Bristol Blenheim Mk.I 1/72 Scale Models

British Mk.I - This is a model of a light reconnaissance bomber that flew against the German invasion of France, Belgium and the Netherlands in 1940. The Blenheim Mk.I was originally designed as a small, high-speed domestic airliner in the mid-1930s, and then redesigned as a bomber due to the growing threat of war with Germany. By 1939, however, the RAF had replaced most of them with Blenheim Mk.IVs. The design of the Blenheim Mk.I was not used to create the Blenheim Mk.IV. In fact, it was faster than the Mk.IV.

More Photos: Left, Right, Top, Front, Rear Angle Left, Rear Angle Right, Front Angle Right, Front Angle Left

British Mk.IF - This is a model of a heavy fighter that flew from Greece against the Italians and Germans in 1940 and 1941. The F denoted the fighter variant of the Mk.I, with a four machine gun pack installed in the bomb-bay. Some 200 Blenheim Mk.I bombers were modified into Blenheim Mk.IF heavy fighters beginning in September 1938. By 1939, seven squadrons were operating these twin-engined fighters. But the Blenheim Mk.IF proved to be slower and less nimble than expected and by June, 1940, losses had relegated most of the planes to night fighter duties against Luftwaffe bombers over Britain.

More Photos: Right, Left, Front, Angle Front Left, Angle Front Right, Angle Rear Left, Angle Rear Right, Above Left

Romanian Mk.I - This is a model of a reconnaissance bomber that participated in the 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union. They were obtained from Britain before Romania joined the Axis in late 1940. The British also sold some Mk.Is to the Finns and Yugoslavs before the war, and both countries then built some more under a license. And after Italy invaded Greece in 1940, Britain provided some Mk.1s to the Greeks. Total Blenheim Mk.I production was about 1,500 planes, with about 1,300 of them being built in Britain.

More Photos: Left, Right, Top, Front, Front Angle Right, Rear Angle Left, Rear Angle Right, Front Angle Left, Above Left

Air Battle Dunkirk, Norman Franks

Air War for Yugoslavia, Greece and Crete, Christopher Shores

The Battle of Britain, Richard Hough

Blenheim Squadrons of World War 2, Jon Lake

Bloody Shambles: Comprehensive Account of Air Operations over South-East Asia, December 1941-February 1942; The Drift to War to the Fall of Singapore, Christopher Shores

Bloody Shambles: Comprehensive Account of Air Operations over South-East Asia, February-May 1942;The Defense of Sumatra to the Fall of Burma, Christopher Shores

Bomber Command 1939-1945: Photographs from the Imperial War Museum, Ian Carter

Bristol Blenheim, Theo Boiten

Bristol Blenheim: An Illustrated History, Graham Warner

Bristol Blenheim in Action, Ron MacKay

Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II, David Mondey

Dust Clouds in the Middle East: The Air War for East Africa, Iraq, Syria, Iran and Madagascar, 1940-42, Christopher Shores

Fighter Command, David Oliver

Fighters Over the Desert: The Air Battles in the Western Desert. June 1940 to December 1942, Christopher Shores

Finnish Air Force 1939-1945, Kalevi Keskinen

Fledgling Eagles; The Complete Account of Air Operations During the "Phoney War" and Norwegian Campaign, 1940, Christopher Shores

Rumanian Air Force WWII, Denes Bernad

Twelve Days in May; The Air Battle for Northern France and the Low Countries, May 1940, Brian Cull

Valiant Wings: Battle and Blenheim Squadrons Over France 1940, Norman Franks