Airfix 1/72 scale
Bristol Blenheim Mk.I

by Roland Sachsenhofer

Bristol Blenheim Mk.I

Airfix's 1/72 Blenheim Mk.I will be available online from Squadron.com

For a few years one of the fastest planes of the Royal Air Force, the Blenheim bomber has emerged from Bristol's “Type 142”. In 1935 Lord Rothermere, being anxious about Germany’s production of astonishing fast and capable light bombers, had suggested a competition to construct an aeroplane that could compete that challenge.

The Bristol Type 142, appropriately nicknamed “Britains First”, made its first flight in 1935. The RAF was, as expected, impressed and ordered a light bomber version of that amazingly fast aircraft.

The Blenheim could easily compete with the contemporary biplane fighters of their day, but suffered badly over France, when it had to combat modern monoplane fighters for the first time. Nevertheless, Blenheims had to burden their contribution to the air war for a few years further, being deployed in every theatre of war of this spreading conflict.

Blenheims Mk.I have been widely replaced by the Mk.IV in 1941 in Europe and North Africa, but where still in use in Far East Asia at at the time of the outbreak of the war with Japan.

My model depicts one of those. “L1134” F-FX has been flown by Arthur Stewart King Scarf, the Squadron commander of 62th Squadron at RAF Butterwort, Malaysia, when he gained his Victoria Cross on 9th December 1941. After gallant action and after saving his crew by crash-landing, he succumbed to his wounds.

The Airfix Blenheim was pure joy to build for me, fit is impressive and I like the layout of the kit. Etched parts from Eduard helped to detail the cockpit and wheels/ wheel wells further. The only detailing I did on the kit parts was drilling out the intake fittings of the Mercury engines.

Airfix “new” Blenheim is a real winner I would like to recommend everybody- even the beginner- who is not shy at some serious masking.

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As ever, remarks will be appreciated: ro.sachsenhofer@gmx.at

Model, Images and Text Copyright © 2015 by Roland Sachsenhofer
Page Created 22 June, 2015
Last Updated 22 June, 2015

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