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Caudron G.III "Cabine" F-AIGS- Conversion of Choroszy resin, 1/72nd


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This is a model built 3 years ago, that I did not post.

It will become relevant for another model that I will be (likely) building, hence this late posting. I am not particularly proud of this model, as I really struggled with the kit's quality, but here it is anyway.

 

I converted the "normal" G.III into a civil plane, with enclosed cockpit.

 

aabaIMG_8418+%25281280x960%2529-1.jpg

 

A page on the plane was found in Les Ailes #436, 10/24/1929, thanks to the wonderful Gallica archives.
From that Gallica/Les Alies page:

lhuillery.jpg

 

You may find a post here at the Passion Pour L'aviation blog:

http://www.passionpourlaviation.fr/2016/04/23/cudron-giii-a-cabine-fermee/

 

aIMG_8414+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

The Chroszy kit provides a starting point, and it helps, but it has some shortcomings you may not like (I did not).

A biplane is always a challenge at many levels, and this is no exception. The rigging on this one is quite a task, and the open twin booms uniting front and tail are especially tricky in more than one way too.

My thanks to Mika Jernfors of Arctic Decals from whom I commissioned the simple images this one needed, being civil-registered. 

 

First the good:

a detailed resin kit, mostly well molded (but with many parts not well molded, unfortunately) with reasonable scale thicknesses, with a nice photo-etched fret, and things bagged separately in an attempt (futile) to protect the contents. A piece of clear plastic was in the box too.

 

The not so good:

Quite so-so instructions, which seems to be the norm with so many kits, too small, and with the P.E. parts not differentiated from the resin ones. The parts of course do no have identification numbers, and there is no part diagram, so you will be left to guess in many instances, and trust me, you won't like it.

As with other kits from this manufacturer, some parts arrived already broken, which really pisses me off. Choroszy could use those "ears" or sidebars that other resin manufacturers use to protect the parts in the casting blocks. The wingtip was broken, and I found (after much looking around) the fragment to glue it back, but one of the landing gear skis had its front broken, and no fragment was there. The way some parts are united to their casting blocks (like the seats) makes them prone to breakage in separating them.
In any case, spares seem to be provided (difficult to asses since there is no part numbers or diagram).
The too thick throttles come as resin parts, but they should have doubtlessly been included with the P.E. parts.

My kit did not have the decals that according to the lid should have come in there. No worries, since I did not use them anyway, but heck!

This kit in general is overoptimistic in the sense that part of the detail will have to be replaced by wire or very thin styrene rod. The fragile and in some spots uneven resin parts that depict the trusses are quite a bit of wishful thinking too.

In general, the sense I got from this kit is an attempt to replicate a fragile structure that fell quite short, had poor mechanical strength, and molding that left much to be desired. Unclean casts, failed parts, and parts confetti upon arrival.

Not to mention asymmetries regarding wing strut placement, that will make your delight once you realize it, hopefully not too late in construction.

Not a happy camper I was with this kit.

 

I had built before a Church Midwing racer from the same manufacturer, that was in general AFAICR a better experience, but with incomplete and bad decals:

 

bacIMG_8440+%25281280x976%2529.jpg

 

bIMG_8421+%25281280x944%2529.jpg

 

cIMG_8402+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

dIMG_8432+%25281280x943%2529.jpg

 

gIMG_8419+%25281280x997%2529.jpg

 

IMG_8411+%25281280x944%2529.jpg

 

IMG_8429+%25281280x958%2529.jpg

 

IMG_8439+%25281280x997%2529.jpg

 

IMG_8456+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

IMG_8458+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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10 hours ago, Courageous said:

Looks great from here Claudio although you haven't filled me with joy about Choroszy kits, daren't open the boxes now :tmi:

 

Stuart

Thanks, Stuart, this is the longer version of the story:
I just acquired a Choroszy Seversky SEV S-2 racer (piloted by Fuller), looking very much like a decals slap-on of their P35, wanting to compare it with the RarePlane vac I am building, hoping it would be a good kit.

It isn't, something I promptly realized as I started to clean and photograph the parts. I remembered then that I had built two Choroszy kits in the past, and then realized I had not posted the Caudron.

Now it's here finally posted to be the background of another thread for the Seversky racer itself, detailing its pros and cons (as you may assume from my demeanor and mood, more the latter than the former). I also rejected a commissioned build of a Choroszy kit once I got the kit in my hands, A Bleriot or similar early machine if memory serves that was literally unbuildable.

Some Choroszy kits are better than others, so I will circumscribe to the ones I built.

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1 hour ago, Britman said:

Your persistence is noted as well as your accomplishment. Thank you for sharing it despite your misgivings.

 

Keith

Thanks Keith.

Grumble

15 minutes ago, Spitfire31 said:

A charming little machine!

 

Kind regards,

 

Joachim

Thanks Joachim.

Little but malign, it was.

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Once again, an incredible piece of work. I honestly don't know how you do it. While you may not be particularly proud of it, I, and I suspect many others, are captivated by it. Truly outstanding!

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Another little beauty Moa.

I think you'd do well to publish a book of your model builds, it would sell well. Especially as you also write with such detail, and your photography shows them off well! 

I echo what Stuart says about Choroszy kits. I remember buying one then promptly sold it on! 😆

 

Martin

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On 10/10/2020 at 3:45 PM, Lightningboy2000 said:

Another little beauty Moa.

I think you'd do well to publish a book of your model builds, it would sell well. Especially as you also write with such detail, and your photography shows them off well! 

I echo what Stuart says about Choroszy kits. I remember buying one then promptly sold it on! 😆

 

Martin

 

"Indecent Memoires of a Recurrent Scratchbuilder" could be a catchy title.

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Moa my friend, let me guess how a typical calendar week is for you.................

1. 80 hours committed to employer

2. 30 hours committed to exercise routine

3. 50 hours committed towards family activity

4. 60 hours committed towards rest / sleep

5. 16 minutes to produce museum quality replicas such as this Caudron G.III

There`s no other possible way to explain how you are able to produce the amount of museum quality models you turn out and share with us here.  Please send me your recipe for success.  😉 :yes:

 

As always,

Mike :worthy:

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1 hour ago, Bengalensis said:

That is some very impressive work you have done, to produce that model from a Choroszy kit. They are no easy kits to deal with...

Having said that I'm still glad for some of their choices of subjects.

Very well done.

 

Thanks, Jörgen.

I agree, I like many of their civil subjects very much, as said in the comment on the Seversky post. Some seem to be of better quality than others. The ones that went through my hands, though, did have a number of issues.

Cheers

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9 hours ago, Sky Keg said:

Moa my friend, let me guess how a typical calendar week is for you.................

1. 80 hours committed to employer

2. 30 hours committed to exercise routine

3. 50 hours committed towards family activity

4. 60 hours committed towards rest / sleep

5. 16 minutes to produce museum quality replicas such as this Caudron G.III

There`s no other possible way to explain how you are able to produce the amount of museum quality models you turn out and share with us here.  Please send me your recipe for success.  😉 :yes:

 

As always,

Mike :worthy:

My secret: A sort of non-Euclidian time: days of 56 hours, weeks of 16 days, and years of 722 days.

That also has the added benefit of keeping me younger and handsomer (less BDays).

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