AIRFIX 1/72 BLENHEIM IV - A Building Review

This video is dedicated to the memory of Sgt. A. Geers, Missing In Action in Bristol Blenheim IV R3838 on a Nav.Ex. over the North Sea, 31 March 1942.

Music: Serenity, Love Song & With the Sea by Incompetech.com

The model was presented to my mother-in-law on her birthday, Sgt. A. Geers was her uncle.

Much as I enjoyed the build, and the purpose for making the model, this kit is NOT RECOMMENDED!

ALL photos: BasicModelling (Original Blenheim IV photographed at the Battle of Britain Hall, RAF Museum, Hendon)

Info from Wikipedia

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• airfix
• bristol
• blenheim
• IV
• 1/72
• plastic
• scale
• modelling
• model
• models
• ipms
• 1/48
• revell
• academy
• italeri
• raf
• museum
• hendon

[2007Colonial]

The Squadron vacuform canopy does wonders for this kit, I built the Frecnh version and it looks great, all one piece and you can trim it to fit perfectly.

[BasicModelling]

@2007Colonial Yes, I have the vacform and will use it on my other Blenheim kit, which will be a Finnish Air Force Blenheim... That is, IF I can find the kit again.. Goodness knows where its gone! :p

[tdfisk]

It seems to me that this is very common for Airfix. How disappointing considering the exemplary history of British engineering. From all I've seen, Airfix is the lowest quality of model kit on the market and so I've decided not to purchase any across the board. Oh well, at least there are a few other companies to choose from. :-)

Thomas

[BasicModelling]

@tdfisk No modelmaker is perfect. The biggest problem with Airfix is that they keep issuing kits that are up to 50 or more years old, mixed in with brand new stuff and if you don't know what you're getting, it can be very disappointing indeed! But their NEW Zero and Swordfish kits are absolutely superb, I saw the prototypes at Airfix back in spring and the finished product appears to be every way as good as what I saw then.. Personally I love the old kits too,with 1 or 2 exceptions.. :)

[mybluebelly]

May this just be the worst ever canopy fit for any Airfix kit?

[BasicModelling]

@mybluebelly No.... but it is pretty close... ;)

[Legoreviewer98]

@tdfisk airfix can have some problems but so do all the other brands. I bought a revell tank and the whole top part eas melted. Reconsider about airfix

[telescopereplicator]

@tdfisk Airfix did have some bad kits, indeed. I agree. But to call them the lowest quality on the market is rediculous. I have seen kits far worse then some old Airfix kits. There used to be hundreds of brands, many disappeared because they were so bad.

And I own Airfix kits which can easily measure up to or even surpass kits from Tamiya, Trumpeter and the likes.

You may want to reconsider buying Airfix kits. Especially the new stuff is really great.

Sometimes the decals are bad, I agree.

[crudshoveller]

Thanks. I'll watch out for the Blenheim Mk I if they are still around - I have found good stuff at flea markets. I have lots of stuff still in boxed - was waiting to get proficient at air-brushing but it hasn't happened yet. One or two nice kits waiting FW187, Vought Vindicator, Vought Kingfisher (but never any instructions), Typhoon (distorted prop/spinner), Yak 3, La5 ,IAR80, Whitley, Tempest V, CANT 501Z, and some kits I can't remember (basement). Probably be dead before I get going on it.

[BasicModelling]

@crudshoveller Well, there are better kits than this on the market.. :) I have another one to build but have invested in a Vac-form canopy et.c for it.. as and when I get round to building it, that is! The Frog kit of the Mk.I was reboxed by Revell not that long ago, but that box is not much easier to find now, than the Frog original, it seems.. Special Hobby has two kits of the Mk.I, (RAF & FINNISH) but I'm not sure if it is their own tooling or a reboxing of somebody elses..