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Alistair Gauld
104 articles

Airfix 1/72 Bristol Beaufort Mk.1

April 23, 2023 · in Aviation · · 32 · 584

This is a kit that is a joy to build, yes, even the canopy.

I wanted to do it as a Mk.1a and chose a scheme from 217 Squadron, RAF Luqa in 1942.

Aftermarket: Kitsworld Cockpit Decals, Look IP, CMK Resin Brownings and Brassin Wheels.
Rigged with Uschi Van Der Rosten Standard Line

Primed with Neutral Grey and Gloss Black for the metal bits.
Painted with :
Colourcoats Dark Slate Grey, Extra Dark Sea Grey, Azure Blue, FAA/RAF Yellow and Interior Grey Green.
Tamiya Rubber Black, Flat Aluminium, Gun Metal, Desert Yellow, Semi-Gloss Black and Flat White.
Xtreme Metals Steel, Burnt Metal and Jet Exhaust.

Washed with Flory Dark Dirt, Citadel Nuln Oil and a mix of Burnt Umber and Burnt Sienna mixed in lighter fluid.
Some oil filtering with Windsor and Newton White, Black, Paynes Grey, Cerulean Blue and Ochre Yellow.
Finished with a tinted coat of Windsor & Newton Matt and Satin varnishes.

Thanks for looking,

Cheers,
Alistair

Reader reactions:
14  Awesome

14 additional images. Click to enlarge.


32 responses

  1. Fantastic work Alistair and real nonetheless !
    I have a soft spot for the Beaufort and 1/72 scale.
    I wanted to ask what is the base and metal you have the model on held upside down ?
    Looks interesting and reusable for keeping fingers and smudges off models.

  2. VERY well done, smooth paint, crisp canopy lines, nice flat finish.

  3. What an amazing and stunning build! Mine is on the work bench, almost finished - yours is truly absolutely pristine, wonderful to look at, Alistair @alistairfgauld!

  4. Also, respect because quite frankly this kit is not as easy to build as the Airfix Mosquito or the Beaufort. It has all these tiny parts, it's quite complex!

  5. Definitely a beautiful Beaufort, Alistair @alistairfgauld
    It looks very impressive with that torpedo attached.

  6. A wonderful result out of the good Airfix kit, Alistair. The finished model looks awesome!

  7. This is really nice, Alistair (@alistairfgauld). Great work and a super result.

    Thanks for the reminder I have to get my 1/48 ICM kit out once I have the house reorganized now that it's all a "man cave."

  8. A real beauty - nice work!

  9. Well done, Alistair. I agree about the kit. Mine was fun from start to finish too.

  10. Great model, Alistair (@alistairfgauld), especially in the naval camo. I don't know why this plane is so appealing, but I have 2 unbuilt kits in 1/72, and another 2 in 1/48. After seeing how well yours came out, I think I need to start moving mine up the build queue. Cheers.

  11. Beautiful looking Beaufort, Alistair!
    Very nice work on this great looking kit.
    My Dad was 9 yrs old in ‘42 and he and his friends would go between airports in the south part of Malta and watch the planes take off and land.
    I’ll ask him if this bird looks familiar 😉

  12. It’s always good to see a completed Airfix kit, especially when it’s as nice as this one.

  13. Nicely done Alistair, she's a beauty!

  14. That's a real beauty! Fantastic work on this. I may have to pick up one of these Beauforts - looks like a great kit.

  15. Nicely done Alistair, good looking scheme.

  16. Great conversion for mark Ia! How did You modify turret?

    • Thanks Lis,
      The turret is in the kit as well as the tropical filters and the clear loop aerial housing.
      Airfix may have been planning a Mk.1a themselves.
      The only real work needed was to swap out the vickers guns for brownings, drill a hole in the nose for the gun there and make up an aerial from brass rod.

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