to design their kit (I think it was a Portugese aircraft). The airframe had been used for BDR training, and the 'panels' were Battle Damage Repair patches !!
From memory, I think that the elevator trim tabs have their actuators on the wrong surface too.

 

[Crimea_River]

Good to know. Will file that for my 404 Squadron build.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Good stuff Steph and you always manage to come up the historical snippets Terry.

 

[Airframes]

I'm a mine of useless information Vic !!

 

[le_steph40]

Hello,

The beginning of the work...

 

[Airframes]

Nice start Steph.
Just one minor point - the 20mm ammunition tanks included on the kit floor were as fitted to the later MkVI. The MkI used 60 round drum magazines, loaded through apertures in the floor, with spares stored on racks in the fuselage. It was the Observer/radar operator's job to change magazines, a very difficult task, in the dark, under 'g' loading, with the heavy mags.
However, even with the armour doors open, and the rear, upper hatch open, it's very difficult to see down the fuselage to view the tanks or drums, so they could be left as is.

 

[Crimea_River]

Well, that was useful.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Airframes]

About as useful as a vectored Victor, over ..............

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Nice start Steph.
Just one minor point - the 20mm ammunition tanks included on the kit floor were as fitted to the later MkVI. The MkI used 60 round drum magazines, loaded through apertures in the floor, with spares stored on racks in the fuselage. It was the Observer/radar operator's job to change magazines, a very difficult task, in the dark, under 'g' loading, with the heavy mags.
However, even with the armour doors open, and the rear, upper hatch open, it's very difficult to see down the fuselage to view the tanks or drums, so they could be left as is.

I'm a mine of useless information Vic !!

As in your own words Terry "a mine of useless information".


Nicely done though Steph.

 

[Gnomey]

Nicely done so far!

 

[Wayne Little]

Good stuff....and info!

 

[le_steph40]

Hello,

Cockpit almost done...