Airfix/MPC 1/72 Beagle Basset

AIRFIX/MPC 1:72 BEAGLE BASSET 206

Reviewer: Name (rec.models.scale)
Kit Review submitted: 21 May 2005

Kit Details:

Kit: Airfix / MPC Beagle Basset
Rating: Good

Aircraft History:

The Beagle 206 was one of a number of designs by George Miles. The Beagle Company (short for British Executive and General Aviation Ltd.) was an amalgamation of Auster and F.G. Miles of Shoreham. The prototype of the new twin engine design, known as the B.206X, made its first flight on August 15 1961. A five/six seater powered by two 195kW (260hp) Continental IO470 engines, it was considered too small by its creators, and the design grew into the B.206Y with 230kW (310hp) Continental GIO470 engines, greater wing span, a larger cabin with increased seating capacity, greater fuel capacity and increased weights. This allowed it to meet a Royal Air Force requirement for a communications aircraft capable of transporting a V bomber support crew. Twenty were ordered for this role in place of the originally planned buy of 80, selected in preference to the de Havilland Dove. In RAF service the B.206 was designated the CC.1 Basset. Basset deliveries began in May 1965.

The Kit:

One of Airfix’s older classics from a bygone era. In this day of short run oddities; this is up there with the best of them. An excellent kit of it’s time, and a sorely missed one today. The Kit is actually very good with a bit of flash here and there. The windows are standards of the period being thick and hard to work with, though the windshield fits very well; an Airfix problem with most of their models. It comes with a decent interior with full panel and yokes along with 4 seats. Right on par with MPM kits that aren’t upgraded. The MPC release has the gimmicks of the 70’s such as transparent plastic prop disks and a modular stand that can be used to create a true mobile of MPC planes. With a bit of work and extra detail this can build up to an exceptional model.

Building the Kit:

Starting with interior, The floor and aft bulkhead and instrument panel were glued to the right side fuselage. The whole interior was painted in a medium gray. I decided to open the door (No it doesn’t come that way) on the left side. This is a touchy area as the upper window frame is very thin, I chose to glue the 1-foot thick armor window in prior to cutting. (This is where Airfix’s soft plastic is really helpful) After the door was removed, I sanded the whole door assembly to a more realistic thickness starting with 150-grade sandpaper and ending with 800 grade before finally polishing the whole with toothpaste. (Use plain toothpaste and not the fancy ones) Then it was soaked in future and set aside.

While this was drying I moved on to wings. (The wingtips do turn up, this is not a mold problem, I almost messed up here not paying attention) The wings go together well, but now is the time to do any wheel well detail as it’s pretty hard to do once their together. They are both in top and bottom halves with the nacelle molded integrally, with no detail but large lugs to fasten the gear to. Finish is raised rivets, though not that pronounced with the flaps and ailerons recessed and well defined. The Fuselage has some alignment problems and needs a fair bit putty along all seams. (Fit in all the weight you can as this is a real tail sitter) With the door cut open fitting the interior after the fuselage is together is a breeze, otherwise best to fit it beforehand. The gear goes to together easy with the nose tire and strut as one piece and the mains with separate tires. I cut the mains down a bit, as test fitting them showed it would sit tail in the air. Fitting the wings needs a bit of filler around the roots and this is difficult area to get into with the nacelle so close. The engine noses fit with just a touch of filing to smooth out. I chose to drill out the exhaust and fit new ones made of hollowed out sprue. Do this before fitting wings together the tail planes are now fitted and the kit is pretty much done.

Photo Credit: Believed to be - Jimmy Guthrie - Prestwick, Scotland

This is a good picture of the entrance stairs and the cargo door

Painting & Decals:

The interior was masked off and door taped on from the inside, the aircraft was painted overall gloss medium gray (Walmarts Pewter Gray is a very nice match for this and USAF gray planes; besides it’s only 99 cents for a large can). When dry the top half of the fuselage was hand painted with Testors gloss white, this needing a step down just forward of the front side windows to match the decals. This was the MPC version (The Airfix version is Red and White with black trim). The instructions tell you to use Silver and White, DON’T. Silver should be Gray. The MPC decals go on well and snug down with Micro Sol. The blue stripe will have to be cut into pieces to fit around the serial Number and the roundel as these sit on a white patch that breaks up the line. I just fitted them on full than cut out the spaces afterward. Take a look at the decal sheet, you don’t find these anymore, gives you the option for a flame and stripe painted custom aircraft. Only an American Manufacturer would put an Iron Cross and the Union Jack together on a British Plane. Last the deicer boots were hand painted with a ¼ inch brush and thinned out flat black paint. All the wheel wells, doors and gear are painted silver.

Detail Assembly:

Wing tip lights were added on with a small bit of superglue than painted the appropriate colors, then the landing lights were added. (these needing a bit of filing to fit right) The upper and lower navigation lights were added from bits of red sprue. Finally the upper antenna and lower towel rack added.

Recommendations:

Overall I enjoyed building this model and it looks neat alongside my other trainers.

This is one of Airfix’s classics, Not the easiest to build, but definitely worth the trouble. If only Airfix would release their hidden classics with new decals and hopefully better clear pieces.

web hosting • domain names • video sharing
free online games • photo sharing
free blog • short URLs