BoB Italian aircraft decals

[Plastic_parts]

Hi guys, here’s an unusual one for ya all. Does anyone know if there are any decals available for the following aircraft kits?

airfix Fiat GR.50

italeri Fiat CR.42
italeri  BR.20s

Although the Italian airforce played only a small part in the Battle of Britain in its closing stages, I’d like to add these aircraft to my Battle of Britain collection so I need to find the relevant markings etc.. as always any help or advice offered is greatly appreciated.

[Heather Kay]

Having just built these planes for the current Battle of Britain Group Build, I’ll chip in what little I know.

 

The new Italeri CR.42 has markings for CAI aircraft based in Belgium. The old BR.20 kit also has suitable markings, though you have to be careful about which issue you find. I built the "classic" version which purported to recreate the original 1972 boxing. I can’t answer for the old Airfix G.50, and I’m afraid I don’t know exactly what’s out there for decal sets. I’ve tended to rely on purchasing kits with the right markings in them.

[Stew Dapple]

There is (was) a set of DP Caspar decals from the 'Forgotten Battles' series called "Operation Cinzano" which contains markings for several CAI aircraft and some of the British fighters that intercepted them. I believe the set is significantly rarer than rocking-horse poo now.

 

As Heather notes above, Italeri provide some CAI markings for the new re-boxing of the CR.42 and the 'Limited edition' re-release BR.20. One of the AML Fiat G.50 kits contains markings for the CAI but the Airfix kit doesn't as it is the G.50 Bis which was not available at the time of the BoB, and finally there is a kit of the Supermodel Cant Z.1007 - the single-tail type, not the 'Bidereva' with the twin tailplanes is the one used for reconnaissance by the CAI but it's not an easy kit to find and if you do it is a bit basic being a product of the 1970's. I don't know if it includes any appropriate markings, I don't think so.

 

I don't suppose that's really much help, but good hunting  

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[RJP]

I saved the instructions from the Series 1 Airfix Fiat G.50 / G.50bis (the instructions had it both ways and I have no idea which it is or how to tell - not my area of interest) first poly-bagged issue, 1967.  The description of the aircraft reads in part "The aircraft depicted in this kit is one of those operated by the 51st Stormo of the 21st Gruppo which for a short time was stationed in Belgium and operated over the Channel and the British Isles."  The aircraft carries the letters 352-1.

 

I'm am completely in the dark about the scheme and decal accuracy but I found it a pleasant little kit.  No rivets either, just the faintest of raised panel lines.  The cowling was too small in diameter but that could be cured easily enough with a wrap of plastic card.

[Mark Harmsworth]

It is always worth using the Hannants search engine.

https://www.hannants.co.uk/

[AWFK10]

Airfix weren't very clear about the difference between a G.50 and a G.50 Bis. As Stew says, despite the markings they provide their kit is actually a Bis. If you look at this page from the old Profile, a BoB G.50 is the second from the top with a G.50 Bis below it. The G.50 has a taller fin and rudder with a shorter chord and the base of the rudder (which is a straight line on the Bis) is a sort of shallow 'v' shape, though this last feature isn't shown in the Profile illustration. The tailcone of the Bis fuselage extends out beyond the trailing edge of the rudder. 

 

The other issue with any build of the Airfix kit is its cowling, which is significantly undersized. Some people used to recommend a Hasegawa A6M2 Zero cowling as a replacement; when I built the G.50 a couple of years ago I used a modified part from the current Airfix Zero kit, which looks OK. 

[modelldoc]

The old Revell Fiat CR 42 has markings for the 95 Sqn 18. Grupo 56. Stormo in Maldegen, Belgium

 

Check the kit here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/15574286334/in/photolist-qoFjVG-pJfhJb-pJfkyE-q87UyF-opwVEK

 

The old Airfix Fiat G-50bis has markings for the 51.Stormo, 21 Grupo in Libya 1941

 

Check:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/15574295874/in/photolist-qoFjVG-pJfhJb-pJfkyE-q87UyF-opwVEK

 

The old Italeri BR.20 has markings for the 4. Sqn, 11. Grupo 13. Stormo in Bruxelles, Belgium

 

Check:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/16009198378/in/photolist-qoFjVG-pJfhJb-pJfkyE-q87UyF-opwVEK

 

and the CANT Z 1007 bis Monoderiva from Supermodel  has markings  for the 172. Sqn. in Epinette, Belgium

 

Check:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/16196658435/in/photolist-qFf7gD

 

modelldoc

 

 

 

[Giorgio N]

In addition to the options mentioned above, the sheets made by Sky Models for the these types all included options for aircraft used during the BoB. Unfortunately these are all now OOP but can still be found in some shops.

It's very possible that the Tauro line also offers decals for these aircraft but I never checked.

 

[Plastic_parts]

Thanks for all the help and advice guys, very much appreciated.

[janneman36]

10 minutes ago, Plastic_parts said:

Thanks for all the help and advice guys, very much appreciated.

here a link to misterkit in italy, they do have a lot of italian things and could help me with some long out of production stuff..

https://www.misterkit.com/product/16870129/fiat-cr-42

https://www.misterkit.com/product/16870142/fiat-g.50-freccia

https://www.misterkit.com/shop/complex/category/-/brand/-/?&title=BR.20

 

hope it helps😉, Jan