Eduard has released a number of photo etched sets for the Airfix 1:48 scale Bristol Blenheim Mk.I. Here Tim Hatton examines two of the sets concentrating on the crew area

Eduard has produced a number of detail sets for the Airfix 1:48 scale Bristol Blenheim Mk.I and they have very kindly provided a couple of them for review. Both Zoom sets are aimed at detailing the bomb aimer and pilots position as well as the radio equipment to the rear. is a pre-colored set featuring instruments and controls along with set FE1188 providing pre-coloured seat belts. Although there is a fair bit of detail with the Airfix kit, it’s very much on the heavy and clunky side.

Eduard has produced a number of detail sets for the Airfix 1:48 scale Bristol Blenheim Mk.I and they have very kindly provided a couple of them for review. Both Zoom sets are aimed at detailing the bomb aimer and pilots position as well as the radio equipment to the rear. FE1187 is a pre-colored set featuring instruments and controls along with set FE1188 providing pre-coloured seat belts. Although there is a fair bit of detail with the Airfix kit, it’s very much on the heavy and clunky side.

FE1187 - Blenheim Mk.I  Zoom

Although it’s not readily obvious from the title on the packaging this set is mostly aimed at the cockpit. Comprising of around sixty-seven mostly pre-painted parts, it will certainly create some superb detail as long as your comfortable using photo etched parts. Yes, there is a bit of texture on the black painted surfaces on instruments, but this is only obvious if you are looking close up. What you have with this set are finely detailed instruments and various levers and wheels. There is a fair bit of folding to build some of the parts up and also to give the levers a more three-dimensional look. 

A bit more detail on the parts contained on the single fret include:

  • Bomb aimer sight
  • Bomb aimers instrument panel
  • Brake pedals [on rudder pedals]
  • Main instrument panel
  • Blind flying panel
  • Compass face.
  • Various other instruments
  • Throttles and mixture levers
  • Various other levers.
  • Trim and flap wheels
  • Pouches and pockets
  • Lewis gun magazine
  • Radio equipment

The instructions are not explicate with some of the folding. So, a little bit of puzzle solving and experience goes a long way. The diagrams have the Airfix kits part numbers to aid the construction. The trickiest item to construct will be the bomb sight, it is made up from six PE parts plus a small section of 0.3mmø plastic rod. The instruments are made up from six parts including the blind flying panel and compass. The instruments have a convex lens of clear varnish to replicate the glass. The radio equipment has five parts. Both the instrument and radio panels and the kits Lewis gun magazine need the plastic detail sanding off before applying the PE. Also the throttle and mixture lever and trim wheel plastic detail need removing too.

There are also parts to detail the radio equipment just aft of the upper turret. Not sure how much of that you will see once the fuselage is joined. I’m sure you will sleep better knowing its there.

FE1188 - Blenheim Mk.I Seatbelts

There are eight pre-painted parts to make up the seat belts for the crew. The pilots shoulder harness is made up from three parts with a two-part lap strap. You will need to remove the harness attachment point on the kits pilot seat. The seats of the bomb aimer and navigator as well as the turret seat have lap straps.

Conclusions

If your happy working with PE then these two sets go along way to creating an interesting cockpit for Airfixs 1:48 scale Blenheim Mk.I. the two sets are very useful accessories to have with all the clear parts allowing a good peek into the cockpit.  I was checking out some of the old Flight magazine cutaway drawings of the Mk.I and I’m just in awe at how the crew could operate in such a tight confined space.

 

Thanks to Eduard for providing the two review samples.

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