Buccaneer test frame exclusive and Italian aviation style

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.

When it comes to our Workbench blog, there simply is no let-up in the number of new project exclusives we unleash on our ever growing readership, as the product development wheels never stop turning here at Airfix. This latest edition is no exception, as this week, we return to one of the eagerly anticipated new tooling projects announced at the beginning of the year and a first look at test frame parts from the new 1/48th scale Blackburn Buccaneer tooling. In addition to viewing this crucial next phase in the ongoing development of a truly spectacular new kit, we will also benefit from the input of the kit’s designer as he explains what he uses these parts for, what he is hoping to see and what potential problems he needs to overcome during this vital stage of the project.

We will be following this with a look at an impending Vintage Classics re-introduction and proof that Italian style also extends to military aviation subjects. Without further ado, let’s get with a little Airfix Buccaneering!

New 1/48th scale Buccaneer is a parts monster

This computer rendered 3D image has been produced from Paramjit’s design files and has been used to illustrate the new model on-line and in the current Airfix catalogue.

The announcement of the latest Airfix product range at the beginning of the year provided modelling enthusiasts with confirmation of continued significant new tooling investment support for this famous hobby brand and several new projects which many of us will already be looking forward to getting our hands on. Although we will clearly all have our own particular favourites from this list of new kits, we knew from the positive reception our newly tooled 1/72nd scale Blackburn Buccaneer received back in 2019 that its big brother, our new 1/48th scale version, would be similarly popular, not just because this is a stunning scale representation of one of Britain’s most important post war jet types, but also because of its sheer presence - like the real aircraft, this kit is a bit of a beast! As the project moves one step closer to release, we are delighted to be bringing readers this exclusive update in the latest edition of Workbench.

Throughout the history of aviation, there has always been something particularly fascinating about the operation of aircraft at sea and the intrepid aviators who flew them. Most aviation enthusiasts can only imagine just how special it must be to have the talent and opportunity to pilot an aeroplane, dancing amongst the clouds in the realm of the gods, almost completely remote from the world below. Although undoubtedly a pleasant thought, that joy would prove relatively short lived if you knew the end of your flight would require you to land your aircraft on the relatively small deck of an aircraft carrier, positioned somewhere in a vast expanse of ocean. With fuel reserves potentially running low and knowing that everyone aboard your home carrier would be judging your landing performance, it is perhaps just as well that these high pressure situations are left to the professionals.

The undoubted respect we have for naval aviators has resulted in a fascination for the aircraft types they operated at sea and especially for Fleet Air Arm airmen whose home carriers didn’t really increase in size in the post war years, even though the aircraft they were flying most certainly did. For example, the deck of HMS Victorious was home to both the slow flying and highly manoeuvrable Fairey Swordfish biplane, as well as the mighty Blackburn Buccaneer strike jet, an aircraft which was significantly larger, much faster and over seven times heavier – being a naval aviator was definitely not an occupation for the faint of heart.

The Blackburn Buccaneer can trace its development history back to the 1950’s and the massive naval expansion programme undertaken by the Soviet Navy. With their intention to introduce large numbers of their new Sverdlov Class Cruisers into service, the Royal Navy were concerned that they would not be in a position to mount an effective defence against this new threat with their existing force alone. Simple economics dictated that Britain could not undertake a similar expansion programme of their own, so it was decided that a powerful new naval strike aircraft would be the answer, one which was capable of operating from existing carriers and possessing the ability to detect and destroy this new Soviet surface threat. The aircraft would be the first of its kind developed from the outset as an ‘under radar’ design and it would need to deliver excellent performance at low altitudes, in addition to having the capability to deliver nuclear munitions on their target, if required. Clearly, these parameters would place extreme demands on any such aircraft, however, all this would have to be achieved whilst operating from one of Britain’s diminutive aircraft carriers – this was going to have to be a very special aeroplane indeed.

Working under the strictest levels of national security, the favoured design was submitted by famous British naval aircraft manufacturer Blackburn and was initially referred to as the Blackburn Advanced Naval Aircraft (BANA), an acronym which would stay with the aircraft throughout its life, later attracting a somewhat predictable nickname of the ‘Banana Jet’. Although well versed in the production of naval aeroplanes, this project would be Blackburn’s first jet aircraft and the demanding operating and performance criteria they were working to dictated that the project would present them with many manufacturing problems, not least of which was the fact that the inherent strength and operability of the aircraft would require components to be worked from solid blocks of metal. The technology required to undertake this kind of work would usually be sourced from the US, however, the potential lead time if this was the chosen route would be an unacceptably long three years, so Blackburn set about producing their own bespoke machinery for the task. 

Clearly, producing an aircraft capable of withstanding the rigors of carrier operation and the stresses associated with fast, low level operations dictated that their new aircraft would have to be tough, but this strength would come at a design cost. Building in the necessary levels of strength and durability resulted in an aerodynamic penalty and the performance of the aircraft would therefore be compromised, nevertheless, what they eventually produced was a truly exceptional aeroplane. Their Buccaneer may not have been supersonic, but it was manoeuvrable, built like a brick outhouse and the most capable aircraft of its kind in the world – it also just happened to be the heaviest aircraft the Royal Navy had ever operated.

One of the world’s most capable naval strike aircraft, the Blackburn Buccaneer was designed to fly low and fast and to operate from the decks of Britain’s diminutive aircraft carriers.

On entering service, the Buccaneer provided the Royal Navy with a devastatingly effective strike platform, however, its operation depended on the expertise of talented airmen and their deck handling crews who were not intimidated at the prospect of taming this aviation beast and taking it to sea. In true British fashion, the Royal Navy saw no benefit in producing a dual control training variant of the Buccaneer, so pilots selected to fly the new aircraft would take their first flight in the aircraft as an observer in the rear seat. The first flight as pilot would therefore be their first Buccaneer solo, although they did have the reassurance of a qualified instructor in the seat behind them, providing verbal encouragement as they came to terms with this huge and complicated aircraft. Aware that this would be the case, the designers at Blackburn produced a roomy cockpit for the pilot and included many automated features, intended to reduce his workload. Despite this, operating a Buccaneer from the decks of a British aircraft carrier would challenge the capabilities of even the most proficient pilot and would be a proud boast for anyone who had this in their log books.

Although the Buccaneer was originally developed as one of the world’s most advanced naval strike aircraft, it would also go on to operate with distinction for the Royal Air Force, even though initially, they were less than enthusiastic at the prospect. Offered the Buccaneer as a possible replacement for their ageing Canberra fleet in the low level strike and reconnaissance roles, the RAF could see no further than the exciting prospect of operating the British Aircraft Corporation TSR.2 at that time, an aircraft which appeared to presented them with everything they were looking for. The high profile cancellation of the TSR.2 programme forced the RAF to look in the direction of the American General Dynamics F-111, but as this programme continued to have problems of its own, the British Government also decided to end their interest in this aircraft as well. With no other viable option available to them and a proven British built option basically being available ‘off the shelf’, the Government decided that the RAF would take the Buccaneer as their Canberra replacement, even if they initially felt the decision was somewhat forced upon them.

Entering RAF squadron service some seven years after it entered service with the Royal Navy, an initial order for 26 new aircraft was placed with Blackburn, with the RAF machines having a number of differences from their seaborne counterparts and designated S.Mk.2B. It was also decided that with the retirement of the Navy’s last big carriers, the RAF would inherit former Royal Navy Buccaneers, aircraft which would constantly remind their new owners of their strong naval heritage. It is interesting to note that the new aircraft ordered for the RAF would retain the folding wings and arrester hook of the original naval Buccaneers, as these features did not detract from the performance of the aircraft and they were extremely keen to avoid the impact of unnecessary re-development costs.

For an aircraft type the Royal Air Force were initially not particularly keen to take, the Blackburn Buccaneer would go on to prove an exceptionally capable machine in RAF service and by the time it was eventually scheduled for retirement, they were extremely reluctant to let it go.

Buccaneer test frame analysis - A designer’s perspective

A close up image of the weapons bay detail on the new 1/48th scale Buccaneer kit, one which has now gone through four stages of test frame analysis.  

We all know that the sight of test frame components from a new model tooling project represents a significant stage in the development of any new kit and is therefore an undoubted highlight of any edition of Workbench in which it appears and even though our blog has now shepherded quite a number of projects through this fascinating phase, we wanted to do things a little differently with Buccaneer. Working closely with the new kit’s designer Paramjit Sembhi, we have been allowed into his design world to discover why the receipt of first test frame components is such an important development and where they fit into the overall design timeline of the project as a whole. We specifically wanted to find out how long it takes from the first box of components arriving at Airfix HQ to a tooling being signed off for production and what work he has to do in order for that to happen? As you might imagine, this can be quite challenging work, with lots of responsibility placed on the shoulders of our designers and the wider Airfix team, so let’s find out a little more.

The first question we asked Paramjit was an obvious one, ‘What happened when you receive the first test frame parts from a new design you have been working on and what exactly do you need to check?’

PJ (as he is known to his colleagues) told us that when the first box of test frame components arrives at Airfix HQ, it is obviously quite a big day for the designer in question, but how excitement levels are raised amongst the whole team - it’s a big day for all. The honour of opening the box and being the first person in the UK to see the parts is exclusively reserved for the design lead on the project, but it also marks the start of a hectic and crucially important period of inspection, assessment and report compiling for them. In the case of the new Buccaneer, he told us that his test frame component box was rather a large one, so there could be no hiding place for him, everyone knew they had arrived.

The first and perhaps most important task in this entire process is to perform a thorough visual inspection of the parts, where he will be looking to see how the tooling has represented all the detail he incorporated into his design, general moulding effectiveness and how the frames of parts have subsequently been manufactured. Other concerns such as the quality of the plastic used, thickness of parts and feed gate issues must all be assessed and noted before he can even think about undertaking a full test build, the next crucial stage in this process. In essence, Paramjit described the initial box opening of test frame parts as the excitement a modeller feels when they inspect their latest kit purchase, a feeling we all know well. The only difference here is that it just happens to be a kit he has designed and one which the company has backed him to deliver on time and within budget - no pressure at all then PJ!

Paramjit went on to tell us that from the second he opens this first box of frame components, he keeps copious notes regarding all of his findings, no matter how large or small the detail. He told us that he has a project notebook set aside for this very task and will regularly add his thought to it, ensuring that nothing is overlooked when it comes to writing the official review document, which will be sent back to the toolmaker for adjustments to be made. As we might well imagine, this is a painstaking exercise and one which demands a high level of accuracy, so being organised really does go with the territory.

This next series of images feature an exclusive first look at the latest part frames produced from the new 1/48th scale Blackburn Buccaneer S.2 kit, highlighting the model’s impressive part count.

The next important task is to start building the kit using the supplied parts and will once again require PJ to keep a written record of all his findings, from changes he will request from the toolmaker, to thinking about the build order and modeller guidance he will need to include in the instruction booklet. Several full kit builds will be undertaken by him and his colleagues, in addition to several sectional builds until he his happy with what he needs to feedback, with things like part fit accuracy, detail representation and build order sequencing all being major considerations for him throughout this process. 

Paramjit told us that some of his colleagues have a slightly different way of attacking this stage, with some compiling their toolmaker reports, before moving on to start work on the creation of the instruction booklet, whilst he prefers to take screenshots of his design files and sequencing the build order as he progresses through his test build. This has the dual benefit of giving our Graphic Illustrator a little help when starting his own work and will also provide some build guidance for any of his colleagues deciding to tackle a test Buccaneer build for themselves.

At this stage, the complete test build will give Paramjit a pretty clear indication of how the new kit will go together and crucially, if any stages of his anticipated build order could benefit from changes, just to make construction a little clearer for the modeller. Once the first tooling report has been sent to the toolmaker for actioning, Paramjit can still use any remaining parts for further full or partial builds if there is anything he wants to check further - he might also ask one or two of his colleague to build the kit, just to have the benefit of their opinions.

With regard to the Buccaneer tooling, Paramjit did make quite a major build order change at this first test stage, as he found an easier way to sequence the construction of the wing and fuselage assembly, something which has made it onto the final instruction booklet and will be a more logical way to construct this section of the kit. At this stage and after assessing these first parts, he told us that his tooling report included a requested 160 tooling changes, across the five different tools which make up this impressive new kit. After sending off his report, all he has to do now is to wait for the next set of test parts to be delivered to Airfix HQ, before starting the entire process again, but in the knowledge that if everything goes to plan, there should be slightly less issues to concern him the next time.

Next, we asked Paramjit, ‘With regard to the Buccaneer, how many rounds of test shot evaluations would you expect to go through before signing the tooling off?’

He told us that the Buccaneer project is now at quite advanced and has actually now gone through four test frame assessment stages. The test frames we are looking at here are the latest samples produced and represent the current status of the project - only a handful of relatively small changes were fed back to the toolmaker following this latest round and the new 1/48th scale Buccaneer kit has now actually been signed off for production.

Of the four test frame stages already safely negotiated, Paramjit informed us that each one would be approached slightly differently by him, as knowledge and experience helps him to focus on the particular issues at hand and not to spend too much time going over details he is already happy with. The first test frames will clearly require the most work to be done, including several full and partial kit builds, but as the project progresses to the next and subsequent stages, if everything proceeds as expected, there will be less issues highlighted and the test builds will probably concentrate on specific sections, rather than requiring full builds. That is of course unless full builds are needed for display or marketing purposes, although for obvious reasons, the team usually prefer to wait until the tooling has been signed off, if builds are to be used for this really important purpose.

More new Buccaneer frame delights, as we feature some of the smaller components and the clear part frame.

Although something Paramjit told us is not cast in stone, the second test frame component stage might involve approximately 80% of the assessment intensity of the previous initial round, with the third and fourth rounds seeing further percentage decreases, as the majority of the points already raised have now been actioned by the toolmaker. For this latest fourth round of test frame inspection, Paramjit told us that his test builds were concentrated around the cockpit area and associated detail, as this is where the latest round of requested tooling modifications were directed, so assessing these sections of the kit were his primary concern.

The final question we wanted to ask Paramjit was regarding the length of time he spent on the Buccaneer project, from both a design and tooling validation perspective. He told us that the Buccaneer is a big project and the design phase took him almost eleven months to complete. Moving on to the tooling production phase, he said that this took him around 300 days to negotiate in total and from the receipt of first test frame parts to tooling sign off (which incidentally took place earlier this month), it took a total of 170 days. Paramjit did qualify this information by stating that for much of this time, the design files and tooling updates were being worked on by the toolmaker and in between assessing the various test frame stages, he was able to return to his current design project, one which is still to progress to this particular stage.

With the Buccaneer tooling now signed off, we can all start to look forward to adding this beast of a kit to our build schedules for later in the year and the sight of these latest test frame parts serve as confirmation that the kit’s intended summer release is still very much on track. Just to confirm, even though these images feature the latest and final test frame components, a number of small changes have been requested, so the actual production frames may differ ever so slightly from what we are seeing here.

What modellers can start to look forward to is a beautifully detailed scale representation of this famous British aircraft, a kit which includes plenty of build options for the modeller to consider, with a host of alternative parts and weapons options included. Once constructed, the model will have real presence on our display shelves and will be the fitting centrepiece of many a model collection. Featuring approximately 300 individual parts, the new Blackburn Buccaneer S.2 will be a significant addition to the Airfix range and one which will set new standards in this hugely popular, slightly larger modelling scale.

We would like to thank Paramjit for once again taking time out from his busy schedule to give us a further insight into his work and for giving us this latest update from the highly anticipated new Buccaneer kit. If we weren’t already planning a little Airfix Buccaneering time later in the year, this update might just have placed one on our modelling flightpath.

FIAT’s ‘Arrow’ is a Vintage Classics delight

You just can’t beat the nostalgia of a classic piece of Roy Cross artwork and the one which graces our Vintage Classics FIAT G.50 kit is a real stunner.

Possessing a heady combination of Airfix modelling nostalgia and the eye-catching artwork of Roy Cross, something which was responsible for attracting so many of us to this hobby in the first place, our Vintage Classics range continues to go from strength to strength, with these Airfix ‘Originals’ more than holding their own when vying for space on many a modelling workstation. With new ‘classics’ being added to the collection with each successive range announcement, we are delighted to be in a position to review the latest impending addition to this range and a kit which represents one of the less familiar aviation types from the Second World War era.

World aviation during the 1930s was a time of significant innovation, combining the search for ever faster aeroplanes with the very latest ground-braking technological advancement associated with metal monoplane designs. Perversely, this time would also witness the first flights of many an aircraft type across the world which could accurately be described as ‘Best of Breed’ designs in their own right, but with their impressive aviation credentials being overtaken by newer aircraft in a relatively short period of time, such was the pace of aviation technology back then. In Europe, aircraft types such as the Hawker Hurricane, Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Supermarine Spitfire were leading the way and as a consequence, usually command the majority of enthusiast attention, however, if we look a little further afield, we would see that the Italian aviation industry were quietly producing their own collection of classic fighter designs, including one which provided the Italian Air Force with several significant ‘firsts’, the attractive FIAT G.50.

During the 1930s, the FIAT Aviazione Company could boas one of the most accomplished design and manufacturing facilities in the world and desperate to maintain their position, established a new aircraft technical bureau with a remit to design a new breed of fast, all-metal monoplane aircraft for the Italian Air Force. They would later respond to a Ministero dell Aeronautica request for a new monoplane fighter/ground attack aircraft, submitting their G.50 design for consideration, but despite being selected for further development, this success was not without its frustrations. With Ministry officials constantly changing the specification and role profiles of the new aircraft, FIAT had some problems satisfying the ever-changing criteria, especially as they were also trying to incorporate many of the latest technical innovations into their design.

A Regia Aeronautica FIAT G.50 operating with a Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Bf 110 over the Mediterranean - Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-425-0338-16A.

This situation proved so challenging that at one stage, it looked as if the disappointing performance of the prototype aircraft might result in the cancellation of the entire project, but thankfully, all parties had too much invested in the new fighter by that stage, so production was authorised, but only on the proviso that issues identified on the prototype should all be rectified for production aircraft.

The new FIAT G.50 fighter was first shown to an expectant Italian public at the Milan Airshow held in October 1937 and highlighted the fact that Italy were definitely an aviation force to be reckoned with. Now named ‘Freccia’ or Arrow in Italian, the new fighter was powered by a 14 cylinder FIAT radial engine which was capable of pulling the aircraft to speeds approaching 300 mph and with an effective range of just under 300 miles. Crucially, it reassured the Italian public that with the clouds of war gathering, their air force would have the aircraft to repel any country foolish enough to attack their airspace.

Marking the aviation transition between biplane and monoplane technology, the FIAT G.50 is an important aircraft in Italian Air Force history, recognised as their first low wing, all metal single seat monoplane fighter. It was also the first Italian fighter to feature a retractable undercarriage and fully enclosed cockpit, although this feature would later be removed on the majority of production fighters, as it was not popular with pilots. Early versions of the FIAT G.50 fighter were hampered by a lack of range and when around 50 aircraft were sent to take part in the latter stages of the Battle of Britain, they were outclassed by the Spitfires and Hurricanes of the Royal Air Force.

The FIAT G.50 would be used extensively in North Africa and throughout the Mediterranean Theatre, where in the hands of a competent pilot, it could give a very good account of itself in combat. Used in the air superiority and bomber escort roles, the aircraft would also be used successfully for ground attack operations, where its rugged construction and low altitude performance came to the fore. By late 1942, the G.50 had been outclassed by it Allied opposition and remaining aircraft were relegated to second line duties and training support roles.
        
FIAT G.50 bis 352-1, 352a Squadriglia, 20° Gruppo, North Africa, 1941.

The basic core formation of Regia Aeronautica flying units consisted of squadrons (Squadriglia) which would typically have a strength of around nine fighters, with a further three aircraft in reserve, with two or three such Squadriglia combining to form and air group, or Gruppo. Two or three Gruppo could combine to form and air wing or Stormo, which will hopefully afford us a better understanding of Italian units when comparing them with wartime RAF unit structure.

Desperate to capitalise on the stunning successes of their German Allies, rather than maintain their air force for defensive duties, the Italians declared war against France and Britain on 10th June 1940 and hurriedly sent air force elements overseas to gain ‘battle honours’ on the back of the Luftwaffe’s dominance, however, when their forces came up against determined opposition, both their aircraft and the tactics they employed came under real pressure. This is not to say that Italian pilots were not both capable and brave, it was just that training doctrines in the immediate pre-war years did not equip fighter pilots for combat, embracing the strengths and weaknesses of their particular aircraft and adopting tactics accordingly. Instead, they trained endlessly in general airmanship and the skills needed to put on an effective aerobatic display for the Italian public, something they were rather good at. During combined operations with the Luftwaffe and operating from unfamiliar bases far from home, many Italian sorties were so poorly executed that it became apparent that their continued use would be futile unless they had the benefit of Luftwaffe fighter support.

Operating from bases in Belgium, the FIAT G.50 fighters of 20° Gruppo would spend six months in theatre during the Battle of Britain and stayed long after the rest of the Corpo Aereo Italiano had returned back to Italy. By the time they themselves flew back to their homeland, with some almost immediately moving on to North Africa, their involvement in the Battle of Britain had been ineffective to say the least and quite incredibly, did not result in combat with RAF fighters - indeed, they only sighted British aircraft twice during the entire six months.

When Italy entered the war, they already had fighter units operating from bases in North Africa, flying mainly FIAT CR.42 and the older CR.32 biplanes. Determined not to allow the Italians to reinforce and potentially gain a robust foothold in this theatre, the Royal Air Force almost immediately went on the offensive, initially pitting their Gloster Gladiator fighters against the Italians, which resulted in a biplane on biplane struggle for aerial supremacy over the desert. In fact, the North African campaign would witness some pretty savage aerial fighting at that time, with the Italians acquitting themselves well and with the blue desert skies witnessing Italian airmen scoring the majority of their aerial victories during WWII.

These full scheme details show just how attractive the presentation of this Italian monoplane fighter was and how it would make a stunning addition to any built model collection.

Following their withdrawal from Belgium and their ineffective contribution during the Battle of Britain, the FIAT G.50 fighters of 20° Gruppo were sent to North Africa to help shore up losses and combat a British offensive which was threatening to overwhelm Italian forces both on the ground and in the air. Despite these reinforcements, it was only when German forces were sent to theatre that Axis fortunes began to improve, eventually resulting in excellent collaborative air operations being undertaken between Regia Aeronautica and Luftwaffe units, with Italian fighters proving effective when asked to provide protection for Stuka strike formations.

Despite this change in fortunes, the situation would ultimately prove short-lived, as Allied forces needed to take North Africa in order to launch their amphibious invasion of Italy and attack the Axis forces from their so called ‘soft underbelly’. Flooding the theatre with the resources of war, North Africa was eventually lost to the Axis powers and from an Italian perspective, the state of their air force at that time said much about their general disorganisation. Despite the fact that new fighter aircraft were now in service, the pace of manufacture and introduction was so pedestrian that many of the aircraft abandoned in North Africa at that time were the older FIAT G.50 and similar looking Macchi 200. This was despite the fact that the new Macchi C.202 Folgore (Thunderbolt) had proven to be the best fighting aeroplane in North Africa, but they were simply too slow in introducing enough aircraft to make a telling difference.

From a modeller’s perspective, the aircraft which saw service with the Regia Aeronautica may not be some of the most famous aircraft types of the Second World War, but they are undoubtedly amongst the most attractively presented. When operating in home skies, or over the wider Mediterranean and North African regions, the stunning schemes applied to Italian aircraft have made them hugely popular modelling subjects over the years and this beautiful FIAT G.50 is certainly no exception. An example of a fighter deployed to North Africa following the unit’s chastening experience during the Battle of Britain, this 20° Gruppo fighter was engaged with the Allied aircraft of the Desert Air Force and a conflict which at that time was quite evenly matched.

The FIAT G.50-bis was an upgraded variant of the initial production aircraft, one which benefited from the addition of greater fuel carrying capacity, thus extending the relatively modest range of its predecessor. Around 420 of this variant would eventually be produced, which has to be considered one of the most attractive aircraft types of the Second World War, a real aviation stunner.

Keep an eye out for this little beauty, as it is due in model shops everywhere by the end of April. Fancy a little classic Airfix modelling project this summer?

This latest addition to the Vintage Classics range is a kit which first appeared in an Airfix range back in 1967, but has been a popular model ever since. Featuring beautiful artwork created by that master of Airfix illustrations Mr Roy Cross, this cracking little kit should be available in model shops during April and will make for a really attractive early summer build project and perhaps an unusual, if extremely attractive addition to our built model collections.   

That’s all we have for you in this latest edition of Workbench, but we will be back as usual next Friday with more modelling news, updates and exclusive imagery from the fascinating world of Airfix. If you have any comments in connection with the blog, or would like to suggest a subject to be covered in a future edition, please do drop us a quick line using our workbench@airfix.com e-mail address. The Airfix team would be only too pleased to hear from you.

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The Airfix Workbench Team