AIRFIX HANDLEY PAGE O/400,1967
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'BLOODY PARALYSER!'
THIS truly classic Airfix production dates from 1968 and, apart from a tired and yellowed decal sheet, our example is in near mint condition. All the parts are bagged in polythene although the greater majority are still retained on their runners. Moulded in dark green with a small number of crisp of transparencies, this was the first ever 1:72 scale plastic kit of a genuine British WWI bomber and a bold marketing decision by Airfix for the time. Aside from a few issues regarding wing rib treatment, this kit provides an accurate and highly detailed set of parts to produce a superb model of the 'Bloody Paralyser' and our kit is a first generation moulding with the original box art by Roy Cross depicting the bomber being attacked by a swarm of Fokker Triplanes-memorable in its own right. We have just the one kit available at present..
GROUND-breaking for its time, the Airfix WWI Handley Page O/400 was certainly an ambitious venture: producing such a complex kit of an early biplane bomber, amidst so many WWII and better-known subjects, was high-risk strategy and an expensive investment. With over 165 parts all crisply moulded in dark green, the O/400 was accurate in outline in comparison to factory drawings-but not a model for the novice. Our example is the very first issue from December 1968 with Pattern Number 590 on its original box with Roy Cross' memorable artwork, one of his very best even if the attacking JG I Triplanes struck an incongruous chord-an unlikely scenario that was repeated in glorious CGI for the 2008 German movie The Red Baron!
All contents are in near mint condition with the majority of parts still retained on their runners -the few detachments having been gathered up and sealed in polythene (as have all parts) including transparencies.
Kit reviewers of the day were mostly complimentary but there was criticism by more learned pundits concerning the heavy-handed treatment of upper-surface wing ribs with raised lines beneath:drop-in panels to aid rigging was a poor design choice making it impossible to disguise the joint lines. The large SN bomb was also overscale. That said, Airfix did a great job of breaking down the complicated airframe into reasonably well-designed sub-sections with an interior especially well-rendered featuring fuel tanks;112lb bomb cells; realistic planked floor sections; pilots' cockpit and gun positions. Fuselage was broken down into four main sections to form a box structure 'just like the real thing' which eradicated the usual chore of removing central joint lines. Engine nacelles, undercarriage units and all struts were finely-moulded as were the airscrews, whilst the three Lewis guns and crew figures are still some of the best ever included in a 1:72 scale WWI kit. Missing elements included trailing edge wing fold webs; aileron and elevator control horns and a number of fuel lines-all easily dealt with by the modeller.
Decals provide early and late small diameter roundels and rudder flashes for C3491 and D5429.
*HP SOURCES!
We have a couple of recommended titles for the Handley Page on site for those seeking to delve a little deeper. There's Volume 1 of DATAFILE 116 with its many rare photos; 1:72 scale plans; 1918 O/100 handbook sketches; and three colour profiles.*Also a two page article with tips on improving the kit in Volume 18,No.3 of WINDSOCK International-both these currently available in store-please see links below.
