Eduard 1/48 Bristol F2B Nightfighter By Will Hendriks

Background

The Bristol F2B, famously known as the Bristol Fighter or “Brisfit”, performed successfully as a fighter, bomber, reconnaissance platform, and nightfighter. The type entered service as a nightfighter most notably during September 1917 with No.39 (Home Defense) Squadron at North Weald. The F2B was very adept at its new role, bringing down several of the large Gotha bombers.

The Kit

This Nightfighter variant of the “Brisfit” comes in the new standard orange and gray trimmed box without the “Profipack” label. The kit contains four sprues of tan colored styrene sealed in two plastic bags and are identical to sprues of the earlier boxings. The sprues are actually engineered to lock together with integral pins and sockets to prevent chafing during shipping. A fret of photoetch includes colored seatbelts and rear gunner’s seat sling, as well as colored instrument dials. The fret also contains a well-rendered wicker seat, various gun sights and other hardware. Also included are two small sheets of Eduard Mask for the wheels and roundels (more on this later). A small sheet of clear acetate is included for the windscreen and belly panel. The instruction booklet is of the multi-step diagram type in thirteen stages. A folded sheet contains three-views in color of the four aircraft for which decals are provided: three aircraft from No.39 (H.D.) Squadron, and one from No 141 Squadron, finished in PC10 or NIVO over Clear Doped Linen.

All parts are very well molded with no flash or sink marks evident. The few ejector pin marks noticed are in areas that will be hidden after construction. The wings and tail surfaces have subtle rib tape detail and separate control surfaces. The interior is well fitted out, with a choice of pilot seats, a detailed instrument panel, Vickers gun, pumps, reservoirs and spare Lewis drums. Stitching detail adorns the fuselage halves on the outside, and longeron and stringer detail on the inside where visible. The engine detail visible through the various openings in the cowl is accomplished with parts containing some engine detail that blank the openings, a good compromise compared to a fully detailed engine compartment.

This kit appears to be all about choices. For example, the modeler can choose either the plastic seat provided, or the photoetch wicker seat. For the instrument dials, either decals or colored photoetch instruments can be used. Open or closed radiator shutters are provided, but only in styrene. Both long and short exhausts are provided, as well as a two and four-blade propeller, two styles of landing gear struts, and several different gunsight arrangements. Two Lewis guns are included just in case a twin arrangement is in order. The excellent bombs and fittings for the earlier kits are included but not used, and can be relegated to the spares box. Curiously though, items such as Holt flare brackets and navigation lights for the lower wings and rudder, which are unique to the nightfighter variant, are absent in this kit, so will have to be scratchbuilt by the truly obsessed. The Eduard Masks are of the new yellow type, similar in texture to Tamiya tape. The roundel decals in the kit are of the low-vis night type, that is without the white field in the center ring. The lower wing roundels were thought to have been colored, and the instructions allow you to choose whether this was white, PC10, or even pale blue as some sources suggest. Simply use the mask to paint the color of your choice, and apply the decal concentrically over this.

Conclusion

This kit illustrates the new Eduard approach to providing as complete a package as possible, akin to the “Profipack” kits of old, but the cost is the same. It is unfortunate that the far less expensive non-Profi versions of kits that have no photoetch (the popularly termed “Eduard Lite” kits), will no longer be featured by Eduard, as these were preferred by many who dislike working with photoetch or had a limited modeling budget.

Nevertheless, this kit looks to be very well crafted, and little trouble should be anticipated in its construction. Eduard kits are well regarded for their ease of assembly, fidelity of detail and accuracy, on par with the best that the mainstream Asian manufacturers can offer. Look for a full build article in a forthcoming edition of Internet Modeler.

Recommended.

Thanks to Eduard and Matt Bittner for the review sample.