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In another post that I'm following I remembered that before Roden appeared on the modelling scene there were very few kits of WWI planes. The Austrian empire had a lot of aces and fought from the Alps in Northern Italy to the Russian plains. Unfortunately nobody gave this country too much attention. During the war they produced planes on german license but developped also original ones. The most neglected scale is the bigger. Nothing at the horizon for the Oeffag fighters (the Austrian devlopment of the German Albatros) or for the Phoenix D.II or for the Hansa Brandenburg D.I. Sigh sigh How much I desire a Wingnut one!!!! Ezio

And now a little biography of Sir John Scrope of Bolton, a life for York The 5th Lord Scrope of Bolton spent many years of his life fighting. From 1460 to 1487 during the turbulent years of the War of the Roses. As a supporter of Richard Neville Earl of Warwick, the "Kingmaker" he followed him fighintg for the Yorkists and against them during the Warwick rebellion. He was pardoned by king Edward IV after the battle of Barnet and remainded loyal to Edward following the York king during the Scottish campaigns too. Loyal to York he fought also for the king Richard III at Bosworth where the king died. He supported the last effort of the Yorkists joining to the Earl of Lincoln's rebellion against Henry VII, the first Tudor king. was imprisoned in 1487. He died in1498

Mmmh looking at the previous Royal Class ones it could be probable that a WWI subject appear but I'm afraid it will be an Albatros D. V or a Sopwith Camel. Any way it could be an idea to propose it to the Eduard Gentlemen. Last year I sent a list of wished kits to Airfix. It was a long list. They were very kind and answered me promptly unfortunately saying that my wishes were not included in their plans. One of them was the Defiant ..... so when it appeared I thought that maybe other modellers have written to them or .... I'm a lucky guy Ezio

absolutely 28 mm, a òittle higher from the Perry ones but comparable. I usually put them together in my little dioramas. Thank you for your appreciation, next days I'll add some more subjects I'm working at. Ezio

Here is a little group of Men-At-Arms holding the banner of the Baron John Lord Scrope of Bolton a Warwick's retainer during the first battles of the War of the Roses. Little big men from Front Rank Banner from Freezywater Publications Ezio

I'm aware that I'm going out of the topic but my passion still remains the vacuum formed kit and so I'd like to recommend this site where you can find the old stuff from Classic Planes, pure nostalgia nd nothin else, but also the Ludemann kits, resin made. Here's the link. I bought only once in the past but I'll do it again Ezio

Oh now I can understand, is the same thing that going directly from the stone age to the iron age.

I agree. You're right in all these points. However I cannot watch at Roden without a sort of nostalgia because for the WWI enthusiast before Roden there was "the NOTHING". When I started my modeller life, many years ago, there were only some Airfix and Revell kits. Durng next years nobody dared to launch in the market WWI kits because the period was considered a poor source of business. If you wanted something the only way were the cottages industries and the vacuum formed kits. So in my life the Airfix is the Old Queen and Roden is the Princess. After Roden many manufacturers took the courage to mould WWI subjects. Roden opened the way so I can forgive her the probblems you correctly highlighted. I think, and I know I'm daring a lot, that also a WingNut Wings has been possible because Roden discovered the mine vein of the Great World War. When we speak of Eduard, mmh is another level not only for the WWI range. I think they are the most creative company nowadays existing. They have invented a lot of ideas to propose their range, the profipack, the week end editions, the reboxing of other companies products with Eduard detail sets, the overtrees.... Every modeller can find his own product. This is the force of the company. And now... we keep waiting for the definitive SE5a Ezio

They are the old ones and the same of the Flying Circus Box. I suggest you to spend your money with a Roden kit. I've bought bought and they are very much better. Here the range and the shop on line I used sometimes in the past. The prices are very good. http://www.roden.eu/HTML/framemodels.htm

Any unit? The only requirement is the Italian Front? Ezio

Today 70 years ago the North Irish Horsemen gave again the freedom to Ferrara with all the brave men of the 8th Indian Infantry Division that entered the town in the day of the Saint Patron and from South that is passing by the ancient Saint George's Church. Thanks again to all those men who fought far from their countries. Ezio, a grateful Italian modeller

Thank you Giorgio and Martin, I suppose there was the trick ....

For the engines sometimes I purchase from Engine & Things. In the catalogue you can find this one 48029 LeRhone/Oberursel 9 cyl. rotary 110 hp for WWI, Fokker Dr.I, E III, E VD VIII, Nieuport 17, Bristol M.1C, Airco DH5 I hope it's useful Ezio

Martin, I didn't know the Hawkeye conversion set before and now I'm beginning inquiring .... I searched in the web but unfortunately I found only this link fron Australia but I think it's not the right one. Which is the correct site or a distributor? Thanks in advance and all the Best Ezio

interesting the comparison Occa. I suppose you like Mustangs .....

Always a good news a brand new kit from the Historic KP! Ezio

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! I have a look right now. Ezio

Very interesting, I' have two Commando 1/72 kits, one traditiona and one vacuum formed that are waiting for suggestion for the markings. This could be the right site! Ezio

in the web I found a profile of Castle Robin IV with the proper NA 75 turret according the various remarks in the links posted by Jack. Another tank respecto to the Dragon kit proposed as Castle Robin

Thank you Niall for the details! Great mistake the mortar ..... maybe e copy and paste in a hurry. Anyway the difficult phase now is to trace a Churchill Mk IV that was at Ferrara in Italy in the rush from the Argenta Gap to the Po river.

Thank you very much Jack, you came again in my help. 1 - The databese is very precious because I suppose it's the one referred by Mr. Chester in the NIH site. there is a link but never updated so I got no access. I'll search the name of the other tanks of the NIH. 2 - so if I understand well there is a mistake in Dragon kit's Castle Robin. Mr. Chester has remarked in the site even if in the osprey titles. 3 - I didn't find the article in the forum, I'll have a look. Once again the search goes on. i'd like to avoid changing the turret to convert into a NA 75. In the meanwhile I tokk a date with the Historical Museum of Ferrara and they promised me to show the picthures they have of the Commonwealth troops. It's very difficult I can find Churchill pictures however also other unknown pictures would be appreciated. To the next updating Ezio

.... I forgot to mention that I tried to contact by mail Mr. Arthur Gerald (Gerry) Chester, the NIH web manager who attends also at the restoration projects about the Churchill but my tentative was unsuccesful. Someone knows him?

That's true, the web sites linked are full of details but unfortunately it's not so easy to link serial no.-squadron no.-tank name. Only a picture would be useful. I'm searching in the IWM collection dedicated to the Vritish Army in Italy but it's ...... HUGE there are quite 4000 pages. Among all the pages I found some pictures but none of them calrifies my doubts about the markings. Yesterday I got the parcel with the kit ..... and also a brand new Airfix Defianta.... and the proposed version is for the NIH in Italy. A Mk. IV named Castle Robin IV. All is well that ends well. If I find nothing more I'll do this kit out of the box hoping that Castle Robin was at Ferrara in those days Have a nice day (or afternoon maybe...) Jack

Thank you Jack, yesterday I forgot to add another interesting link, The Armour in Focus one. Here about the mk IV there is the sentence (...) The MkIV turret itself is entirely cast and as a consequence is of a rounded appearance.(...) an then the different possibilities for the armament: 6 Pdr (57 mm), 75 mm and Spigot Mortar. The problem is that also the Mk III has the 6 Pdr but in a welded turret and the NIH site speaks about e.g. 1st troop of A and C Squadrons of "6pdr Marks". I think I have still much to investigate .....

During my research about the Commonwealth troops that freed Ferrara after the Argenta Gap battle I found the North Irish Horse equipped with several versions of Churchill tanks. For this Regiment there are two precious sites the North Irish Horse Stead and Steel and the THe North irish Horse. They were part of the 25th Tank Brigade and supported the 8th Indian Infantry Division in the advance towards Ferrara and the Po river. The city was cleared on the 23rd April, the St. George's Day that is the patron saint of Ferrara and of course of England. On 24th they finally arrived at the Po banks. Now, while I'm trying to summon the courage to face a Vulcan Vickers Mk. VI in 1/35, I make a little diversion with a NIH Churchill at Ferrara on Spring 1945. The kit I've ordered and I'm waiting is the Dragon Mk IV so now I have to identify one tank that reasonably could have been there. The A, B, C squadrons fought the Germans in the ouskirts and in the industrial area so the first difficult task is to identify a possible MK IV that seems not too much used on 1945 ..... maybe I chose the wrong kit!!!! Here are two useful links for the insignia and for the different versions and names. The best thing could be finding a picture but date I found nothing. Searching the huge IWM site I found the Churchill in Italy photos nos. all part of the NA series: 24306 19757 14981 24288 23276 24460 23920 23788 24738 23277 18151 17144 14974 24305-36 23556 23274 22499 23041 22739 Someone has something? All the best Ezio