Tamiya 1/48 Bristol Beaufighter TF Mk.X

TAMIYA 1:48 BEAUFIGHTER TF MK.X

Reviewer: Stephane Marignac (marignac@worldnet.fr)
Kit Review submitted: January 2000

Photo credit: Stephane Marignac

The Kit:
It is a new boxing of the previous Mk. VI offer by the same manufacturer. An additional sprue covers the tail spine, radar nose an torpedo installation. Panel lines are recessed and finely engraved. Some minor flaws are noticeable such as the exhaust rendition which is well below the Tamiya standard, and the transparencies which are having a disagreeable magnifying effect, thus wasting all your efforts to enhance the cockpit detail level. Let’s be clear, this one is another nice shot from Tamiya, for a nice plane. The cockpit level of details is really sufficient and allows to make an outstanding model straight from the box. The assembly is really easy, using modular sub assemblies allowing you, for instance, to have the landing gear plus landing gear well being assembled separately and added at finishing stage. Forget the putty tube, a careful blank fitting followed by careful sanding/polishing will lead to perfect joint. One shortcoming of the general excellent accuracy of that model is that the tail flaps actuators have been placed over the tail surfaces, when they should be placed undersides on the real plane. Nothing very bad that a good piece of plasticard and some etched sprue can’t fix. Both pilot and gunner figure are provided.

The kit allows you to make either an earlier model Mk. X, lacking the spine and radar nose, or a TF Mk. X, torpedo type. The various Mk. X versions are having specific weapons arrangements such as : when the Torpedo is selected, it can’t bear rockets (even if the pylons are presents, but not wired for actual shooting). On the other hand, a type rocket equipped can’t shoot a torp’. This is crudely explained the basic differences between Torbeaus and Flakbeaus. Most of the time there were, on a strike, half of the planes torpedo equipped and the other half rockets or bomb equipped to suppress the air defences around the main target.

Another interesting particularity of that kit is that it is containing all the necessary parts to make an Australian Mk. 21, or even a TT. Mk. X target Tug (providing you can find accurate documents about that type).

Instructions and Decals:
As usual wiht that company, instructions are very efficient, explaining what goes where and when, according to the version you elected to represent. Painting references are given in the Tamiya range only, using sometimes hazardous mixes that can be found available ready to use from some other ranges.

Decals are the usual Tamiya standard, a bit on the thick side, but nothing that trimming and liberal application of Micro Set/Sol can’t solve.

Two options are offered, for planes being Extra-Dark Sea Gray over Sky.

First plane is a Mk. X from Coastal Squadron 236, in 1944. The plane is coded MB-T (orange-yellow lettering, outlined in white), and wears invasion stripes on both upper and under wings, as well on fuselage. This particular plane was a Torbeau, and therefore is lacking the rockets.

The second is a TF Mk. X, and is the famous QM-F, from Coastal Command Squadron 254. This one can be either bombs or rockets armed. It is having two white/red fine stripes around the fuselage, next to the tail. Fuselage lettering is red, while the large lettering “RD 351”, sported inversed, under each wing, is black. If retaining that option be sure to check rocket pylons installation before decaling since the rocket launching rails are to be installed after decaling.

Anyway, several aftermarket companies such has Cutting Edge or Aeromaster have been releasing decals sheets for the Beau, and the choice will be yours.

Documentation:
There is, in fact plenty of it :

First, you can check the various reviews on this web page, and there are a number of other reviews on other modelling web sites. There is also a web site devoted to the Beau history and operators, so a bit of looking around should give you some info.

On the books/magazine side :
Used for this building :

French Magazines
Replic, issue #71, July 1997
WingMaster, #2, January/February 1998

Scale Aviation Modeller International :
Volume 3, issues 9 and 10, September and October 1997
Volume 4, issue 8, August 1998

These are only the most useful sources, since there is a lot available on the type, such as the Squadron “in Action” entries and so on.

Assembly:
This model was an anticipated Christmas present from my wife, and therefore, she added the resin detail set from KMC, as well as the Eduard photo-etched set. As said previously, the Tamiya kit is very complete, but higher detail level can be achieved.

The first part of the business is to enhance the cockpit and gunner area. The KMC kit fits like a dream. If you don’t use it, you will have to at least add the seat’s harness, from aluminium foil. In fact, I added a lot of details which won’t be seen after fuselage halves gluing : using the various sketches and photos included in the above mentioned Issues of SAMI. The most important are as follow : throttle handles made out of etched sprue, one end being put close to a lighter flame, to obtain a round handle. Four of them are made, 2 being painted yellow, 2 painted red. The sketch is showing that a frame in front of the throttle block is limiting the handles run, it was rendered by a small piece of etched sprue bended to shape.

The KMC offers gives the whole side structures of the cockpit, as well as floor, pilot seat, instrument panel and the front end of the heating system. Several fuse boxes and wire are added, especially on the left fuselage side and aft of the pilot seat, in front of the inner armoured doors. These are cut open to allow more light to come in the fuselage (I’m afraid I have to say I wasn’t very successful at that) and replaced by the photoetched ones. Two large horizontal handles are added upward of the crew entry hatches, and two strengtheners, made of etched sprue and plasticard are positioned diagonal, running from the top of the armoured doors to the sides of the entry hatch.

The gunner seat is coming from the kit and just has seat belts added. Most of the etched brass set is used for that part of the kit. After completion, the whole lot is painted UK In terior Green from the Aeromaster acrylics range. Then come several drybrushes, ranging from Dk. Slate Grey to light grey to raise the details. Boxes, wires and control stick handles are painted black. The instrument panel is sprayed black, and all the fine raised needles in each dials are drybrushed white. A drop of gloss clear is added to render glazing. This is the moment for a celebration pint, watching closely what you’ve been doing, since when the fuselages halves will be closed, you’ll be the only one to know it is here.

During the drying of the fuselage halves, all the transparent part are masked and sprayed interior green. Some blank fits of the pilot hood show that the addition of the sides consoles lead to small use of putty around the glazing and nose sections.

At that moment, you have to choose either the spine or regular configuration, in my case, it was the regular. Wings are next added, after drilling of the necessary holes. A slight gap appeared at the wing/fuselage right joint and was quickly filled using etched sprue glued in place and sanded flat.

The engines can be dealt as separate sub assemblies. The scheme I retained had the famous invasion stripes on wing and fuselage, and these were painted at that time. First, the white is sprayed in the global area of application, in three fine successive layers. Masking came after, using Tamiya tape. If this operation is quite easy on the wing, it is a bit harder on the fuselage, due to the conical shape of it. One good thing is that these stripes were often crudely applied, without any masking, and sometimes, even using a broom to spread paint.

While all of this is allowed to dry, the engines and their cowling are next dealt with. The Beaufighter has, as most Bristol engined planes, a dark copper ring around the front cowling. Having elected to make a Beau from an Australian Coastal Command unit, this particular plane has the left engine having a white and natural metal ring, while the right one is the usual copper shade. Inside of the cowling is Interior green. The Copper shade is obtained from the new metallic tints from Tamiya, and these are really fine.

Engine cylinders are painted bronze, still using the new Tamiya shades, and next slightly dry brushed with Testors Polished Steel. The propellers and their reducers are black, dry brushed with Polished steel.

Tail horizontal surfaces are next added; the flap actuators are scrapped from the upper surfaces, their emplacement being sanded flat. They’re replaced on the under surfaces, being made out of a small platiscard triangle and etched sprue.

Before going to the paint shop, invasion stripes are masked, and the transparent hatch atop the pilot seat is temporarily fixed in place using Patafix, as well as the front entry hatch, underside.

Painting:
The North Sea rough climate conditions exacted a heavy toll on the plane paint, and they sustained a high rate of operation, often flying very low over water. The Sky is first sprayed, in a single fine layer. Some panel centers are sprayed with the same hue lightened with white, while some other are sprayed with the same hue reinforced with a drop of yellow. At least, some other are polished to alter the hue. Last, each panel line is sprayed free hand with a mix of highly diluted Sky, in which a drop of black is added (actually, just the tip of a #4 brush).

Next came the Extra Dark Sea Grey, using the same procedure as for the Sky shade. The whole model is then sprayed Gloss Clear to help decal adhesion.

Photo credit: Stephane Marignac

Decalling:
As said previously, the retained scheme is for an Australian plane, operating with the Coastal Command Squadron 455, and is coded UB-E. The motives are coming from Aeromaster sheet 48341.

Decaling went smoothly and quickly, using the now common Micro set and Sol, from Microscale. After decal completion and an overnight drying, a second light coat of Gloss Clear is given, thus allowing reduction of potential silvering.

Weathering is made using, first a juice of Sienna oil paint diluted in Turpentine, which is applied in panel lines by capillary effect.

(Important note : when using a “juice” to weather a model, be sure that the mix you’re using is not miscible with the paint you’ve been using for your model : if having use some Humbrol paint and varnish, then use Acrylics diluted in water or alcohol. On the other hand, if your model is painted acrylics, use Turpentine or White spirit, if your using either oil paint or Humbrol. In any case, your model must be varnished prior to juice application)

On the underside, using black pastel powder, exhaust and canon stain are made, placing the pastel powder with a brush, and gently wiping it with a tissue or finger. On the upper side, oil stains, around the engines, are applied, using Tamiya X-19 Smoke. The model is then varnished flat clear. Upper side weathering is then continued, using various shades of pastel powder, ranging from grey to flesh shade (don’t laugh, flesh is turning, when reduced in powder, to a very light beige colour, nice to render dust or abrasion of paint.). The fact is that these pastel shades are applied after flat varnishing, since they’re totally absorbed by the varnish, while black and brown are reinforced by it.

Photo credit: Stephane Marignac

Finishing the Beast:
Landing gears modules are added, the upper part of the legs being black, while the rest is aluminium. These parts received a veil of X-19 to render oleo fluids leaks. An aerial is made, using etched sprue. The crew entry hatch is glued in place, bent in a slightly forward position and the forward torpedo pylons are “fatened” by two small pieces of plasticard.

Conclusion:
Gee !! is all you have to say to Tamiya-san. That model is the nicest rendition of a famous WWII bird, impressive in size and detail level straight from the box. Mr. Super-detailer, who I am sometimes (let’s say a model out of three !) has room for improvement.

If you have enough room in your loft, then jump on it. The possible versions in the same box are another good point, and you should jump on that one if it appears to your local retailer.

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