1:72 Fairey Battle (wet decals)

The bomber that came too late

In the mid-1930s the Fairey Battle was among the most modern British machines. All-metal construction, retractable landing gear and a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine were an enormous step up from the biplanes that came before. Within a very few years, however, fighter development had moved so far that a slow three-seat single-engine bomber stood no chance against contemporary fighters. During the fighting in France in May 1940 the units armed with the type suffered crushing losses, yet the crews went on trying to destroy bridges and columns even at the cost of almost certain destruction.

Five machines from different corners

The selection opens with an aircraft of No. 12 Squadron of the Royal Air Force from Binbrook in July 1940 and a machine of No. 103 Squadron from Benson in early 1939 in a combination of dark green, dark brown and black. Then follows an Irish aircraft with the number 92 converted for target towing, where one option carries a cartoon duck on the side, an Australian machine used at a gunnery school in 1943 and a Turkish aircraft with a red rudder, a white crescent and a star.

Painting and application

Prepare a smooth gloss surface under the lettering, otherwise the edges of the film would show through. The target towing scheme with bands around the wings calls for patience, because the motif has to line up on both sides of the lifting surface. Printing alone is supplied; obtain the plastic model separately. The Type A roundels on the fuselage and above the wings are of different sizes, so compare them with the painting diagram before soaking.