.JPG.5215291ed53d1e26da19aeaa0e4146ec.JPG)
.jpg.04fc09c5b33001c51cac4a28d65cadcb.jpg)
Ratch
-
Posts
7,952 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Articles
Gallery
Posts posted by Ratch
-
-
Are you hand or air brushing, and what colour primer did you use?
-
Not a full set, but a restoration.
Summer dress
Winter dress
with a sepia wash
-
History:The P-51D was probably the ultimate long range escort fighter of World War II. The Rolls Royce Merlin 65 dynamically improved the performance of earlier P-51 marks without a detrimental effect on range. The D became significantly available to front line squadrons from mid-1944.In-box Review:This is a new tool 1/72 scale starter kit. Dimensions are 137mm x 158mm. Parts count is 31 pieces. Skill Level is 1 and 1 Flying Hour is printed on the box. The parts are moulded on four runners: three in grey styrene and one clear frame. Detail quality is crisp.
This is manufactured in India and the UK.Instructions are printed over 10 steps.
As usual, Airfix provides reference images for paint colours and decal placements.
Decals are by Cartograf, ensuring good registration, sharpness, density of colour, and unobtrusive carrier film.
Only one scheme is provided, for ‘Constance’, 383rd FS, 364th FG, USAAF, based at RAF Honnington, Suffolk, England, 1945.Paints advised:11 Metallic Silver33 Matt Black53 Metallic Gunmetal155 Matt Olive DrabA Humbrol-Airfix #2 paintbrush and a 5ml tube of Poly Cement (AE5000W0 are all provided.
For a detailed model additional colours will be required, subject to the modeller’s research.RRP £11.99.
-
1
-
-
History:Originally named the Seagull, the Supermarine Walrus became affectionately known as the Shagbat. Designed by R.J. Mitchell, it was primarily used for maritime patrols and as a ship-borne fleet spotter. It operated against submarines and as an air-sea rescue role.In-box Review:This is a re-issue of the 2017 1/48 scale kit. Dimensions are 238mm x 292mm. The parts count is 157 pieces. Skill Level is 3 with 3 Flying Hours printed on the box.Moulded on six runners, one of which is clear, detail quality is nicely done. Crew figures are not provided, but the interior is well detailed. The wings may be fitted as folded or extended. Ailerons and the rudder are poseable. Open and closed canopies and hatches are provided.Frame A
Reverse
Frame B
Reverse
Frame C
Reverse
Frame D
Frame E
Frame F
Reverse
The country of manufacture is India.Instructions are printed in a 24-page, A4 booklet, over 108 steps.
As usual, Airfix provides reference images for paint colours and decal placements. Diagrams of the bracing wires and control cables are also provided.
Decals are by Cartograf, ensuring good registration, sharpness, density of colour, and unobtrusive carrier film.
Three marking options are given:276 Sqn, RAF Harrowbeer, 1944.
700 NAS, HMS Sheffield, 1941.
5 CF, RAAF, New Guinea, 1943.
Paints advised:24 Matt Trainer Yellow27 Matt Sea Grey28 Matt Camouflage Grey30 Matt Dark Green31 Matt Slate Grey33 Matt Black49 Matt Varnish53 Metallic Gunmetal56 Metallic Aluminium62 Matt Leather65 Matt Aircraft Blue78 Matt Cockpit Green85 Satin Coal Black90 Matt Beige Green110 Matt Natural Wood123 Satin Extra Dark Sea Grey224 Matt Slate GreyThese are not included in the kit.RRP £46.99.
-
1
-
-
Michael.Clegg1 day agoComments
Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.As some of the first new tooling announcements we made at the beginning of this year are beginning to arrive in our warehouse as stock items, we will be featuring one of them in this week’s edition of Workbench, our first new Starter Set release of the year. Regarded as arguably the finest fighting aeroplane of the Second World War, the ‘D’ variant of the North American P-51 Mustang didn’t arrive in any quantities at US fighter bases in England until March 1944, which makes the impact it had on the air war all the more impressive. For an aircraft of this pedigree, it will come as no surprise to learn that the Mustang has been a kit favourite in the Airfix range since the late 1950s, however, this latest addition to the range really is something special, an Airfix Mustang kit for everyone.By way of welcoming this new kit to the current Airfix range, we will be taking one final look at this project and thanks to the support of the kit’s talented designer Ethan Barker, we have a selection of kit frame component images to share with you, which includes its now incredibly popular shadow stand, the largest individual component of the kit. We will also be taking a look at the scheme option supplied with this kit, one which inspired the creation of the beautiful new box artwork and the aircraft which was the mount of a famous Eighth Air Force ‘Ace’ pilot and a man who had a Messerschmitt Me 262 victory to his name.Thanks to Ethan’s design efforts, modellers of all abilities and experience can now have a beautiful scale representation of this aviation classic on their display shelf in no time at all.An American aviation classic which owes much to Britain
Built sample image of the latest addition to the Airfix Starter Set range, a North American P-51D Mustang in the colours of USAAF Ace pilot George Ferdinand Ceuleers.Although they weren’t actively participating in the war which had erupted in Europe during the late 1930s, America did play a huge part in the fortunes of that war for the Allied nations and Britain in particular. By allowing a significant amendment to their Neutrality Act to pass through congress, they effectively allowed Britain and France to purchase military equipment from the US, on the proviso that those nations were prepared to pay for them and transport them on their own ships, at their own risk. This move was regarded as the right thing for their great nation to do at the time, as doing nothing would effectively help German aggression continue unabated.With a desperate need to obtain more fighter aircraft to take the pressure off home based manufacturing companies which were already working at maximum capacity, the British Purchasing Commission approached the Curtiss-Wright Company to supply Britain with hundreds of P-40 fighters. Unfortunately, as they were already working at maximum capacity on existing USAAF contracts themselves, they approached the relatively new and at that time, underused North American Aviation to see if they would be interested in building the P-40 under licence.In an unexpectedly bold move, North American said they could produce a new, better fighter than the P-40 and crucially, that it would be ready for evaluation in a shorter amount of time than it would take them to establish Curtiss production lines in their facility. As the British were looking for a capable fighter to take on the Luftwaffe, they clearly had some reservations, particularly as North American had never previously designed or built a fighter aircraft and this project would probably not have got off the ground, had their position not been so desperate. As it was, they agreed to the proposal and hoped that they would still be in the war when the new aircraft was finally ready to take to the air.Repaying the faith borne out of necessity the British placed in North American Aviation, what their design team achieved was nothing short of miraculous and even though their impressive new aircraft incorporated a host of advanced new features, their prototype aircraft (NA-73X) was rolled out on 9th September 1940, only 120 days after the production contract had been signed. The aircraft was powered by the same Allison V-1710 engine used by the Curtiss P-40 and if the potential of an aircraft went hand in glove with its appearance, the new fighter was destined for great things.The first flight of the new fighter took place 47 days after it was first unveiled and other than the usual issues associated with the first flight of a new aircraft type, it immediately showed great promise and was clear vindication of the confidence North American Aviation had in their design and manufacturing capabilities. Rather than this being nothing more than an impressive stopgap first attempt at producing a fighter aircraft in record time, what they had actually produced was a thoroughbred fighting aeroplane, one which although they didn't know it at the time, would go on to be a war winner.
A design screenshot which perfectly illustrates the beautifully clean lines of the Mustang and its laminar flow wing, and aircraft bred for speed and endurance.Once in Royal Air Force service, Britain would give the Mustang its combat debut in the European theatre, with the first aircraft arriving in the UK during October 1941 and after work up, seeing operational service from early the following year. These first machines were powered by the tried and trusted Allison V-1710 V-12 liquid cooled engine and whilst perfectly adequate for low and medium altitude operations, the lack of a supercharger did affect its performance at higher altitudes, therefore restricting its effectiveness as a fighter. Whilst the Mustang found plenty of roles to perform, these were predominantly at lower altitudes and usually in ground attack/support roles, however, pilots were extremely complimentary about the aircraft and just had a feeling that it was capable of much more.When it comes to looking at the development history of the Mustang, everything appeared to happen very quickly and there was always an element of 'opportunity' about pivotal moments, and that was certainly the case when it came to unlocking its true potential. As the capable new aircraft continued to be operated by several development units in Britain and more pilots had the opportunity to fly it, one Rolls Royce test pilot who was impressed with its handling broached the subject of installing the latest variant of the Rolls Royce engine in the aircraft with his superiors. Was the performance of this magnificent aircraft capable of being improved still further?In August 1942, the Mustang X program saw several Mustang airframes experimentally fitted with Rolls Royce Merlin 61 two speed, two stage supercharged engines and the results were nothing short of spectacular. In this configuration, the Mustang was capable of achieving an impressive 441mph at 29,800ft, a speed which was approximately 100mph faster than the Allison powered Mustang I at the same altitude, a truly spectacular improvement. The magnificent Mustang had just been given its fighting wings!News of this development was immediately shared with officials at the North American Corporation and a programme put in place to have the Packard Motor Car Company produce licence-built Merlin engines in the US. Developed further, the latest variant of the Mustang would be produced with Packard Merlin powerplants, with aircraft carrying the P-51B designation being produced at Inglewood, California, whilst those referred to as P-51C variants being almost identical, but produced in Dallas, Texas.
One of the most famous aircraft in the history of aerial combat, its often surprising to learn that the P-51D variant only entered the war in large numbers just prior to D-Day.The combination of the Mustang's advanced laminar flow airframe, excellent overall design and new Packard Merlin engine transformed what was always a promising fighter into a world-beater, one which was destined to have a dramatic impact on the course of the Second World War.As far as the US bomber pilots who had been engaged in fighting their savage daylight bombing campaign against targets right across enemy occupied Europe and into Germany itself, many of those who had been lucky enough to survive this relentless onslaught only regarded the war as being in two stages for them, the time before the Mustang’s arrival and operations after it. Once the Mustang had entered service and been equipped with long-range external fuel tanks, they had a fighter which was not only capable of escorting them all the way to their targets, but also possessed the speed, manoeuvrability, and firepower to cope with anything the Luftwaffe could throw at them along the way.Indeed, the performance of the Mustang proved to be so impressive that with numbers of enemy fighters seemingly reducing with every sortie, US fighters we freed to go and hunt their foes wherever they could find them, be that in the air coming to challenge them, or on the ground at their home airfields. The USAAF needed the right aircraft with which to get this vital job done and in the Mustang, they had just that, a fighting thoroughbred. Quite a reputation for an aircraft which started out as a request for licence-built Curtiss P-40 fighters for the Royal Air Force.Latest Airfix Mustang is a kit for the masses
Recreating an aviation classic, not only did Airfix designer Ethan Barker have the responsibility of creating our latest scale tribute to the marvellous Mustang, but he also had to make in in a way which would support even the most inexperienced of modellers during what might even be their first model build attempt.If we think back to the early days of our own modelling journeys, Airfix kits and the subject matter they presented us with, provided fertile young minds with plenty of inspiration for finding out a little more about the aircraft, military vehicles, cars, and other craft they represented, particularly their interesting shapes and colours. Even though we will all no doubt have our own particular favourite subjects we remember so fondly from those days, the Mustang will be high on the favourites list of many and will have been one of those kits many young modellers attempted time and time again in those carefree days, by virtue of the variety of scheme options available.Back then, and whilst still honing our modelling skills, this was usually something of an exercise in personal development, because we were normally left to our own devices, unless we had a modelling older brother or father to help us out, but as with everything in life, you don’t make things better without first making a few mistakes along the way. The only thing that mattered to us back then was to finish our current build, before cracking on with the next – model kits were everything to us back then.Even though we would have been flushed with our modelling successes, this was a journey we had to make by ourselves in the main, however, with the absence of too many other distractions for our attention at that time, are we being too presumptuous in suggesting kids were a little more persistent back then? What certainly isn’t up for debate is the fact that young people today have so many distractions demanding attention in their spare time that they are in danger of missing out on the simple pleasures of building a model kit altogether, and if we don’t do something about it, the thrill of making something and following instructions to help achieve this will be a process they will have little knowledge of.Thankfully, this is a situation the Airfix team didn’t intend to take lying down and in order to provide novice and first time modellers with an ever expanding range of excellent kits to tempt them towards a first hobby experience, they have developed a range of kits which have been designed with ease of assembly in mind, but with the finished model being a stunning scale representation of the subject which inspired its creation. What is more, although these kits intentionally support the first steps into a modelling experience, they are not exclusively for first timers, as the quality of design and manufactures means they can be enjoyed by all.
Better by design, just as the Mustang was during the Second World War, Ethan has designed his latest scale tribute not only to be a fine representation of the fighter which inspired the project, but also one which was much simpler to assemble. The first two images here feature frame components from the new kit, including the distinctive shadow stand which is the largest single component in the kit. Ethan grabbed these images on his desk, just so we could include them in this final project review.
Clear guidance throughout, Ethan worked closely with our Graphics Illustrator Richard Petts to ensure the kit’s instructions provided all the support any modeller could need when creating their scale tribute to one of the world’s most famous fighting aeroplanes.As we welcome the latest kit addition to a Starter Set range which will be growing yet again throughout the coming year, Ethan Barker, the designer of our new 1/72nd scale North American P-51D Mustang, is keen to see how his latest scale masterpiece will be received by the modelling world. He is clearly hoping that his efforts will result in a large number of people taking what may well be their very first steps in a hobby which continues to be enjoyed by so many people. From a subject perspective, taking an iconic aircraft such as the Mustang and applying some clever design techniques in enabling it to take its place amongst the growing ranks of new Starter Set kits will hopefully prove appealing to a great many people, but more importantly, could this be the kit which sets a new generation of hobbyists on their own modelling journeys?With quite a wide variety of subject choice now residing within the Starter Set kit range, Ethan has kindly supplied us with this selection of Mustang frame images to include in this review, however as the kit was released earlier this week, the eager beavers amongst us might even have the kit on their own workstations by the time we publish this update and be inspecting the components ‘first hand’. Ethan’s Mustang design edition of Workbench can be viewed once again by using this link, but for now, let’s take a closer look at the appealing, if less well-known scheme option this fabulous new kit is supplied with.North American P-51D Mustang 44-72719/N2-D ‘Constance’, 383rd Fighter Squadron, 364th Fighter Group, USAAF Station 375 Honington, Suffolk, England, 1945
The new Packard Merlin powered North American P-51B Mustang fighters entered service in the European Theatre from December 1943 and immediately presented Allied commanders with an aircraft which would enable them to clear the skies of Luftwaffe aircraft in advance of the proposed Normandy landings. Equipped with new lightweight external drop tanks, USAAF daylight bombing raids could now be supported by fighter protection all the way to their targets and should the Luftwaffe dare to show themselves, Mustang pilots were only too happy to show them what their impressive fighter could do.Despite the fact that Mustang fighters only made their European combat debut at the end of 1943, constant development of the aircraft and a desire to produce the best fighting aeroplane of the war, quickly led to the introduction of arguably the definitive variant of the Mustang, the blown canopy equipped P-51D. Working closely with ETO combat units and taking the combat experiences and requests of pilots flying the existing B/C variant against the Luftwaffe, the already impressive credentials of the Mustang were further refined in an attempt to enhance its superiority in European skies still further. One of the main concerns pilots had related to the relatively poor field of view from the framed canopy of the first aircraft and as any fighter pilot will tell you, in combat, vision is everything.The new aircraft benefitted from a host of improvements, which crucially included better visibility for the pilot, increased operational range and more firepower, in an attempt to make the Mustang an even more capable fighting aeroplane. With ever greater numbers of Mustangs filling the skies over enemy occupied Europe, it's interesting to consider that the 'D' variant of the Mustang was only in combat service for just about twelve months before the war in Europe ended, however, it would make a massive contribution towards securing air superiority for the Allies at that crucial stage of the conflict.
Full scheme details for Major George F Ceuleers Mustang ‘Constance’, an aircraft which helped him achieve ‘Double Ace’ status during WWII. This is followed by a selection of model images finished in this beautifully clean scheme.
The airfield at Honington in Suffolk was constructed in 1935 and opened as an RAF bomber station during the summer of 1937. During the early stages of WWII, Honington was an extremely active bomber station and home to the Wellingtons of Nos 75, 215 and IX Squadrons, prior to the airfield being handed over to the Americans in June 1942. From that point, it was referred to by its new owners as USAAF Station 375 and would have the distinction of being the airfield used for the longest period by USAAF Eighth Air Force units during WWII, only being handed back to the RAF in February 1946.As a bomber station, the Americans used Honington and its adjoining technical site at Troston, as a major aircraft repair facility, specialising in the repair of damaged Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses, with reports even claiming that stricken bombers returning from operations were told to crash land at Troston, so the repair process could get underway immediately. Honington was also home to a combat unit, the fighters of the 364th Fighter Group, who initially arrived with their Lockheed P-38 Lightnings in February 1944.The units Lightnings would be plagued by many problems during their time in England and would lose as many aircraft to accidents as they would claim enemy fighters, however, all that would change when they exchanged their fork tailed devils for Mustangs during the summer of the same year. The group consisted of the 383rd (N2 codes), the 384th (5Y codes) and 385th FS (5E codes) Fighter Squadrons, all of which would go on to serve with distinction during their time in Europe.Having trained on the P-38 Lightning at several bases back home in the US, pilot George Ferdinand Ceuleers was sent to fight in the European Theatre of Operations with the rest of the 383rd Fighter Squadron, to be based at Station 375 Honington from February 1944. Following a period of familiarisation and in-theatre training, the squadron was committed to combat against the Germans, flying a variety of missions from escorting bombers to dive-bombing and strafing enemy targets. Operational flying with the Lightning proved quite a challenge for the squadron and whilst their combat victory tally started to rise, so did their own attrition rates, mainly due to mechanical failures and accidents.The unit’s fortunes would change following their conversion to the North American P-51 Mustang during the summer of 1944, a conversion which was complete by the end of July. In December that year, senior pilot Major George Ceuleers was leading a formation of 24 364th Fighter Group Mustangs from Honington, providing fighter cover for around 150 USAAF bombers on a sortie into Germany. The US formation was attacked by a force of over 100 single engined Luftwaffe fighters and despite being heavily outnumbered, Ceuleers proceeded to expertly manoeuvre his forces to ensure each enemy attack was repelled, steadfastly refusing to allow his own fighters to be drawn too far away from the bombers they were protecting.
The new Starter Set P-51D Mustang has already landed in our warehouse and can be found in model shops everywhere – Isn’t she a beauty!
During this frenetic dogfight, Ceuleers dispatched four enemy fighters on that mission and for his selfless actions on that day, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for displaying extraordinary heroism in combat, the US Army’s second highest military decoration. The 364th Fighter Group would also receive a Distinguished Unit Citation.With the Eighth Air Force establishing a hard-fought superiority of the skies over Europe, the 364th Fighter Group would continue flying their deep penetration and bomber escort missions right through until the end of the war, with the Mustang proving to be the aircraft the Allies needed at that stage of the war. Major George Ceuleers would end the war as the 383rd Fighter Squadron’s leading ace, with 10.5 victories to his name, including one against one of the feared Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighters.His personal aircraft was typical of one of the Mustangs of the 364th Fighter Group, which were quite understated from a decoration perspective and not as garishly presented as the machines operated by some other 8th Air Force units. The Luftwaffe would quickly learn that this lack of flamboyance didn’t mean a lack of combat tenacity, as the unit would become ruthlessly effective in the execution of their duties over Europe.His Mustang was named ‘Constance’, presumably after his wife, or girlfriend and was the aircraft in which he scored his Messerschmitt Me 262 victory on 4th April 1945. George F Ceuleers would serve two tours of duty in the European Theatre of operation during the Second World War, only leaving the (then) US Air Force in 1960, having risen to the rank of Colonel.As we already touched upon, the profound impact the P-51 Mustang had on the war is probably best described by former pilots and military historians, many of whom share the same opinion. When it comes to analysing the European Air War during WWII, there is the period prior to the introduction of the Mustang and the period after, so different were the fortunes of the Allied air forces during both those periods of aerial combat.
As a new style Starter Set kit, ‘Constance’ comes as a complete modelling project package, with poly cement, paint brush and four acrylic paints.A relatively simple scheme on a kit intentionally designed to be an easier build project for the less experienced modeller, this scheme actually marks the aircraft flown by a celebrated USAAF ‘Double Ace’, a man who had a distinguished and heavily decorated career in helping secure Allied victory during WWII. As a potential first modelling project, this surely makes for an appealing combination.This latest addition to the new Starter Set range of kits is available now.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.To re-visit any of the Airfix blogs we have produced over the past seven years or so, please head to our main Workbench hub, where you will find our entire blog back catalogue and all the Airfix design projects we have already covered.
-
History:The Liberator was an American designed heavy bomber. The shoulder-mounted wing gave a high cruise speed, long range, and a heavy bomb capacity. But it was relatively difficult to fly with a poor performance at low speed. It had a lower ceiling than the Flying Fortress but was used extensively in WWII. Technical advancements made it obsolete after the war. The B-24H was developed because of the vulnerability of earlier marks to head-on attack. The Emerson A-15 nose turret replaced the greenhouse nose employed earlier, and a further 50 airframe changes were made. Most of the 3,100 H models were built by Ford at Willow Run, USA.In-box Review:This is a new tool 1/72 scale kit. Dimensions are 298mm x 465mm. Parts count is 278 pieces. Skill Level is 3 and 3 Flying Hours are printed on the box. Moulded on eight runners, two of which are clear.Frame A
Frame B
Frame C
Reverse
Frame D
Reverse
Frame E
Reverse
Frame F
Reverse
Frames X and Z
Detail quality is exquisitely moulded, and the frame breakdown suggest that further variants will be issued. 55g in nose-weights is needed and no crew figures are provided, but a boarding ladder is included.The country of manufacture is India. Instructions are printed in a 16-page, A4 booklet, over 130 steps.
Engine gills may be open or closed and in-flight configuration is illustrated. Airfix provides schematic reference images for paint colours and decal placements.Decals are by Cartograf, ensuring good registration, sharpness, density of colour, and unobtrusive carrier film.
The marking options are:42-52234 ‘Corky Burgundy Bombers’, 733rd BS, RAF Old Buckenham, Norfolk, England, 1944.
‘Valiant Lady’, 831st BS, 485th BG, 15th AF, USAAF, Venosa, Italy, 1944.
Paints advised:11 Metallic Silver24 Matt Trainer Yellow25 Matt Blue26 Matt Khaki33 Matt Black53 Metallic Gunmetal56 Metallic Aluminium81 Matt Pale Yellow85 Satin Coal Black100 Matt Red Brown110 Matt Natural Wood125 Satin US Dark Grey128 Satin US Compass Grey155 Matt Olive Drab226 Matt Interior GreenThese are not included in the kit.RRP £46.99
-
2
-
-
There would be customers who complain about a 62p price hike - they are vocal every time there is an increase (they think a kit should still cost 2/6).
-
2
-
2
-
-
This conversation is becoming rather circular too.
-
The last part I asked for was sent individually. If the whole runner is sent someone else may miss out on a part that wasn't required.
-
Why would he want a whole runner? Just request the damaged part(s).
The Sprue is the gate where plastic is injected into the mould. the frame or runner allows the plastic to flow into the mouldings.
-
8 hours ago, John Symmons said:
OK: If the adjudicators cpo0uld delete the whole post I''ll re-post it with everything in it's proper place and any offencive words removed. Previously, directly after posting the poster was given a short time to correct or edit any mistakes would it be possible to re-instate that feature?
And I thought this was a modeling forum where we often dealt with history and historical fact and historical figures after all is Paul Potts .Stalin or even Oliver Cromwell deemed offensive. Yes German WW2 aircraft and armour often had swastikas on them as part of their livery but so did Finland It was actually their recognition symbol, also in WW1 some Royal Flying Corp also had then painted on the sides, historical facts. Please don't let this forum go woke and try and re-write history.
End of mini-rant, and remember we do this for fun John the Pom
John, what would be the point of deleting your OP (which has been approved)?
Invision set the word censor - we have no input of what is or not suitable words. I had to approve one of my own posts because it contained the word "suck" (now I shall have to approve this post).
We are grown-ups here and provided that language is in context, is friendly and not threatening, there will not be a problem.
-
Thanks Matthias, I had built the Red Arrows one previously 🤣
-
4 hours ago, John Symmons said:
Something weird has gone asque with the photos and text with this posting like why is the text red and some photos are out of place. Hopefully part 2 will be better.
Why if something is working well like to old posting system someone has to break it and try for something better and usually fails If it's working it doesn't need fixing. It's taken me cover six hours to post this and that was prepping all the photos beforehand and writing out and proof reading all the text before hand
REmember we TRY and do this for fun John the Pom.
Perhaps if you posted in smaller chunks.
-
Gnat XP530 of the Central Flying School, RAF Little Kissington, Gloucestershire, 1964.
-
4
-
-
Good shot 😎
-
1
-
-
2 hours ago, Tour de Airfix said:
over to you Team Airfix, time to lead the way as you always have in this industry 😊
It would be a huge logistical problem. Getting our waste styrene to a collection point. Then what do they do with it? Production is mainly in India. Do they ship it half way around the world again? From what I remember, the injection moulding process doesn't work with 100% re-granulated styrene, so how much could be used. Of course, anything can be done, but at what cost?
-
Those parts are in there for a different boxing with an alternative build. It's not an oversight. Lots of kits have unneeded parts in them.
-
52nd Oxfordshire Light RegimentThe Light Infantry were uniformed in a similar fashion to the Line, but retained the stovepipe shako, which bore a bugle-horn badge and green plume. The shako with the tuft at the front. Officers were distinguished by wings and carried the curved flank company sabre. Other ranks also wore wings and carried a shorter and lighter version of the Brown Bess musket.
Drummers wore reversed colours and had lace decoration to facings and to sleeve arms and back seams of the jacket. Their sleeves were covered with five, lace chevrons, point up; drums were brass, the hoops usually in the facing colour.
-
Some old favourites there 😎
-
1
-
-
I don't know how this topic has become attributed to me. I haven't moved house since 1978 and have no intention of doing so.
But there is useful advice for anyone contemplating moving.
-
Cheers Dale 😃
-
Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.
We return to our usual format of a single blog posting for this weekend after two consecutive weeks of double blogs, however, when it comes to our subject matter for this edition, we have an aircraft type which demands everyone pays attention, be that the real thing, or our new scale tribute to it. For many modellers, the announcement of our Mighty Wokka in 1/72nd scale was the standout new tooling announcement from this year’s January range launch and we are therefore delighted to be in a position to bring you a second update from this exciting project.
In this, our second visit to the new Chinook HC.1 tooling, we once again benefit from designer Paramjit Sembhi’s expert input, as he guides us through the finer points of what he was looking for when receiving the first test frames from a project he had already invested so much time in. Showcasing a further selection of exclusive Chinook design imagery to illustrate the points raised by Paramjit, prepare for a fascinating insight into how a new Airfix Chinook makes it from a designer’s computer, to a series of test frame components destined for a future model kit release.
As this is a major update marking the fact that this eagerly anticipated addition to the current range is speeding nicely towards its initial release, we will be following this by also looking at both the artwork and the details behind the two very different scheme options available with the new Chinook. One of the most successful aircraft of the post war era, let’s spend a little quality Workbench time with an aviation phenomenon which just happens to make for an equally impressive modelling subject.
RAF Chinook – 44 years and still going strong
Having now attracted the attentions of an Airfix designer, many will be excited to get their hands on the new 1/72nd scale Boeing Chinook HC.1 kit.
When it comes to describing an aircraft type which possesses incredible role versatility as standard and is able to turn its abilities to a seemingly endless list of operational taskings, surely there’s no other aircraft currently in service that comes close to matching the capabilities of the mighty Boeing Chinook. A heavy lift helicopter which has proved just as proficient when providing medivac support for British troops in the deserts of Afghanistan, as it is serving as a ‘Damfixer’, when the retaining wall of a UK dam is about to fail and needs the urgent placing of shoring ballast, the Chinook is an invaluable aviation asset and one which has worked its way into the affections of both military personnel and the general public alike over the past four decades.
Throughout the 1950s, the first reliable helicopter types gradually started to enter service across the world and immediately displayed the versatility which would make them invaluable in taking on many military and civilian tasks. Proving equally effective in delivering troops and supplies into areas which were simply inaccessible to other aircraft types, as they were at rescuing grateful holiday makers from the sea when they found themselves in difficulties, the helicopter has established itself in so many ways and whether operating in a military or a humanitarian role, really have no equal in the world of modern aviation.
An aircraft which possibly underlines the qualities of the modern helicopter more effectively than any other type, the mighty Boeing CH-47 Chinook has already been in military service for over sixty years and shows no sign of disappearing from our skies any time soon. The distinctive tandem twin rotor configuration of this heavy lift helicopter cleverly counteracts the effects of engine torque by having each of its huge rotor blade stacks turning in opposite directions, thus negating the need for the tail rotor we traditionally associate with helicopters.
An extremely impressive machine, the Chinook made its first flight back in 1961 and since that date, has gone on to become one of the most effective aircraft designs of the post war era, one which can operate in almost any environment, no matter how inhospitable the terrain. Clearly, this has made the Chinook invaluable when performing a great many roles and certainly when it comes to British military operations where troops are on the ground, they won’t go unless Chinooks are there to support them.
Britain’s links with this magnificent machine go all the way back to 1967, as the RAF’s admiration for America’s impressive new heavy lift helicopter led to an order being placed for 15 new aircraft to replace their own Bristol Belvedere tandem rotor military helicopters. Unfortunately, it later transpired that this order was cancelled as a result of ongoing government defence spending cutbacks, and it would be a further ten years before this interest was revived.
Britain’s indigenous Chinook. The Belvedere was an innovative post war helicopter, but the RAF were looking for an upgrade in capabilities.
After that decade long hiatus, Britain was now looking to replace or upgrade the capabilities of its ageing Westland Wessex fleet, to which end the British Government approached Boeing once more in the late 1970s, this time placing an order for 33 new Chinook aircraft, machines which were essentially equivalent to the US CH-47C variant. The honour of becoming the first Royal Air Force Squadron to operate the new Chinook was bestowed upon No.18 Squadron at RAF Odiham, with British aircraft going on to carry the designation HC.1 (Helicopter Cargo Mk.1), and they would soon start to show the British public how incredible their latest helicopter actually was.
No sooner had Britain’s Chinooks entered service, than events on the other side of the world resulted in an early overseas deployment for this impressive helicopter, one which would be the start of an incredible story for one particular aircraft and indeed the ever-growing reputation of the Chinook as a military aircraft. Five of the RAF’s new Chinooks were loaded aboard the requisitioned container ship Atlantic Conveyor for the Task Force voyage down to the South Atlantic, each one stored on the deck of the ship and wrapped in Driclad PVC covers as a protective measure. Chinook ZA707 was offloaded at Ascension Island prior to continuing the voyage to the Falkland Islands and famous ‘Survivor’ ZA718 was in the air when the Atlantic Conveyor was struck by Exocet missiles and destroyed, with the remaining Chinooks lost. ZA718 ‘Bravo November’ would be the only Chinook subsequently available to the British Task force, but we will be hearing more about her a little later.
An indication of just how successful the RAF’s Chinook force has proved to be over the years, the fleet has benefitted from almost constant upgrade and additional procurement, with the aircraft unquestionably becoming an essential component of Britain’s military capabilities. This upgrading of capabilities has kept the Chinook at the forefront of world helicopter technology, and currently, it appears the only aircraft capable of replacing a Chinook is another Chinook, a situation which doesn’t seem likely to change for many years to come.
With the latest Chinooks being some of the most advanced aircraft in current Royal Air Force inventory, despite the fact that that the aircraft has already been in British service for 43 years, the Chinook Sustainment Programme will ensure these aircraft can continue serving the nation in a way only a Chinook can, for at least the next sixteen years.
Paramjit on Chinook checking duties
Having spent so much time designing his Chinook, Paramjit was must have been looking forward to receiving the first test frame components produced from the CAD files he supplied the toolmaker.
For we mere modelling mortals who are so fascinated to learn about the work undertaken by the Airfix designers who continue to bring so many appealing new kits to the market each year, it’s difficult for us to imagine how exciting it must be for them when the first box of test frame components turns up at Airfix HQ in relation to their latest design project. Having already invested so much time and honest endeavour into the project, the opening of this box of first components must be an incredibly exciting time for them, but one surely tempered with just a little trepidation – what are they going to find inside?
That being the case and with the new Boeing Chinook HC.1 tooling having recently reached this important development stage, we wanted to ask the kit’s designer Paramjit Sembhi a few questions about the process. As he opened the box for the first time to reveal those first Chinook frame parts, what aspects of the design was he particularly interested to see and indeed, were there any aspects of the kit’s design he remained a little unsure about at that stage?
Without too much hesitation, Paramjit informed us that the ‘quilted’ appearance of the acoustic blanketing used to line the interior of the Chinook was something he was particularly interested to see and how this had been replicated by the toolmaker, as it would be a significant feature of the new kit. Although confident that his design work had replicated this detail effectively, he couldn’t be absolutely sure until he had the opportunity to inspect first test frame components. That being the case, he asked the toolmaker to include this detail on just a small section of the cockpit bulkhead at this initial stage, just so he could check and just so he could be sure.
Although Paramjit fully replicated the acoustic blanketing detail within his design, he wanted to check how it looked in tooling before committing it to the full Chinook interior. This is how it looked in design, but Paramjit just asked the toolmaker to apply the detail to the top rectangular section on the left-hand side.
A before and after shot of the detail discussed above, with the first test shot component in the left-hand image and the later representation to the right.
Another example of CAD versus first test shot interior detailing.
This acoustic blanket detailing covers much of the interior surface of the Chinook and whilst Paramjit was sure it would look as intended once the CAD design had been committed to tooling, correct replication was so important that he felt he had to take this cautious course of action. He needn’t have worried though, because the toolmaker was able to do a fine job in replicating the CAD surface detailing, with it turning out exactly as Paramjit had intended and therefore now reassured, this would be one of the major points in his tooling report to be sent back to the toolmaker, to include this detail across the majority of the interior sections.
By adopting this strategy, Paramjit was able to obtain the accuracy confirmation he was looking for, saving much development time in the process. The acoustic blanket detailing was already part of his CAD files, so all he had to do was instruct the toolmaker to add this detail to the Chinook tooling, but didn’t need to go back and spend time on what would have been a major modification to the design files, had he not done it this way.
A couple of detail discoveries he was less please with were how the fabric and webbing detailing on the foldaway seats in the main cabin had been replicated in tooling and several less than perfect part fit issues towards the front end of the Chinook. The foldaway seating detail Paramjit had incorporated into his design files was something he was rather pleased with, however, this detailing had not been replicated to his satisfaction in this initial round of tooling frame shots and needed changing. As always, working closely with the toolmaker, he was able to make some changes to the main CAD files and fully expected the next round of test frames to show the detail as he had intended.
The front of the Chinook kit is dominated by the large and impressive clear sections of the nose, but what turned out to be another area of concern for Paramjit was how during test assembly, the parts were not coming together as intended in his design files. During the vital sub assembly of parts, he noticed one or two gaps evident in this first round of components which were certainly not a feature of his design and definitely required attention. Adopting a similar process to how he dealt with the main cabin seat detailing issue, he made a couple of slight CAD changes to support the toolmaker in overcoming this issue, ensuring the flush fitting of components as required. All the Airfix design team will attest to the fact that this vital first tooling assessment stage is very much a close collaboration between designer and toolmaker.
Kindly supplied by Paramjit himself, this image montage shows the clear part discovery he made after receiving the first test frame components and how a little liaison with the toolmaker easily rectified the situation.
Chinook interior seat detail development, the various rounds of tooling test frames allows the designer the opportunity to work closely with the toolmaker to replicate the detail produced in design, in the final production tooling.
Staying with the subject of clear parts for the time being, Paramjit also told us that he wasn’t overly happy with how the circular fuselage windows had been manufactured at this stage, or more specifically, how they located into their individual positions. This was one of the design innovations he was particularly pleased with in CAD, however, when assembling these first test frame components, they weren’t fitting as he had intended. Once again, this did see him returning to his CAD files to make some slight changes to his design, albeit to modify the design specifically to allow the toolmaker to achieve exactly what Paramjit was looking for with these parts, always with the modeller in mind.
In all, Paramjit told us that there wasn’t anything out of the ordinary when it came to assessing these first Chinook frames, just the usual collection of issues associated with any new tooling design, maybe just in different areas to other projects. As always, a thorough visual inspection of parts and surface detailing, along with the assembly of full and partial Chinook builds was the most time-consuming aspect of this process, as this revealed several other issues which would need to be addressed.
We wanted to ask Paramjit about inspecting the Chinook frames for the first time, and if when doing so if he found anything unexpected, or similarly, if he found anything that sticks out as being particularly pleasing?
He told us that he wasn’t really faced with anything unexpected on this project and indeed, of the things he had been thinking might reveal a problem or two, actually turned out really well. The clear parts did initially cause him some concern and had him diving back into his CAD files to make a couple of tweaks, but nothing more than he would usually expect to have to do on any new tooling project at the same stage.
Cabin floor detail in CAD and how it translated into plastic components through the new Chinook tooling.
Moving on to the subject of things he was particularly pleased with, Paramjit was really happy with how the detail he included into the cockpit and main cabin floor sections came out in this initial tooling, also the design for the Chinook’s rotor blades. The drooping of the rotor blades on a Chinook at rest is one of the aircraft’s most distinctive features and as a designer with plenty of modelling experience to call upon himself, this was something Paramjit was determined to replicate effectively on this new model.
For any Airfix designer, they’re bound by the current constraints imposed by the manufacturing process, including the minimum thicknesses at which individual components can be designed, parameters which cannot be ignored if manufacturing integrity is to be maintained. Clearly, these tolerances have an impact on the scale replication of certain features on any scale design project, with the Chinook being no exception.
When it came to the Chinook’s main rotor blades, Paramjit knew what he wanted to achieve and instinctively knew that this would have to be done by incorporating clever design into the tooling, rather than relying on a little help from natural forces. He particularly felt that most modellers would want to build and display their model as it would have appeared on the ground and therefore needed to replicate the blade droop in all its glory. For a design project like the 1/48th Westland Sea King, the additional length, thickness and weight of the blade parts meant that they used much greater volume of plastic and therefore, could rely on a little help from gravity in producing the blade droop modellers found so appealing. For his new Chinook kit, Paramjit couldn’t rely on any such natural intervention and therefore had to take matters into his own hands.
He would have to build scaled rotor blade droop into the actual design of the kit itself, however, he was pleased to inform us that he was extremely happy with how this had translated into tooling. Even at this first test frame stage and even before the tooling had been signed off, when he built the test components into a complete kit, the resting blade position representation really has turned out to be strikingly effective and he hopes this design feature will be one aspect of the new kit’s design modellers will come to love.
Perfected through design, Paramjit had to take matters into his own hands when it came to replicating the characteristic blade droop on his new Chinook project.
Finally, just to provide us all with some idea of how many issues he discovered when inspecting these first Chinook test frame components, we asked Paramjit if he would be kind enough to tell us just how many change requests his initial tooling report contained?
Again, Paramjit was at pains to tell us that there really wasn’t anything out of the ordinary when it came to assessing the new Chinook parts and across the three tools this new kit comprises of, his report only contained a relatively modest 68 points at this first inspection round stage. These included the acoustic blanket detailing and clear part fit issues he pointed out to us earlier, but mainly consisted of general and quite minor fit issues, the correct replication of surface detailing and some more generic manufacturing issues, but certainly nothing at all out of the ordinary.
In summary, Paramjit informed us that of those 68 initial points highlighted from the receipt of these first test frame components, he would expect subsequent issues to decrease by around 60% by the time he received the second round of test parts and how some of these might even be new issues which were the result of remedial actions taken to address some of the points raised on his original tooling review report.
He went on to tell us that the new Chinook goes together really well and how he’s excited to see what the modelling world does with his latest scale kit creation once it’s unleashed into the hobby world.
Our next visit to the 1/72nd scale Boeing Chinook HC.1 project will see us featuring images of both full test build models from the latest round of test frame components, and hopefully a first look at fully built and finished models from the final round of test shots in both of the scheme options we are about to feature below. We still have much to look forward to when it comes to Workbench and the new 1/72nd scale Wokka.
A helicopter of distinction
The iconic legacy created by the RAF Chinook featured as our lead scheme also demanded its replication as the new kit’s artwork.
As one of the highest profile aircraft types in current Royal Air Force service, the Chinook has created a large, tandem rotor sized hole in the Airfix range which really did need filling, so we therefore hope that this year’s announcement of such a significant new tooling addition to the current model range will have come as a pleasant surprise to many across the modelling community.
As for the variant of this magnificent machine to be modelled, there really could only be one, as we knew we definitely wanted to include an aircraft which has been described by some as the most significant individual aircraft to see Royal Air Force service in the post war era, one which has earned an almost mythical reputation during its extensive service career, a career which stems back to the dark days of the Falklands Conflict. Thankfully, the reputation of this aircraft ensured its preservation as a unique piece of Britain’s aviation heritage, and Chinook ‘Bravo November’ is now a prized exhibit within the extensive collection of the Royal Air Force Museum at Cosford.
It is difficult to describe just how significant an aircraft Boeing Chinook ZA718 ‘Bravo November’ actually is within the annals of British Military aviation history and how it continually managed to overcome incredible adversity to ensure it was able to continue doing its vital duty. Part of an initial order for 33 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters placed by Britain in 1978, ZA718 joined a re-formed RAF No.18 Squadron at Odiham in late 1980, with British Chinooks taking the designation HC.1 (Heavy Cargo Mk.1). Almost before the aircraft had the chance to fully settle into Royal Air Force service, a dramatic development on the other side of the world would see ZA718, now coded ‘BN’ and referred to phonetically as ‘Bravo November’, sent as part of a small detachment of Chinooks to help a British naval Task Force re-take the Falkland Islands from Argentinean occupation.
Travelling aboard the requisitioned container ship Atlantic Conveyor, ‘Bravo November’ was one of five RAF Chinooks stored on the deck of the ship as it steamed towards the South Atlantic, protected against the elements by being wrapped in Dri-Clad covers and corrosion inhibitors. The Atlantic Conveyor would also be used to transport 6 Wessex helicopters, several Scout light helicopters, 8 Sea Harrier FRS.1s and 6 RAF Harrier GR.3s, in addition to assorted supplies of war and various types of ammunition.
As the ship approached the Falkland Islands and disembarked its complement of RAF and Fleet Air Arm Harriers, ‘Bravo November’ and one other Chinook had their protective coverings removed, rotor blades reattached and prepared to make their first post voyage test flight. In advance of the anticipated hectic schedule of supply transportation, Bravo November used her test flight on 25th May 1982 to pick up a load of cargo from HMS Glasgow, but whilst she was in the air, tragedy struck the Atlantic Conveyor – she was hit by two Exocet missiles fired from Argentinean Navy Super Etendard jets. Despite the heroic efforts of the crew, fire eventually engulfed the vessel and hastened the order to abandon ship, leaving the fire to destroy all the ships vital cargo, including all the remaining helicopters on her deck.
Aware of this tragic development and the fact that they were now the only British heavy lift helicopter available to the Task Force, the crew of ‘Bravo November’ landed their aircraft aboard HMS Hermes, knowing that she now had an incredibly heavy burden of work placed on her shoulders. What makes this story all the more incredible is that all of the aircraft’s support equipment was lost with the destruction of Atlantic Conveyor and during the several weeks of critical activity to come, the aircraft’s crew would have to operate her without the benefit of spare parts, technical manuals, specialist lubricants and dedicated toolsets. It is also important to remember that at that time, the Chinook had only been in Royal Air Force service for a few short months.
Full scheme details featuring this famous Falklands War ‘Survivor’ and one of the most famous individual aircraft of the post war era.
Performing heroically throughout her time in the South Atlantic, ‘Bravo November’ would also earn her pilot Squadron Leader Richard Langworthy a DFC for actions whilst flying the Chinook during a heavy snowstorm. Travelling at speed, the pilot attempted to fly under the storm, however, a faulty altimeter caused the aircraft to strike the sea, but thankfully, at a slight nose up attitude. With sea spray entering the engines, the pilot as able to coax the Chinook back into the air once he had received a damage report, returning to its temporary base, where a full damage assessment could be undertaken. Around this time, ‘Bravo November’ was to receive its nickname ‘The Survivor’, a mark of respect and term of endearment for a hard working helicopter which was making such a valuable contribution to the war effort in the South Atlantic. Incredibly, by the end of her lengthy service career, three other airmen would be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross whilst flying this famous aircraft in various combat zones around the world.
On her return to the UK, there was to be no let-up in the workload for this now famous aircraft, as she helped to establish the new Chinook force into Royal Air Force service, until when in 1994, she was to become the first RAF Chinook to undergo upgrade to HC.2 standard.
As if she had not already established her service reputation in the RAF, ‘Bravo November’ would also go on to play a prominent role in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and is widely thought to have been the first British helicopter to land Royal Marines on Iraqi soil at the start of the conflict. She would also earn one of her pilots another DFC during Operation Telic, however, this magnificent machine was still not done yet.
2006 brought another overseas military deployment for ‘Bravo November’ this time as part of the coalition anti-terror operations in Afghanistan, where the aircraft would once again be placed in the combat zone, not only to deliver and re-supply troops, but also to evacuate those wounded in action. This venerable old warhorse continued to roll back the years and carry on the vital work she started back in the South Atlantic a quarter of a century earlier, providing heavy-lift support for troops fighting in extremely challenging circumstances. ‘Bravo Novembers’ Afghanistan service would see two more of her pilots awarded the DFC, one for Flight Lieutenant Craig Wilson in June 2006 and a final one for Flight Lieutenant Ian Fortune in 2010.
Full box artwork of a new kit which is surely destined to become a firm favourite with modellers.
In a glittering service career which spanned over 40 years, Chinook ZA718 ‘Bravo November’ earned the reputation as a heavy-lift helicopter workhorse which would not be beaten, keeping her troops safe and supplied, but when they were in need of medical assistance, coming to their aid no matter how intense the fighting might be around the landing zone, taking them to where they could receive the help they needed. Known as ‘The Survivor’, this magnificent aircraft has taken part in every major conflict where British forces have had boots on the ground during that time and has benefited from major upgrades on three separate occasions. Over that time, most of her parts have gradually been replaced, however, due to her famous history and ZA718 serial, her unrivalled reputation remained constant. She has to be considered the most significant individual RAF aircraft of the post war era, standing testament to the effectiveness of the modern helicopter and the bravery of the crews who flew them.
In a year which marked both 42 years of RAF Chinook operations and the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War, it was somehow fitting that this most famous of aircraft should be allowed to finally cash in her flying hours and enter a deserved retirement as a unique component of the nation’s rich aviation heritage. Her amazing story is such that there must have been quite a battle to secure her retirement home, but that struggle was won by the Royal Air Force Museum, who prepared a fitting home for ZA718 at their Cosford site.
‘Bravo November’ left her home at RAF Odiham for the final time on 16th March 2022, travelling by road to be unloaded and re-assembled by RAF Museum technicians and RAF engineers, in advance of a special media preview day, where she would be unveiled in her new display position. She is now a major attraction at the RAF Museum Midlands site, with visitors travelling from across the country to pay their respects to this quite remarkable helicopter.
The unrivalled versatility and load carrying capabilities of the Chinook has ensured this mighty beast of a machine is now one of the most famous aircraft to see post war service across the world and indeed with our own Royal Air Force. Equally at home on the battlefields of the Middle East as it is dropping ballast sacks to prevent a dam burst a little closer to home, the Chinook has now been in RAF service since 1980, with the latest variant of this magnificent machine further enhancing its already legendary operational flexibility still further. In addition to being one of the most important aircraft currently in service, the Chinook also happens to be the consummate Airshow performer and a real crowd favourite wherever it displays. Demonstrating the aircraft’s power and manoeuvrability to tens of thousands of Airshow-goers every summer, these impressive aircraft retain their operational status at all times and whilst crews practice in advance of their latest Airshow engagement, they never forget that they could be called away on international deployment at a moment’s notice, such is the reliance on their in-demand aircraft.
If you are fortunate enough to experience a Wokka display, there is nothing quite like seeing one of these huge helicopters being hurled around the sky in a manner which almost defies logic, with the sound of the Chinook’s iconic ‘blade slap’ leaving a lasting impression on any who hear it.
Following the legendary exploits of Bravo November during the Falklands Conflict, the Chinook would settle into Royal Air Force service over the next several years, all the time displaying its ability to take on more tasks than any other aircraft possibly could with power and versatility coming as standard. Able to carry more troops or more cargo than any other helicopter in RAF service, it came as no surprise that when British forces went to war again, the services of the RAF’s Chinooks would be needed once more.
Following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 the international condemnation which followed saw a mighty coalition military force amassing in Saudi Arabia, the size of which had not been seen since the end of the Second World War. The initial phase of the coalition response was to secure the airspace in the region before striking at opposing military facilities and infrastructure, all intended to neutralise the threat posed by Iraqi forces, and whilst this work was carried out by coalition fast jets, RAF Chinooks began their own operations which were perhaps less glamorous, but no less vital.
Full scheme details for this stunning Gulf War Chinook, one which helped to further enhance the reputation of this magnificent aircraft.
The first choice when it came to supporting British forces, Chinooks deployed to the Gulf transported troops and supplies before, during and after the ground phase of the war, moving men into some of the most advanced positions ahead of the main ground offensive. Chinooks were also the first choice for Allied Special Forces throughout the conflict, including the men of the SAS who mounted the famous long-range patrol deep into Iraqi territory known as Bravo Two Zero.
Once the fighting was over, Chinook operations showed no sign of reducing, with these superb aircraft simply adding to their growing reputation by turning their hands to even more tasks, transporting prisoners of war and delivering aid and supplies to the thousands of displaced refugees in the Gulf region. Perhaps the sentiment which best describes the continuing service reputation of this mighty heavy lift helicopter is the fact that the only aircraft crews thought capable of replacing a Chinook was another Chinook.
Chinook ZA684 was produced for the RAF at the main Boeing Chinook plant at Ridley Park, Pennsylvania in early 1981 and later delivered to No.7 Squadron, who had only recently relinquished their Canberras and reformed at Odiham as the RAF’s second Chinook HC.1 squadron. One of two Chinook squadrons deployed to the Gulf in support of Operation Granby, amongst the many tasks allocated to No.7 Sqn aircraft was the delivery of Allied special forces, where the speed, range and load carrying capabilities of this tandem rotor made them ideal for this work.
In 2000, No.7 Squadron would become part of the recently formed Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing and in conjunction with other Chinook units, have seen several operational deployments over recent years, including Yugoslavia, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan and Iraq. With these aircraft always being in high demand, it seems the Chinook is also the ideal aircraft to support the specialist work of the SAS and SBS.
Not long to wait now, this box presentation is about to grace the display shelves of model shops everywhere.
Throughout the 43-year service of the RAF’s Chinooks, they have been front and centre during some of the most historic occasions in the nation’s history and the two scheme options selected to be included in the initial release of this impressive new kit are a clear illustration of this. Two Chinook deployments a decade apart, it’s difficult to imagine two British Chinook schemes being so different from each other, but with both being equally iconic in their own right, how could we possibly choose between them. The only thing to do in situations such as these is to secure two kits and plan a dual build project to finish a kit in both scheme options.
We look forward to bringing Workbench readers the next instalment of the continuing development of this fantastic new kit, where we will be looking at built models finished in both of the schemes featured above.
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.
To re-visit any of the Airfix blogs we have produced over the past seven years or so, please head to our main Workbench hub, where you will find our entire blog back catalogue and all the Airfix design projects we have already covered.
-
Thanks very much for your feedback, Paul, I appreciate it 😁
-
That's the pointy tool I was referring to.
Crusader II/III - Libya Colours: Black or Olive Camoflague?
in Military Vehicles
Posted
It may depend upon timing. Orders were frequently amended, but not always carried out immediately. i have the following notes:
No.61 B.S.381-1930 Light Stone Base colour, 2-colour disruptive pattern, North Africa 1942.
No.44 B.S.381-1930 Terra Cotta Disruptive colour, 2-colour disruptive pattern, North Africa 1942.
No.23 B.S.381-1930 Middle Bronze Green Base colour, North Africa (Tunisia) 1943. This colour is believed to be an erroneous interpretation of SCC 2
Light Mud Middle Stone Base colour, 2-colour disruptive pattern, Sicily 1943.
Blue-Black Disruptive colour, 2-colour disruptive pattern, Sicily 1943.
I try to get a photo and interpret that.