Blue Max BM101, the first......

[Allan31]

I found this cheap on evilbay. I wanted it not so much to build, (I have 6-7 triplanes already in different scales) but just to have.
This was the very first of 25 kits that Chris Gannon started with in 1989.




Of course it comes with all the familiar plastic and pewter we've come to expect.



I am assuming he only did 1500 issues.




I was all ready to write the check but can not find where to send it to to get my 23-1/2"x20" print...



One rabbit hole I was down this morning was the 1/48 Snipe by BM and wondering if the Hi-Tech version would be any better. (not...)
The reviewer was knocking the BM Snipe and also canning the BM triplane and something else as being so inaccurate as to not be buildable.
Yes, to do Voss's 103, inaccurate but MvR 425 the kit would do just fine. ( but un-buildable?...)

I'm very surprised I can find NOTHING of this kit built. Would love to see anyones finished BM101.

So, for now it will reside up on the shelf as a reminder of where it all stated with Blue Max. Who knows, I have bunches of aftermarket decals for triplanes. Maybe someday I'll get board and build something, anything other than a red triplane....

[Brad Cancian]

Hi Allan - nice find. Indeed I can see why this one isn't necissarily the first choice these days for a Triplane build. That being said, BM kits are generally quite accurate in outline with some nice details here and there.

Regarding your comments on the BM Snipe - many years back I did build the BM Snipe. I still have it but it's somewhat busted up now after several house moves and in a box somewhere... it was certainly buildable, and IIRC the consensus back at the time was that it was a more accurate kit than the Hi-Tec kit. Here she is in her glory days many moons ago...



Cheers,

BC

[Flute]

I have both the tripe and the Nie 11 and  they were better than I expected for early efforts, and will certainly get built if I live long enough.

I've built both BM and High Tech Snipe, and also the Freightdog reissue with an extra bit or two for a post-war job, and the BM kits were hands down easiest, the hardest part for me being cleaning up the slots for the guns so they'd actually fit. Both were much easier than the CSM resin kit. The High Tech kit did score a bit extra for the poorly translated instruction sheet though, containing the instruction re the pips on the rib tapes 'to sand for cleverness' which is almost as good as the old Tamiya tank track admonition to 'secure using a hot driver'.

Paul.

[Alexis]

Nice find ,

I still have a few BM kit left to build and I agree with what the others have mentioned , The BM is the better kit and is buildable very much so . I also get a kick out of those who say it's not buildable , everything is buildable it all lies in the individuals hands .


Alexis 

[Allan31]

So, I've been fretting over this Blue Max kit.



I often feel a kit left to sit in a box is never allowed to achieve its full potential of being a built kit. It was meant to be built. Someone (Gannon) spent a lot of time and effort to give us, what was back in 1989, the only decent triplane available in 1/48 scale. And ya know, using only eye balls and the best drawings at the time, he did a pretty good job.

So I sat down to see how good it really was knowing I already have 4-5 Eduard and Dragon kits on the shelf. I found some drawings and printed them out in the correct size.



The differences are minor but enough to do the Eduard rather than spend time on this.



So I had an cunning plan. If I can find the correct engine, the rest is all markings. I did hunt up an engine. I started on the markings to make sure I really could do this.



I will draw up the "K" for the sides, I already have the close enough lozenge from Aviattic. This the perfect kit for my Hollywood Air Force.



Would love to be able to post in "Under Construction" but this a "reel" aircraft not a "real" aircraft.

More soon whenever I get more roundels in the case and the balance of power is restored.

[KiwiZac]

That's an excellent idea, Allan! A great way to use the kit and fill a gap.

[NigelR]

Excellent use of a good basic kit. This will be another interesting addition to the collection.

[gedmundson]

Very interested to follow your build here Allan. It'll be nice to see your addition to the film themed collection of aircraft. When Aviattic released their 1/32 Blue Max kits a while back, I built Von Klugermann's triplane since that film started my interest in WW1 aircraft as a youngster.
Cheers,
Gary