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Airfix 1/72 SPAD VIIs ***FINISHED***

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  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Towson MD
Airfix 1/72 SPAD VIIs ***FINISHED***
Posted by gregbale on Saturday, February 16, 2013 8:27 AM

To whet my appetite for the coming WW1 GB, I decided to knock off a pair of the ages-old Airfix 1/72 SPAD S.VIIs. The first uses the kit decals to represent Charles Guynemer's "Vieux Charles," and the other will be a yet-to-be determined bird in camouflage scheme.

The kit has no interior to speak of, so I did a basic one featuring the characteristic "shelf" style instrument panel, a stick with a few cables visible and scratchbuilt seats.

I did my own CDL mix using Tamiya acrylics. Here's one with weathering and detail started, one still unsullied:

The rest (so far) are Guynemer's machine with decals. Blue on the kit decals is a little light, but otherwise really nicely done, and for being 10 or so years old, they behaved beautifully.

Thanks for looking in. More later as work progresses.

Greg

George Lewis:

"Every time you correct me on my grammar I love you a little fewer."
 
  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: N. Georgia
Posted by Jester75 on Saturday, February 16, 2013 8:45 AM

Very cool! Love the markings on these birds.

Eric

 

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: AandF in the Badger State
Posted by checkmateking02 on Saturday, February 16, 2013 10:26 AM

Outstanding results.  Great looking cockpit.  Nice work.

 

 

 

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Northern California
Posted by jeaton01 on Saturday, February 16, 2013 1:39 PM

Nice!  Love the cockpit work.

John

To see build logs for my models:  http://goldeneramodel.com/mymodels/mymodels.html

 

fox
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Narvon, Pa.
Posted by fox on Saturday, February 16, 2013 1:47 PM

Looking good Greg. Cockpit looks great.

Jim Captain

 Main WIP: 

   On the Bench: Artesania Latina  (aka) Artists in the Latrine 1/75 Bluenose II

I keep hitting "escape", but I'm still here.

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Towson MD
Posted by gregbale on Saturday, February 16, 2013 9:46 PM

Thanks to all for the encouraging replies!

Greg

George Lewis:

"Every time you correct me on my grammar I love you a little fewer."
 
  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Saturday, February 16, 2013 10:40 PM

Those look awesome Greg, love the detail in the cockpits

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    October 2009
  • From: Turkey
Posted by Clausewitz on Monday, February 18, 2013 1:07 AM

Outstanding work Greg. I would love to see closer photos.

_

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Towson MD
Posted by gregbale on Tuesday, February 19, 2013 3:02 PM

Thanks all. I'll try to get closer photos, but they're the scary ones...they show all glitches.

Small progress. Wash added (and---mostly---removed). Windscreen, exhausts and Vickers gun added, the latter scratchbuilt since the kit one is essentially only 2-dimensional.

Kit's windscreen is seriously thick, but it'll do in this scale.

Next up: top wing and (gulp) rigging.

Greg

George Lewis:

"Every time you correct me on my grammar I love you a little fewer."
 
  • Member since
    October 2009
  • From: Turkey
Posted by Clausewitz on Tuesday, February 19, 2013 5:10 PM

Now comes the fun part :)

_

  • Member since
    February 2006
  • From: Smithers, BC, Canada
Posted by ruddratt on Tuesday, February 19, 2013 8:15 PM

Those are really looking sharp Greg! Yes

....and don't fret the rigging too much. Just take your time and start from the inside working out. You nail those two SPADs and rigging your 1/48 Sopwith build will be a breeze by comparison.

Mike

 "We have our own ammunition. It's filled with paint. When we fire it, it makes pretty pictures....scares the hell outta people."

 

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Towson MD
Posted by gregbale on Tuesday, February 19, 2013 8:57 PM

Thanks, Mike, for the words of support.

I'm not really worried about the rigging--I've rigged a lot of bipes over the years, big and small. Once I'd fully rigged the old Revell 1/72 DH-2, I knew I could handle just about anything after that.

Greg

George Lewis:

"Every time you correct me on my grammar I love you a little fewer."
 
  • Member since
    February 2006
  • From: Smithers, BC, Canada
Posted by ruddratt on Tuesday, February 19, 2013 9:15 PM

A DH.2!? In 1/72?! You're a brave man, Greg, and after that one, nothing should intimidate you. I haven't gone anywhere near my Eduard 1/48 version (but I do have a Wingnut Wings Fe.2b waiting in the stash).

Mike

 "We have our own ammunition. It's filled with paint. When we fire it, it makes pretty pictures....scares the hell outta people."

 

Moderator
  • Member since
    September 2011
Posted by Tim Kidwell on Wednesday, February 20, 2013 9:23 AM

Greg, good stuff! Can't wait to see them finished.

You know, I've rigged ships since I was a youngster (Dad was a ship modeler), but I haven't rigged a biplane in a long time. Truth be told, I'm both excited and a little nervous. But it's a good kind of stress.

--

Timothy Kidwell
Editor
Scale Model Brands
Kalmbach Media

 

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: italy
Posted by bsyamato on Friday, February 22, 2013 4:06 AM

Wow! excellent scratc work on both Greg :)

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Towson MD
Posted by gregbale on Friday, February 22, 2013 12:58 PM

Work is moving along. Guynemer's wing is on (no rigging yet) and, best of all, everything is pretty much squared up and straight.

Second bird has the camouflage and a bit of weathering/detail applied, "Futured" up and waiting for decals.

Have a good weekend, all. Thanks for the nice comments.

Greg

George Lewis:

"Every time you correct me on my grammar I love you a little fewer."
 
  • Member since
    February 2006
  • From: Smithers, BC, Canada
Posted by ruddratt on Friday, February 22, 2013 1:21 PM

Both SPADs are really looking sharp, Greg! That 's a lot of struts to line up, and the alignment looks perfect.

Mike

 "We have our own ammunition. It's filled with paint. When we fire it, it makes pretty pictures....scares the hell outta people."

 

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Towson MD
Posted by gregbale on Thursday, February 28, 2013 10:40 AM

Moving along...

In a final spasm of pre-GB insanity, I decided these two wouldn't be proper SPADs without the characteristic bellcrank mechanisms that worked the SPADs' ailerons. After not finding any suitable etched leftovers that would fill the bill (honest, I looked), I decided bits of styrene and stretched sprue would do as well.

And what it looks like in place:

Rigging should be next, unless I think of something I forgot.

Greg

George Lewis:

"Every time you correct me on my grammar I love you a little fewer."
 
  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Nebraska, USA
Posted by CallSignOWL on Thursday, February 28, 2013 12:12 PM

yer insane!

great looking builds. :)

------------------------

Now that I'm here, where am I??

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Towson MD
Posted by gregbale on Thursday, February 28, 2013 12:32 PM

CallSignOWL

yer insane!

great looking builds. :)

Thanks. I just do what the voices in my head tell me to do.Confused

Greg

George Lewis:

"Every time you correct me on my grammar I love you a little fewer."
 
  • Member since
    October 2009
  • From: Turkey
Posted by Clausewitz on Friday, March 1, 2013 1:51 PM

nuts !!!

_

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Friday, March 1, 2013 2:13 PM

Great job on the bellcranks Greg, nice work on such teeny-tiny parts.

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    October 2010
  • From: Chambersburg, Pa.
Posted by Bob H. on Friday, March 1, 2013 2:34 PM

I've been looking at the progress and it looks outstanding.... particularly for 1/72 scale. I can only hope that some of my future WWI 1/48 builds will turn out half as good. Please keep us updated. Thanks for posting.                                                  Bob

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: italy
Posted by bsyamato on Saturday, March 2, 2013 5:18 AM

Insane i say too about the le micro triangles Indifferent  avoided to do on my spad because too little!

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Towson MD
Posted by gregbale on Thursday, March 7, 2013 2:53 PM

Finally got these out of the way so I can proceed with my GB Sopwith BABY. Thanks to all for your encouragement and observations.

First, Capt.Georges Guynemer's well-known machine from Escadrille SPA3, Summer 1917:

The second is the SPAD VII of 5-balloon ace Sgt. Pierre Cardon of SPA81, May-June 1918. Greyhound decals from Eduard's Profipack SPAD XIII sheet.

Greg

George Lewis:

"Every time you correct me on my grammar I love you a little fewer."
 
  • Member since
    October 2004
  • From: Colorado
Posted by StephenLawson on Thursday, March 7, 2013 4:26 PM

Very Decent work.  The numbers being red on Guynemer's machine are a bit questionable. An original source say that they were green.

 

Stachel...unconfirmed by Armee means unconfirmed!!!!

  • Member since
    October 2010
  • From: Chambersburg, Pa.
Posted by Bob H. on Thursday, March 7, 2013 6:27 PM

WOW !! Once again I want to thank you for posting the builds. You did a great job ( based on my limited experience anyhow ). A good friend of mine tells me that " Real airplanes have propellers... who wants to ride around with a lit candle stuck up their !@#$ ". He also says that " Real airplanes have two wings ". Based on the way your builds look I'm almost there !!! GREAT JOB !!           Bob

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Thursday, March 7, 2013 6:34 PM

Greg: I love both of them, fine work sir!!!

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    February 2006
  • From: Smithers, BC, Canada
Posted by ruddratt on Thursday, March 7, 2013 10:22 PM

Greg, those are both stellar! I mean really top-notch stuff! Can't wait to see what you do with the Sopwith. Yes

Mike

 "We have our own ammunition. It's filled with paint. When we fire it, it makes pretty pictures....scares the hell outta people."

 

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: italy
Posted by bsyamato on Friday, March 8, 2013 5:28 AM

Awesome works Greg Yes 

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