Lots of new aftermarket for Revell 1/32 Beaufighter on the way

[Sage the Owl]

I'm not familiar with this companies products but they came up in my Facebook feed yesterday.

They have a wide range of 3D resin printed accessories for various 1/32 aircraft including a lot of stuff for the big Revell Beau.

Some is already available whilst others should be vailable later this year.

Here's the text of their post.

"We're very close to releasing our first of two Bristol Beaufighter observer's stations intended for the classic Revell 1/32 scale Bristol Beaufighter model kit. This first release represents the early radar-equipped NF Mk.I and NF Mk.II nightfighter station. This early radar operator's station is equipped with drum-fed Hispano-Suiza 20 mm cannons and Airborne Interception (AI) Mk.IV radar.

The next release represents the late observer's station for Mk.VI day fighters, TF Mk.X maritime strike aircraft and Australian Mk.21 Beaufighters which were equipped with bin-fed cannons, a reinforced seat stand for the observer and some other detail and instrumentation differences.

Final early radar operator's station detailing and design tweaks are being completed this week. Test prints are scheduled for the weekend.

Below are some renderings of the design. The first two renderings show the radar operator's station paired with the pilot's cockpit and intra-spar equipment bay ahead of the observer's station. Together, they form a very large model. The cockpit and equipment bay will be sold separately.

Some of what you see below will change a bit.

Cockpits for early and late Beaufighters, dihedral tailplanes, radar equipment, and a torpedo are available now."

See more at https://www.model-monkey.com/scale-32

Edited June 12, 2022 by Sage the Owl

[Kagemusha]

Mr Monkey started a thread in the Vendors Board promoting his wares three years ago, here. There are an awful lot of very talented producers posting their products in there and the sponsors forums, folks should venture South and take a look!

[Maxim61]

Model Monkey makes some real nice 3D printed parts. I've used many of his parts on warships.All his stuff is nice.

[LSP_Mike]

This is likely one of those kits that people have had, let go, reacquired, traded...etc. we may see an uptick in builds of this classic kit.

[Woody V]

21 hours ago, Kagemusha said:

Mr Monkey started a thread in the Vendors Board promoting his wares three years ago, here. There are an awful lot of very talented producers posting their products in there and the sponsors forums, folks should venture South and take a look!

 

TRUE. Very few people ever look at posts there. 

[morane]

Model Monkey products are indeed splendid. What I regret is that he did not produce a correction set for the cannons, on the model their positioning is wrong and their representation is awful.
The correction is not easy to do. If a correction set was made I am sure to buy the other sets to make my old lodéla "Beau" 
 

[Kagemusha]

43 minutes ago, morane said:

Model Monkey products are indeed splendid. What I regret is that he did not produce a correction set for the cannons, on the model their positioning is wrong and their representation is awful.
The correction is not easy to do. If a correction set was made I am sure to buy the other sets to make my old lodéla "Beau" 
 

 

Maybe with time, and a bit of encouragement.

[npb748r]

I have been checking and waiting for the rear station set to come out - it was due last year but I'm guess the Rona got in the way. Have been sitting on my beaufighter for ages, looking forward to building it with these parts.

[Model_Monkey]

Thanks for the kind comments!

 

Click here for test print photos of the large parts.  Teaser:

 

 

This project, and Model Monkey generally, was badly impacted by Covid-related supply chain issues and serious international shipping disruption significantly delaying it and many other projects, too.  But we're in the home stretch, now.

 

Thanks for your patience!

 

This is the first of two observer stations to be released over the next few weeks.  This is the early radar operator's station, with drum-fed cannons, spare ammo drums and racks, and AI Mk.IV radar equipment.  The next release will be a late observer's station, with bin-fed cannons, reinforced seat stand, and other detail differences.  The parts you see in the photo above are generally common to both early and late variants.

 

The two prongs and small lip you see at the front of the floor help mate this model with a detailed cockpit and intra-spar equipment bay available now.

 

Regarding a correction for the Revell kit's cannon ports, that would be a problematic design and I am not sure that 3D-printing is the best solution.  The cannon ports on the Revell kit are located on a very large part that includes the lower forward fuselage and lower wing and engine nacelles.  A direct replacement part would be very costly because of its size and very difficult to design and print in a way that will fit the Revell kit well.  The part is so large that a corrected 3D-printed version of it might not even fit within the build-space of any of the three 3D-printers I have.   A smaller part intended to replace just a portion of the large Revell part would require some challenging kit surgery by the modeler to install it, perhaps too challenging for most modelers.  Products that require major kit surgery tend to sell very poorly, sometimes even not at all.  The market prefers products that are as close to drop-fit, replacements for inaccurate kit parts as possible.  So unless there is very significant market demand, I regret that I am going to pass on a cannon port correction part.

 

I do regret that I am not able to correct all of the Revell kit's deficiencies.  But the kit does have some excellent merits and hopefully, the two Model Monkey cockpits, dihedral tailplanes, and torpedo that are available now, and the two new observer's stations to be released very soon, will go far towards improving the popular, classic Revell kit.

 

Cheers and  thanks again!

Edited June 13, 2022 by Model_Monkey

[morane]

Thank you Model Monkey for this precise answer, it is always interesting to understand the technical problems related to our requests, and I understand very well that all productions must be economically viable.
Now all I have to do is think about how to proceed with this improvement myself! 
 

[Kagemusha]

2 hours ago, morane said:

Thank you Model Monkey for this precise answer, it is always interesting to understand the technical problems related to our requests, and I understand very well that all productions must be economically viable.
Now all I have to do is think about how to proceed with this improvement myself! 
 

 

X 2!

[Rob Colvin]

Was wondering...... are you going to do the thimble nose and the vertical tail fillet/strake/extension (what ever you call it lol)?

 

thanks

[Model_Monkey]

Hi  Rob,

 

I hope to design a thimble nose.  It will be a while before I can get to that project.

 

I regret to say that there are no plans for the tail fillet/strake/extension seen on some late Beaus.

 

After the Beaufighter observer stations are done, the next project in the queue is a cockpit for the classic Bandai 1/24 scale Shiden Kai.

[Rob Colvin]

thanks....24th Shiden Kai very cool!

 

Rob

[Steve Eagle]

I have used the pilots station already for this bird. Wonderful work. Had the fuselage together when the observers station was announced-of course! I think I will be able to use my modeling skills- don’t laugh y’all- to incorporate this addition when it is released. This aircraft deserves these additions. It has sadly been underserved over the years. Thanks to Model Monkey.