In Box Review of Frog 1/72nd Scale Bristol Beaufighter NF1, F6C or TF10
Kit no. F191
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
My kit has a copyright date of 1969. I paid $1.50 for it back then.
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
My kit has a copyright date of 1969. I paid $1.50 for it back then.
HISTORY:
The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter (often referred to simply as the "Beau") is a multi-role aircraft developed during the Second World War by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in the United Kingdom (UK). It was originally conceived as a heavy fighter variant of the Bristol Beaufort bomber. Upon its entry to service, the Beaufighter proved to be well suited to the night fighter role, for which the Royal Air Force (RAF) initially deployed the type as during the height of the Battle of Britain, in part due to its large size allowing it to accommodate both heavy armaments and early airborne interception radar without major performance penalties.
As its wartime service continued, the Beaufighter was applied to many different roles; receiving the monikers Rockbeau for its use as a rocket-armed ground attack aircraft, and Torbeau in its role as a torpedo bomber against Axis shipping, in which it came to replace the preceding Beaufort. In later operations, it served mainly as a maritime strike/ground attack aircraft, RAF Coastal Command having operated the largest number of Beaufighters amongst all other commands at one point. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) also heavily used the type in the maritime anti-shipping role, such as during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.
The Beaufighter saw extensive service during the war with the RAF (59 squadrons), Fleet Air arm (15 squadrons), RAAF (seven squadrons), Royal Canadian Air Force (four squadrons), United States Army Air Forces (four squadrons), Royal New Zealand Air Force (two squadrons), South African Air Force (two squadrons) and Poskie Sily Powietrzne (Free Polish Air Force; one squadron). In addition, variants of the Beaufighter were also manufactured in Australia by the Department of Aircraft Production (DAP); such aircraft are sometimes referred to by the name DAP Beaufighter.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Heavy fighter/ strike aircraft
Manufacturer: Bristol Aeroplane Company
First flight: 17 July 1939
Introduction into service: 27 July 1940
Retired: 1960 (Australia)
Primary users: Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force
Produced: May 1940 – 1946
Number built: 5,928
Developed from: Bristol Beaufort
The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter (often referred to simply as the "Beau") is a multi-role aircraft developed during the Second World War by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in the United Kingdom (UK). It was originally conceived as a heavy fighter variant of the Bristol Beaufort bomber. Upon its entry to service, the Beaufighter proved to be well suited to the night fighter role, for which the Royal Air Force (RAF) initially deployed the type as during the height of the Battle of Britain, in part due to its large size allowing it to accommodate both heavy armaments and early airborne interception radar without major performance penalties.
As its wartime service continued, the Beaufighter was applied to many different roles; receiving the monikers Rockbeau for its use as a rocket-armed ground attack aircraft, and Torbeau in its role as a torpedo bomber against Axis shipping, in which it came to replace the preceding Beaufort. In later operations, it served mainly as a maritime strike/ground attack aircraft, RAF Coastal Command having operated the largest number of Beaufighters amongst all other commands at one point. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) also heavily used the type in the maritime anti-shipping role, such as during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.
The Beaufighter saw extensive service during the war with the RAF (59 squadrons), Fleet Air arm (15 squadrons), RAAF (seven squadrons), Royal Canadian Air Force (four squadrons), United States Army Air Forces (four squadrons), Royal New Zealand Air Force (two squadrons), South African Air Force (two squadrons) and Poskie Sily Powietrzne (Free Polish Air Force; one squadron). In addition, variants of the Beaufighter were also manufactured in Australia by the Department of Aircraft Production (DAP); such aircraft are sometimes referred to by the name DAP Beaufighter.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Heavy fighter/ strike aircraft
Manufacturer: Bristol Aeroplane Company
First flight: 17 July 1939
Introduction into service: 27 July 1940
Retired: 1960 (Australia)
Primary users: Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force
Produced: May 1940 – 1946
Number built: 5,928
Developed from: Bristol Beaufort
THE KIT:
Frog was a model company based in the UK that went out of business. Their molds then went to the Novo company in Russia, who also has gone out of business.
This kit came in a tray and lid type box that has the tray hinged to the lid. It was not shrink-wrapped, but held shut with strips of tape.
The box art shows a Beaufighter attacking a U-boat.
The aircraft is in at wave pattern of dark green and grey over a sky type S undercarraige. The fuselage code is black ED (roundel) L. It has a red serial no. NV427 under the elevators.
One side panel of the box has 4 color box arts of other aircraft kits that Frog marketed: a Me-410, a Avro Shackleton, a Westland Lysander and a Lockheed Lightning. No kit numbers are shown and I assume they are all to 1/72nd scale.
The other side panel lists features of the kit in 6 languages, including English. Each is labeled with a color illustration of the roundels or marks used by the countries that speak those languages.
There are 8 more color box arts of aircraft kits around the sides of the kits tray: a Hawker Hurricane, a DeHavilland Mosquito, a Avro Lancaster, a Macchi MC202, a Fokker D21, a Northrop Black Widow, a Douglas Bomber (type ?), and a Hawker Sea Fury.
The bottom of the box has three 2-views of schemes:
1. A NF1 night-fighter version of Flight Lt. John Cunningham, No. 604 Squadron, 1940-1941 (14 kills). In overall black with grey fuselage code NG (roundel) R and light grey cowling fronts.
2. A F6C fighter-bomber version of P.O. DW. Schmidt, No. 227 Squadron, Malta 1942. In a wave pattern of dark-green and earth over light grey undercarraige. It has the fuselage code in grey of (roundel) Z and a serial no. EL236 in red under the elevators.
3. A TF10 version of Coastal Command No. 235 Squadron. In a wave pattern of dark green and grey over a sky type S undercarraige. The fuselage code in black is EO (roundel) L and a red serial no. NV427 in under the elevators.
Frog was a model company based in the UK that went out of business. Their molds then went to the Novo company in Russia, who also has gone out of business.
This kit came in a tray and lid type box that has the tray hinged to the lid. It was not shrink-wrapped, but held shut with strips of tape.
The box art shows a Beaufighter attacking a U-boat.
The aircraft is in at wave pattern of dark green and grey over a sky type S undercarraige. The fuselage code is black ED (roundel) L. It has a red serial no. NV427 under the elevators.
One side panel of the box has 4 color box arts of other aircraft kits that Frog marketed: a Me-410, a Avro Shackleton, a Westland Lysander and a Lockheed Lightning. No kit numbers are shown and I assume they are all to 1/72nd scale.
The other side panel lists features of the kit in 6 languages, including English. Each is labeled with a color illustration of the roundels or marks used by the countries that speak those languages.
There are 8 more color box arts of aircraft kits around the sides of the kits tray: a Hawker Hurricane, a DeHavilland Mosquito, a Avro Lancaster, a Macchi MC202, a Fokker D21, a Northrop Black Widow, a Douglas Bomber (type ?), and a Hawker Sea Fury.
The bottom of the box has three 2-views of schemes:
1. A NF1 night-fighter version of Flight Lt. John Cunningham, No. 604 Squadron, 1940-1941 (14 kills). In overall black with grey fuselage code NG (roundel) R and light grey cowling fronts.
2. A F6C fighter-bomber version of P.O. DW. Schmidt, No. 227 Squadron, Malta 1942. In a wave pattern of dark-green and earth over light grey undercarraige. It has the fuselage code in grey of (roundel) Z and a serial no. EL236 in red under the elevators.
3. A TF10 version of Coastal Command No. 235 Squadron. In a wave pattern of dark green and grey over a sky type S undercarraige. The fuselage code in black is EO (roundel) L and a red serial no. NV427 in under the elevators.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 4 medium-grey parts trees, individual medium-grey wing halves and cowlings, a clear tree, a red tree, instructions and a customer assistance coupon.
The 1st medium-grey tree holds: exhuast pipes, crew figures, fuselage half and elevator halves (9 parts)
This kit contains 4 medium-grey parts trees, individual medium-grey wing halves and cowlings, a clear tree, a red tree, instructions and a customer assistance coupon.
The 1st medium-grey tree holds: exhuast pipes, crew figures, fuselage half and elevator halves (9 parts)
The 2nd medium-grey tree holds: torpedo halves, main wheel halves, machine guns, propeller, seats, pitot tube, dashboard, antenna, landing gear compartment doors (17 parts)
The 3rd medium-grey tree holds: a propeller and propeller shafts, air scoops, tail wheel, cockpit floor, landing gear legs and struts, more antennas, rockets etc. (25 parts)
The 4th medium-grey tree holds: other fuselage half, bulkhead, elevator halves (6 parts)
The engine and cowlings were loose in the box.
The clear parts tree holds the cockpit canopy and other parts (4 parts).
The red tree holds the display stand parts (3 parts).
The instructions, decal sheet and customer service coupon completes the kits contents. Parts trees are not cello bagged.
The instructions, decal sheet and customer service coupon completes the kits contents. Parts trees are not cello bagged.
The trees are not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions. However, they do have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees.
The instructions consist of a single sheet printed on both sides in 9 1/2" x 12 1/2" page format.
The face side of the instructions begins with international assembly symbol explanations in 7 languages, including English over 8 assembly steps.
The reverse side of the instructions has TOP MODEL TIPS in English, German, Italian, French, Swedish and Dutch, with illustrations showing how to do those tips.
This is a nice older kit.
Recommended
I purchased my kit years ago at a local hobby shop that went out of business.
The instructions consist of a single sheet printed on both sides in 9 1/2" x 12 1/2" page format.
The face side of the instructions begins with international assembly symbol explanations in 7 languages, including English over 8 assembly steps.
The reverse side of the instructions has TOP MODEL TIPS in English, German, Italian, French, Swedish and Dutch, with illustrations showing how to do those tips.
This is a nice older kit.
Recommended
I purchased my kit years ago at a local hobby shop that went out of business.