I converted to my Beaufort to a Mk 11 together with other modifications to the basic kit.  This Frog was in a carton with kits of similar vintage and had never been attempted, since it was very ordinary, even by the standards of those days.  

The most obvious problem areas were, 

• engine cowlings, 

• engines typical for Frog, 

• props, 

• fin and rudder were clearly too small and strange shape, 

• clear parts very thick and almost opaque ,

• wheels too small,u/c legs very basic , 

• no interior etc.etc. 

However, what it did have  going for it was.....it was the only game in town and likely to remain so indefinitely, so if you really wanted a Beaufort there wasn't much alternative. I had obtained a magazine with a Beaufort  feature article which included a cutaway and small 3 view drawings, which also showed the Mk11 with Pratt&Whitney engines instead of the original Bristol Taurus.  (This sounded like a possible answer to the matter of the ghastly cowlings in the kit ).  Scaling the drawings up to 1/72 revealed problems which would need to be addressed if the result was going to reasonably resemble a Beaufort.

Fuselage

All panel lines removed and rescribed according to drawings and photos including the hand and footholds aft of the wing.  The fin was increased in size with plastic card, a new rudder made to fit and shaped to resemble photos. Using the cutaway as a guide , the cockpit was given a basic interior and the nav/bomb aimer's position was made likewise, as the large nose transparency would reveal all.

On the Stbd side of the nose....2 prominent windows had been omitted altogether, so they were duly filed out and a couple of windows shaped to fit later, as were the 2 flat front windows.  Where they would be visible, some stringers were added.  An instrument panel was made and fitted, as well as a control column and throttle console. The pilot's seat was replaced with one moulded from thin card.

All of the transparencies including the turret, were replaced with home moulded items using carved wooden formers.  Scratchbuilt guns were fitted to the turret and two forward firing guns fitted to the extreme  nose.  The cutaway drawing showed that  these guns were fitted with round ammunition drums which were simulated with small discs suitably grooved around the edges.

When the fuselage halves were trial joined, it was found that the turret couldn't be fitted later, so a section had to be cut away and re joined after fitting of the turret.  The retractable antenna was added above the fuselage and the main antenna mast and pitot tube made for fitting after painting.  The tailplanes were fitted and the elevators added slightly drooped.  A section was cut away to allow the turret to be fitted after fuselage joining . 

Wings

Panel lines re scribed, trailing edge semi circular extension was removed.  The wingtip was filed flat and a piece of clear sprue superglued to the end of the wing and later smoothed to the wingtip contour  to represent the nav lights.  Landing lights were fitted with foil reflectors.  The separate kit ailerons were replaced with new items  made from card.  Gun ports were drilled in the wing leading edge.

Now came the good part ! ( Getting away from having to use the horrible kit engines and cowlings).  Two engines had been obtained  from a club member with a HUGE scrap box and turned out to be from an Airfix Dakota.  The prominent flared cowl flaps were drastically reduced.  It was then found that the engine nacelle length needed to be increased, so suitable spacers were made from layers of card.  The exhausts were similar to the Hudson, being semi submerged on the outsides of the nacelles with the outlet well back, so they were fashioned from card and attached.  New intakes were made and fitted to the top rear of the cowlings.   The kit u/c doors were replaced with items moulded from thin card.  The engine cowls are not quite the right shape for the P&W  type, but can be lived with, if not too particular.  They are certainly better than the originals.

Propellers

The Airfix Dakota props were used, being re shaped and fitted with a pointed spinner as per Curtiss types.  Not perfect, but reasonable.  They'll be replaced one day, if  better ones are obtained.

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Undercarriage

The kit legs were cleaned up ,and new bracing struts made.  The prominent door guides were made from thin wire and fitted to the front of the legs.  The wheels were obtained from the scrap box.  They should have been a bit larger, but didn't have more suitable ones.  Used the kit tailwheel for the same reason.

Canopy &Turret

Replacements home moulded using wooden masters then masked and sprayed at the same time as the the airframe.   When the turret was fitted, the cut out fuselage section was also refitted.

ASV Radar Antennae

These were made and fitted at a later date ,so are missing in most photos.

Markings

The original decals were unuseable, but a spare Frog Beaufort decal sheet was obtained from another club member and used.  Whether the codes and serial were suitable for a Mk11 is not known, but were used in the interests of completion.

Conclusion

Whilst not perfect,  there now was a Beaufort in which most of the real shortcomings of the kit had been addressed to some degree, so the result wasn't all bad.  It had also reduced the contents of the "Very ordinary Kits " carton by one more.

As always, since completion, High Planes has released some kits of the Beaufort, with both engine types, which with some effort make up very well, I'm told.

Allan

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