ICM 48355 - 1:48 Operation Gardening

Plastic model kit of the Handley Page Hampden bomber "Operation Gardening" in 1:48 scale

ICM 48355 "Operation Gardening" is a model of the British Handley Page Hampden B.Mk.I bomber combined with a set of five figures. The name of the set refers to the RAF's aerial sea-mining operations, in which Hampdens took part from the start of the war. Its characteristic narrow, slender fuselage earned this machine the nickname "the flying suitcase".

The model reproduces a detailed airframe with an openable bomb bay and rendered wing mechanisation. The included figures – three airmen and two ground-crew members – allow a complete bomber-airfield scene to be built.

What's in the box:

• Plastic parts for the airframe and interior
• Transparent cockpit glazing parts
• 5 figures: 3 aircrew and 2 ground crew
• Decal sheet for RAF camouflage marking options
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:48
• Catalogue number: 48355
• Manufacturer: ICM
• Assembled length: approx. 341 mm
• Wingspan: approx. 442 mm
• Contents: aircraft model + 5 figures
• Difficulty level: intermediate/advanced

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

Building the model:

This elaborate kit with a rendered interior and figures is recommended for experienced modellers. The cockpit interior is best painted and assembled before joining the fuselage halves. The openable bomb bay lets the rendered detail be displayed, so it is worth considering finishing it carefully.

The Hampden is typically painted in British RAF camouflage schemes with dark green and brown upper surfaces and a light underside. Decals are best laid over a gloss varnish to avoid decal silvering, with the whole finished in a satin varnish. The figures are best painted in the colours of early-war British aircrew uniforms.

Tools required:

• Modelling nippers for removing parts from the sprues
• Modelling knife or scalpel
• Files and sandpaper for cleaning up sprue-gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Fine modelling brushes
• Modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• A wash to emphasise detail

About the aircraft – Handley Page Hampden:

The Handley Page Hampden is a British bomber that entered RAF service in September 1938. It was notable for its very narrow, slender fuselage, which earned it the nickname "the flying suitcase". Initially used for daytime operations, it quickly proved an easy target for German fighters due to its weak defensive armament, so from December 1939 it was moved mainly to night operations.

One of the Hampdens' important tasks was aerial sea-mining under the codename "Gardening". The mines were referred to by the internal codename "vegetables" and the areas where they were laid as "allotments". These flights, carried out over waters off the enemy coast, brought results with relatively low losses compared with conventional bombing raids.

Original aircraft specifications (Handley Page Hampden B.Mk.I):

• Type: medium bomber
• Crew: 4
• Length: approx. 16.3 m
• Wingspan: approx. 21.1 m
• Powerplant: two Bristol Pegasus radial engines
• Maximum speed: approx. 410 km/h
• Service: RAF from 1938

About the manufacturer – ICM:

ICM is a Ukrainian model-kit manufacturer based in Kyiv, active since the 1990s. The company is known for elaborate aircraft models with rendered interiors, as well as military vehicles, cars and figures. Many ICM aircraft sets are supplemented with aircrew and ground-crew figures, allowing complete, display-worthy airfield scenes to be built.