Hobby 2000 72003 - 1:72 Beaufighter Mk. VIF 307 Polish Night Fighter Squadron

1:72 plastic model kit of the Bristol Beaufighter Mk.VIF

Hobby 2000 72003 is a self-assembly model of the Bristol Beaufighter Mk.VIF night fighter – the version powered by uprated Hercules engines and fitted with improved airborne interception radar. The whole release is devoted to a single subject: the aircraft of No. 307 Polish Night Fighter Squadron, the only Polish night fighter unit in the RAF.

The kit is based on Hasegawa plastic. Hobby 2000 has added resin exhaust stacks, which capture the distinctive Mk.VI exhaust arrangement far more crisply than injection moulding allows, together with self-adhesive masks for the canopy glazing.

The waterslide decal sheet printed by Cartograf covers two options: aircraft EW-R, serial X8005, flown by F/O Gerard Ranoszek and S/Sgt Jerzy Trzaskowski in October 1942, and aircraft EW-V, serial EL146, from September 1942.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues (Hasegawa tooling)
• Resin exhaust stacks specific to the Mk.VI version
• Self-adhesive masks for the canopy glazing
• Waterslide decal sheet printed by Cartograf for 2 marking options
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:72
• Catalogue number: 72003
• Manufacturer: Hobby 2000
• Assembled model length: approx. 175 mm
• Assembled wingspan: approx. 245 mm
• Skill level: intermediate

Note: The kit does not include glue, paints or modelling tools. The model is intended for self-assembly.

Assembly:

Assembly follows the pattern of other twin-engine kits in this scale – the engine nacelles and the tail surfaces need the most attention. The resin exhaust stacks should be separated from their casting blocks with a razor saw or fine blade, sanded flat on the mating surface and attached with cyanoacrylate glue. The cockpit and the radar operator's station are best finished before the fuselage halves are joined.

Night fighters of this period wore dark, matt schemes – typically Medium Sea Grey with dark green upper surfaces. Exhaust staining around the stacks is worth attention, as it contrasts strongly against the dark camouflage. Applying the decals over a gloss coat reduces the risk of silvering, and a satin varnish makes a suitable final finish.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling nippers for removing parts from the sprues
• Hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Cyanoacrylate glue for the resin parts
• Precision modelling tweezers
• Brushes in various sizes
• Modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Panel wash to bring out surface detail
• Gloss varnish for the decals and satin varnish for the final finish
• Decal softening solution

About the aircraft – Bristol Beaufighter:

The Bristol Beaufighter began as a private venture by Bristol, which reused the wings, tail and landing gear of the Beaufort torpedo bomber and added a completely new, short fuselage able to carry a heavy armament. The prototype flew on 17 July 1939 and the type reached squadrons a year later. Four 20 mm Hispano cannon in the lower fuselage made it one of the most heavily armed fighters of its day; in the fighter versions these were supplemented by six machine guns in the wings.

The roomy nose, free of an engine installation, proved to be an ideal home for the aerials and equipment of airborne interception radar. This made the Beaufighter the RAF's first genuinely effective night fighter and it played a key role during the night raids on Britain in the winter of 1940-41. In parallel, long-range versions were developed for Coastal Command for maritime patrol, anti-shipping strikes and convoy protection – roles it flew over the Mediterranean among other theatres. No. 307 Polish Night Fighter Squadron, known as the "Lwow Eagle Owls", was the only Polish night fighter unit within the RAF. It was formed in the autumn of 1940 and adopted an eagle owl's head as its badge – a reference both to the city of Lwow and to the nocturnal nature of its work. After a period flying Boulton Paul Defiants the squadron converted to the Beaufighter, on which it scored its first night interception successes over Britain, before later moving on to the Mosquito.

Original aircraft specifications (Bristol Beaufighter Mk.VIF):

• Length: 12.60 m
• Wingspan: 17.63 m
• Height: 4.83 m
• Take-off weight: approx. 9800 kg
• Crew: 2 (pilot and observer/radar operator)
• Powerplant: 2 x Bristol Hercules VI or XVI radial engines, approx. 1670 hp each
• Maximum speed: approx. 535 km/h
• Service ceiling: approx. 8000 m
• Armament: 4 x 20 mm Hispano cannon in the fuselage; in the fighter version additional 7.7 mm machine guns in the wings
• Range: approx. 2400 km
• Production: 1940-1945, approx. 5900 aircraft of all versions

About the manufacturer – Hobby 2000:

Hobby 2000 is a Polish model company based in Katowice that specialises in themed releases of plastic model kits. Its business model is built on cooperation with established kit manufacturers – the Hobby 2000 catalogue features plastic originating from Hasegawa, Fujimi, Dragon, Academy and Revell moulds, among others. This particular kit uses Hasegawa plastic. The added value of a Hobby 2000 release comes from newly researched decal sheets, its own assembly instructions and – in most aircraft kits – self-adhesive canopy masks included in the box as standard. The company is known for consistently choosing subjects that are poorly covered by the large manufacturers, with a particular focus on Polish and Eastern European stories. Releases are produced in limited runs, so sold-out items can be hard to find later on. For the modeller this means proven, well-developed tooling combined with carefully researched history and a generous choice of markings.