MPC Helldiver Courtesy of Jeff Selesky

I recently obtained a Classic British Kit in the form of the MPC release of the Curtis Helldiver. Of interest is the boxart with a very light colored border including a side shot of what is offered in the box. Yes, you can build a stock Airfix Helldiver, but also do a "Hot Rod" version with custom flame decals.

Inside the box is the standard Airfix 1/72 Helldiver, an instruction sheet, and a little tab offering "Moulded in England." Can you get any more CBK? What amazed me is that included in the box was a display stand with room to add more MPC/Airfix kits to it and a clear plastic disk to show your model in flight. Really cool.

Older modelers will remember that MPC re-issued several Airfix kits with custom decals, the Mig-21 being one. But for newer members of the CBK clan, this just might be interesting.

Airfix Westland Scout by Paul Bradley

Another of Airfix’s simple helicopter kits, this is a Series 1 effort from the 1960s containing 44 parts, plus a small decal sheet. The interior is basic, but does include a collective stick for the pilot – rather rare for a helicopter kit of this vintage! The engine is rather crude and will need a lot of pipework added to make it look like a convincing replica of the original. The small decal sheet offers two options, one for a British Army machine, while the other is one operated by Jordan. Like many of its stablemates, this kit is simple, but has all the necessary shapes and lines for a nice model to be built with a little effort.

Airfix 1/72 Jetstream by Paul Bradley

Here’s a kit that illustrates the perils of releasing a kit in anticipation of an aircraft entering service. The Jetstream was a popular British light business turboprop aircraft, still in service in some areas as the Jetstream 31/41 feederliner. IN the late-sixties, it was marketed as a utility/light transport military aircraft and attracted an order from the US Air Force for 11 aircraft as the C-10. This would be used as a 12-seat transport or 6-case air ambulance, but the order was cancelled before any aircraft were built. Interestingly, one of the pre-production Jetstream was marked in USAF colours and featured in the pilot episode the Gerry Anderson show, UFO.

While no aliens are included in the kit, there are two pilots in a reasonably detailed cockpit area, while the cabin features a set of stretchers attached to the sidewalls, and the rear cabin door, featuring a set of built-in air stairs, is separate.

Detail over the airframe consists of fine raised lines, with engraved lines for the control surfaces. The undercarriage is fair, but there is no detail inside the bays. The engine pods are separate and represent the Garrett turboprops that were to be fitted to this version.

One set of markings are provided, for a spurious USAF scheme – I don’t think I can salvage the ones included in my box…!

It would be possible, with a fair amount of work, to produce an actual Jetstream using this kit. For the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy versions, the engines would need to be replaced by the standard Astazou units used by these versions, and there are numerous detail changes that need to be made. I’ve seen it done, and was also impressed by Bruce Leyland-Jones “what-if” USAF gunship version, the AC-10, featured on the UAMF forum.

This is a good little kit and with a little work can be made into a nice model.

Frog Canberra PR.7 by Paul Bradley

Here’s another of Frog’s earliest offering, but surprisingly, this kit is still the only early Canberra photo-recce mark that’s ever been released! The Canberra PR.3 and PR.7 were slightly lengthened version of the B.2/6 airframes with extra room for cameras and photo-flash bombs. While we’ve been treated to new Canberras in recent years, including great kits of the later PR.9, no-one has produced either of these marks.

Typical of the period, this kit very simple, has a moulded in half-pilot and is covered with heavy rivet “detail.” There are just 21 parts including one-piece main undercarriage units. As was typical then, there are no undercarriage bays, just slots for the legs to fit into. The kit is rounded off with one of those classy Frog stands.

Decals are included for one aircraft, WH773. Amazingly, this aircraft still survives, at the Gatwick Aviation Museum, and is looked after by a well-known contributor to the Britmodeller forums!

This kit compares well when laid over plans and could, if so desired, make the basis of a good super-detailing project if combined with some aftermarket parts. The nose is better than the old Airfix kit, but it remains to be seen if a PR.3/7 conversion set for the new Airfix kit will be produced.

As I checked this kit for completeness, I noticed there were some extra bits. On closer inspection, I discovered that sometime during its life, the box had acquired a complete Heller Cadet-series 1/100 SO Trident. Bonus! While I don’t think Packer No. 8 had anything to do with this, I’d like to thank her/him for ensuring that all the CANBERRA parts were in the box!

Frog Sabre by Paul Bradley

This was one of Frog’s earliest plastic kit releases way back in 1955. This was at the height of the Sabre’s fame, just after the cessation of hostilities in Korea and during deliveries to the RAF as a stop-gap fighter while issues with the Hunter and Swift were being worked on. So it’s no surprise that this kit offers the earliest of RAF markings, for an overall natural metal machine. Aircraft delivered to the RAF were based in Germany, so quickly acquired a camouflage scheme of Dk Green/Dk. Sea Grey and PRU Blue. The simple decal sheet offers one set of markings with no indication of squadron.

A child of its times, this is a very simple kit with all the hallmark features of a kit produced as an early venture into this new market. There are just 14 parts plus a lead nose weight. Detail is extremely basic, with the cockpit being represented by the half-pilot moulded into the fuselage halves. The undercarriage is represented by simple one-piece mouldings that fit into slots under the wings and fuselage – no bays are present. The whole model is covered in huge rivets that would do the Clyde shipyards proud. These are thoughtfully discontinued in the places where the decals are supposed to go.

The kit is topped off with one of those stylish Frog stands with the sweeping arm and circular base, and the very neat nameplate decal to go on it. This is one aspect of these kits that should be re-introduced.

I haven’t measured this one for accuracy – what’s the point? It looks like a Sabre and it’s a great nostalgia piece!

By the way, if anyone has a copy of the Tri-ang Magazine advertised in the accompanying leaflet, I’d like to take a look!

Airfix 1/72 F-111A by Paul Bradley

Airfix released this kit in 1968, when the real thing was just entering service; hence the non-standard camouflage scheme featured on the dramatic box art and in the instructions. This shows the USAF fighter camouflage of the day, Light Grey over White, which was in the process of being phased out in favour of the SEA four-colour scheme.

This example is still in its original poly bag, and I didn’t wish to remove it at this time. The very pale blue parts feature fine raised lines for the majority of the detail, with neatly recessed lines for the control surfaces. Being an Airfix kit of the sixties, it is gimmicky, with pivoting wings of course, but also a separate crew escape module, “Just Like The Real Thing!”

Detail is sparse, with clunky undercarriage and a very basic interior, which includes two crew figures in the standard Airfix pose.

Decals are limited to a single option, 39766, presumably a pre-production aircraft with dramatic lightning flash markings on the fin. As mentioned earlier, this features a non-standard camo scheme for an F-111.

“Accuracy?” I hear you ask. I have no idea; I know nothing about the F-111. But I understand that the later, revised boxing wasn’t too bad, so I imagine this would make a fair early F-111. You could even paint and mark it as an F-111K, the abortive RAF replacement for the abortive TSR.2. That was official British Government policy in the sixties – develop an expensive weapons system, spend lots of money on it, cancel it, order a replacement that turns out to be equally expensive, spend a lot of money on that, then cancel that too. Then actually buy another system that’s half as capable as the original you were developing years before, at almost the same cost.

Here’s a kit that you don’t see built very often at all, but I think it would be quite an easy build and an interesting one in the colours and markings from the box. And what’s not to like about that box art?!

Airfix 1/72 Hudson by Paul Bradley

This kit was originally released in 1964, and is still current – in fact, it was re-released with new decals and box art in 2008! Mine appears to be an original 1964 release, and features the great silver plastic that Airfix used back then, along with the original style written and pictorial instruction sheet. In my box however, I discovered that the instruction sheet had only been printed on one side – the history, and painting guide were there, but the actual building instructions were missing! Luckily, someone at UAMF was able to send me their old sheet, correctly printed.

You’ll also notice the original decal sheet – I think I shall need to buy a replacement, eh? One option is provided in this boxing, for 206 Squadron, RAF. I think the codes should be in medium sea grey rather than white.

Interior detail is rather sparse, and although a full crew is included, these are very poor. The glazing is very thick, so it’s probably best just to paint the interior in black to discourage closer inspection!

Accuracy is rather poor, with questions asked about the shape of the cowlings, the size and shape of the undercarriage bays, the nose and the shape of the wings. This is one of those kits that should probably be built for the pure joy of building a kit, with a blind eye to accuracy! What is interesting is that while there have been newer, more accurate kits released of the Hudson, none is as easy to build as the Airfix kit.