**** DONE: 1/48 Blackburn Roc – Sqn Ldr Clark RAF. BofB Group Build.

[Vic Balshaw]

Username: Vic Balshaw
First name: Vic
Category: 2 – Intermediate
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Special Hobby Kit No SH48050
Model Type: Blackburn Roc L3085 from 2 AACU (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit) Gosport and flown by Sqn Ldr Clark RAF, with air gunner Sgt Hunt on the evening of 26 September 1940.

Subject to general acceptance, for my first entry into the BofB Group Build I have selected a bit of a lemon as far as aircraft go, one that was not directly involved in the conflict because of its poor performance but was never the less involved in an aerial combat with an He 59 when on a search and find mission out of Gosport in late September 1940.



The story attached to this aircraft and its mission is vividly told in the words of the pilot, Sqn Ldr Clark at

The Decision Is Always The Pilot's

The Roc lacked forward guns and it's only armament was a motorised Fraser-Nash turret that could only traverse from the horizontal upwards and I believe lacked the ability to point fully forward, consequently as an aggressor or even in defence, the aircraft was somewhat limited. As a result most of the aircraft had the turret gun removed and were converted to target tugs, one of the few exceptions being L3085.

Extras: This is a out of the box build the kit having resin detail for the Fraser-Nash turret and a small etched detail sheet.

1-A1 Roc.jpg

Profile of Clarks Roc with the 'Saint' logo on the rear fuselage.

1-A2 Roc.jpg

Sqn Ldr Clark standing besides his personal Roc, note the 'Saint' logo. (Picture from FlyPast March 2007).

1-A3 Roc.jpg

The kit with box art, plastic bits and resin parts all inclusive of the kit.

1-A4 Roc.jpg
1-A5 Roc.jpg
1-A6 Roc.jpg

[Lucky13]

Most splendid old boy!

[Vic Balshaw]

Thand old sport

[Wildcat]

Nice looking kit Vic. Good to see some of the rarer types being built.

[ozhawk40]

Yeah Vic, this an interesting kite, definitely have my eye on this one!

Cheers

Peter

[B-17engineer]

Very interesting chioce!!

[Vic Balshaw]

Thanks guys, I to thought it would be good to have an oddball.

[Lucky13]

Voof Voof

[Vic Balshaw]

"¿qué?"

[Lucky13]

'Oddball' As in Voof Voof and his famous dog impressions.....or did you expect a more like Arf Arf?

[Vic Balshaw]

Ahhh.........."si"

[buffnut453]

Funnily enough, I have a sad, sick, demented desire to do precisely this aircraft from the SH kit. Looking forward to getting some hints and tips on how to do it from this GB.

[Vic Balshaw]

Don't know about hints and tips Buff, but maybe a bit of cussing. No worries though, I'll do my usual picture updates particularly if encountering any problems.

[buffnut453]

That would be awesome Vic. I do wonder at your sanity, though...particularly if your planned builds continue their similarity to mine!!

[Crimea_River]

Good one Vic.