1:48 Blackubrn Roc MkI

A turret fighter that could not keep up

The Blackburn Roc was meant to be a carrier fighter with a rotating gun turret instead of fixed machine guns in the wing. It was based on the Skua bomber, but the weight of the turret took so much of its speed that it stood no chance against the opponents of the day. It ended up in training, towing targets and on a very few patrols, which makes it one of the most interesting dead ends of carrier aviation.

The decision on a rare type

Kits of machines this marginal are short-run products, and that shows on the clear parts: they tend to be thicker and the frames engraved more shallowly than in mass production. That is exactly where the set does the most good, because the edge of the frame is set by the mask, not by the engraving. The second argument is availability: a type like this usually exists as a single kit, so there is nothing to choose between.

What you get

The glazing is covered from the outer as well as the inner side and two sets of national insignia are included. Carrier machines carried roundels on both wings and on the fuselage and with them colored bands, which the set does not deal with; for those the decals from the kit remain.

Building recommendation

The turret is sprayed separately and fitted last. Before sticking the film on, check whether the part has flash along the mold parting line and polish it gently if it does. A fine sanding sponge and polishing paste are the tools for that, after which the part is clear again. Only on a surface prepared this way does it make sense to lay the film, because on a matte trace left by sanding it does not hold as it should.