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Aero A 101, Spanish Civil War, scratch conversion from Kovozavody A-100. 1/72


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Hi,

Aero A 101 was a light bomber-recce airplane. It was a kind of developmnet from Aero A-100. However only few parts remained unchanged. In general it was about 10% larger by wingspan, also chord of wings and by lenght of fuselage. Instead of V-engine, 12 cylinders Hispano-Suiza (case of A-100) the A 101 was powered by 1000 HP 18 cylinders licence build of Isotta Frascsini engine. There is a model of A-101 by Planete in 1/72 but I was thinking about doing this rather massive conversion since already 15 years and currently I have just did it! :)

The whole build of two Aeros was subject of WIP

Almost all produced (~50) Aero A-101 were sold by Czechoslovaks to Spanish Republican Government but about half of them  (22 transported on Panama ship from Polish port Gdynia) were captured by I think German navy making blockade in Golf of Biskay and those went to Nationalists.  Majority of them served in northern front in 5G17 groupe, but some were present in Andalus, in group 4 G 10 which has base in Grenada. My model of 17.12 represents machine from Grenada, 1937

 

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The prop is rotating

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And just for comparison with A 100

 

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(#20 this year, # 390 on shelvs).....

 

 

Comments welcome

Regards

 

Jerzy-Wojtek

Edited by JWM
mispelling corrections
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Many thanks Gents for your kind comments. I appreciete them :) Expecially that I was thinking on this build for some 15 years!

 

On 8/14/2018 at 12:19 AM, Jure Miljevic said:

You have done it again, Jerzy-Wojtek. While I am leaning towards building (hopefully soon) KP kit into Republican model, this Nationalist CR.32-esque camouflage scheme certainly is much more attractive. Congratulations!

Jure

 

On 8/14/2018 at 6:26 AM, Greg Law said:

Interesting pattern you have done. Must have taken quite a while to do. 

Some comment about painting. I was not sure which camo is best to choose. Briefly the choice was: the best photo documented  green Nationalists (with different numbers known), the LA-002 of Republicans and this 17-12 which was probably the sole mottled among Nationalist's Aeros. For sure the mottled is more decorative, but the most typical is green Nationalist and I have still doubts if my choice was right... For sure I will not build next one in other camo!

Jure - I am keeping my fingers crossed for your build!

I forgot to add that Aero A-101 in Spain was named Oca, Praga or Papagayo. If somone is interesting in types used during this war there is a excellent web on this http://bioold.science.ku.dk/drnash/model/spain/did.html.

Best regards

Jerzy-Wojtek

 

 

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Steve and Invidia, many thanks for your comments. 

On 8/15/2018 at 10:10 AM, invidia said:

alot of work there, but a fantastic result.

 

A lot of fun also! ;)

 

 

Regards

Jerzy-Wojtek

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On 8/13/2018 at 1:56 PM, JWM said:

Almost all produced (~50) Aero A-101 were sold by Czechoslovaks to Spanish Republican Government but about half of them  (22 transported on Panama ship from Polish port Gdynia) were captured by I think German navy making blockade in Golf of Biskay and those went to Nationalists. 

 

 

Actually the 2700-ton vessel Hordena (under Panamanian flag, but owned by Scotia Corporation of Paris) has been intercepted on 16th April 1937 by Spanish (Nationalists) light cruiser Almirante Cervera, when carrying 23 Czech aircraft, 48 aviation engines, 3000 military uniforms plus various small arms and munitions. The ship has been confiscated and after some time she entered Spanish service under the new name of Castillo de la Mota.

Cheers

Michael

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9 hours ago, spaddad said:

Good job Jerzy, where did you get the reference for the Spanish plane?

Thank you

The drawings of Aero A 101 were presented in Chechoslovak journal Letectvi + Kosmonautika, Nos 18 and 19 from 1988. Be careful - they have to be scaled to 1/72 (on Xerox machine for example)- what was printed is slightly out of 1/72 sacle. I do not remember exactly if it is 1/74 or 1/76... I've received them from Mike (@KRK4m) - many thanks for findings them!

However very similar drawing were published by Miranda and Mercado in book "Aviones en la Guerra Civil Espanola...."

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This is an extremly useful book for building SCW subjects. However one have to verify some details in drawings with photos. I am constructing now Spanish Vildebeest and I see it...

 

The scheme was taken from here:

SpainAeroA-101.jpg&key=7c9e14fb95bbc63e8

With corrections - no Chechoslovak machines had props tips painted red, they look indded very dark on BW photos but I assumed original Czechoslovak dark green (as prop was likely not re-painted). Second change was that low part of rudder should be in camo - this is suggested by short St. Andrew cross (ending above tailplane) and the green mashines showed such style of painting

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10 hours ago, Mitch K said:

These were two superb builds, Jerzy. I enjoyed watching your work on both. Thanks for sharing!

Many thanks Mitch. I appreciete your comments very much - I know that you are a fan of all not mainstrem builds...

 

10 hours ago, KRK4m said:

Actually the 2700-ton vessel Hordena (under Panamanian flag, but owned by Scotia Corporation of Paris) has been intercepted on 16th April 1937 by Spanish (Nationalists) light cruiser Almirante Cervera, when carrying 23 Czech aircraft, 48 aviation engines, 3000 military uniforms plus various small arms and munitions. The ship has been confiscated and after some time she entered Spanish service under the new name of Castillo de la Mota.

Cheers

Michael

Many thanks Mike for this supplementary data.  Many thanks again for finding those Czechoslovaks drawings for Aero A 100 and A 101 in Krakow Museum library... Maybe you remember  your discouraging comment - the wings of A-101 are not only with larger wingspan (regarding those of A-100)  but also with larger CHORD... (what I noticed alredy on Spanish drawings, but was not sure if it is correct). This kind of difficulty stopped me for some 10 years with this conversion.  However my last year work on Polikarpov R-Z, where I was reducing chord size in lower wing and recent build of DH-9 (also with decreasing of chord and wingspan) finally made me able to try it ;) ...

 

Many thanks for all comments and watching

Regards

J-W

 

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