The Little World

The more I looked at the AW Whitley in parts on the sprue trees, the more I got the feeling that I’d seen something like it before. The French inter-war bombers came to mind, but it was the awkward chin window that stick in my mind. Surely they didn’t think it was a good idea…Where had I seen such awkward glazing before…?

And then it hit me – the Bristol Blenheim I…and later the Blenheim IV. Both designs given over to tiny little panes of plexiglass in awkward frames. I cannot say how the clear parts were held in, but I suspect putty and triangular nails. I suppose we should be grateful that they covered the framework of the fuselage and wings with fabric and not thatching…

I am also amazed that such a large structure could be lifted on such small engines whirling such narrow propellors. I’m spoilt by building US planes with big multi-bank radials, but there has to be a lower limit to what is possible. Perhaps the Whitely was not tasked with climbing very fast or very high. Not being heavily armed either would leave you wondering if the lack of speed, range, defensive capability, and payload was used as a method of defence – just send the Germans detailed specifications and the Luftwaffe would either pull back out of range  – say to the French side of the Channel – or would be too sympathetic and embarrassed to attack them. The old ” crippled bird ” ploy.

Ah, but despite the perceived inadequacies, the Whitley did succeed and seems to have been able to operate from some of the early RAF airfields. Perhaps due to the large low-pressure tyres – they may have bounced up into a climbing attitude early in the flight. The Airfix kit has the squashed tyres that make for a good diorama.

The thrilling thing about this forthcoming build is that I have a new idea and technique to deal with the canopies, turrets, and other clear parts. I am currently trying it out with another model – if it proves sensible it will remove a major pain from the scale model workshop.