Airfix BAe Nimrod MR2 1:72 - build review

Feature Article by: Mick Stephen

Background

There are many reviews around of this fine aircraft, detailing its history since first designed from an Air Staff requirement in 1958. Suffice to say the first production aircraft flew in 1968 and there have been many variants since, including the R1 Recce version that we should not ever ask what they did!

The heart of the Nimrod ‘empire’ was RAF Kinloss in Morayshire, Scotland, from where these majestic ‘Vomit Comets’ patrolled our seas until just recently. It is sad to see the MR4 programme cancelled and that the world’s only ‘jet’ MRA is gone.
I have fond memories of this ungainly lady, having first flown in one in 1982 as a young air cadet in my very dim and distant past. I had the pleasure of repeating that experience multiple times, with some missions being 8 to 10 hours long.

In honour of that first flight, I plan to build an aircraft of 201 Sqn of that period. The tail number escapes me, no doubt hidden in my cadet log book, long ago buried deep in a cardboard box somewhere.

References

Easily found with a Search Engine, but I particularly enjoyed the ones found in the following:

What’s in the box?

Under that gorgeous artwork box cover lays a mass of plastic; this kit is truly large. With three main frets of components and three smaller frets with aerial fit and weapons options, along with one fret of clear parts, there is also an extensive instruction book and a large sheet of decals.