Modelling the Blackburn Roc

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There are four model kits of the Blackburn Roc that I am aware of. The first is a limited run injected plastic kit with photoetched accessories in 1/72 scale made by Pavla models in the Czech Republic. When compared with the available plans the model is spot on. The amount of interior detail is impressive and the the inclusion of two sets of vac-formed canopy is welcome. Three decal options are provided; L3075 of 806 squadron at Hatston in the Orkney Islands in 1940, L3114 of 759 Sqdn Eastleigh 1939 and L3086 of 775 Squadron in Egypt 1942 (a target tug without turret).

There are a few minor problems with the model however...

1. The arrestor hook is represented as a single member, whereas it was in the form of a "V". each side of this "V" ran into the furrow formed by the wing fillet and the hinge was at the line indicated by the prominent lug on the outside of the wing fillet.

2. The brass etched undercarriage doors are flat. On the Skua and Roc the part of the door behind the undercarriage leg was curved and the there was an extra bulge behind and above the wheel..

3. The set of the propeller blades on the Pavla model are such that the engine would have to rotate in the opposite direction to which it actually did! (The Perseus engine rotated the propeller in a clockwise direction when viewed from the front).

The area under the fuselage between the wing fillets is represented as a flat area; recent analysis of photos by Matthew Willis shows this to be correct. The Roc did indeed have a "flat bottom" in this area, which incorporated an escape hatch for the gunner  (the Skua was curved in this area).

Pavla were to be congratulated on producing a model of this important turret fighter. It certainly beats trying to convert the Frog/Novo/Revell Skua into a Roc. The bad news is that the Roc has been removed from Pavlas web site and its mould may have been sacrificed to produce the new Skua model they released at the end of 2002. So scour your model shop now and snap up any examples you find!

Pavla models are at Kubelikova 9, 709 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic. The web site is at http://www.pavlamodels.cz . Pavla kits are imported into the UK by Hannants, 159 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5HR. Web site www.hannants.co.uk

A Vacuform kit of the Roc was available from Modelland of Poland. It has some resin parts (propeller, engine, wheels and cockpit detail) . It certainly appears accurate in outline.  One novel feature of its construction is the way that the fuselage sits on top of the moulding for the lower section of the wing. This would seem to ensure a very good fit of parts.

Smodel  have issued a 1/72 scale resin model of the Roc. Matthew Willis has been kind enough to send me these photos of boxart and the main components.

Click here for the Smodel website

Anyone considering making a model of the floatplane version of the Roc in 1/72 scale will find a nice pair of the correct floats in the old Frog/Novo/Eastern Express kit of the Blackburn Shark. If you make the Shark as the landplane option in the kit you are left with the floats which are exactly the same as those used on the Roc. A  look at the photo  in Capt Eric Browns "Wings of the Navy" and the two photos in Putnam's "Blackburn Aircraft" should give you the info you need for the correct "sit" of the floats and the ventral fin added under the tail. Also see the plans on the Russian website link below. The Blackburn Shark kit is now being actively sold in its  Eastern Express guise.

Finally Warrior have a 1/48 scale resin kit of the Roc, you can read a full review of building it here.  It is based on their Skua kit. It is accurate in outline and except for the decals (which are no use at all) is a fantastic attempt to recreate the Roc in model form.

Warrior models can be contacted at 54-152 Wrocsaw, ul. Kozanowska 75/16 Poland.

                Special Hobbies 1/48 scale Roc has now been released. - A limited edition injection molded kit with resin parts.This appears to be the ultimate Roc model, albeit some of the interior detail seems to be wrong.

Here are two photos of an exellent example of the Special Hobby kit, built by Tony O'toole.

Click here for photos of the kit.

The MPM website for Special Hobby Kits.

Now released, Mattew Willis's book on the Skua and Roc is published by Mushroom Model Publications. This is an outstanding work with lots of original research.

Review of the Warrior resin kit of the Roc

The old "Aviation News" plans for the Skua and Roc are still available on the Air Pictorial website

Kingkit - the place to find that hard-to-find model

Fleet Air Arm Special Interest Group

Modelling the Blackburn Skua   |   Skua and Roc colour schemes