1:72 Bristol Beaufighter Mk.VIF

Looking very nice. I like it. That's amazing that you still keep it after soooooo many years...

That's a swell model. Yes Novo kits can be a bit of adventure!

The Mk 6 F had the tail planes in the dihedral position I believe. That would be an easy modification for a good modeler like you.

X8005 didn't, and I have not found any 307 Beaufighter, Mk II or Mk VI that had a dihedral tail plane. No modification  required.

Now that's a long build. That's a really nice looking plane, I like it a lot.

Nicely done.

Hello!

Thanks a lot for your comments!

cnq - like I said, Im sentimental!

GMorrison - You've got that right with those Novo kits! As for the horizontal tailplanes - it's also a mystery to me, as per the book they should have a dihedral, but the photo evidence clarly shows at least this one didn't. Maybe a rebuild from earlier version?

antoni - thanks a lot for the photo, I was going to post it and now I don't have to, thanks a lot!

Bish - thank you for your kind words!

Wayne - thanks a lot!

Have a nice day!

Paweł

As I understand, tailplanes with 12o dihedral were introduced because of problems with stability when carrying torpedoes. It is often said that the whole production of Mk IIs were fitted with these tailplanes but it is obvious from photographs that flat tailplanes were fitted throughout the entire production. Early Mk IVs were converted from Mk Is and had flat tailplanes. X8005 was built by the Bristol/MAP Shadow Factory, Old Mixton, Weston-Super-Mare. 500 aircraft were ordered and built as Mk If, Mk Ic, Mk VIf & Mk VIc.

Serial numbers X8000 to X8029 were Mk VIf folowed by X8030 to X8039 MK VIc.

I would not be surprised if there are photographs of  examples of Mk IVs from later production batches that have the flat tailplanes.  

Tailplane flat or with dihedral - that is one very nice re-build. Very nice!

Looks like a new build of a current kit, Pawel.  Nice!

Pawel,

I think you hold the record for the longest build time... so far. 

Very nicely done!

Gary

This is really neat Pawel. It got me to thinking about my old friend Jerzy "George" Solak. He flew in 151 and 249 Squadrons during the BoB and onward with other Squadrons until he was shot down in 1944.

Hurricanes, Typhoons and Spitfires.

www.609wrsquadron.co.uk/.../Jerzy%20Solak.pdf

I knew George all through the 80's- he was an architect and later a product rep. during the part of my career designing highrises.

Later when I met my wife, came to find out she went to prep school with George's daughter who was a friend of ours.

George died in 2002. He was a true oldschool European gentleman, the kind of guy who you'd have no problem with flirting with your wife.

Awesome job and a very cool story behind it too!

That's a great build Pawel!

I tend to be sentimental too - I won't throw out some of my earliest builds, purely because they were a gift from my parents/loved ones.

I'm impressed with all the work you put into dismantling and then re-building - that is true dedication.

Turned out looking fantastic!

A  unique model, and nicely done!  Congrats!

Great job on this, even more so on such an old kit!

I remember having a few Frog brands, man that was some time ago.

regards,

Jack

GMorrison - yeah, those pilots were really something special, weren't they? So cool you had a chance to meet one! History and politics really messed with their lives during and after WWII...

CodyJ - thanks a lot, glad you liked it!

Chris - I understand you. A model is not an ordinary object - time and especially work put into it make it very personal. Thanks for your kind words!

Cadet Chuck - thanks a lot!

Jack - maybe a build like that should be mandatory for all the people complaining about the quality of some modern day kit - should put things into correct perspective Thanks for your kind words!

Thank you all for your comments and have a nice day!

Paweł

Awseome job, Pawel! I just love the 1/72 Britcraft.

A beautiful restoration of an old kit/model. My only issue is with the engine gear casings. You have them painted grey but they should be a semi-gloss black.

Otherwise, a fine job and something to be proud of.

Chris

Subhuman1 - thanks a lot and good luck with your machine!

splitter24 - thank you! They have their style, haven't they?

Chris - thanks a lot for your kind words! I chose that colour basing on the instructions for the Revell model, which is a late torpedo Beau. Info on colour of the internal parts of the Beaufighter is pretty hard to figure out, as it seems - when researching the preserved machines (and there are few of them), you get conflicting information.

Thanks a lot for your comments and have a nice day!

Paweł