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Abyssinia 1935-6: Fiat CR 20, Kora 1/72 & Romeo Ro-1, LF 1/72 *FINISHED*


JWM

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Hi 

I think to participate here with machines from Italian invasion on Abyssinia in 1935. First will be Fiat CR20, the predecessor of CR 32 in Fiat fighters family. Model is a injection short run by Kora in 1/72

1198409-34730-90-pristine.jpg

 

I am about to do also Romeo Ro-1 and Caproni  Ca 111 from Italian side and likely Fokker F VII Lorrain from Abyssynian - but surely I will not manage to do all of them till 13 June. But I hope to do the Romeo and Fiat here ...

regards

J-W

 

Edited by JWM
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  • JWM changed the title to Abyssinia 1935: Fiat CR 20, Kora 1/72 & Romeo Ro-1, LF 1/72

Nice subject, J-W! But then you seem to go in for interesting subjects. I can't remember - have you done Gran Chaco War aircraft? That's one war I've collected quite a few kits for. I know we're both interested in the Spanish Civil War.

 

Regards,

 

Jason

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1 hour ago, Learstang said:

Nice subject, J-W! But then you seem to go in for interesting subjects. I can't remember - have you done Gran Chaco War aircraft? That's one war I've collected quite a few kits for. I know we're both interested in the Spanish Civil War.

 

Regards,

 

Jason

Jason, thank you. I have noticed your interest in Gran Chaco War. I restricted my field of interest to machines mostly of WW2 and  of conflicts just predeceasing it, so Spanish Civil War, The Second Sino-Japanese War and Italian-Abyssinia War. The Gran Chaco conflict happened too early since I restricted it to 1935-45 period, However the Peru-Equator war from 1941 should be included.   I know very little about the latest, I know that there is a book on it

 I think I will do one day NA 50 in Peruvian colours one day and maybe Caproni 114, , but Ca 310 I have already in Norway livery and Ca 135 certainly I will like to have as Hungarian... What for Equatorian side? I do not know yet...

The Caproni 111 I want to do from Abyssinia, since the 101 I planing to do Hungarian. So all together I am planing to have three machines from Italian side (Ca 111, Romeo Ro 1 and Fiat CR 20) and at least one from Abissynian Fokker F VII

http://img.wp.scn.ru/camms/ar/334/pics/238_1.jpg

https://www.nevingtonwarmuseum.com/abyssinian-airforce.html

Maybe also Potez XXV and Beech Staggewing... I have in stash also FArman 190 but so far did not foud the photo of it in Abyssinian colours

Regards

J-W

 

 

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I've thought about doing models for the Sino-Japanese War, but that would take so many models to do! It was an interesting mix of aircraft, especially on the Chinese side, where you have a number of both American and Soviet aircraft. If you also put in warlord and Manchukuo aircraft, it becomes even more interesting. I'm certain, some day my interests will turn towards this war. What decals are you going to use for the Abyssinian side, Blue Rider?

 

Regards,

 

Jason

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1 hour ago, Learstang said:

What decals are you going to use for the Abyssinian side, Blue Rider?

Blue Rider is a good option but they do only Potez XXV set.  I was thinking also on home made one, my experience in this is small, but non total null. I made some five times emblems as home print-out. BTW -  I spoken with some other company man (but I was asked not to tell who he work for) and I know they work on some Abyssinian decal set...We will see if it comes true.  But it will be again only Potez... So for Fokker or Beech the only choice is home made print out. But still I am not sure about Beech - I have to check the variant first of all.

Cheers

J-W

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Hi

It is pretty busy cockpit in Fiat Cr 20 

50999807309_a4667806e1_o.jpg

I do not know, why the instrument panel is made of resin and the MGs ends are made fro styren. what makes it difficult to do all as one piece of styrene? 

 

I glued bottom wings to closed fuselage and add horizontal part of tail

For comparison of size CR 32. So the wingspan is similar but fuselage much shorter

51084732901_e0871f977c_o.jpg

 

To be continued

Regards

J-W

 

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On 3/30/2021 at 7:07 PM, Learstang said:

What decals are you going to use for the Abyssinian side, Blue Rider?

 

I was checking today how it is with BR Abbysinian decals and on H. it is for only 2.5 pound but it is a small part of what was original in this set. However they are temporary not accepting new orders (that is what I got when I wanted to pay - I hope it will be OK after Easters, but it could be related with Brexit trade problems). Today I was speaking with a man in local model shop in Krakow and from December he did get any models directly from UK (no Airfix kits, no Humbrol paints as well) .

The original complete BR decal set is available here https://sgsmodelstore.com/collections/blue-rider/products/blue-rider-br307-1-72-ethiopian-potez-25a-2-decals but they sending it only within UK... Anyway I will try again to buy buy it in H. right after Easters.

Regards

J-W

 

Edited by JWM
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Nice progress on an interesting and unusual subject J-W :thumbsup:

 

If the international postage issues from traders continue after Easter perhaps one of us in the UK can help you out ;) 

Edited by Col.
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2 hours ago, Col. said:

If the international postage issues from traders continue after Easter perhaps one of us in the UK can help you out

It's mostly customs related, as now all goods count as export & import.

Even stock replenishments for distributors, in or from the EU, are not getting through at the moment.

 

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On 3/30/2021 at 8:33 AM, Learstang said:

have you done Gran Chaco War aircraft? That's one war I've collected quite a few kits for.

I built this kit with Paraguyan markings...Los Indios.  

 

On 3/29/2021 at 4:59 PM, JWM said:

Model is a injection short run by Kora in 1/72

It's a good kit.  Very solid and not too difficult for short run.

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I already have an old (ancient) Aeroclub kit of the CR.20 with the Los Indios markings for my Gran Chaco War collection. However, I don't have a CR.20 for my Spanish Civil War collection. I've just purchased the Kora plastic injection-moulded Fairey Gordon and Seal, and they are good limited-run kits.* I may very well end up buying the Kora CR.20.

 

Best Regards,

 

Jason

 

* Now if only Kora would turn their extensive set of Hart variants into plastic injection-moulded kits I would be very happy!

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1 hour ago, Learstang said:

I don't have a CR.20 for my Spanish Civil War collection.

I have overlooked it... Now I have found that six CR.20 in two seats configuration  were used in Spain as trainer during SCW on Nationalists side ( here is this info:  http://www.aviationcorner.net/gallery_en.asp?aircraft_type=Fiat CR.20&aircraft_type_id=2847) , and even a photo on which you can see the second windscreen:

http://www.aviationcorner.net/public/photos/2/9/avc_00436329.jpg. The model is of  the same machine.

Thank you for pointing to this!

I also bought IIIF in Greek colors and waiting for Gordon in RAF colors from ME.

Regards

J-W

 

 

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J-W, Aviation Megastore have the RAF WWII Gordon in ME colours available - that's where I bought my Gordon and Seal from. Wasn't the IIIF used early in WWII by the Greeks? If so, that's the one I need. Thank you for the link on the CR.20 two-seater SCW example!

 

Regards,

 

Jason

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1 hour ago, Learstang said:

Wasn't the IIIF used early in WWII by the Greeks? If so, that's the one I need.

Here is this info on Greek IIIf: https://www.haf.gr/en/history/historical-aircraft/fairey-iiif-mki-iii-iiim/

What I have found that they were not camoulaged, left in alu dope. 

There is a Polish dealer of Kora/LF (KS model) - to keep costs low I am waiting for his offer...  :)

 

Best regards

J-W

 

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Fiat: I am always do props able to spin, so here I made special construction: a drilled through piece of frame as bearing for shaft

51097327271_3c2db096c4_o.jpg

 

And prop will spin

51097327556_570162cb6f_o.jpg

 

The exhaust pipes 

51097327046_c03490c102_o.jpg

 

 

Romeo (IMAM) : The frequent in-field modification in colonies was installing third seat behind the gunner position. I cut out this cockpit

51098132530_dde648774f_o.jpg

 

Romeo had a bit different tail then typical Fokker CVE (btw - the Ro-1 was a licence of Fokker CVE). Moreover also the lower wing is said to have some dimension problems. I have to check what it is about...

 

To be continued

Regards

J-W

 

 

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You've been busy J-W!  I'm familiar with the stumpy little Fiat (from my Chaco War interest), but not the Romeo.  I look forward to seeing more:popcorn:.

 

Cheers

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16 hours ago, CliffB said:

but not the Romeo. 

Basically Romeo Ro 1 is  a  Fokker CVE build under  licence in Italy. There are some differences, one is larger tailplane.  Unfortunately the designers from LF did not noticed this: here are wings and tailplane lying on the manufactures drawings taken from a Dutch monograph of Fokker CV

51101846623_b16dd71704_o.jpg

So the upper wing is OK except of fuel tanks - photo suggests presence of a pair of taks outside what is done here. 

Lower wing is about 3 mm to long (span).  I 've read that something is wrong aso with ribs , mabe our Italan collegues wil help with listing the differnece

(please help  @Giorgio N

Here are fuselage parts lying on the book, the Fiat CR-20 has added main struts

51101701092_4ff344d4de_o.jpg

 

To be continued

Regards

J-W

 

 

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35 minutes ago, Col. said:

Are you planning to create the larger tailplane from scratch or do you have an alternative source?

There is a correction set https://www.72news.eu/2017/10/sem-model-imam-romeo-ro1-correction-set.html 

or more here (what I have found right now):

http://www.modellismosalento.it/en/recensioni/accessori-e-decals/853-sem-models-aggiornamento-per-il-romeo-ro-1-della-lf-models-in-1-72.html

however I think I will scratch it. 

In the above link, translated by google translator I have found, that upper wing is consider OK, whereas the lower has to have shorter wingspan as well the rudder should be smaller. No word about the ribs on lower wing, I have to study presented there photos...

 

Regards

J-W

P.S.

This is a exactly the machine I want to reproduce (three seater!)

ro1-4.jpg

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I have found a complete (?) list of types used by Italy in Abbysinia and Somali as for December 1935

Caproni 101 ("D2" in Abb. - 19 and "bis" in So. - also 19)

Caproni 111 (26 in Abb + 18 in So.)

Romeo Ro 1 (65 in Abb + 9 in So) no Ro 1 bis!  

Ro 37 bis (10 in So.)

Fiat Cr 20 (22 in Abb + 6 in So.)

Breda 39 (3 of them in Somalia) - looks like that (there is a kit by Choroszy)

ef913e855428271dce7a7076f0e24d28.jpg

 

 

 

CMASA MF 4 (4 of them in Somalia) 

http://www.airwar.ru/image/idop/flyboat/mf4/mf4-5.jpg

 

In 1939 it was:

Caproni 111 - 5

Caproni 133 - 103

Savoia SM 81  - 15

Savoia Sm 79 - 3

Fiat CR 32        - 31

Romeo Ro 37 - 8 

 

Data taken from M/Wawrzynski & Z. Lalak "Reggia Aeronautica 1935-1943" Issued by Pegaz& Ulica Lipowa, Warsaw, 1998.

Regards

J-W

 

 

Edited by JWM
correction of mistake
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