GB-52 1/48 Blenheim Mk.IV - Heavy Hitters IV

[Airframes]

Username - Airframes
Name - Terry
Category - Judge - non competing.
Model - Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV.
Scale - 1/48th
Kit - Classic Airframes Blenheim Mk.IV. IVF.
Accessories - Barracuda resin main wheels, decals from various Xtradecal sheets, probably a little scratch-building.


Blenheim Mk.IV, 82 Sqn, 2 Group, RAF, August 1940.

This will be built more or less "OOB", with the exception of the resin wheels (not included in this issue of the kit) to replace the undersized and incorrect spoke pattern of the kit's plastic wheels, and the use of aftermarket decals to make up the codes and serials. In addition, there might be some minor scratch-building to enhance the resin detail parts included in the kit.
The subject will be one of eleven aircraft that were lost on the disastrous raid on Aalborg, Denmark, when only one aircraft from the formation of 12 returned to base at Watton, in Norfolk, England !!
I have yet to finally decide on the actual subject aircraft, but information on this, and the raid involved, will be shown in a subsequent post.
Meanwhile, pics of the box, main kit parts and the resin wheels are shown below, and my thanks to Andy (Crimea River) for obtaining and sending the wheels, which were unavailable in the UK at the time the kit was purchased in April last year.

 

[Wurger]

Looking forward to that build.

 

[T Bolt]

Good one Terry. Lots of resin there

 

[rochie]

nice one Dogsbody

 

[Crimea_River]

Great to see you back at the bench Terry and I hope the RA takes a long, long vacation.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks all. I hope to make a start, after some prep work, over the weekend, hands permitting. I had a steroid injection last week, as a temporary measure before starting on a new drug in the early new year ( I hope !), and this has really helped a lot, easing off the pain and stiffness, although things are not yet perfect.

Now a little background.
RAF 82 Sqn had already suffered losses, some heavy, during the weeks prior to this raid, including the loss of all 12 aircraft in a single raid the previous month.
The target this time, on 13th August 1940 (also the date of the Luftwaffe's "Adler Tag" at the height of the Battle of Britain) was Aalborg West airfield, in the north of Jutland, Denmark, with 12 aircraft departing from Watton.
One aircraft turned back over the North Sea, due to fuel problems, with the remaining eleven Blenheims crossing the Danish coast, where they were reported by an observation post, alerting the flak crews on and around Aalborg.
The Blenheims attacked at 12.15 hrs, and heavy flak started to take it's toll, before the Bf109's of JG77 attacked the formation, and within twenty minutes, all eleven aircraft of 82 Sqn had been shot down !
The subject for this build will probably be Blenheim Mk.IV, R3821, code UX-N, flown by P/O. E.R. Hale and crew, none of whom survived. Coincidentally, the current Duxford-based Blenheim was painted to represent this aircraft, some years ago, before it's second accident and conversion to a "short-nose" Blenheim Mk.1 fighter.
The pic below shows a line-up of the Squadron's Blenheims at Watton (pic Wartime Watton Museum), with UX-N fourth in line. The aircraft in the foreground (UX-A) was one of the first to be fitted with the rear-firing nose gun, and was lost on 7th June 1940.
The map shows the locations of RAF Watton, and Aalborg West airfield.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Totalize]

Terry,

Great to have you aboard for this GB!

 

[Ralph Haus]

As always looking forward to following your builds. I always pick up a technique or two.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks chaps.
Not much to show just yet, as I'm in the process of cleaning-up and removing the resin parts from their casting blocks. Virtually the entire interior is made up of resin, with the exception of the forward floor and the turret ring, and it's slow, uncomfortable work, as my hands and wrists are still quite tender.
I hope to start actual construction by around Monday, and I'll post some pics then.
Extracts from the instructions, below, show the parts.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Ralph Haus]

Now this kit has a feature that I really like; printing some of the the color details to be applied in the build panel!!

 

[fubar57]

Good one Terry. I like how the clear parts include some of the fuselage

 

[Airframes]

Yes, so do I, although it'll have to be joined very carefully, to avoid cement on the windows.

 

[Crimea_River]

Nice Terry. Al that resin could make for some fiddly work.

 

[Airframes]

It certainly will, and some of it is very delicate, too.

 

[Totalize]

Nice Progress Terry. My weakness working with resin on aircraft is I sometimes cut too close to the casting block and cock up the part.

 

[Wayne Little]

Nice one Terry.

and don't throw those Finnish decals away, I may want to pinch them off of you if and when Airfix do this version....

 

[Airframes]

Ah, I knew someone had requested those decals !
I'll get them off to you after the New Year holidays Wayne.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to get motivated to start the actual build - been a bit lethargic the last coupe of days, and I'll be happier once I've finished cutting and trimming all the darned resin parts !

 

[Airframes]

Not much to show, but a little progress, with most of the cockpit area resin parts removed from the casting blocks and cleaned up.
This has taken a lot of time so far, and I'll admit, I'm finding it hard to maintain interest, wanting to get on with the build.
The pics below show most of the parts prepared so far, although my camera batteries died before I could photograph the remainder.
The last two pics show what's been involved, with the casting block on the pilot's seat, which is nearly 10mm thick, and very slow work to remove !

Test-fitting of the parts suggest that this is going to be a fiddly and long process, and I'm almost considering withdrawing this from the GB ( although continuing in a "Start to Finish" thread), and may enter something else instead, but we'll see ..............