Background

I've always had a soft spot for lessen-known aircraft and the underdogs of the aviation world, so the Bloch MB.152 is just the kind modelling subject that appeals to me. Heavily outnumbered and outclassed in the Battle of France, the small number of MB.151s and '152s that had been accepted for service with the Armée de l'Air still claimed a 2:1 kill/loss ratio against the Luftwaffe. Generally judged as the least successful of France's fighters, the early MB. 15O series was beset with problems, not least poor top speed, manoeuvrability and range. The MB.152 was first variant to approach original expectations with its 1,000 hp Gnome-Rhône engine,  but even then it was hamstrung by the chronic disorganisation of the French aircraft industry in the years immediately prior to WWII; while the first pre-production aircraft were completed in December 1938, just 10 had been accepted for service around four months later, and only around 50 MB.151 and '152s were considered airworthy when war was declared in September. A further development, the MB.155, addressed many of the earlier models' shortcomings and was rushed into production in the spring of 1940, but only 10 had been built by the Fall of France, later seeing service with the Vichy air force and the Luftwaffe.

Dora Wings' MB.152 arrives in a compact and attractive top-opening box, with the main parts and accessories neatly bagged for protection in transit. Everything in my kit arrived safe and sound, with the model comprising:

52 x pale grey styrene parts (plus 6 not needed) 

6 x clear styrene parts (plus 1 not used)

1 x resin part (unmentioned in the instructions)

21 x etched brass parts

Vinyl painting masks

Decals for 4 x colour schemes

Dora Wings' model of the MB. 152 is over two years old now, and comparing it with their superb new Vultee Vengeange (reviewed here: Vultee Vengeance Mk. II | AeroScale) clearly illustrates the rapid progress the company has made in both production techniques and sophistication. Nevertheless, the Bloch is still very neatly produced, showing little to worry any modeller with experience of "shorter-run" models. There's a little flash here and there in my kit, but that will be quick to sort out. More importantly, there's no sign of any sink marks and (as usual with Dora Wings) a total absence of ejector pin marks. 

The surface finish is smooth, with neatly engraved panel lines and fasteners. Dora Wings wisely avoided attempting adding rivets, so the kit offers a good palette for anyone who wants to try their hand as Rosie the Riveter.

Test Fit

Main construction is a little unusual and I imagine it reflects the moulding limitations when the kit was produced. While the fuselage halves line up neatly, the wing roots are separate parts. A quick dry-fit reveals that they line-up fine, but the seams don't follow panel lines, so there will be some work required to render them invisible.

The wings are a 5-part assembly, with a separate lower centre section onto which the outer panels attach. Dora Wings provide a spar to form the rear of the mainwheel wells and support the finished wings.

Finally, the vertical tail is separate to allow for different variants. Again, the fit is precise, but there will be a couple of seams to hide.

All in all, basic construction looks like it will be no problem for experienced modellers, but newcomers to the hobby should probably get a few mainstream kits safely under their belt before attempting the Bloch.

A Few Details

Assembly begins with the cockpit which is nicely detailed with 30 parts. The seat is formed from a delicate photoetched frame and back, plus a plastic base. There's an etched harness provided, so the finished seat should look great. A bit of a disappointment is that Dora Wings don't also include an etched instrument panel and fascia for centre console, because I think they would look better than the moulded details. However, the decals do include excellent crisply printed bezels, so the result may well look fine - especially as the canopy is designed to be modelled closed.

Up front, the radial engine is constructed from 7 parts, including a set of etched pushrods. The cylinders are finely detailed and, while some may argue that etched pushrods will look rather 2D, I've always found such items look surprisingly convincing if built-up a little with a coat of white glue before painting. Detailers may obviously still prefer to replace them, but I think the engine should look pretty good once installed, especially if you add ignition cables.  

The cowling is made from 3 sections and the bulges over the cylinder heads are neatly depicted. Don't be tempted to straighten-up the front of the fuselage to accept the cowling - in reality the engine was angled to counter the torque produced.

The propeller is very straightforward, so there's no need to worry about aligning individual blades. A nice touch is that the blades are moulded realistically thin. 

The undercarriage legs are nicely done, with separate retraction arms and realistically thin covers that feature detailed inner surfaces. The instructions show to attach the retraction arms early, but I'd recommend waiting until you are ready to install the undercarriage in order to establish the correct angles.

The wheels have nicely moulded hubs and are unweighted, so I'll file small flats to give a realistic "sit".

The wheel wells are boxed-in and should look good when finished. At first I was confused by the inclusion of the resin item which isn't shown in the parts list. All was revealed when I studied the wheel wells - the resin piece makes up for a styrene item which got missed out on the runners.

The clear parts are very good quality in my kit. The canopy is moulded in two sections, but is designed to be built closed. The framing is crisply defined and a set of die-cut vinyl masks is provided. These will be especially helpful when painting the rear-view sections. The clear parts also include lamp covers and the gunsight.

Instructions & Decals

The assembly guide is nicely printed on glossy paper. The diagrams are simple and clear, and colour suggestions are given for most details.

Dora Wings provide decals for 4 aircraft, with a mix of interesting colour schemes:

1. MB. 152 No.622, flown by C/C Szaposznikow, 3 Esc. GC II/6, Chateauroux-Cere, June 1940

2. MB. 152 No.672, GC II/9, Aulnat, 1942

3. MB. 152 No.528, flown by S/C E. Prchal, 1 Esc. GC I/8, Claye-Souilly, June 1940

4. MB. 152 No.236, flown by S/Lt Lamaison, 2 Esc. GC I/8, Velaine-en-Haye, April 1940

The decals are printed by Decograph and look to be excellent quality, with pin-sharp register and minimal excess carrier film on the satin-finish items.

Conclusion

Dora Wings' MB.152 is a very nicely produced kit that should build into a really attractive model of a fighter which has been largely overlooked by mainstream companies. While it's not suitable for absolute beginners, it should be no problem for modellers with experience of short-run kits and promises to be a very enjoyable build.

Kit #DW48019 is listed by Dora Wings' at 29.00 Euros - but, at the time of writing, their website carries the following message after the unprovoked Russian invasion:

"WAR

Dear friends. Russia attacked my country. The country is under martial law. All shipments have been suspended. Please be understanding. Keep in touch...."

Being several years old, the MB.152 remains widely available elsewhere. I bought my kit from scalemodelshop.co.uk for £26.95 as a small gesture of support for Dora Wings in these terrible times in the hope this review will generate extra interest in their range for when they can hopefully resume production.

Meanwhile, our only concern must obviously be for the safety for everyone at Dora Wings and their families and friends.

Please remember, when contacting retailers or manufacturers, to mention that you saw their products highlighted here - on AEROSCALE