Little known Bombay
VALOM
V
alom never cease to amaze me with
the diversity of their output. Their
latest release is the little-known
twin engine, high wing transport, the
Bristol Bombay. So if like me you need a
little background on the type, read on!
‘The Bristol Bombay stemmed from
Air Ministry Speciication C26/31 which
called for a transport aircraft also capable
of being use as a bomber. The prototype
Bristol 130 irst lew on 23rd June 1935 and
an order was placed shortly thereafter
for 50 machines to be known as the
Bombay under Speciication 47/36. For
a variety of reasons, production was
delayed and it was not until October
1939 that the aircraft entered service
with No 216 Squadron in Egypt.
Powered by 2 x Bristol Pegasus XXII
radial engines of 1,010 hp, the Bombay
had a ixed undercarriage and was
woefully lacking in armament with but
a single .303 in Vickers K machine gun
in each of the nose and tail turrets. It
could accommodate 24 troops or 10
stretchers or, alternatively, carry a load
of 8 x 250 lb bombs held on fuselage
racks. It was also used for deploying
20 lb anti-personnel mines, armed and
tossed out of the cargo door by hand.
No 216 Squadron operated the Bombay
as a bomber in the Libyan Campaign of
1940 and thereafter as a transport. Two
other Middle East units, Nos 267 and
117 Squadrons used the aircraft in the
air transport and casualty evacuation
roles at various times between 1940 and- Of note is that on 2nd May 1941, No
216 Squadron evacuated the Greek Royal
Family from Crete to Egypt and in July
1943 a single Bombay crew was credited
with lying 6,000 wounded troops out
of Sicily. No 1 Air Ambulance Unit of the
Royal Australian Air Force also operated
the aircraft in the Mediterranean Theatre.
The only UK-based unit to operate the
Bombay was No 271 squadron, reformed to
assist in the evacuation of British troops
from France between May and June 1940.
The Bristol Bombay was retired in 1944.
A total of 50 machines were built and there
are no known survivors.’ http://www.tangmere-
museum.org.uk/aircraft-month/bristol-
bombay
Missiles, manned
and unmanned
BRENGUN
A
s usual, this month
sees a diverse selection
of releases from our
friends at Brengun. First up in
1/72 scale we have the Russian
twin engined V1 look alike,
the Chelomey 16KhA (scaled
down from the earlier 1/48 scalerelease). Also, in 1/72 scale
we have the Ohka model- In 1/48 scale Brengun have
released the lethal looking
Me P1103 rocket ighter.
In the resin kits line we have
in 1/72 scale the RQ-7B Shadow
UAV and in 1/48 scale the rather
attractive Messerschmitt BfW
M-23 B, a 1930s two seat low
wing touring plane. A Czech
friend of mine is building
this kit at the moment and
I have to say I am tempted
to part with some money!Big Splash
SPECIAL HOBBY
T
he long anticipated Special Hobby
Short Sunderland in 1/72 scale is
due for release by the time you read
this. A decent kit is long overdue, the classic
Airix kit was covered in raised oversize
rivets and the newer Italeri version has rather
prominent engraved panel lines. Markings
options in this irst boxing will include
two British aircraft and a French option.
In 1/48 scale news the superb SG.38 glider
from Special Hobby is to be released as the
British built post Second World War EoN EtonTX.1, this was a copy of the pre-war German
glider (the example preserved in airworthy
condition at the Shuttleworth Collection in the
UK is an EoN built example). This release will
allow the modeller to build examples operated
by the British (two options) and one option
each for Swedish, Belgian and French schemes.Tiny Mirage
MARK 1
N
ew from Mark 1, the specialists
in 1/144 scale, is the Mirage IIICJ/
IIICZ. Four markings options
are included, two Israeli AF aircraft
one in overall silver from 1966/7 and a
camoulaged example from 1973, the
remaining options are both in camoulage
and are an Argentinean AF example from
1987 and a South African AF one from 1975.
The Mirage III has seen many years of
service and has been operated by a number
of Air Forces around the world, so I am
sure that more versions of this delta wing
will be available in the coming months.Bumble Bees
KP MODELS
T
his month Kovozávody Prostĕjov (KP
Models) sees two versions released of
the 1/72 scale Let Z-37A-2 Čmelák, both
boxings ofer some rather colourful options,
including a UK registered option and one
marked up as USN Tomcat for an air show in
Slovakia! This month also sees the release of
the second version of the 1/72 scale MiG-21 UM.64 APRIL 2019 • SCALE AVIATION MODELLER INTERNATIONAL
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