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1/72 AZ Model Boeing 281 (P26) Peashooter, Spanish Civil War


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The Boeing 281 was the export version of the Boeing P26 Peashooter and was most notably used in China during the late 1930’s. Not so well known is the single aircraft that featured over the skies of Spain during the Civil War and although it was only one machine it did seem to strike a chord with the republican forces and this lead to the nickname “Boeing” being given to the more numerous Polikarpov I 16 due to its similar shape (from a distance) and it also being a monoplane which was a rare thing at the time.

The Spanish Model 281 was bought after its demonstration at Barajas airfield on March 10, 1935 where it stayed until the war broke out. From there it flew to Cuatro Ventos airfield in the Summer of 1936. In October of 1936 it was operating from Getafe when it was shot down in a dogfight with three Fiat CR.32s.

I decided to model my Peashooter with the olive drab fuselage and trainer yellow on the wings and tail. I added red banding to the wings and fuselage and printed my own decals for the roundels on the wings and the Boeing logo and serial number on the tail.

I used an etch set from Brengun which improved the cockpit and a few parts from the Pavla set, a Yahu instrument panel was also used in this build.

This has been a very enjoyable project and I’m very pleased with the result. I would highly recommend the kit and the after market parts used caused no problems either.

To see the build log on my site please look here: Peashooter Build Log

 

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Excellent Model 281! That's one I've always fancied building, being a bit of an SCW aficionado myself. It's nice to know the AZ P-26 is a nice kit - it shall now definitely go on my ever-lengthening to-buy list.

 

Regards,

 

Jason

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Very intersting and well done!

Regarding painting scheme there are also such suggestions:

Znalezione obrazy dla zapytania boeing 281 spain

or

Znalezione obrazy dla zapytania boeing 281 spain

I think you has studied this and your conclusions are  apparently a bit different as we can see. Would you please give some light on this - I am just curious.

Cheers

J-W

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9 hours ago, Dazey said:

Nicely modelled Peashooter. I had no idea one was in the Spanish war.

 

Is the AZ model the best Peashooter in 1/72?

 

Regards,

David

Thanks for all the kind comments guys!

 

yes I think it is David, revells offering is not so good and quite old, Pavla have a release but it is curiously similar with the addition of some resin. The Az model is the best in my opinion and I found no issues with the fit at all

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1 hour ago, JWM said:

Very intersting and well done!

Regarding painting scheme there are also such suggestions:

Znalezione obrazy dla zapytania boeing 281 spain

or

Znalezione obrazy dla zapytania boeing 281 spain

I think you has studied this and your conclusions are  apparently a bit different as we can see. Would you please give some light on this - I am just curious.

Cheers

J-W

Hi JW

 

yes I've looked at this one quite a bit and chose to employ some artistic license. The only real proof I could find (and that's iffy at the best!) is that it was in US colours with yellow wings and od fuselage. I've seen most people opt for the bare metal finish and appealing as it is I just can't see they would have either stripped the paint or painted it silver.

 

I thought I'd have a bit of fun with the roundels and bands on the wings to mix it up a little but I would think it most likely had red wing tips instead of the bars.

 

the serial and Boeing logo were a logical step from the demonstrator.

 

I did find the record of the planes fate which I found fascinating: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=184290

 

all the best 👍

Edited by Epimedium
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2 hours ago, Epimedium said:

yes I think it is David, revells offering is not so good and quite old, Pavla have a release but it is curiously similar with the addition of some resin. The Az model is the best in my opinion and I found no issues with the fit at all

Dear Epimedium,

 

Thanks for the information. I think the AZ kit will have to go on the to-do list.

 

Kind regards,

David

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J-W, where did you get those profiles? Which book/site? (Sorry about going a bit off-topic, Epimedium, but as you're a fellow SCW fan*, I didn't think you'd mind.) By the way, accurate or not I do like the roundels. Like you, I've printed out my own on occasion, as for example when I did the Spanish Fury, and I'm thinking my Wal should have had some (I just painted the wingtips red).

 

Regards,

 

Jason

 

*It's always a bit odd to talk about being a 'fan' of a war, especially such a destructive and divisive one as the Spanish Civil War, but of course I'm talking about being interested in the aeroplanes that flew during that terrible conflict.

Edited by Learstang
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2 hours ago, Learstang said:

J-W, where did you get those profiles? Which book/site? (Sorry about going a bit off-topic, Epimedium, but as you're a fellow SCW fan*, I didn't think you'd mind.) By the way, accurate or not I do like the roundels. Like you, I've printed out my own on occasion, as for example when I did the Spanish Fury, and I'm thinking my Wal should have had some (I just painted the wingtips red).

Jason, sorry, I've just googled them out writing "boeing 281 Spain" and then looked at the graphics. I do not know the book...

Epimedium - regarding roundel on SCW subjects. I think your interepretation is highly possible. I think that if the airplane was in service before outbreak of Franco rebel it has roundels. So this is like with boeing 281, I think. Good example are Martyniside Buzzards - at the very begining they fly just with roundels, than red strips were added. Similar with Bregs XIX. However if the camo was added from top I do not belive, that there was any reason to keep roundles not overpainted. Therefore I do not belive that NiD 51 or Fury wear still roundles when they became camouflaged. Perhaps only from bottom, which was left alu so in pre-war livery. If it was painted light blue I think the roundles should be also overpainted. This is just for logic. Is there any photo evidence against this logic?

Best regards

J-W

 

 

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