In Box Review of Classic Airframes 1/48th Scale
Marcel Bloch MB-155 Fighter
Kit no. 423
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1990
Out of Production
I paid $17.99 when this kit was marked down from $29.95, years ago.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1990
Out of Production
I paid $17.99 when this kit was marked down from $29.95, years ago.
HISTORY:
In the winter of 1939, efforts were initiated by SNCASO to improve the design of the MB 152. The objective was to achieve greater range, higher speed and improved maneuverability.
Designated MB 155, it retained the main wing structure and undercarriage of the MB 152, however to increase internal fuel capacity the cockpit was moved aft, resulting in a major redesign of the fuselage.
The MB 155 was the first French production fighter to feature a belt-fed cannon and armored windshield. The finished aircraft were delivered to GCI/1 at Agen, just in time to witness the cessation of hostilities when the French government capitulated in June.
All MB 155’s were reassigned to Groupe de Chasse I/8 at Montpellier, where they operated alongside the earlier MB 151’s and MB 152’s under the Vichy French. In November 1942, Vichy French forces were disbanded by Germany and all the aircraft were seized by the Luftwaffe and used as trainers.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Powerplant: 1,100 hp. Gnome Rhone 14N
Armament: Two 20mm cannon, two 7.5mm machine guns
Wing span: 14’ 7”
Length: 29’ 8”
Maximum speed: 323 mph @ 18,040 ft.
In the winter of 1939, efforts were initiated by SNCASO to improve the design of the MB 152. The objective was to achieve greater range, higher speed and improved maneuverability.
Designated MB 155, it retained the main wing structure and undercarriage of the MB 152, however to increase internal fuel capacity the cockpit was moved aft, resulting in a major redesign of the fuselage.
The MB 155 was the first French production fighter to feature a belt-fed cannon and armored windshield. The finished aircraft were delivered to GCI/1 at Agen, just in time to witness the cessation of hostilities when the French government capitulated in June.
All MB 155’s were reassigned to Groupe de Chasse I/8 at Montpellier, where they operated alongside the earlier MB 151’s and MB 152’s under the Vichy French. In November 1942, Vichy French forces were disbanded by Germany and all the aircraft were seized by the Luftwaffe and used as trainers.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Powerplant: 1,100 hp. Gnome Rhone 14N
Armament: Two 20mm cannon, two 7.5mm machine guns
Wing span: 14’ 7”
Length: 29’ 8”
Maximum speed: 323 mph @ 18,040 ft.
THE KIT:
Classic Airframes is a division of Bringuler Aviation Products based in Chicago, Il USA. Kit was made in Czechoslovakia and packaged in the USA.
The kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a MB 155 in flight over clouds. It is in a wave pattern of dark blue-grey, earth-brown and dark green over a light blue-grey undercarriage. It has the French roundels in the usual 6 locations, red fuselage no. 14 outlined in white, a vertical tri-color flash on the rudder flap and red and yellow horizontal stripes around the cowling, the tail, rudder and elevators. Behind the cockpit there is a small officer’s pennant.
The red bands are included on the decal sheet, but you have to paint the yellow ones.
This is aircraft no. 708 of GC II/8, 1941-42.
One side panel of the box begins with a small color repeat of the box art, followed by the history of the MB 155. Over “Warning! Contains small parts, not suitable for small children”.
Classic Airframes is a division of Bringuler Aviation Products based in Chicago, Il USA. Kit was made in Czechoslovakia and packaged in the USA.
The kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a MB 155 in flight over clouds. It is in a wave pattern of dark blue-grey, earth-brown and dark green over a light blue-grey undercarriage. It has the French roundels in the usual 6 locations, red fuselage no. 14 outlined in white, a vertical tri-color flash on the rudder flap and red and yellow horizontal stripes around the cowling, the tail, rudder and elevators. Behind the cockpit there is a small officer’s pennant.
The red bands are included on the decal sheet, but you have to paint the yellow ones.
This is aircraft no. 708 of GC II/8, 1941-42.
One side panel of the box begins with a small color repeat of the box art, followed by the history of the MB 155. Over “Warning! Contains small parts, not suitable for small children”.
Other side panel begins with a repeat of the small color box art picture, followed by features of the kit: Contains finely detailed plastic parts. Complete cockpit interior in polyurethane. Markings for 2 aircraft complete assembly and decorating instructions in color. Followed by Classic Airframes P.O box address in Chicago, IL USA. Made in Czechoslovakia, packaged in the USA.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This is a multi-media type kit.
It contains 2 light-grey trees, tan resin parts, 2 vacuformed canopy and the decal sheet in 3 sealed clear cello bags.
There are 2 instruction sheets.
The main instruction consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 6 pages in 5 ¼” x 8 ½” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, over the aircraft’s history and specifications and Classic Airframe’s P.O. box address in Chicago, IL USA.
Page 2 begins with international assembly symbol explanations, over a paint color listing and the parts trees illustrations.
Page 3 through to page 6 give a grand total of 9 assembly steps.
The second instructions is a single-sheet, printed in color on both sides on slick-coated paper and the same page size as the main instructions.
The face side has a color 4-view illustration of the MB-155 in the cover art scheme. (already described above)
It was aircraft no 708 of GC II/8, 1941-42.
This is a multi-media type kit.
It contains 2 light-grey trees, tan resin parts, 2 vacuformed canopy and the decal sheet in 3 sealed clear cello bags.
There are 2 instruction sheets.
The main instruction consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 6 pages in 5 ¼” x 8 ½” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, over the aircraft’s history and specifications and Classic Airframe’s P.O. box address in Chicago, IL USA.
Page 2 begins with international assembly symbol explanations, over a paint color listing and the parts trees illustrations.
Page 3 through to page 6 give a grand total of 9 assembly steps.
The second instructions is a single-sheet, printed in color on both sides on slick-coated paper and the same page size as the main instructions.
The face side has a color 4-view illustration of the MB-155 in the cover art scheme. (already described above)
It was aircraft no 708 of GC II/8, 1941-42.
The reverse side shows another color 4-view illustration of a MB-155 in the same basic camouflage colors of the box art scheme one, but no red and yellow stripes. It has a white circle on the rudder with a black no. 1 on it.
It was aircraft no, 702, with GC II/8 in June 1941.
It was aircraft no, 702, with GC II/8 in June 1941.
The large decal sheet holds French roundels, that you have to BUILD By with the outer red circle and a blue dot in the center. It has the tri-color vertical flash for the rudder flap and some stencils.
The injection molded plastic trees are alphabetized. The resin parts and the vacuformed canopies are just numbered in the parts trees illustrations.
Light-grey letter A tree holds: the fuselage, individual propeller blades, spinner, air intake, tail wheel, pitot tube etc. (15 parts)
Light-grey letter A tree holds: the fuselage, individual propeller blades, spinner, air intake, tail wheel, pitot tube etc. (15 parts)
Light-grey letter B tree holds: wings, elevators, landing-gear legs, wheel doors etc. (14 parts)
The tan resin parts consist of: main wheels, dashboard, deck, seat, cockpit side walls, landing gear compartment, floor (38 parts)
There are 2 vacuformed canopies.
There is no pilot figure included. Plastic parts have minimal engraved detail. Some resin parts need their pour lugs removed.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.