Bristol Bulldog
Being a fan of interwar aircraft, I snatched up this old Life Like kit at a contest a few years ago. A pretty ice kit with good detail, and the decals were still in good shape. I finished it with Tamiya and Model Master paint, added a PE seatbelt, and rigged with flat wire.
The Bulldog was a 1920s design, first flown in May of 1927. It's competition to meet Specification F9/26 was the Hawker Hawfinch, which was very similar. The Bulldog was selected over the Hawfinch due to a higher top speed and ease of maintenance. It was never flown in combat by the RAF, but the first aerial victory in the Winter war between Finland and the Soviet Union was credited to SSgt Toivo Uuttu on December 1, 1939 when he claimed a I-16 while flying a Bulldog. The Bulldog was also in service with Australia, Estonia, Latvia, Japan, Siam, Denmark, and Sweden. 11 of Latvia's Bulldogs eventually went to Spain where they were flown by the Republicans.
Douglas Bader lost both legs in the crash of his Bulldog while doing unauthorized aerobatics at Woodley airfield in December 1931. Of course, he was reinstated to flying status when WWII broke out and the rest is history.
Great looking biplane! @chasbunch
Nice work Chas!
Excellent job, Chas!
Hi Chas
That is a nice model and a very good rendition of the aircraft. Great finish as well. K2171 was originally allocated to No. 19 Squadron before being transferred to No. 32 Squadron. Unfortunately, in 1935 whilst on a ferry flight its wing detached and it crashed killing the pilot.
Thanks, Christopher. I wasn't aware of the fate of K2171 in 1935.
Great looking Bulldog, Chas @chasbunch
I do like those interwar schemes, very colorful.
@chasbunch - beautiful work and a great result. Hard to believe this kit is almost 58 years old - it came out originally in1966. Merit really outdid themselves, when you consider that this kit, the Firefly, the Fury and the Gladiator they did are also still around and can be made to look good - as you did here.
Tom @tcinla, are these Life Like models the same kit as those released by Impact and then Lindberg?
What a great little Bulldog, Chas. I'm a fan of inter War aircraft too. I wish there were more kits lile this avaliable. This looks like a pretty nice kit, you cretenly turned it into one if it wasn't! Beautiful job as always.
Nicely done Chas, great job on an old kit.
Nice work, Chas (@chasbunch). This elderly kit really came out well.
Wow! Really nice.
It's Incredible! It's Perfect! Well done and thanks for the great photos too.
I love biplanes Chas and yours looks excellent. Really good job. I like it.
🙂 ... Greetings ... 🙂 :
A very attractive build of the Bristol Bulldog, Chas.
Your work on the rigging is so convincing and well done.
great looking Bulldog Chas, got to love a biplane.
Great work! Never seen a 1/48 Bulldog. Yes Bader! What an i***t but also what fortutude!
That's a great model! Well done, Chas @chasbunch! 👏
Those Lifelike kits are not bad and it doesn't take much to make them outstanding, such as your model here. Well done!
They say you can’t teach old dogs new tricks but you’ve pulled off a nice trick with this old Bulldog.
Very nice work, Chas.
Thanks for the comments, Everyone. Merry Christmas!
Late to the party but just saw it. That's a really colorful piece there, great build and rigging. Those old Life Likes were something, for their day. MCAHNY.
Beautiful work! Very colorful markings as well - well done!
Chas, this is a drop dead gorgeous build! Great job.