Does Kora Macchi MC 200 wings have sharp leading edge?

[franki84]

Kora makes a resin replacement for the Special Hobby 1/72 Macchi MC 200 early wing type.  Does it have the sharp wing leading edges missing in current injection kits?

[72modeler]

Is there enough plastic to just file or sand the inner edges of the wing halve to get a sharper leading edge, as commonly needs to be done for both the leading and trailing edges of many short-run kits? I only ask as I'm not familiar with the differences in the early and late MC-200 wing, other than that the profile was changed to a variable type, but I have no idea what that means. Can you enlighten this ignorant modeler? I happen to like the MC200 a great deal and would like to know more about it before building one- I have the 1/72 AML, Special Hobby, and Revell kits.

Mike

[MDriskill]

To illustrate franki84's question, the majority of MC.200's had a rather unique airfoil shape, with a very small-radius leading edge. To the best of my knowledge, no 1/72 kit has ever depicted this correctly:

 

 

 

 

According to the books I have on hand: the succeeding MC.202 used the same basic wing structure, but with a more "normal" looking, rounded leading edge. Some later MC.200's also changed to this LE profile; and still later, 200's actually used the 202 wing, which had some additional changes to the ailerons and other details. Unfortunately my sources are rather vague as to when exactly these happened, and which production series were affected.

 

For whatever my opinion is worth, the current Hobby Boss kit comes closest on this detail, though it has other issues. I'm not familiar with the Kora set, but it has apparently been released in three (!) versions; for the Revell, AML, and Special Hobby/Flying Machine molds.

Edited June 18, 2021 by MDriskill

[72modeler]

OK- now I see what @franki84 was talking about! It looks to me like the upper profile of the wing is wedge-shaped from the uppersurface to the leading edge; the lower profile looks rather flat. If that is correct and there is enough plastic on the upper wing halves, he could file or sand the upper leading edge to match the 'chiseled' profile seen in the photos, or he could cut the upper wing halves back and cement a thin sheet of plasticard to the upper wing half leading edge to achieve the same effect. I would imagine the 'corrected' resin wing is pretty pricey, but might be cost effectivve as it might have correct/detailed/better  wheel bays than the kit. As an aside, did the MC200 have one wing longer than the other like the MC202 to counteract torque? (What I know about  WW2 Italian combat aircraft could be put on the head of a pin with enough space left over for the collected works of Shakespeare!)

Mike

 

No wonder Macchi changed the leading edge profile- I bet the chiseled LE made for some rather exciting spins and departures during tight turns!

[MDriskill]

Yes, the 200's left wing was about 8 inches (190 mm or 200 mm per various sources) longer than the right one. This continued throughout the 200 - 202 - 205 "family" of designs.

 

According to my references, the 200's wing went through several steps in evolution:

+ The early service machines had such poor stall and spin characteristics that they were withdrawn for wing modifications. I don't know what these were.

+ The initial large-scale production standard retained the small-radius LE.

+ At some point, a thicker LE profile was instituted. One source says this was in late series XX - XXIV machines.

+ The final production standard used a wing interchangeable with the 202. This added a noticeable inset at part of the aileron leading edge (earlier 200 wings had a straight hinge line). This wing also had bays for 7.7 mm guns (which may have appeared earlier - again, I don't know).

 

 

So for a modeler trying to figure out which details to use...if you can see the sharp LE, you can assume the early ailerons. If you can see the 202-type ailerons, you can assume the revised "fat" LE. Otherwise...good luck, LOL...!

 

My pessimistic hunch is that the Kora set(s?) are likely just copies of the kit wing with wheel well detail added, but, one more time...I don't know for sure! If they did have the sharp LE, that would leave you with some work to match things up at the wing root.

 

Edited June 18, 2021 by MDriskill