Roden 1/48 RAF BE 12b
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Introduction
The RAF BE12 family of aircraft developed with significant changes from
the BE2 models. According to J M Bruce, it was intended as a single-seat
and more powerful version of the latter. It was not, according to Bruce,
a “.. kind of panic-stricken conversion of the BE2c hurriedly cobbled
together..”[DF].
The 12b variant of the BE12 was powered by the 200 HP V-8 Hispano-Suiza
engine entailing a very noticeable nose job. The air-cooled RAF4a V-12
has a distinctive air-scoop while the water-cooled Hisso is fronted by
a flat radiator.
The Kit
 Roden
introduced the Be12b 1:48 scale kit in mid 2006. It consists of light
grey plastic parts on six sprues, a sheet of decals, and a small sheet
of clear acetate parts. The sprues host a few parts that do not belong
to this kit – these are clearly denoted in the instructions.
The instructions are mainly graphic, supplemented with text in Russian,
English and German. A correction is supplied on a small chit of paper
– careful as you rip into the box! Colours are called out with Humbrol
numbers.
Paint schemes are suggested for 3 prototypes – C3094 flown by
Lt W E Watt of No 76 Sqdn, C3152 flown by Capt N H Dimmock of No 141 Sqdn,
and C3114 of No 75 Sqdn. C3094 also appears on the back cover of the Datafile
[DF]. Decals are supplied for two insignia schemes and the three numbers.
Subjectively Speaking...
I cut out the main parts from the sprue in order to test for fit, and
to check for accuracy in dimensions.
The plastic is just the right consistency neither too soft, nor too
brittle. Molded details are quite good for the most part. Flash is almost
negligible, and there were no sinkholes or mold marks to worry about.
Each wing is molded as a single piece with integral ailerons. The surface
rib effect is very realistically done – Roden is to be commended
on their restraint! The bottom wing centre section serves as the bottom
of the fuselage and the floor of the cockpit. Some of the cockpit interior
has to be built up on the wing centre section before offering up the whole
assembly through a cut-out in the fuselage halves. The centre section
has a good snug fit in the fuselage halves. This design gives a good strong
frame on which to build the rest of the model.
 The
span of both wings is correct at exactly 37 feet (scale), but dos not
match with the GA drawings in the Datafile which are smaller by about
1/8 inch. After some checking I concluded that the drawings in the Datafile
are reproduced to the wrong size.
The contours of the wing tips do not match the Datafile GA drawings
but I can't say for sure which is wrong – the kit or the GAs.
The nose area consists of six parts with very little of the engine exposed
– in fact there is no engine visible except for the jacketed cylinder
heads – I can hear the wails from the AMS afflictati corner.
I did not test-fit the inter-plane struts and the top wing (sorry, it
is not easy!) and hence cannot comment on the accuracy of the inter-plane
gap or stagger or the dihedral. All struts do fit into locating wells
in the wing or fuselage.
The fuselage appears to be the right dimension, but the cockpit opening
does not match the Datafile GA in contour as well as length.
 The
tail-fin and rudder are separate pieces. The tail fin has two tabs that
locate into slots at the fuselage joint- very useful. However neither
rudder nor tail-fin matches the Datafile GAs in contour and size. Further,
if you were to use the hinge tabs and slots to locate the fin, it would
end up too high.
The most glaring error however is in the tail plane. It is too wide,
too deep, and has square-cut tips reminiscent of the BE12’s predecessors.
They can however be corrected without giving up their anchoring tabs –
cut off the excess styrene from the leading edge, the trailing edge, and
rake the tips to the proper angle – or just replace them with scratched
parts.
The kit provides two 112 lb bombs each assembled from 12 pieces, mounted
under carriers assembled from 5 pieces each! There are 2 Lewis machine
guns with 6 drum magazines, mounted over the wing in a twin-mount configuration
– details abound! Other goodies include flare holders, wing-tip
protector skids, 2-piece wheels (a separate hub cover with a hole for
the nozzle), and a fine pitot molded to the strut. Unfortunately there
are no photo-etch parts – even the control horns are styrene –remedied
by sanding them down or replacing with after market PE products.
 After
the build you are left with four LePrieur rockets, four 25 Lb bombs and
other not-so-useful spare parts.
The rigging instructions appear to be mostly correct, except for a couple
of discrepancies. The BE12b had double flying wires in both wing cellules
– the instructions show single wires in the outer cellules. Secondly,
on the tail plane, the forward bracing wire to the leading edge of the
tail-fin is not evident in some of the photos in the Datafile –
suggesting that you may wish to leave it off depending on which specific
aircraft you decide to model.
Conclusion
I do not have much experience with kits (Sanjeev mainly scratchbuilds
- Ed.), so I cannot reliably compare it with your ‘average’
kit. Overall the kit appears to be easy to build with no fitting or alignment
challenges. The kit has enough of fine details to make a decent out-of-box
model, though the kit offers many opportunities for super-detailing.
A well designed kit with great surface details. Some irritating shape
problems.
Thanks to Roden for the kit.
References
[DF] Windsock Datafile 66 – RAF BE12/a/b by J M Bruce, Albatros
Publications
[HARE] Aeroplanes of the Royal Aircraft Factory by Paul R Hare, Crowood
Press
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