Ratch

I applied a wash of Mig Productions 00425 Filter 1508 - Green for Allied Vehicles. I was not very impressed with the effect. When this was dry, I used a torn piece of sponge to sparingly apply some chipping on edges and around hatches. I then fixed the tools on the hull.

Decals are on. Reg said they didn't like the star on the turret because it gave the Germans a target to aim at, so the put it on the engine compartment.

From e-bay, I was expecting these - but these were included too The Airfix 54mm pieces will be renovated or put into spares, The other two are about the same size, del Prado Italian Carabiniers 1812-15 and are metal - nice pieces if outside my normal sphere of interest,

More work on the turret. One or two gaps required filling and detail painting was done. Reg had told me that the commander’s hatch was turned through 90o because in the original position, the hatch had to be fully open for the commander to look out. This exposed him to small arms fire. By turning the hatch, it was possible to crack it open and the commander effectively was protected by the hatch. I removed a small locating lug to allow the new position. I could then fit the remaining parts, stowage boxes, hatches, spotlight, aerial mast, gun sights, and vision port lids, to the turret. The figure I had originally selected, which was speaking into the microphone, does not fit through the commander’s hatch. Luckily, I found another which does, and will employ him. I couldn’t resist a little trial on the diorama base, to see where the figures might be placed. I then did the touch-ups to the paintwork and set the build aside to ensure the paint was fully dried.

03019? http://www.aaamodels.co.uk/ATF/03019_DH_Mosquito_T6_1981_800.jpg Two crew there.

Aircraft stands are a bit of a Marmite subject among modellers - some love them, others never use them (a bit like pilots). You can put your aircraft on any stand, slot or pin. I have used 1/24 stands to mount 1/48 Lightnings and Buccaneers. All that's needed is the right size (and shape) hole. Don't be constrained, use your ingenuity!

Yes, on Sprue Talk, Dale said April 😉

Michael.Clegg19 hours ago Comments facebook twitter Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix. Over the next two weeks of Workbench postings, we have something unique for our ever-loyal readers to look forward to – a double double! With so many new models all forming up for release over the next few weeks and because we like to give each model its own blog introduction, we will be having a double blog posting this weekend, followed by another next Friday, meaning that we had all better start thinking about clearing a little space on our workstations over the coming Easter holiday, because some stunning new models are now on finals. For this update, we will be taking our final pre-launch look at the new tooling announcement we featured first this year, a mighty WWII US warplane which is as historic as it was distinctive, the Consolidated B-24H Liberator. We will be taking this final opportunity to re-visit the two fascinating scheme options included with the debut release from this new tooling, however this time, we will be illustrating the feature with a beautiful selection of built model images, with models finished in both schemes available with this new kit. As we prepare to welcome the Liberator to the current Airfix range, the sight of these beautiful build images will surely have even the most resistant of readers looking to add this classic WWII aircraft to their current build schedules. In the second, separately posted update for the week, we prepare for the impending re-issue of a beautiful early British jet fighter, one which rarely receives the attention it deserves, but one which can trace its lineage back to the Spitfire, the handsome and sleek Supermarine Swift FR.5. We will be taking a look at the history behind this first swept wing jet fighter to see Royal Air Force service, before moving on to discover the details behind the two scheme options included with this incredibly appealing kit. As always, or main Workbench blog hub is the place to go to access these, along with all previously released editions of our Airfix blog, which will be celebrating its 9th Anniversary a little later this year. We have much to get through this week, so let’s get cracking! Consolidated’s Flying Fortress alternative Cleared for workbench operations, the new Consolidated B-24H Liberator kit is now on finals and should be available for modellers in just a couple of weeks’ time. As one of the high-profile new tooling additions to the Airfix range this year, the Consolidated B-24 Liberator has been receiving plenty of attention over the past few weeks and for some people, has also revealed a few little-known facts about an aircraft which is usually in the shadow of its more famous bombing stablemate, the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. For many people, it's interesting to discover that when looking at the history behind the development of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, the story actually begins with a US Army Air Force request for the Consolidated company to produce Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber for them under licence back in 1938. With the clouds of war gathering ominously in Europe, US officials were convinced that advanced heavy bombers would be playing a significant role in any conflict and in the Flying Fortress, they had an aircraft which was just about as good as it gets. Following a visit to the Boeing production facilities in Seattle, Consolidated officials went back to the USAAF with an audacious counter proposal to their licence manufacturing request. They informed them that they were happy to build their bombers, but wanted to produce one of their own design, a new aircraft which would be better than the Flying Fortress they currently operated. Intrigued by their confidence, the USAAF invited Consolidated to submit a design study in January 1939, however, as the proposed new aircraft promised to be faster, was able to carry a greater bomb load and would have greater range than the existing B-17, it was virtually assured of gaining a future production contract. Taking design inspiration from the existing PBY Catalina flying boat Consolidated were already producing, the new bomber featured a deep fuselage and innovative bomb-bay doors, doors which resembled metal roller shutters and moved up the side of the fuselage when opened. This feature had the dual advantage of allowing the aircraft to be 'bombed up' more efficiently when the aircraft was on the ground, but was also more aerodynamically efficient when opened in flight. The Liberator also featured an advanced shoulder mounted 'Davis Wing' which was highly efficient and endowed the Liberator with greater speed and range than Boeing’s B-17 Flying Fortress. Relatively thick in profile, the wing was much narrower and longer than the one used on the B-17 and was set high on the fuselage of the new aircraft, similar to the configuration of the PBY Catalina, with the high positioning of the engines helping to protect them from foreign object damage whilst on the ground, even though servicing would be more difficult for mechanics at bomber stations around the world. A trio of built Liberator delight images, first featuring two models finished in the two scheme options included with the impending first release from this new tooling project, then moving on to looking at a couple of more detailed views. Following its subsequent USAAF introduction in 1941, the B-24 Liberator would go on be produced in vast quantities, serving in every theatre of war during WWII, and making a vital contribution to the Allied War effort. Indeed, it could be argued that no other aircraft came to represent the incredible industrial might of the American war machine than the B-24 Liberator, an aircraft which during its production life, was manufactured at five different plants across the country. It was claimed that at its height, the Ford production plant at Willow Run Michigan could turn out Liberators faster that the USAAF could process them into service, with some sources claiming around one bomber per hour could be produced by teams at this impressive facility. The introduction of the 'H' model addressed the aircraft's vulnerability to frontal attack once and for all, something enemy fighter pilots had been exploiting since the B-24's combat introduction. This variant was the first to be manufactured from the outset complete with an electrically operated Emerson A-15 nose turret, in addition to introducing around fifty other design modifications to make the Liberator a more combat effective aircraft. Although earlier versions of the Liberator did feature nose turrets, they were introduced later in the production run of those variants and even in some cases, installed as in-service modifications at airfields around the world. With just under 18,500 machines produced, the Consolidated B-24 Liberator would go on to become the most heavily produced four engined bomber in the history of warfare and America's most produced aircraft of the Second World War. Quite simply, the B-24 was flown by more men, carried more bombs over greater distances and destroyed more targets than any other bomber in the history of aviation - quite impressive numbers for an aircraft which is probably still in the shadow of the Flying Fortress. Scheme A – Consolidated B-24H-10-FO Liberator 42-52234 ‘Corky Burgundy Bombers’, 733rd Bomb Squadron, 453rd Bomb Group, USAAF Eighth Air Force, Old Buckenham Airfield, Norfolk, England, 1944. Very early in the war, US Military planners established a ‘Block System’ for the overseeing of aircraft production, something intended to keep everything on track, with this simplicity of conformity helping to keep production lines moving apace. Some flexibility was built into the system, whereby different manufacturers were allowed to cap their production blocks at certain levels. As an illustration of this production flexibility, each Liberator production block at Consolidated’s own facility usually consisted of 50 aircraft, whilst those linked the Ford’s impressive Willow Run Michigan plant may run into hundreds of aircraft. This system was intended to create a faster, more stable manufacturing process, where individual blocks would usually be constructed using the same variant of Pratt & Whitney engine and propeller combination, feature the same defensive armament and utilise the same basic aircraft equipment fit. Unfortunately for us modellers, there were quite a few occasions where significant equipment fit changes occurred mid-block, something which can lead to confusion when trying to identify individual aircraft and their definitive production block positioning. The USAAF 453rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was constituted on 14th May 1943 and activated at the beginning of the following month. The unit was equipped with the Consolidated B-24 Liberator and after a time training in California, were sent to fight in the European Theatre, based in the East of England – ground crews left first travelling by boat to England, whilst aircrews and their aircraft used the Mid-Atlantic ferry route to make their way to Britain. Their new home was to be US Station 144, the new airfield at Old Buckenham in Norfolk, an airfield which had been constructed specifically for its new American residents. Making their combat introduction on 5th February 1944, the Group’s Liberators would be heavily involved in the strategic bombing campaign against enemy occupied Europe, targeting anything from airfields to rail marshalling yards, as the Allied air forces made their preparations for D-Day. The 453rd’s Liberators would also take part in ‘Big Week’, a concerted Allied effort to smash the German aircraft industry which saw almost 4000 bombers attacking strategic targets across Germany between 20th and 25th February 1944. A further selection of built model images, with a kit finished in the markings of this Old Buckenham based 453rd Bomb Group Liberator. On D-Day itself, the Group was sent to destroy German shore gun emplacements sited along the French coast between Cherbourg and Le Havre, before then turning their attentions to targets further inland. The group would fly its final combat mission in the ETO on 12th April 1945 and whilst crews headed home prior to re-deployment to the Pacific, the end of the war would eventually see the Group disbanding. B-24H Liberator 42-52234 ‘Corky Burgundy Bombers’ was manufactured at Ford’s mighty Willow Run plant and constructed with the inclusion of a Sperry gunsight as opposed to the more famous Norden alternative. The aircraft was delivered to the USAAF on 29th October 1943 and immediately flown to the Birmingham Alabama Modification Centre. Arriving at March Field California towards the end of November 1943, she was issued to crew 25 on 18th December, headed by pilot Lt. John Austin Nortridge, where they embarked on a period of combat work-up. On Sunday 30th January 1944, the aircraft arrived at Old Buckenham after flying the Mid-Atlantic ferry route and an intense period of flying and acclimatisation in the UK immediately followed. This particular aircraft benefits form rather flamboyant decoration, not only on the nose of the aircraft, but also across the bomb bay doors and on many of the individual crew positions. Some of that artwork has been covered by the later fitting of additional armour protection on either side of the cockpit, where it was clearly felt that more physical protection would be of greater benefit to the crew than their decoration superstitions. Scheme B – Consolidated B-24H-15-FO Liberator 42-52699 ‘Valiant Lady’, 831st Bomb Squadron, 485th Bomb Group, USAAF Fifteenth Air Force, Venosa, Italy, 1944. Constituted as the 485th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on the 14th September 1943 and activated six days later, crews were sent to Fairmont Army Air Force Field in Nebraska for training with their new B-24 Liberators, prior to being sent to Europe and the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations. Arriving in theatre from March 1944 onwards, the air component initially underwent an additional period of training in Tunisia, before joining their ground and support staff at their new base in Italy. The group flew its first combat operation in May 1944 and would become specialists in undertaking long range bombing missions deep into enemy occupied Europe, including targets in France. As was the case with most of the USAAF daylight bombing force, they would be employed in supporting preparations for D-Day, but also made several devastating visits to the various German oil refinery sites in southern Europe, targets which became so crucial during the final stages of the Second World War. Some of the Group’s final bombing missions were in support of British Eighth Army ground operations in Northern Italy, however, by the end of May 1945, the Group had arrived back home in the US. The Group consisted of the Liberators of Nos.828, 829, 830 and 831 Squadrons and during their time in Europe, they flew exclusively from the airfield at Venosa. The airfield at Venosa was a semi-permanent facility in the south of the country, near the town of Cerignola, constructed by US engineers from September 1943 and part of the wider Foggia complex of Allied airfields. Consisting of a single Pierced Steel Planking runway, extensive taxiways and hard standings and at least initially, a rather rudimentary wooden control tower, the airfield opened on 14th March 1944 and would become home to the Liberators of the 485th Bombardment Group, which operated from there over an intense 14-month period of operational flying. Crews who operated from the airfield during the war described how the land at the end of the runway fell away into a deep valley and when taking off with a full load of fuel and bombs, how pilots immediately retracted the aircraft’s undercarriage and used the additional height offered by the valley to steady their heavy ship, before slowly starting to gain height. During normal operations, aircraft would take off towards the valley and land flying over it. B-24H Liberator ‘Valiant Lady’ must surely have been one of the more flamboyantly decorated bombers operating from the US 831st Bomb Squadron’s base at Venosa in Italy during 1944. When the weather was good, the Group’s Liberators would usually fly missions at least two, but often four times a week and when the aircraft returned, the ground crews would take over, working into the small hours to prepare aircraft, clean and service guns and even patch up flak damage, ensuring as many aircraft as possible were serviceable for the following day’s operations. Once their work was done, they were free to enjoy some down time, although most were so exhausted that they just slept. Without the professionalism and dedication of the various ground trades, the Allied bombing campaign would simply have ground to a halt. Consolidated B-24H Liberator 42-52 ‘Valliant Lady’ was one of the Venosa based bombers which probably made use of that small valley at the end of its runway at the start of a bombing mission and was constructed at the Ford Willow Run plant during 1943. During a mission to Linz in Austria on 20th January 1945, the aircraft sustained flak damage and began to run low on fuel, so the pilot headed for an emergency landing strip on Viz Island in the Adriatic Sea. The situation proved so serious that the aircraft’s engines ran out of fuel and cut out whilst they were still two miles from the airstrip. The aircraft landed heavily on the sea and broke in two, almost immediately beginning to sink beneath the waves and tragically as a result, six members of the crew did not survive the incident. Another distinctively presented Liberator, the two scheme options included with this impressive new kit mark USAAF aircraft which were heavily engaged in the bombing of targets in enemy occupied Europe, but from bases at opposite ends of Europe, a fascinating aspect of USAAF operations which rarely receives any attention these days. The kit will also serve as a scale tribute to both the brave airmen who operated them during the Second World War and the unsung ground trades who were so crucial to the bombing campaign, but rarely receive any recognition at all for their monumental efforts. With the superb Apple TV+ series ‘Masters of the Air’ having just aired to popular acclaim, the subject of the US daylight bombing offensive against enemy occupied Europe during WWII is receiving plenty of attention at the moment. As such, the release of this beautiful new kit will enable modellers to create their own scale tributes to the brave men who flew those missions and the army of base personnel who prepared their aircraft so professionally to enable those missions to be flown. The show may have focused on the combat efforts of the 100th Bomb Group and their B-17 Flying Fortresses, however, the Liberator equipped more US bomber Squadrons than its more famous bombing counterpart and was produced in much greater quantities. It could even be argued that no other aircraft of the Second World War highlighted the incredible industrial capability America possessed than the Consolidated Liberator, an aircraft conceived for war, but intended to bring about a hard-fought peace. A stunning addition to any model collection of Second World War aircraft, the B-24 Liberator is as distinctive as it is historic and is just crying out to be displayed next to our B-17 Flying Fortresses. With two beautiful scheme options to choose from, deciding which one to select for our own build project is a question we’re all going to have to consider in the very near future. Our new Consolidated B-24H Liberator is now scheduled for impending release, so for those who have it on order, your example should be with you in the next few weeks. For those still sitting on the airfield boundary fence, what are you waiting for – those reward points are not going to spend themselves!

More details were fitted to the Cromwell, and I started assembling the turret.

At the next step of the instructions, while adding those parts which include the Normandy Cowl, I scratched fittings to the driver’s side hatch. I toyed with the idea of having the near side hatch open but decided against it. There’s nothing to see inside and I can’t see a figure half in and half out that would look believable. I painted before fitting the cowl.

A bit more etch.

When fixing the glacis to the hull both pieces of etch came off. There is also a gap that will need filling at the front. The remedial work was done. I decided to convert this to a Mk. F and leave the Cullinan Cutter off. I cut a blank plate to fill the hole where the driver’s hatch is moulded in the kit. The Mk. F had a mirror of the nearside hatch because the original hatch could only be opened with the turret in a certain position, making escape from a burning hull almost impossible for the driver. The mirror hatch was marked out in pencil and an Olfa P-Cutter used to scribe around the shape of the hatch. The cover to the fighting compartment is flush fitting with the leading edge of the cover to the engine compartment. Because these covers have positive location points with the assembly so far there is no wiggle room. I wasn’t happy with the gap between the two covers and filled it with plastic putty.

Field Battalion 1st Duke of York’s (Osnabrück), of the King's German Legion.

I didn't have one that would fit inside either.

A rough mix of Dark Rust and German Camouflage Black Brown was dry brushed over the cleats. I then rubbed an HB pencil over them. I could then fix the tracks. The instructions specify that 15 links are required around the drive sprocket, but I found that 13 were sufficient. This was just as well because one link disappeared into the ether of the Carpet Monster’s domain. With the tracks on I gave the interior a quick brush with silver just in case anything will be seen. It will need at least one more coat. Two etched strips were fixed to the glacis plate and the undersides painted.

Click of Staff, you will see Administrators and Moderators who can be contacted by Private Message. Invision have simply copied the old forum posts across without updating their content.

Here are the original instructions Airfix 1/72 Hawker Hunter F.6 (288) - - The Airfix Tribute Forum - (tapatalk.com)

I've just given the tracks an umber wash this morning.

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix. As our title indicates, in this week’s edition of Workbench, we are pleased to be making a return visit to one of the standout new tooling additions to the current Airfix range and our scale tribute to an aircraft which served as the RAF’s most prestigious fighter interceptor in a period of aviation where change and innovation was taking place on an almost monthly basis. The Bristol Bulldog Mk.II represented the pinnacle of aviation technology when it entered squadron service in the late 1920s, fast, heavily armed and highly manoeuvrable, however, just six years later, the eight-gun Hawker Hurricane monoplane was pointing towards not only the future of British aviation, but also world fighter technology. In this, our second Workbench visit to this eagerly anticipated new 1/48th scale tooling project, we will initially be focusing on the test frame components produced from this new tooling and thanks to the input of the new model’s designer Matt Whiting, have a selection of exclusive imagery to bring you. We will also be bringing you details from this significant stage in the development of the new kit, before moving on to uncover some of the stories behind the three appealing scheme options scheduled for inclusion with the inaugural release from this new kit. As a perennial favourite with Workbench regulars, we will also be showcasing the beautiful box artwork produced in support of this release, both in its original form and after having the usual Airfix branding graphics added over it. We intend to grab the coming weekend by its horns, as we take a new design project journey back to the flamboyant inter-war era of British aviation and with it, allow our new Bristol Bulldog Mk.II kit to further endear itself to our modelling subconscious. A cultured aeroplane, but one you mustn’t take liberties with A previously unreleased rendered image produced from the new Bristol Bulldog Mk.II kit shows just how that Jupiter engine dominates the profile of this advanced fighter. Over the past decade or so, the Airfix kit range has benefitted from significant new tooling investment in the slightly larger 1/48th scale of model kits, projects which by their very nature allow for a more pleasing, arguably more accurate representation of the subject aircraft being covered, but also requiring more room in our display cabinets once finished. The pace of growth in this scale is brought starkly into focus when considering the very origins of the Workbench blog and the new tooling projects we were privileged to be able to exclusively announce. In just our second edition, we announced that the fascinating Boulton Paul Defiant would be subjected to the 1/48th scale design treatment and even though we started our blog more than halfway through the year, followed this up with the announcements of new Gloster Meteor, Curtiss P-40 and Ju-87 Stuka projects all in the same scale. The pace of these additions did not stop there and since those humble blog beginnings, we have been fortunate enough to be the announcement vehicle for many a 1/48th scale new tooling project over the past eight years, with our 1/48th scale range of kits now almost matching their smaller 1/72nd scale catalogue mates in terms of current range numbers. This year’s range launch announcement may have only included news of a single addition to the range for 2024 at that time, but it was an addition of some stature, one which may have surprised many people, but delighted in equal measure, the Bristol Bulldog Mk.II. An aircraft which possesses the culture of a British inter-war type and the heritage of one of the nation’s most accomplished aircraft manufacturers, we are pleased to now be in a position to bring you a second update from a project which is already shaping up to be one of the standout additions to the current Airfix range. During the 1920s, celebrated aircraft designer Frank Barnwell and his team at the Bristol Aeroplane Company, were engaged in the development of a series of different fighter designs, initially proceeding as private ventures, but with the aim of securing lucrative military contracts issued to satisfy both RAF and Fleet Air Arm requirements. Their designs were built around the latest engine technology of the day and incorporated all the aeronautical engineering advancements the industry had to offer. One design in particular showed much promise and when combined with their own Bristol Jupiter engine, seemed to satisfy the RAF’s requirement for a new fighter interceptor perfectly, one intended to replace the Armstrong-Whitworth Siskin and Gloster Gamecock in that high-profile role. Featuring and advanced all-metal main framework structure, with fabric covered wings and fuselage, the new aircraft was evaluated alongside aircraft produced by other manufacturers, advancing to a further round of evaluation with the Hawker Hawfinch. In preparation for this, Bristol made some modifications to their aircraft, most notably lengthening its rear fuselage, and now carrying the designation Bristol Type 105A (Bulldog Mk.II), it was to eventually win the contest, by virtue of its better overall serviceability record and following input from pilots who had the benefit of flying both types. Although the Bulldog was from a relatively early era of aviation, it was very much the best of breed and just looked beautiful! An initial order for 25 aircraft was placed and the first of the RAF’s new Bristol Bulldog Mk.II fighters were delivered to No.3 Squadron at Upavon during the early summer of 1929, quite fitting when considering the squadron’s motto – Tertius primus erit, meaning ‘The third shall be the first’. The Bulldog was armed with a pair of forward firing Vickers 0.303 in machine guns mounted either side of the cockpit, however, it would ultimately never fire those guns in anger during a relatively short seven-year period serving with Fighter Command, even though it would go on to equip 10 of the 13 fighter squadrons defending Britain’s airspace at that time. Although it was the most capable fighter of the day, the Bulldog was more closely associated with challenging formation flying and spectacular aerobatics than it was aerial combat prowess, with the Royal Air Force thrilling huge crowds at Airshows and pageants around the country, as they demonstrated the effectiveness of a modernising air force. What the Bulldog did do was help to advance Britain's aviation industry towards the production of the sleek, monoplane fighters which would contest the Second World War, as it highlighted the fact that biplane designs were fast approaching their zenith. Perhaps the most famous incident involving a Bristol Bulldog proved to be a rather unfortunate one, when an accomplished, but rather headstrong RAF pilot performed unauthorised low altitude aerobatics for a group of onlookers and a private civilian aerodrome in Berkshire. Flying so low that the wingtip of his fighter struck the ground during a manoeuvre, the Bulldog cartwheeled across the airfield, inflicting catastrophic injuries on the pilot - that pilot was future WWII RAF ace and inspirational national hero Douglas Bader. Another important legacy of the design technology employed on the Bulldog is that it would influence aircraft which would go on to serve throughout the Second World War, with machines such as the Swordfish and Hurricane all adopting similar construction techniques. From a company design perspective, it would also be an important steppingstone which ultimately led to the introduction of later successful Bristol designed aircraft, such as the Blenheim, Beaufort and Beaufighter. New Bulldog test frame exclusive Wind in the wires, if this new Bulldog artwork doesn’t help us imagine the thrill of flying during the inter-war years, there really is no hope for us. One of the many benefits of being able to speak with the designers who are directly responsible for bringing the latest new tooling additions to the Airfix range, is how we are given an insight into fascinating aspects of their work, details which would otherwise remain firmly within their specialist design world. Although we all very much look forward to getting our hands on the latest models they have created and spending some quality modelling time with them, it’s also truly fascinating to gain a better understanding of how these models actually make it to market and some of the many challenges they posed their assigned designer along the way. Having already discussed some of the design nuances relating to the new Bristol Bulldog project with the kit’s designer Matthew Whiting in a recent edition of our blog, we are delighted to have the benefit of Matt’s input once again for this edition, as we take an exclusive first look at the test frame components produced from the new tooling. All the images you will be seeing this time were all supplied by Matt and as always, we are extremely grateful for his help in putting this update feature together. As we have seen on many previous occasions over the past few years of including these designer interviews within our Workbench blog, the receipt of first test frames from any new tooling design is as important as it is exciting for the designer responsible. We have also learnt how there is something of an unwritten rule amongst Airfix team members which states that whenever first test frames from any new tooling project arrive at Airfix HQ, no matter how great the temptation might be, the box opening honour is always reserved for the designer whose project it is. That being the case and talking about the new Bulldog project, we wanted to ask Matt what things in particular he was looking for when inspecting the new Bulldog frames for the first time? Matt told us that straight out of the box, probably the first thing he was looking to assess was how the overall surface detail he had included in his design had been replicated in the tooling of the new kit, in addition to assessing all the frames as a whole and looking for any flashing or inaccurately moulded components. Basically, he was looking for anything which hadn’t carried across to tooling and manufacturing as he had intended during the design stage, but already knew he would be faced with some disappointment. Frustratingly for all the designers, the toolmakers have their own very specific series of requirement they need to check off at this early stage of development, using this stage to ensure that every facet of the tooling and manufacturing layout works as intended, such as ejector pin and feed gate locations. As far as they are concerned, this early stage is an opportunity for them to get the fundamentals right, leaving the final subtle replication of surface detailing to a slightly later stage in the development process, but without ignoring it completely. Having said that, even though both sides are fully aware that that’s the case, all the areas of concern a designer might have still have to be noted and reported back to the tookmaker, even though the issue will more than likely be addressed during the next round of frame shots in any case. The latest in a long line of Workbench exclusives, this next selection of images feature the latest test frames produced from the new Bristol Bulldog Mk.II tooling, a kit which is expected to be with us before too long. Matt told us that although most issues highlighted rarely require wholesale design changes to be made, there are usually lots of smaller issues a designer will need to bring to the attention of the toolmaker, but in the case of the first round of frame review recommendations, how this rarely involves having to instruct the toolmaker to weld metal back into the tooling design, or for a designer to go back into his CAD to make significant alterations. Something like that really would be an unusually dramatic development for this stage. One thing Matt describes as being incredibly important at this stage of the development process is how completing numerous full and partial assemblies of the components received is essential. This is not only to check the accuracy of the tooling, but also how adjoining components interact with those which they will need to be connected to and if any gaps or misalignments are evident. Sometimes, the placement or manufacturing authenticity of assembly location points on the kit doesn’t translate as the designer had intended, something which will clearly need to be addressed. Matt informed us that he always likes to build in a couple of ‘checking days’ at the end of the design phase of every new project, where he undertakes a thorough final check of the design in minute detail, something he thinks can save several weeks to overcome if only discovered when the project has advanced to the first test frame stage. In any case, Matt feels that using this review format is something which has served him extremely well throughout his career. When he first inspected the initial test frame components from the new Bulldog tooling, we wanted to ask Matt if he remembers anything standing out as being particularly worrying during that first introduction? Casting his mind back to that significant day for the new Bulldog kit, Matt told us that he remembers not being particularly happy with how the surface detailing on the wing fabric he spent such a long time designing had been replicated, as it was far too subtle even for his liking. When comparing these first test components with how the same detail had been replicated on the SLA prototype model, it was more than a little disappointing. Of course, as mentioned previously, this was probably because the toolmaker hadn’t yet finalised this aspect of their design and still had surfacing detailing work to do, however, he couldn’t leave the situation to chance and had to prepare a report, feeding back all the highlighted concerns to the toolmaker for alteration. More test frame exclusive images, each one featuring parts from the new Bristol Bulldog Mk.II tooling and each one sent to us by the kit’s designer Matt. The EDM machining process is used because it supports the representation of particularly fine detail in a tooling and uses a method whereby copper electrode technology fires a high energy spark to selectively burn away metal from a steel tooling block. Once the electronic spark has done its work, it is stopped and dielectric fluid is allowed to rush into the new cavities, washing away any residual molten material and essentially curing the newly recessed detail in the tooling. As Matt has already informed us, this process is typically carried out in stages and when done correctly, can be used to replicate even the most subtle of surfacing design detail within a new model kit’s tooling. Even though Matt was a little disappointed with the initial replication of the wing fabric surfacing detail, he was confident it would be right in the end. That being said, his position doesn’t allow him to assume anything, so therefore he has to report all his concerns back to the toolmaker via his report. We wanted our final question to be quite a probing one, so asked Matt what proved to be the most problematic or concerning issues when first assessing the initial Bristol Bulldog Mk.II test frames? In addition to his concerns about the correct replication of surface detailing, Matt told us that the toolmaker hadn’t quite understood his instructions regarding the design of the engine components and how this definitely required some alterations to be made. The 9 cylinder Bristol Jupiter engine is such a distinctive feature of the new Bulldog kit and has to sit at an exact angle when attached to the fuselage, with the head cylinder aligning perfectly down the centre of the aircraft. The problem was that the engine was made up of several individually designed components, assembled from back to front and utilising a series of specifically designed lugs to ensure all the parts are aligned perfectly. Unfortunately, it was apparent that the toolmaker had misinterpreted Matt’s instructions and as a consequence, the engine components weren’t aligning correctly, something which Matt had to have changed, producing guidance files to highlight the error to the toolmaker and help with their future understanding. As this was such a critical feature of the new kit, this did prove to be the most worrisome discovery for Matt on inspection of these first test frame components. In summary, Matt informed us that he was reasonably pleased with what he received at this first test frame stage and how the kit actually went together really well during test assembly. He doesn’t remember it exhibiting any fundamental issues and how only superficial changes were required. Although there was nothing out of the ordinary with the Bulldog project, there were still between 50 and 60 points raised across the three main tooling block of the kit, some very small, with others being slightly more involved, but again, nothing out of the ordinary. This next fascinating selection of images were supplied by Matt to illustrate the issue he faced when assessing the Bulldog’s engine components and how it was crucial he impressed on the toolmaker just how crucial it was to ensure the correct orientation of the individual parts. By the time he received the next round of test frames produced, Matt would expect the number of points requiring further attention by the toolmaker to have reduced by around 2/3rds and how some of those might be as simple as asking the toolmaker to polish clear parts a little more vigorously than they had. Interestingly, Matt did inform us that as they work their way through this development process, some of the measures the toolmaker makes in addressing the issues noted in the previous review round could potentially introduce new issues which need further attention down the line. Whilst the number of concerns contained within each respective list might be expected to reduce significantly with each test frame round, they may include new problems which weren’t an issue previously, but now require further changes to be made. In reality though, this is just the normal order of things when it comes to designing a new Airfix model kit and whilst it’s an interesting aspect of the overall development process, it isn’t something which will overly concern the designer leading the project. So other than the surface detailing representation and engine assembly order issues, there really wasn’t too much for Matt to be concerned about when assessing his new Bristol Bulldog Mk.II tooling, but he had to check in any case. Once again, we find ourselves indebted to Matt for his help in putting this review together and for allowing us this fascinating insight into some of the assessment issues he faced during the development of this fantastic new kit. Let’s now move on to looking at the three scheme options which will be included with the first release of the new Bulldog kit. Scheme A – Bristol Bulldog Mk.II J-9576, No.3 Squadron, Royal Air Force Upavon, Wiltshire, England, 1929. Following the end of the devastation of the Great War, the Royal Air Force would have to endure a savage period of cuts and contraction, however, the arrival of the Bristol Bulldog into service marked a significant period of upgrade and restructuring for the force. Regarded by many as something of a golden era for aviation, the late 1920s and 1930s saw the introduction of some extremely capable new aeroplanes, many of which were adorned with flamboyant decoration inspired by individual Squadron colours. On the 23rd of May 1929, a newly manufactured Bristol Bulldog Mk.II landed at RAF Upavon, having just made the short flight from the Bristol manufacturing facility at Filton, the first delivery of the type to the first RAF Squadron to be equipped with the new fighter, No.3 Squadron. This first aircraft would be followed by others at regular intervals over the next few months, with the unit finally being at Squadron strength by the end of September. The airfield at Upavon was at that time one of the oldest active stations in the country and whilst it was home to one of the RAF’s most prestigious squadrons, it was actually a less than ideal location for an airfield. Situated on the edge of Salisbury Plain, the airfield site was originally chosen because of its remote location, because in those days of early flight training, accidents were commonplace and the military didn’t want prying members of the press reporting anything negative about a life flying military aeroplanes. Unfortunately, the location also featured some challenging topographical features and being situated on a hill, with a steep valley falling away at one end, it regularly suffered from strong and unpredictable winds and even the most capable pilots referred to it as the ‘Airfield on the Hill’. Flying from the airfield was never without its challenges. No.3 Squadron shared the airfield with No.17(F) Squadron and its members must have looked on in envy as their colleagues across the airfield took delivery of their gleaming new Bulldog fighters from the summer of 1929 onwards, as they were still operating their ageing Armstrong Whitworth Siskin IIIA fighters at the time and were made to wait for their own Bulldogs to be allocated. Full scheme details for this Bulldog which was one of the first to be delivered to a Royal Air Force Squadron, followed by the full box artwork presentation and how this scheme inspired the creation of this box artwork. The motto of No.3 Squadron ‘Tertius primus erit’ proved to be rather apt when considering the unit’s historic position as the first to be equipped with the Bulldog, as it translates as ‘The third shall be first’. The airfield at Upavon also had several ‘firsts’ to its name, as it was the aerodrome at which an aircraft made the first night landing anywhere in England, as well as being the airfield used to develop an effective bomb sight for British aircraft, technology which was deployed during the Great War. The first unmanned aerial target aircraft was also developed and successfully tested at Upavon, however, despite its position in Royal Air Force heritage, the fact that it remained as a grass airfield meant that it wouldn’t be suitable for the operation of heavy or jet powered aircraft in the post WWII years. Once No.3 Squadron had taken delivery of their new Bulldogs, both air and ground staff embarked on a feverish period of conversion training and flight training activity and whilst this would prove slightly monotonous as the weeks and months flew by, they did have the welcome annual distractions of several away days. These included the excitement of the annual Armament Training Camp at Sutton Bridge, attendance at the Hendon Air Pageant and the Air Defence of Great Britain Air Exercises, where the most capable RAF pilots and their aircraft were pitted against each other as the nation’s defences were probed and perfected. Built in early 1929, Bristol Bulldog Mk.II J-9576 was delivered to RAF No.3 Squadron at Upavon in July 1929, about halfway through the unit’s conversion to the type. It was recorded that the fighter was damaged at Chipping Norton on 7th November the following year, when it overturned during a landing attempt and whilst sustaining quite significant damage, was subsequently recovered, repaired and returned to flying condition. Scheme B – Bristol Bulldog Mk.II K-1088, No.17 Squadron, Royal Air Force Upavon, Wiltshire, England, 1930. Having had to suffer the ignominy of being forced to watch the Squadron with which they shared the airfield at RAF Upavon being the first to be equipped with the RAF’s latest and most capable fighter aircraft, things were about to change for members of No.17(F) Squadron. By the time No.3 Squadron had returned to the airfield following their first Bulldog equipped attendance at the Sutton Bridge Air Gunnery and Bombing camp, they immediately noticed that No.17 Squadron had started taking deliveries of their own Bulldogs and their bragging rights were going to be diminished from that point forwards. Indeed, in the eyes of their opposing squadron at least, they also felt that they now claimed the bragging rights for operating the best-looking Bulldogs in the RAF, as their fighters featured attractive black double zig zag markings down the sides of their fuselage and on top of the wings – this was such an interesting time for RAF fighter squadron markings. By the Spring of 1930, RAF Upavon was a fully equipped Bristol Bulldog station, the first such station in the Royal Air Force and flying activities at this Wiltshire airfield gained national recognition and even more impetus as a result. A technological marvel, the Bulldog was the very pinnacle of world fighter technology when it entered Royal Air Force service in 1929. As No.17 Squadron worked up on their new fighters, an incident occurred which really did highlight the priorities of the Royal Air Force at that time, as RAF Upavon recorded its first flying accident involving Bulldogs. A pair of the squadron’s aircraft were practicing close formation flying over their home airfield when a typically forceful gust of wind took hold of one of them and flung it towards the other. The two aircraft collided in mid-air, however, both pilots managed to regain control of their respective aircraft and land safely back at the airfield, both also avoiding any significant injury – a lucky escape for the squadron. Things took a turn for the more unfortunate once the squadron engaged in night flying exercises some weeks later. Throughout the year, the squadron’s pilots would engage in night flying exercises and as communications at British airfields were rather rudimentary at that time, there was always a potential for drama when night flying was taking place. Men would use paraffin burning flares out on the airstrip to indicate the wind direction over the airfield for pilots rostered for night flying exercises, with the control tower communicating to them using signalling lamps. One night in early 1934, four Bulldogs were in the night skies above RAF Upavon when the wind changed direction and required a change in the flare path to be made. This meant that their landing approach now brought them in over the station hangars and an area of high ground on the immediate approach to the airfield. The first two fighters landing without incident, probably causing everyone to come off their guard a little, however, things were about to take a turn for the worse. The approach of the third fighter was far too low and it struck the hill on the airfield perimeter, ripping off its undercarriage and coming to rest in ignominious fashion on its nose at the edge of the airfield. Base personnel rushed to the scene to help the pilot, who thankfully had only suffered wounds to his pride, but with the sound of an engine in the night sky, everyone quickly realised that they still had an aircraft to recover. Full scheme details of this RAF No.17(F) Squadron Bulldog, the second unit to be equipped with the type and a unit which shared its home airfield with the first Bulldog unit. Quickly re-positioning the flare path to avoid the crashed fighter, they prepared to receive to last Bulldog. Unfortunately, this pilot was also approaching the airfield much too low and struck the same hill, again ripping the undercarriage off the aircraft and subsequently coming to rest on the airfield in predictably similar manner to the one earlier. On the same night, No.17 Squadron had lost two of its Bulldogs damaged in similar circumstances within the space of twenty minutes, not their finest hour and not something they were particularly proud of. The only positive was that everyone escaped the incident unharmed and able to fly another day. Both Nos. 3 and 17 Squadrons left RAF Upavon in May 1934 to take up residence at RAF Kenley in Surrey, a move which presumably wouldn’t have come as a disappointment for many, as it brough the distractions offered by a trip into the Capital much closer for them. Despite their aircraft taking part in numerous pageants and formation flying demonstrations, the days of No.17 Squadron’s Bulldogs were now already numbered and after just six years of service, they were to be replaced. In August 1936, the pilots of No.17 Squadron took off from Kenley for the final time in their Bulldogs, ordered to fly up to RAF Waddington, where they were to pick up their new aircraft – Gloster Gauntlet II fighters. Bristol Bulldog Mk.II K-1088 was produced at Bristol’s Filton facility as the 9th aircraft of the second production batch and delivered to RAF No.17 Squadron at Upavon during 1930. She would only have a short service life wearing the black double zig zag markings of the unit, because she is logged as having been struck off charge by the middle of February 1933, presumably as a result of a particularly heavy landing, or perhaps a flying accident. Scheme C – Bristol Bulldog Mk.II A12-1, No.1 Flying Training School, Royal Australian Air Force Point Cook, Victoria, Australia, 1930s. As the RAF’s premier new fighter in squadron service, the Bulldog obviously attracted interest from several overseas suitors, with the Royal Australian Air Force becoming early customers. After the RAF had received a decent number of aircraft to equip their first squadrons and the Royal Siamese Air Force had been sent two aircraft for evaluation for their own new fighter contest, the next eight newly built Bulldogs were destined for Australia. With construction numbers 7389 to 7396, the new fighters would be allocated the serials A12-1 to A12-8 in RAAF service and were loaded aboard the freighter SS Fordsdale in February 1930 for the onward journey to Australia. The Bulldogs arrived at Victoria Docks, Melbourne on 14th March 1930 and once unloaded, were transported to RAAF base Laverton where they were later assembled and tested by No.1 Aircraft Depot who were based there. Following acceptance, they were assigned to an un-numbered fighter squadron at No.1 Flying Training School at Point Cook, Melbourne and as they represented the absolute pinnacle of fighter technology in the country at that time, only elite pilots were allowed to fly them. As a consequence, the aircraft took on something of a mythical status, with those allowed to fly them being championed as aviation gods at the time. The Bulldogs of the Royal Australian Air Force would be used extensively in performing flight demonstrations for the population of Australia and quickly became loved for their exciting displays of flair and daring. Initially only the preserve of the very best pilots the RAAF could call upon, wherever the Bulldogs were due to perform, huge crowds would gather in anticipation and if the pilots were due to land back at the venue following the completion of their displays, were treated like celebrities and mobbed wherever they went. Full scheme details of one of the RAAF Bulldogs which were so loved by pilots and the general public alike in Australia. Bulldog A12-1 would prove to be rather prolific in performing those dashing aerial demonstrations in Australia, often piloted by Flt. Lt. Frederick R.W. Scherger, a man who was considered to be the Royal Australian Air Force’s most accomplished aerobatic pilot. This pairing would thrill audiences right across Australia, whilst at the same time also highlighting the excellent serviceability of the Bulldog, even though it was often required to operate in some relatively harsh and primitive conditions. She would also be one of the aircraft to take part in a commemorative flypast for King George VI Coronation parade which took place in Melbourne in May 1937, however, by June 1939, had been withdrawn from service and allocated an instructional airframe number. During their service in Australia, the Bulldogs of the Royal Australian Air Force were revered by pilots and the general public alike and as they represented the most advanced fighting aeroplanes in the world at that time, it could be argued that they were loved and admired by the Australian public even more than they were back in the country of their manufacture. Aviation style preparing to grace the shelves of model stores everywhere, we won’t have to wait too long now before adding the Bristol Bulldog Mk.II to our current build schedules. Our new 1/48th scale Bristol Bulldog Mk.II kit is a magnificent addition to this ever-growing range of slightly larger kits and will bring some real aviation culture to our display cabinets following its release in just a few weeks’ time. A truly beautiful looking aeroplane, it represents a time when the world of aviation was of interest to more people than ever before or since, and how the aeroplane represented the very pinnacle of mans engineering prowess. With aircraft presented more flamboyantly than at any other period in history, the new Bulldog will be flying the flag for a period in aviation where the biplane was approaching the zenith of its influence, but how this technological excellence would only dominate the skies for a relatively short period of time, as the age of the monoplane was about to dawn. In our forthcoming third and final Bulldog update, we will be featuring built sample models finished in all three of the appealing schemes options covered above, and we really can’t wait to bring you that treat. We are afraid that's all we have for you in this latest edition, but we will be back next Friday with more project development updates and the very latest Airfix kit exclusives. In the meantime, we are always keen to hear your views on all things Airfix and in particular, any thoughts and opinions you may have regarding our Workbench blog. If you would like to drop us a quick line, could we please ask that you use our workbench@airfix.com email for all correspondence.

I used Mig Pigments.

Moving on to the tracks, I'm using the link and length ones. I airbrushed the tracks with Vallejo Model Air 71072 Gunmetal (Metallic). I then masked and sprayed with Vallejo Model Air 71075 Sand followed by Vallejo Model Air 71027 Light Brown mixed with Vallejo Model Color 70540 Matte Medium.

My searches have been specific to 2NY. I have found pictures of them having just landed with wading gear, and much later after the bocage action, so nothing definitive of the time. Sadly, Reg has passed on so I cannot get his take on this. I've built several Cromwells, one with wading gear, the others in a basic layout, so this one will have the hedge-cutter, just to make it a bit different.

Assembly and painting of the road wheels is a time-consuming task.