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Here is the progress of my build of Ansaldo SVA 5 by Fly 1/72

Well, this is the first of my builds that I have posted on Britmodeller. I'm aware that it does not come up to the standard of most of that posted here but I feel that building it has brought me on as a modeller, and we all have to start somewhere! The kit I chose to make is by Czechoslovakian (as they were then) manufacturers KP (Kovozávody Prostejov) and represents an Avia B.534* fighter aircraft which was one of a small number which, as part of the Slovak Insurgent Airforce, provided air support to the 1944 Slovak National Uprising. A fine fighter in its day (in fact, I have seen it described as the apogee of bi-plane fighter design), following the Nazi dismembering of Czechoslovakia it had largely become a second-line aircraft by 1944 when Slovak patriots rose up against the puppet Slovakian Government. In default of more modern types becoming available, owing to large parts of the Air Force remaining loyal to the regime, the B.534s were nonetheless pressed into service. Based at Tri Duby (now Sliač) airfield in Central Slovakia, white S-12 was one of four B.534s which, alongside an initial complement of a couple of Letov S.328s and Emils, made up the full complement of the Combined Air Squadron. From comparison of the box art with that on Scalemates, I would say that this was probably a 1980s boxing. The state of the decals would certainly seem to support this! The moulding had quite a lot of flash on it too and in a couple of cases I had to make a call as to whether an aperture had been flashed-over, or part of the moulding had failed. I'm not sure in all cases I got that right! I loved the Slovak National Uprising markings; unfortunately the decals were very fragile and a bit yellowed. I decided to tolerate the latter if i could sort out the former. It took two coats of Hu49 varnish, but I managed it! This was my first foray into rigging (and stretched sprue more generally), but I wanted to give you all something to look at, so I thought I would give it a go. I have skimped slightly, but I think the overall effect is there. It was also my first foray into the use of vacform parts (in the form of the cockpit transparency, the kit one being missing). Overall, I think it went reasonably well, although my painting could certainly be better, and the positioning of some of the struts leaves something to be desired. But I enjoyed the build! Thanks for looking. * A IV I believe