Fiat CR-42, the Italian Falcon. FINISHED!

[modelling minion]

Right then, now I've got my Cobra build out of the way I'm down to one model on the go and that will never do!

I'm still deciding which of my US Navy options to do for this GB and it will depend on what I can find at Telford in a couple of weeks time so I thought I would fill the gap with a true classic of the air war in the MTO the Fiat CR-42 Falco. I will be using the Italeri 1/48 CR-42AS kit which has markings for 4 of the ground attack version of this classic biplane. There are lots of Macchi's on here (deservedly so) so another Fiat is definitely needed. 

First a picture of the box followed by one of it's contents.

 

 

As you can see I've got an aftermarket decal set from Sky Models but I'm not sure if I will use it yet.

Here are a couple of pics of some of the references I will be using during the build.

 

 

And here is the scheme I'm drawn to the most.

 

As I say I'm not 100% that this is the scheme I will use as I am tempted by some of the earlier fighter schemes but this one will definitely be easier to paint.

Hope this one gets your interest, and thanks for looking in.

 

Craig.

Edited January 1, 2017 by modelling minion

[Stew Dapple]

I'll tag along if you don't mind Craig, I'm a bit of a fan of the Falco myself

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[modelling minion]

Glad to have you along Stew.

If I remember right didn't you do an excellent Falco for the Battle of Britain GB last year?

[tonyot]

I was hoping that somebody would do a CR-42 and I love the scheme that you`ve chosen,....so I`ll be tagging along for this one Craig! As for your US Navy option,.....why don`t you do a US Hellcat from the invasion of Southern France or an Avenger from Op Torch,.....both a bit out of the ordinary but interesting nonetheless?

 

Cheers

             Tony

[modelling minion]

Couldn't have an MTO GB without a CR-42 Tony, it wouldn't be right!

Glad you like the scheme, something a little different for a CR-42.

As for my US Navy option, the Op Dragoon Hellcat is one of the 2 that I'm torn between, the other being a Wildcat from Torch. I have an Eduard Hellcat but mine is an F6F-3 and the ones used for Dragoon were F6F-5's, but they were early -5's with the same canopy and extra window behind it as the -3. Now I know very little about Hellcat's and am not sure if there are any other differences between them (I have a nagging feeling that the engine cowling is different but would be very happy to be proved wrong).

 

Craig.

[tonyot]

1 hour ago, modelling minion said:

Couldn't have an MTO GB without a CR-42 Tony, it wouldn't be right!

Glad you like the scheme, something a little different for a CR-42.

As for my US Navy option, the Op Dragoon Hellcat is one of the 2 that I'm torn between, the other being a Wildcat from Torch. I have an Eduard Hellcat but mine is an F6F-3 and the ones used for Dragoon were F6F-5's, but they were early -5's with the same canopy and extra window behind it as the -3. Now I know very little about Hellcat's and am not sure if there are any other differences between them (I have a nagging feeling that the engine cowling is different but would be very happy to be proved wrong).

 

Craig.

Hiya Craig,......these sites might be of interest mate;

http://fly.historicwings.com/2012/08/navy-hellcats-over-france/

 

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?topic=361907.0

 

And a couple of piccy`s,.....they had the early style rear windows but the late style F6F-5 windscreen.  The Eduard kit includes a number of different cowling options and I think that you need the one without the side bulge,..not sure about whether they had the lower cooling flap or not? Don`t forget the red spinner and engine band theatre markings!

Good luck with the Falco,......looking forward to this one,

Cheers

            Tony

Edited November 1, 2016 by tonyot

[Ettore]

Craig !

It is a fantastic choice!
please ask me, if you have a problem with the colors and equivalences Fs with Gunze and other brands, for both internal and external

 

Ettore

[Stew Dapple]

8 hours ago, modelling minion said:

Glad to have you along Stew.

If I remember right didn't you do an excellent Falco for the Battle of Britain GB last year?

 

I did build the 1/72 Italeri kit for the BoB GB, well remembered. I think the only area that gave me any problems was adding the top wing and getting all the struts to line up - I hope you will have no problems with the larger scale version  

 

I'll look forward to the Hellcat too, the 1/72 Eduard kit is in my stash as well...

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[Giorgio N]

Good to see a CR.42 in this GB Craig, looking forward to this !
The scheme you're attracted to was introduced by Fiat in September 1941 and consisted of Nocciola Chiaro 4 blobs on a Verde Oliva Scuro 2 base. Lower surfaces were in Grigio Azzurro Chiaro 1. The interplane struts were also generally painted in the camo scheme, contrary to what the profile shows.

It is IMHO a very interesting scheme and yes, should be easier to paint compared to the earlier ones...

 

[rob85]

A rather good looking aircraft is the falco! 

 

Also trying to finish the 1/72 hellcat, beautiful kit! It's taken an age to build.... All because of me nothing to do with the kit! Hope you get chance to do it!

 

 Rob 

[modelling minion]

On 11/2/2016 at 2:58 AM, Ettore said:

Craig !

It is a fantastic choice!
please ask me, if you have a problem with the colors and equivalences Fs with Gunze and other brands, for both internal and external

 

Ettore

Thanks for the offer Ettore, I am very  pleased that you like my choice.

I do have some Italian colours, they are by Aeromaster so I'm unsure how close to the real thing they are so any help with the colours is greatly appreciated.

 

Craig.

[modelling minion]

On 11/2/2016 at 9:46 AM, Giorgio N said:

Good to see a CR.42 in this GB Craig, looking forward to this !
The scheme you're attracted to was introduced by Fiat in September 1941 and consisted of Nocciola Chiaro 4 blobs on a Verde Oliva Scuro 2 base. Lower surfaces were in Grigio Azzurro Chiaro 1. The interplane struts were also generally painted in the camo scheme, contrary to what the profile shows.

It is IMHO a very interesting scheme and yes, should be easier to paint compared to the earlier ones...

 

Thanks Giorgio,

All help with the camo scheme is greatly appreciated.

I agree with you that the struts are also in camo, as do Italeri actually.

 

Craig.

[modelling minion]

I'm really pleased that this build is of interest to you all, this is after all a very important aircraft in the MTO.

I have made a small start.

First job I have done is to assemble the 2-part upper and lower wings and tail planes, these have gone together without any problem and have cleaned up nicely, here's a pic of the wing assemblies.

 

The insides have now been given a covering of Aeromasters Italian interior colour.

 

There is a pretty good level of detail in the kit, especially as next to nothing of the interior will be seen when the fuselage halves are closed up, here is a closer shot of the cockpit floor piece.

 

I shall make a start on detailing and weathering the cockpit interior tomorrow. According to Italeri and the re-built CR-42 at the Italian Air Force museum the metal framework on the interior is a grey colour so that is what they will be.

Thanks for looking in and as usual all comments and criticisms are gratefully received.

 

Craig.

[JOCKNEY]

Great to see another Italian classic joining this GB.

 

i think I built the old Revell 1/72 one as a nipper, back in the days when the earth was flat and the telly was black and white, and had to be turned on before you had your tea so it had warmed up by the time you wanted to watch it   

 

Look forward to following your build. Good luck 

 

cheers Pat

[Giorgio N]

Craig, wait before completing the cockpit, the colour of Italian WW2 aircraft cockpits did vary and the famous green proposed by Aeromaster may or may not be the right colour... Fiat in particular is well known for having used a grey paint for the cockpits of the G.50, the CR.42 likely used the same colour. The aircraft of the Likoping museum in Sweden has a grey cockpit as seen here

 

http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2007/02/stuff_eng_detail_cr42_3.htm

 

The CR.42 at Hendon too has a grey cockpit.

 

Back to the "verde anticorrosione" green, this was indeed a primer commonly used but cockpits generally saw this primer overpainted with other paints. This primer is also known to have been slightly translucent and was more yellow before being applied, turning to a green-grey when applied over the aluminum structures. One other thing to keep in mind is that this colour was only to be used on aluminum as it was a zinc chromate primer specific for this material. It's therefore possible to see cockpits that had green on the aluminum parts and grey on the steel or fabric parts.

As you mentioned, the CR.42 at the Italian Air Force museum has been restored following this: the tubular framework is painted grey because these were made of steel and the fabric is similarly painted while the aluminum parts are painted in grey/green

 

http://forum.tantopergioco.it/discussion/5332/walk-around-cockpit-cr-42-vigna-di-valle

 

 

[modelling minion]

17 minutes ago, JOCKNEY said:

Great to see another Italian classic joining this GB.

 

i think I built the old Revell 1/72 one as a nipper, back in the days when the earth was flat and the telly was black and white, and had to be turned on before you had your tea so it had warmed up by the time you wanted to watch it   

 

Look forward to following your build. Good luck 

 

cheers Pat

Thanks Pat.

Glad to have you aboard. I built the old Revell one too, I'm glad to say that this Italeri kit is in a different league.

11 minutes ago, Giorgio N said:

Craig, wait before completing the cockpit, the colour of Italian WW2 aircraft cockpits did vary and the famous green proposed by Aeromaster may or may not be the right colour... Fiat in particular is well known for having used a grey paint for the cockpits of the G.50, the CR.42 likely used the same colour. The aircraft of the Likoping museum in Sweden has a grey cockpit as seen here

 

http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2007/02/stuff_eng_detail_cr42_3.htm

 

The CR.42 at Hendon too has a grey cockpit.

 

Back to the "verde anticorrosione" green, this was indeed a primer commonly used but cockpits generally saw this primer overpainted with other paints. This primer is also known to have been slightly translucent and was more yellow before being applied, turning to a green-grey when applied over the aluminum structures. One other thing to keep in mind is that this colour was only to be used on aluminum as it was a zinc chromate primer specific for this material. It's therefore possible to see cockpits that had green on the aluminum parts and grey on the steel or fabric parts.

As you mentioned, the CR.42 at the Italian Air Force museum has been restored following this: the tubular framework is painted grey because these were made of steel and the fabric is similarly painted while the aluminum parts are painted in grey/green

 

http://forum.tantopergioco.it/discussion/5332/walk-around-cockpit-cr-42-vigna-di-valle

 

 

Thank you so much Giorgio, these links are very useful indeed.

Looks like grey is the way to go for the interior, and a couple of different shades too which will make the cockpit quite interesting.

Really glad you are on board with this build otherwise I could have made a mistake with the colours. On the subject of Aeromaster paints how do their main camo colours compare to the real thing? Do you think that Lifecolor are a better bet?

 

Craig.

[Giorgio N]

Sorry Craig, I have no idea about the accuracy of the Aeromaster paints as I've never used them. The lifecolor's one I've used (the green and the lower surfaces grey) look good to me but I don't have the light brown to check, so much that on my MC.202 I've mixed my own "nocciola chiaro"

[modelling minion]

Not a huge amount to report on my Falco as I've been finishing my Hurricane but there has been some progress.

Thanks to really useful link supplied by Giorgio I have repainted the interior in a grey colour which is a much better match to the photos than the green it was originally in.

 

 

As you can see they have  also received a wash and will get highlighted too, all the cockpit has had this treatment not just the panels in the pic above. I have used the instrument decals supplied in the kit and have fixed them on to the raised details of the kit rather than using them on flat pieces as suggested in the instructions, they need finishing off but they look like this at the minute.

 

I promise to be more attentive to my Falco from now on!

 

Thanks for looking in and as usual all comments and criticisms (and help) are gratefully received.

 

Craig.

[modelling minion]

Time for a proper update.

As I said earlier this is mostly being built OOTB, the only additions I have made to the cockpit area are a set of etched seat belts by Eduard and I have added cables to the rudder bar. All the cockpit parts were given a wash and some dry brushing to highlight details. here are a couple of pictures of the completed cockpit before the final side panel was added and it all became invisible.

 

 

 

With the cockpit done it could be added to one of the fuselage halves and then the fuselage could be closed up, no issues here that a bit of light sanding and a small amount of filler can't sort out.

 

And here's the reason for not adding much in the way of extra detailing in the cockpit.

 

You can't see any of it!

 

Next job is the filling and sanding of the fuselage and I have also started to clean up the struts before they get painted.

 

That's it for now so thanks for looking in and a usual all comments and criticisms are gratefully received.

 

Craig.

[PlaStix]

Hi Craig. Sorry I missed this one before. Looks like a great project. The cockpit looks superb! Very nicely done. 

Kind regards,

Stix

 

[modelling minion]

Thanks Stix, glad to have you aboard.

The cockpits not brilliant but like I say you can hardly see any of it now the fuselage halves are closed up anyway.

Still a bit nervous about getting the struts and wings in place, there's a reason I don't usually build biplanes!

[Giorgio N]

Looking good, love the cockpit, very effective

[modelling minion]

Thanks Giorgio, much appreciated.

Glad you like it and thanks again for the link to the Swedish CR-42, very helpful.

[modelling minion]

Time for a very long overdue update to prove that I haven't just been looking at other builds on here and have actually done some work on the Fiat.

 

The engine was next in line and this was assembled following the instructions and actually builds up into a nice replica of the real thing. All the parts were painted and given a wash and highlighted before they were assembled, here's a couple of pictures showing the engine partly fitted into the cowling assembly.

 

 

Whilst the engine parts themselves fit together well the same cannot be said of the cowling parts which have vague location points and a poor fit.

 

The fuselage was finished off with some filling and sanding (nothing too drastic though) and the canopy given a coat of Klear and then masked before fixing it to the fuselage and the end result looks like this.

 

And a close up of the canopy area.

 

The undersides have been painted and have now been masked off and a coat of Aeromaster Nocciola Chiaro applied, which gummed up the airbrush a treat! It did give a nice smooth finish (eventually) and means that the airframe looks like this.

 

 

The wings and wheels have been given the same treatment and are ready for some masking before a coat of Verde Oliva Scuro is added, which will hopefully happen early next week otherwise I will never finish before the deadline.

 

Thanks for looking in and as usual all comments and criticisms are gratefully received.

 

Craig.

[maltadefender]

No criticisms needed on that little lot! Lovely.