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Revell SPAD XIII Eddie Rickenbacker


CANicoll

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Great article, thanks for sharing.  Colors are so hard to figure out from these period photos. 

 

The two SPADs are very different in the pics.  The top one has one of the machine guns on the side of the cowling, while the second pic has the more traditional position on top.  LOTS of customization in WWI!.

 

Noticeable is how tight the cockpits are.  The von Richtofen video that is circulating on this site shows the same thing - a very tight fit!

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Guest Peterpools

Chris

Super progress on the Spad and those decals ... should have come with a money back guarantee! Glad the kit decals works and you were able to ave them sit down quite nicely.

Like your unique approach to the kit and am following, even if it's from the sidelines.

Keep 'em coming

Peter

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Making a bit of progress as I wrap up the P-39 Spare Parts.

 

Following the directions for once on the rigging....

 

TtJNPG.jpg

 

And a bit of the cockpit.  I'm actually thinking of filling in these massive troughs in the wings once I get the wing struts inserted.  EZ Line, of course.

 

6Dasrv.jpg

Ps8duT.jpg

 

Newly repainted rudder, this time using Model Master Ford Engine Blue Acryl.  :)  As soon as the new decals arrive will get back on this.  I really have to start checking historical references instead of just relying on the decal manufacturers instructions.  In some pictures I've found of this aircraft, the Hat in the Ring was right up by the cockpit, not this far back on the fuselage.  Rats...

sjtMwx.jpg

 

This is going to be a worn and weathered aircraft so the damaged star is ok.

zAb3So.jpg

A8rKsm.jpg

 

Painted the exhaust pipes in Vallejo Black Metallic, but dented up the pipes bit by carving out divots with a #11 blade.  Will get to the rest of the weathering on the pipes later.

utk3TZ.jpg

 

That's it on the SPAD for now.

 

Chris

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So far so good Chris!

 

In the above link I gave you, I count possibly four different aircraft makes, including a Caudron G.3 (trainer), SPAD XIII, a Nieuport 28, and one in the background with his SPAD that looks like it might be a Camel (used for bombing?)!

 

What do you (or you-all) think?

 

Elsewhere, I also found a picture of a 94th Aero-Squadron S.E.5!

 

Tom

Edited by Gigant
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Tom,

 

I think I was looking at the wrong aircraft.  Looking at this pic, the Hat in the Ring is in the right place, and this is definitely a SPAD so feeling better about that.  I still can't tell colors very well from black and white photographs.  Thanks for posting that link, informative and interesting!

Chris

 

40SknS.jpg

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No problem!

 

Now look at the aircraft in the background behind the SPAD in the above photo.

 

The interplane struts are slanted like a Nieuport 28, but the cowling looks too bulbous-more like a Sopwith product.

 

I found another link where it shows them using Sopwiths for bombing.

 

What do you guys think?

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Making quicker progress now that the Nieuport and the P-39 are done.

 

Took care of the main rigging today, which is really not that hard given the Revel method is like Kindergarten.  Not really to scale or even somewhat accurate.

 

Started off attaching all the cowling pieces and the windshield with the clear plastic 'glass' added from a battery pack.  Paint here is Vallejo GunMetal.  Minimal engine just to mount the prop (which is good as I had mounted the cylinders too wide to clear the cowling).

l5KPZC.jpg

 

8k7mVr.jpg

 

The rigging is amazingly resilient even without the top wing on.

iQSu53.jpg

 

And with the top wing on.  Went on very easily.  I started on one end and just attached the two spars, then over the other side.  Used tweezers to gently work the cockpit spars into their respective holes.

EFqeVj.jpg

 

Painted the bottom of the spars the same color as the wing.  In person it is still noticeable, but less so.  We are definitely not talking WNWs here!  

Still need the replacement decals for the top of the wing and the rudder.  Hopefully they will come in this week.

 

Chris

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Thanks Gaz!  I'm pretty pleased with it.  Not quite up to snuff compared to your builds tho!  But I really do like how colorful the SPADs were in WWI. Almost like they were the peacocks of the war.

 

Chris

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Looks great, Chris! 

 

I've loved the old Revell biplanes since I was kid.  I have this kit in the stash and will be referring to your work and the comments by others here when I build it.  Thanks for taking us to school.

 

Thanks Steve!  Definitely a fun, albeit a bit challenging build.  Getting the wing spars into their respective slots takes a bit of sanding and scraping, and nearly every part has seams and or ejector pin marks that often need to be cut away.  Not to mention the wing trailing edges needs scraping to eliminate a mold seam there.  But other than that its a dandy!  :thumbsup:

 

Highly recommend either EZ Line or the Uschi rigging.  The string in the kit is way over scale.  And with the stretchy stuff on the plane, you'll see less damage.  I'm constantly putting a finger into the rigging!

 

Chris

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Good to know about EZ Line or Uschi rigging.  Thanks!!

 

I haven't built a model airplane kit in maybe 10 years (been focused mostly on model ships during that time).  I know more about do-it-yourself brain surgery with whale flippers than I do about the latest model airplane building techniques.  All the advice here is really helpful in getting me back up to speed on planes.

 

Your work has inspired me to get back in the model cockpit.

 

Thanks again!

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