1/72 Airfix Nimrod MR.2P

by Stephen Prior

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The BAE Nimrod is one of the cornerstones of the Royal Air Force. Since it's arrival into service in the early 1970's as a maritime reconnaisance aircraft it has been used in every conflict that British forces have been deployed as well as  search and rescue operations around the UK and even now Nimrods are patrolling Iraq and Afghanistan in support of British forces. To say that this kit was long awaited and much sought after would be an understatement, from the moment Airfix announced the release at Telford in 2005 modellers of British subjects keenly anticipated the kit's arrival. Due to various circumstances the kit was not released until February2008 and immediately became  one of Airfix's biggest sellers ever. Tooled by Trumpeter, the kit provides the options to build the MR.1/2/2P and R.1 with decals for all and a range of weapons for the sizable weapons bay. Despite being such a large aircraft, the kit goes together surprisingly easy into a nice replica of this important aircraft.

Click on images below to see larger images

  

I chose to build XV258 "Guernsey Girl" which was deployed to the Persian Gulf during Operation Granby in 1990-91 after reading about Nimrod missions in the RAF Yearbook 1991. The decals came from one of three Model Alliance sheets released for the kit. Painting the kit took a whole pot each of Xtracrylix Hemp and Light Aircraft Grey and after a coat of Johnson's Klear the main decals went down beautifully.  The kit decals suffered from some problems but were not insurmountable. Scratchbuilt FOD covers were added for the intakes. 

The model is dedicated to the crew of XV230 lost over Afghanistan 02 September 2006 while on combat operations 

Reference

Stephen

Photos and text © by Stephen Prior