Airfix 1/72 Bristol F2B Fighter

AIRFIX 1:72 BRISTOL F2B FIGHTER

Reviewer: Tim Beales (rec.models.scale)
Kit Review submitted: 3 March 2003

Kit Details:

BRISTOL F2B FIGHTER by AIRFIX in 1/72 scale

The Aircraft:

The Bristol Fighter appeared in the F2A form in 1916, and first entered service with the RFC in early 1917. Initial aircraft losses were quite high, mainly because of the poor tactics employed by the RFC, who were mistaken in assuming that the Bristol Fighter would be unable to withstand sharp turns. An improved F2B version arrived soon after the F2A was introduced, and the improved F2B version of the Bristol Fighter is considered to be one the best two-seat fighters of WW1. Over 3,000 Bristol Fighters were eventually built. After WW1, the Bristol Fighter continued to serve in the RAF in the army cooperation role in the Middle East and in India right up until as late as 1932. The Airfix kit is of a Bristol F2B Fighter flown by Major Andrew McKeever, who was the leading ace to use the F2B.

Kit Parts:

This kit is the latest reissue a much older Airfix kit in the "WW1 Fighter Classics" range. There are 33 kit parts moulded in Airfix's trademark light grey plastic. There was little flash to be seen on opening the packet, and all the parts were well moulded, with few sink marks or ejector pin marks on the wings for example.

Older boxings of this kit in Airfix guise

Instructions:

The kit instructions are on a single square sheet. In contrast to earlier Airfix protocol, the instruction sheet contains no potted history of the Aircraft, with the entire front of the instruction sheet taken up with modelling instructions in a stack of twelve paragraphs comprising the languages of the EU. The other side of the instruction sheet shows the construction stages in four sections, along with a painting guide with the colours given in Humbrol numbers.

Construction of the Kit:

This model is a good all round build, and is fairly easy, but beware that there are no painting guides given for the interior etc. The pilot and observer comprise of two half-bodies that are cut off somewhere near the diaphragm, and these cement onto two lugs that protrude from the fuselage halves. This is best done after the two fuselage halves are cemented together. Airfix also recommend cementing the slightly oversize Lewis gun Scarff mount before joining the fuselage together. I would advise to leave the attachment of the Lewis gun until the model has been completed, as you will undoubtedly knock it off during construction if you attach it at this stage, as Airfix recommend.

The above is the sum of the cockpit interior, so those wishing to do so will have to add further detail as desired. The first stage of construction ends by attaching the rear tailplanes, and after painting the assembly, the two long exhaust pipes that travel someway down the fuselage are attached.

The second stage of construction is to attach the single-piece lower wing to the fuselage, which locates via four raised pins into four shaped recesses below the pilot. The next phase is the relatively easy step of attaching the eight main wing struts and four fuselage struts. The Airfix struts are moulded to give the necessary 14-degree wing stagger if you take a bit of care and closely examine the struts before assembly. If you get them the wrong way round or mixed up, then you will be in for a fiddly job later on. The struts are individually located, and are not of the connecting bar type.

The third stage is to cement the top wing onto the struts that are attached to the lower wing, and to add the fully moulded engine unit and propeller. There is a bit of play in the location of the front cowling of the engine, and it is possible to cement it on slightly askew so that it is slightly off normal (OK, so I did it!).

The final construction stage is the undercarriage, which comprises of two vee-units, an axle, and two wheels. The undercarriage vees pass through holes in the lower wing to attach to locating points on the fuselage. this is a bit fiddly, but shouldn't provide too much of a problem. The model is finished off with a tailskid that locates into a hole in the lower fuselage.

Decals:

One set of decals is supplied for Major A. E. McKeever of 1917. That's all the details you get. The decal set comprises of two sets of two large roundels for the upper and lower wings, two side decals comprising a white "7" with two white diagonal slashes either side of the roundel, two white serial numbers, and two red, white, and blue rudder stripes. They are nicely done and in register, although the red and blue are not to my taste for RFC colours, and I prefer to use Pegasus roundels.

The basic Airfix painting guide recommends painting the upper surfaces in H91 (dark green) for PC10, and the lower surfaces in H103 (cream) for CDL. It also recommends painting the forward engine compartment and propeller tips in H27 (grey), with the wooden struts, tailskid, and propeller in H29 (RAF dark earth!).

Accuracy:

The Illustrated encyclopaedia of Aircraft states that span of the F2B was 39 ft 3 in and the length was 25 ft 10 in. My kit has a span of 16.4 cm and a length of 10.6 cm, which scales up to 38 ft 9 in and 25 ft 0 in, respectively.

Overall:

A virtually viceless biplane kit that has well stood the test of time. I always use a smidgeon of filler on the joints as insurance, but overall, the fit was very good. If one always remembers to paint all the parts of a biplane before assembly, you will have no problems with this kit, and it will go together well to make a great model. Notwithstanding that purists will, off course, reach for aftermarket products, I only rigged mine with Aeroclub stretch thread and it looks wonderful.

Related Reviews:-

Airfix 1/72 Bristol F2B Fighter (Richard Stracey)

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