The model
| Brand: | Tamiya |
| Title: | Bristol Beaufighter Mk.VI |
| Number: | 61053 |
| Scale: | 1:48 |
| Released: | 1997 | Initial release – new tool |
| Type: | Full kit |
IsraDecal – Israeli Air Force, IAF-74 with decals for the Bristol Beaufighter.
After the end of the Second World War, many machines were left over. At the same time, I founded a new state that badly needed its own air force. In order to make the task as challenging as possible, Israel had been banned from exporting weapons. Five Beaufighters were bought for the film sets, the planes were refurbished and 4 of them took off from England while the film cameras were rolling. It dawned too late for the English that the planes were not coming back. The machines remained in little use in Israel and the machines were decommissioned in the middle of 1949 after more than a year of use.
The model is Tamiya’s excellent series, TF Mk. X. This series is the only one that comes with an extended lateral stabilizer. The decals are a great product of IsraDecal. The own machine markings on the underside of the wing are painted, it would have also come as a transfer image, but it was easier to paint a few transfer images.
The wing machine guns are not in use by the IAF, so these are covered, including the shell ejection holes. For some reason the Israelis figured out to put bomb hangers in the wings. I haven’t seen this in other beaufighters and you could assume that the hangers were sloppy like the bombs. This is how it is in other IAF machines from the same era. These hangers came with the kit but were meant to be under the frame, with a little modification they fit the wings.
The only rubber parts were those porcupine exhaust pipes, Tamiya’s version has two parts and the bad smudge hits exactly between those “thorns” and is quite impossible to clean neatly. So Quickboost was able to offer a better option here.
The original can be found via this link