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Modelland Ambrosini SAI-403 Dardo


JOCKNEY

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Yes it's a vacform kit of a rare Italian WW2 Fighter Aircraft which until recently was only available as a vacform kit.

 

IMG_4693

Picture from Scalemates 

 

IMG_4692

Picture from Scalemates 

 

I know I have this kit, good job I have a year to find it and build it, I'll no doubt need every blooming day.

 

Good luck everyone.

 

cheers Pat

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The Dardo was a development of the previous SAI 207, a light fighter built of non-strategic materials, in this case wood. It followed a concept that other countries had studied, with the most famous type being maybe the Caudron 714. The SAI 207 showed a lot of promise, reaching over 620 km/h with only 750 hp and was built in small numbers and the 403 was supposed to sort some of the drawback of the earlier type. IIRC only one prototype of the SAI 403 was built and this was lost in an accident.

Will watch this build with interest ! It is a little known subject and will be good to see this built

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Hi Pat,

although psychologically 100% French, I am genetically 100% Italian... and I'll be damned if I have ever heard of that plane!!!

Where are you finding these esoteric contraptions? Why don't you build a Boripatra, like everybody else?

So you are going to go caving into your stash. Please give us a deadline for us to ring the alarm if you do not resurface on time.

Dardo! Really...

 

Have fun anyway, you deserve it!

JR

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, first part of this build has been achieved, namely I've found the kit !

 

IMG_4824

 

As you can see in the picture below the nose has suffered over the years, hopefully it can recover its shape with some gentle pushing from behind.

 

IMG_4825

 

This is a better look at what it's supposed to look like, interesting to see all the exhausts are directly under the engine not to the sides as you would expect.

 

IMG_4826

 

Decals and a mystery Matchbox, containing 

 

IMG_4827

 

The vacformed canopy, I don't believe that each kit came with a matchbox, but who knows !

 

IMG_4828

 

Assembly instructions, I think I'll need to look for a few replacement parts, prop and undercarriage come to mind, but lots to do before we get to that stage.

 

To add to the excellent information provided by @Giorgio N this is the info provided with the kit

 

IMG_4830

 

Interesting to think of Heinkel & Mitsubishi producing this aircraft under licence going up against P-51 Mustangs in Europe and Corsairs in the Pacific !

 

Next stage a good wash and release the parts from the backing sheet.

 

Cheers Pat

 

PS I found another Vacform which I'll post separately for later on in the year.

 

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Without wishing to get ahead of myself, whilst still extracting parts from the backing sheet and sanding.....

 

Any idea what colours to use on this kit?

 

I have mostly Humbrol paints, so I believe the interior is grey, exterior top is what looks like a dark green, underside grey ? Wheel wells ?

 

All help greatly appreciated 

 

cheers Pat

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Started removing the parts from the backing sheet tonight. I'm obviously out of practice as despite a brand new blade, I still managed to both cut myself and break a part whilst trying to remove it !

 

I think I'll start sanding the parts I've released so far rather than separate them all, hopefully that way I can keep the carpet monster from getting an easy meal.

 

cheers Pat

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There isn't much information on the details of these aircraft, however it's possible to give a good informed guess based on other similar types and others from the same company.

The camo colours were those standard for the so-called "continental scheme": upper surfaces were in Verde Oliva Scuro 2 (dark olive green 2) while lower surfaces were in Grigio Azzurro Chiaro 1 (light blue grey 1)

Cockpit colours in that era were supposed to be in the same Grigio Azzurro Chiaro 1 of the lower surfaces. The exceptions were the instrument panel, in flat black, and the seat that was often in aluminum.

Wheel wells were sometime considered as interior surfaces and sometimes treated as exterior surfaces... in any case this means Grigio Azzurro Chiaro 1... yes, in the end you only really need 2 colours for most of the aircraft. Unless you want to go to town with superdetailing, in that case Italian aircraft of the era had pipes and relative equipment colour coded depending on their nature, with blue, white, green and red used for different parts.

Regarding the paints to use, the Humbrol paints considered as closest are 91 for the dark green and 141 for the light grey. Unfortunately the latter is OOP and may not be easy to find.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Pat,

 

I can just see you, swimming in a sea of plastic shavings....

Keep having fun.

 

JR

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  • 5 weeks later...
On 1/27/2020 at 5:58 PM, jean said:

Hi Pat,

 

I can just see you, swimming in a sea of plastic shavings....

Keep having fun.

 

JR

Safest way to swim! You can drown in that water stuff you know.

 

Interesting challenge Sir. I'm also fighting a vacform for which I hold you completely responsible :D

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  • 1 month later...

A long conference call with Work today offered an opportunity to do a bit on the Dardo.

 

Main parts released from the backing sheet and cockpit started, ill make a joystick and add homemade harness but not sure how much will be seen through the canopy !

 

IMG_4893

 

The wing / fuselage interface looks a bit confusing, as the separate inner part of the wing provides the anchor points for the undercarriage legs. Talking of which they look blooming rubbish so I will need to see what's in the spares box.

 

Cheers Pat

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17 hours ago, JOCKNEY said:

A long conference call with Work today offered an opportunity to do a bit on the Dardo.

It's humbling to see our essential workers showing such commitment during these unprecedented times.

 

Cheers

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  • 2 weeks later...

Not easy, but very interesting build.

Good start.

Haven't found much documentation on this type, but That inner part of the lower wing will have to be glued  at the back of the lower wing section,once you've cutthe outline of the wheelbays, addition scratch built spacers and some sort of side walls on the primeter of the wheels bays.

I'll be watching closely!

Ciao

Massimo

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