1:72 AIRFIX BRISTOL FIGHTER, 1956
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BIFF!
Airfix have produced a number of quality WWI aircraft kits over the years initiated by this fine Bristol Fighter. 32 parts,plus display stand, provide a pretty accurate model of the wartime 'Biff' with restrained surface detail and refined 'struttage'. Our kit comes with extra parts from later mouldings with somewhat over-enthusiastic upgraded surface details that make for interesting comparisons... Other bonus items include three decal sheets, one being of more recent vintage with alternative markings.
CONTAINS EXTRA PARTS AND DECALS!
THE Bristol Fighter was the first WWI aircraft Airfix ever produced-their pattern No.1386 being released in 1956. It comprised 32 silver-grey parts and bore reasonably authentic surface detail as well as outlines being close to modern scale plans; only slight re-profiling of wings and tail-plane tips is required and mild reshaping of fin and rudder. Nothing major at all. Wing ribs were delineated by finely raised lines -no riblets though-on both surfaces with the horizontal tail similarly treated. Fuselage halves featured metal nose panel details with exhaust manifolds integrally-moulded leaving modellers to tack-on the separate long pipes. Struts were commendably thin as were the undercarriage legs and there were no tie-bars back then to aid assembly:we recall wing fitting was easy enough anyway and the instructions helpfully included a sketch illustrating the correct wing stagger.
Our kit is from one of the initial production runs and is complete save for the starboard tail-plane/elevator which has been replaced with that from a later kit revealing drastically re-tooled rib lines. The original 'tear drop' display stand is provided along with a decal sheet bearing markings of E2481 that mirrored those of the IWM WWI survivor when originally displayed at Lambeth. The paper header is in reasonable shape with minimal staple punctures and features typical period Charlie Oates' artwork.
EXTRAS! Our kit includes spare fuselage halves and wings from a later release with 'improved' detailing so you have a choice. Extra decal sheets are also supplied, one being from the 1987 re-boxing with accurate markings for Canadian ace Andrew McKeever's A-7288.
