The Little World

With apologies to Peter Sellers…

The 500 lb bomb that the BT 1 is carrying is the first resin-cast weapon I’ve encountered. It is very encouraging, though I generally refuse to pay aftermarket prices for accessories. But the fit of the fins and their cross-pieces is superb. It is almost a pity to bury it under a layer of olive drab.

And that’s a surprise to me. The olive drab of the US bombs. I can fully accept it for the ones that they fitted to the USAAF B-17 and B-24 bombers for use in Europe. I mean, it was the army – if it moved, salute it, and if it didn’t, paint it olive drab. And there were different olive drabs and innumerable variants in appearance once weathering and sun had started to modify the paint. That’s an argument for Britmodeller and the rest of the anoraks to snarl over.

I’m just surprised that the US Navy did not insist on Navy Blue or Navy Grey bombs. Or bright yellow. I mean, it isn’t like they were hiding them in camouflage under trees…every bomb a plane carried was aboard a ship and it would have been an advantage to see it before you tripped over it. Hence bright yellow or orange would have been a toe-saver for the ordnance men. When it was launched and on the way down to the IJNS AKAGI the colour would not have been an issue. Guys, it’s a bloody bomb…

Finally admire the cockpit details as they are developing. Say what you will about Czech kits ( and I can lease you a number of short words that you may wish to use… ) but when their parts fit they do look good. Getting them to look good as the fuselage closes up is another short-word matter.