Search the Community

My entry in the group build will be the Campini Caproni, an Italian experimental jet first flown in 1940 (the test pilot was Mario De Bernardi). It was, at the time, recognised as the first successful flight by a jet-powered aircraft (though it was later - after the war - discovered that the Germans had achieved this in a He 178 in 1939 - but had kept it secret). You can read a bit about the aircraft here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caproni_Campini_N.1 The Wiki article also includes a link to a short you-tube video of one of the test flights. There were only two of these aircraft ever made, and one of them is in the museum in Vigna di Valle, near Rome. The kit I am using is by an Italian manufacturer, Delta 2, in 1/72nd. (It even names the test pilot on the box) As far as I am aware, the kit was originally produced in 1973/4, and shows all of the characteristics of a short-run kit of that time, complete with raised panel lines and lots of raised rivets. My box is a 1980's release, which is apparently the exact same kit, but without the detailed instructions, that included photographs and a history of the aircraft, that was in the original box. (I am aware that Valom produced a much more modern kit of this aircraft in 2013, but as the Delta 2 kit is in my stash, this is what I am going to use. There are some reviewers who feel that, despite its age, the Delta 2 kit is a bit more accurate....not that it is fully accurate either!) Here are the sprues:- The kit includes rather thick transparencies for the cockpit, as well as a stand, for those who want to show it in flight. And here are the (rather simple) instructions:- And there is a small decal sheet provided (which may have seen better times - if so, I will have to look to my spares box for replacements) I intend to remove all the raised detail and to rescribe the panels. I may also try out a new riveter that I purchased recently from RB Productions. http://www.radubstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=77_110&products_id=300 However, I generally intend to do this as an out of the box type job, and will not be trying to improve the kit's accuracy (as at least one member here on Britmodeller did four years ago). I am aware that I will need a large amount of sandpaper and filler to get the pieces to go together, and then that I will need to get a pristine surface for the natural metal finish, so that will be enough modelling practice for me..... Thanks for looking, Philip