Potez 25 A2, Azur/Frrom, Royal Hellenic AF, Athens-Tatoi airfield, April/May 1941

[John Masters]

I am going to use all of my skills with this one.  Lots of PE, including attachment points for rigging.  A bit of resin.  Nicely moulded plastic.  PE wire wheels (always a challenge!)...

 

 

It says 1/72nd, but I swear it' 1/48th.  This is a big plane, with big, wide wings.  A two-seater fighter-bomber form the early 40's...I do live aircraft on the cusp, so to speak.  I am sure the Greeks worked these birds hard but the Italians, I am sure, outflew and outgunned them easily.  Still, here it is, my first offering for this one.  (Btw...if anyone has any English roundels for a 1941 Gloster Gauntlet in Egypt that are in register, I would be happy to take them.  The AZ Model kit's offerings are way off. That'll be next...)

 

The decals are very nice...offering Greek, Romanian and Yugoslavian choices.

 

 

The sprue, with a clear set and PE...

 

 

 

And finally the profile.  Note the odd starboard wings...

 

 

 

Sigma 3 will get off the ground shortly!

 

-John

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ozzy]

Welcome to the build John, looks a nice build and an area of the MTO that doesn't get much of a mention.

[CliffB]

10 hours ago, John Masters said:

 A two-seater fighter-bomber form the early 40's...

It's fantastic to see a Potez 25 in the mix John (and nice that Azur finally got round to giving us an injection moulded kit) .

I'm not sure if you mis-typed, but the plane actually dates from the 1920s, so would certainly have been struggling in the MTO.

 

Cheers

[John Masters]

8 hours ago, CliffB said:

but the plane actually dates from the 1920s

Yes...this was used during the conflict against the Italians in 1940.  It was already very obsolete.  

 

Yes...probably outflown by the slowest FIAT.  

[John Masters]

I have gathered the pieces together that I will need for the first page of the build.  I have also, in lieu of grey primer, given the interior of the fuselage pieces a light blast of Humbrol rattle can Sand.  The instructions say 'plywood' for these, and many other, pieces.

 

 

Beginning assembly...the sink mark behind the seat will be sanded off.

 

 

More Sand primer.  I considered adding a layer of Clear Yellow for a varnished effect, but I think I will leave it as is.  Once it is all closed up you won't see it anyway. 

A decal IP will be added to the panel on the lower right.

 

 

I'll pick out the individual colours later with a small hairy brush.

 

 

Port side, with the belly gun attached.

 

 

Starboard side, with the camera, and cockpit details.

 

 

And the first page is ready to be closed up.

 

 

--John

 

[rob85]

Great start on a left field subject, good to see it getting some light.

 

Rob

[John Masters]

20 minutes ago, rob85 said:

good to see it getting some light.

Thanks Rob.

[SoftScience]

This is pretty cool. I'm not very familiar with the type, so this is something of a learning experience.

 

It's always interesting to see people face up to the challenge of a short run kit, and turn the Blobby plastic bits into something really sharp looking.

[John Masters]

40 minutes ago, SoftScience said:

It's always interesting to see people face up to the challenge of a short run kit, and turn the Blobby plastic bits into something really sharp looking.

Luckily this is not so blobby.  It's well-moulded, narrow gates and a bare hint of flash.  The surface detail is nice too.  All these aspects help.

[John Masters]

The main fuselage section is complete.  That seam at the bottom will be filled in.  Don't worry.  I now have a tube of Perfect Plastic Putty and I think my world is about to improve.

 

 

The nose sections...I have drilled out those 6 intake vents to give them a bit more depth.

 

 

The trick is getting all the pieces together.  I think, regrading alignment, I will use the top of the radiator cap.

 

 

Which leaves mis-alignment here and there...

 

 

And out comes the PPP!  I love this stuff!

 

 

A bit here too...

 

 

I'll let that dry and clean it up later.

 

--John

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TonyOD]

What an interesting subject. Coming together nicely. 

[Learstang]

Good work so far, John! I'll be very interested to see how you get along with this one as I'm contemplating buying the Lorraine-powered version (for the Gran Chaco War). So far, yours looks good, with the bit of fitting and alignment issues that seem par for the course for limited-run kits.

 

Regards,

 

Jason

Edited September 18, 2020 by Learstang
Clarification.

[John Masters]

1 hour ago, Learstang said:

Gran Chaco War

Might have to look in to that one too...

 

Thank you Jason!

 

[Learstang]

You're welcome! I already have the Potez 25 TOE, which was also used in the Gran Chaco War, and although I've yet to put blade to plastic, the moulding looks good, and the kit nicely detailed.

 

Regards,

 

Jason

[John Masters]

The lower wing slips into this slot.  Some 'tab A, slot B' action...

 

 

The fit of the forward nose piece and the fuselage is not perfect.  I will need to fill a bit.

 

 

I was able to correct it a little bit better.  That will reduce the amount of filler.  With the lower wing attached, it's looking about right.

 

 

And I have marked the areas where they say to do so.  

 

 

More today.  The "Medicane" sweeping across Greece hit us late last night with sudden lashings of rain and wind but as of now, 7:45 or so, all has calmed down.

We'll see if we get anything else.   A good day to do some modelling!

 

--John

 

[John Masters]

You know me...I do love rigging a biplane more so than the next guy, but I am avoiding this until I have to.  Scares the bejeezus outta me...

 

Most of the PE set are rigging points...Yikes!  

 

 

Let's avoid that for the moment and build some wire wheels...which I do not like, by the way.  I may use the other style even though it says it is not accurate for this aircraft.  At some time the wheels were covered in fabric...they just look...sloppy...my work, not the wheels themselves.

 

 

But I did it anyway and began to augment the axle as the instructions suggest, when...

 

 

 

So I built another axle with the wire wheels in mind...

 

 

At this point I can no longer delay the inevitable:  the PE rigging points must be addressed.  I'll see you all at the optometrist when I am finished. 😉

 

 

--John

 

 

[Ozzy]

Good luck John, coming along nicely.

[John Masters]

38 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

Good luck John, coming along nicely.

Thanks Ozzy.  Luck, for me today, is knowing when to change course...

 

I get it.  I really do.  These minuscule (I mean, really tiny) pieces of PE will both facilitate and accurately display the rigging on this aircraft.  What planet that might be is anyone'e guess.  Really...this is not going to hold any tension and the hole I have been provided with is far too small to handle any line worth the scale.  I think, before I get too invested in the PE, I might ponder drilling some and PE-ing some.  A combo, as it were...

 

 

I quite like these...they might hold promise.

 

 

We shall see...

 

--John

 

 

 

[Torbjorn]

Happy to see one of these built,  I remember when it was released. Didn’t realise they were still in use in the 40s.

 

An alternative might to only lead the wires through the holes in the PE but instead of terminating there, attach the ends to the plastic the traditional way. I see the temptation of attaching only to the PE, that would make things considerably easier - if the PE/plastic bonds hold that is. I am happy to see someone else trying this first  

[John Masters]

2 hours ago, Torbjorn said:

if the PE/plastic bonds hold that is. I am happy to see someone else trying this first  

That is my dilemma. I don't think they will hold under pressure.  I think the kit manufacturers want me to use stiff wire...I think I'll drill instead.

[Learstang]

John, best of luck on your rigging! I took one look at those rigging PE fiddly bits for my Potez 25 TOE and decided oh, immediately, it was not going to happen with my kit. Rigging scares me. A lot.

 

Regards,

 

Jason

[John Masters]

3 minutes ago, Learstang said:

it was not going to happen with my kit. Rigging scares me. A lot.

No need to be scared Jason!  Try one of Eduard 1/48th scale Profile Pack DVII kits.  Easy to rig and will calm your nerves about the process.

 

However, at 1/72nd scale PE rigging points are for the driven or the insane.  I am much happier now that I have decided to drill...

 

Landing gear on...

 

 

Drill, baby...

 

 

 

--John

 

 

[Learstang]

Unfortunately 1/48th scale isn't my 'bag', John. However, I have a I-153 wending its way from Eastern Europe. It's in 1/32nd scale. It just might be the kit to start rigging on. In fact, I'm pretty certain I will try some rigging on it. I might even try some etched rigging wires on this one. How that skill will translate down all the way to 1/72nd scale remains to be seen. But you have to start somewhere...

 

Regards,

 

Jason

[JWM]

John, great and fast progress! I am looking on this with interest, since recently, despite that I have two Potez XXV already done (TOE and Jupiter, kits from Polish Hit-Kit short run by not existing already company) I have bought two from Azur-Frrom (Hispano and Lorrain) and they wait in stash... The Hispano I will do in the same Greek colors, Lorrain is so far a "spare" one. If they will not release any further engine variant i will use it for conversions to Salmson (SCW) or Polish trainer.

I like your decision of giving up with PE rigging points. It is very reasonable,  When I have looked into box first time it seems to me a bit strange to do such sort of details in 1/72, there is a bit risk that they might look then too heavy. Now I am sure, that you have done right skipping this...

Regards

Jerzy-Wojtek

 

 

[John Masters]

2 hours ago, JWM said:

I have two Potez XXV already done (TOE and Jupiter, kits from Polish Hit-Kit short run by not existing already company)

I have built one of those, a very long time ago.  Indeed a very 'short run'.  Lots of flash and heavy gates, as I recall.  I used it for a Chaco War Paraguayan aircraft.  Long since gone, that build...lost in transit. They were the only ones around at the time.

 

I would like to build one along the lines of St. Exupery's aircraft in which he flew over the Andes.  Perhaps now I can...

 

Thanks!

 

3 hours ago, Learstang said:

But you have to start somewhere...

Thanks Jason.  Yes...my first rig was an Airfix Sopwith Pup--1/72nd obviously.  I think your I-153 will be a snap to rig at that scale.  Real turnbuckles and everything...I am looking forward to seeing it.