Oxford Diecast Bristol Bloodhound Guided Missile

By Robin Godwin

The Bristol Bloodhound was an early semi-active anti-aircraft missile designed in the late 1950s for the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and was in service from 1958 (Mk I, and Mk II from 1964) until the 1990s. Semi-active refers to the guidance system that steers the missile from launch to impact with the target. A ground-based radar illuminates the target, and the missile receives both the reflected radar signal (so “sees” the target) and rear linked steering signal from the ground control unit. As with many early missile systems, it was quite effective against aircraft that were not very manoeuvrable. Later versions featured improved radars and better low-altitude engagement properties. As an aside, neither the Corgi Decca Airfield Radar (#353) nor the Decca Radar Van (#1106) is the radar system utilised with the Bloodhound. Several different radars were used over the service life of the missile and are explained here:

https://www.radarpages.co.uk/mob/bloodhound/bloodhound4.htm

As always, the British go to great lengths to preserve significant history and the following three sites will give readers all they could ever want to know about the Bloodhound:

http://www.bmpg.org.uk/

http://www.bcar.org.uk/bloodhound

http://www.bac2010.co.uk/now_it_can_be_told.php

I’ll compare the recent Oxford Diecast (OD) release in 1:76 scale to the Corgi Mk 1 effort introduced in 1958 (scale never indicated, but 1:45 to 1:48 seems reasonable). One earlier review I read says that the OD was inspired by the Corgi, noting Lyndon Davies connection to both companies. Blatant copy is a better description, since the OD duplicates many of the Corgi features that either do not appear on the real assembly or were “toyified” (collectors know what I mean by that non-word) on the Corgi for small hands to play with.

Don’t get me wrong, I actually really like the OD Bloodhound, but it sits in the shade of the much earlier Corgi, and has a high plastic content (and, on inspection, one can immediately spot the difference between the colour-cast plastic and the painted metal, although this does not detract substantially from the model, largely due to the olive green shade used on the transporter and launcher, and the fact that the missile is all plastic). Additionally, there are “features” included that don’t do anything, the winding handle to raise the cradle on the transporter being the most obvious.  One imagines a phone call between the design shop in the UK to the factory in China, where direction might have been… “…just copy the Corgi”. It may well have been too far down the production pipe when the return phone call might have been made to say that incorporating an actual gearing mechanism in the transporter dolly would be too difficult/expensive to do. By then, Corgi’s cranking handles had been incorporated, but not the gearing that actually elevated and lowered the missile cradle. These are identical-to-Corgi crank handles that spin freely without cranking anything. A disconnect somewhere between design and production perhaps, but clearly a rather silly slip up. Another example of “blind copying” is OD reproducing the axle ends which are so prominent on the Corgi transporter. They are functional on the Corgi, as these were the standard wheels in 1958, but are just raised bumps on the OD with no function. Neither company properly reproduced the transporter wheels, which were six-bolt steel rims but OD could easily have used other wheels in their inventory to make the model more accurate.

All-in-all, the OD is a good replica (of the original Corgi model) at a great price. Certainly, more effort could have been put into making it more accurate, such as utilising stock OD wheels for the transporter, rather than copying the inaccurate Corgi items. It does make for a nice display piece and, even though I have all the Corgi Rocket Age models, I would love to see more of them copied in this scale.

For anyone really interested in accurate reproductions of Bloodhounds, Thunderbirds and other missiles, all available in various scales, have a look at the website below. These are 3D printed models…

https://www.printedplanes.com/

OD, front, copied the second version of the Corgi Bloodhound missile, rear. This photo illustrates Corgi’s first launcher version with wire retainer for the missile. Later versions had a sliding diecast retainer. Rounded nose (toy safety standards) and unsightly gap between nose and missile body on the OD look terrible when posed beside the Corgi, but are not so offensive as stand-alones. OD did not reproduce the simulated hardstand, even though it is illustrated on the box. But I have a theory: in the resting position shown above (i.e., non-elevated firing position), the Corgi will tip over if the olive base is not attached to the removable cream coloured hardstand. I have always suspected that the hardstand was a late production adjustment to rectify this tipping problem. The OD is plastic and doesn’t tip on its launcher, so has no requirement for a larger footprint

OD Bloodhound flanked by Corgi early version, left, and later version, right. The later version simplified assembly. The OD features very similar assembly. Corgi’s second version is all metal, except for the rubber nosecone. The OD is all plastic. The first version of the Corgi missile features plastic rocket booster bodies (the four yellow pieces), with separate turned aluminium nozzles – all pressed and/or glued in place on the metal missile. Careful handling is called for – at least one of my nozzles and booster bodies has come loose. The Corgi missiles are masterpieces of diecasting.

The Corgi crank handles are functional in that they are geared to raise and lower the missile cradle. The OD handles turn freely, and do nothing. The real vehicle does feature crank handles, but are much more subdued and can fold out of the way. The OD wheels have copied the look of Corgi’s spun hubs, including a representation of the exposed axle heads. OD copied both toy features, rather than replicating features of the real vehicle

The real transporter, with crank handle visible. Corgi did a good job in 1958 with the accuracy of the transporter. OD could have used more accurate wheels.

Functional Corgi gearing is visible on the right, and is a very clever bit of engineering. OD casting shows a simulation of the same gear, but it is fixed and non-functional. Another copy of a toy feature

The Oxford box rear illustration showing the hardstand, pretty much identical to the Corgi one,but it is not included. The OD Land Rover illustrated looks much more like the Corgi RAF Land Rover than the OD included with the set. The Corgi features open tilt at the back, whereas the OD has a closed tilt with a simulated window (next photograph)

The two Land Rovers. OD decided to go with proper wheels. Rear of Corgi tilt is open, but OD is canvas backed

Just for fun, this is a Greek collector card showing the Bloodhound, presumably in Greek service for the purposes of this card, but none of my references indicate Greece ever had Bloodhounds