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aucune raison d'etre - RS 1/72 Caudron C.714 [Fini]


alt-92

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In the years before the outbreak of World War II, a number of countries became intrigued by the idea of developing a very light fighter aircraft, with these proposals often being derived from the design of racing aircraft.
One of those examples that actually saw service and combat was the Caudron C.714 . 

 

Although light and fast, its wooden construction did not permit a more powerful engine to be fitted. The original Renault 12R-03 engine seriously limited its climb rate and maneuverability with the result that the Caudron was initially withdrawn from active service in February 1940. 

The invasion of France in May 1940 changed plans again,  35 Caudrons were delivered to the Polish Warsaw Squadron manned by escaped Polish pilots, Groupe de Chasse polonais I/145.

Just a week later, the French War ministry ordered the C.714 to be withdrawn (again) but since the French authorities had no other aircraft to offer, the Polish pilots ignored the order and continued to fly the Caudrons.

Despite flying a fighter hopelessly outdated compared to the Messerschmitt Bf 109E, the Polish pilots scored 12 confirmed and three unconfirmed victories in three battles between 8 June and 11 June, losing nine in the air and nine more on the ground. 

 

 

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RS's  c.714 kit.

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Quite a simple affair, just the one sprue really. 
The roundels do look a bit suspect, may have to scrounge up an alternative somewhere that looks better.

y4mDWMlrbdma-nP5JL1aj0_wGOa00XoTedEHZUQe

 

At least I get to break open the Hataka set, so that's a good thing ;)

 

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I know :)  They weren't too impressed either. Still, they kept one around so we can say 'what were they thinking' :D

And they donated an extra fuselage to the MdA (not quite sure if the French wanted that reminder...)

 

Anyways:

Cockpit. 

Tiny. And you wouldn't see much. 

y4mme5uri9rVI5xaXZ058Gq6gX3SLb5I3b3JwCCB

 

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While we're at it, might as well close the fuselage. Smeared a bit of Surfacer 500 on the seams as weld-action TET tends to leave a small furrow. 

Coin for size.

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Wonder how much will remain visible after the clear parts are on!

 

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As is usual with short-run, a fair amount of cleanup, scraping and fettling is necessary - and even then there's no avoiding fillers and putty.

Nevertheless:

y4mHcA_r5g_5SI-Z5KfrN37M1UevhO-1h4t4cqS1

 

I might just mask off the walkway there - it's so small that getting masking tape at the wing root is too much of a bother.

Leading and trailing edges ; could have done a bit better on scraping and thinning them but some surfacer 500 does the trick as well.

y4m4V8qXwJple5VkZYOMOSYWH8ihgs9EsBxKeTLO

 

Time to mask some clear parts and add grey primer.

 

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Hi,

 

I am afraid I can't see any of your photos.

Are you doing something different?

 

Cheers.

JR

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Thanks :)

Masked the clear parts - windshield and canopy are one-piece and take some fettling to get flush with the spine. 
And grey primer on. 

y4m3GKdeoimKMfQLzDvL5yjjjXs1OaVdJ2C9s-iw

 

y4mJwo5JxPIRB9SMTOGnWu7HRP3zfNRK6lNdwObp

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At least you did not have to manufacture a correct(ish) rear fuselage/cockpit like me - I think this is probably a better kit than mine!

 

Pete

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19 hours ago, PeterB said:

At least you did not have to manufacture a correct(ish) rear fuselage/cockpit like me - I think this is probably a better kit than mine!

Oh dear, Mistercrap :D well, good luck, can I suggest digging through the decal drawer in case the ones from the box don't survive first contact with water? 

I'm having to do the same here, but that's more due to the misshapen cocardes on the kit decals..

 

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1 hour ago, alt-92 said:

Oh dear, Mistercrap :D well, good luck, can I suggest digging through the decal drawer in case the ones from the box don't survive first contact with water? 

I'm having to do the same here, but that's more due to the misshapen cocardes on the kit decals..

 

Fortunately I do have a couple of sheets of spare French WWII roundels as the kit ones are a bit out of register. Finding any that small is problematic but I believe I have some. The rest will get a coat of MS Decal Cote.

 

Pete

Edited by PeterB
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  • 4 weeks later...

Stuck with the Hataka set of colours, but I'm not sure if I want to repeat using these again.

 

 

y4mIh7rh9avcyPOPOZaerIUjgPHTjdpj9uwQXQ7I

 

Aside from the fact that getting to grips with thinning them just right is proving to be a chore.. especially with the Gris Bleu Claire. 
This is four thin coats now. 

y4m4ZK1E3ftTI7U3A8C2IhATmgxIdZSDKH-p-GMp

 

Eh, alors. On Y va.

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Looks pretty good though - annoyingly I have now found my Colourcoats "Vert" which I probably should have used on mine, but at the time all I could find was the Vert Moyenne and the Vert Fonce, so I used the latter!.

 

Pete

Edited by PeterB
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On 8/23/2021 at 8:45 PM, alt-92 said:

Stuck with the Hataka set of colours, but I'm not sure if I want to repeat using these again.

 

 

y4mIh7rh9avcyPOPOZaerIUjgPHTjdpj9uwQXQ7I

 

Aside from the fact that getting to grips with thinning them just right is proving to be a chore.. especially with the Gris Bleu Claire. 
This is four thin coats now. 

y4m4ZK1E3ftTI7U3A8C2IhATmgxIdZSDKH-p-GMp

 

Eh, alors. On Y va.

Your Hataka green is a totally different shade to my Hataka green from the same set. Mine is vibrant and much lighter. I don't think it is right at all. Yours is much more like the correct colour. I agree with the thinning - it is a pain but they worked reasonably well.

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3 hours ago, Richard Tucker said:

Your Hataka green is a totally different shade to my Hataka green from the same set. Mine is vibrant and much lighter. I don't think it is right at all. Yours is much more like the correct colour. I agree with the thinning - it is a pain but they worked reasonably well.

I remember that the "Vert" in the old Humbrol Authentic set of French colours was almost "Grass Green" - very light. These days we seem to have decided it was somewhat darker.

 

Pete

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The French colours were not so strictly controlled as the British and German ones: well, pretty well everyone else bar the US approach to Olive Drab in the early 40s.  I can't say with what the Vert the Caudron was painted, but a lighter colour can't be ruled out.  Perhaps Hataka have adopted the same approach?

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  • 2 weeks later...

No idea, but suffice to say I'm going to experiment a bit on the H-75 with different greys and greens. 


Added some of the decals from the kit sheet - which is very densely packed and the individual decals are extremely thin. 

I didn't feel the cocarde & tail markings as supplied, so grabbed a Techmod Cocarde sheet for those and mix/matched some paint for the rudder. 
 

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some light weathering with dust/mud on the underside and exhaust stains, and then the final bits to add like pitots, aiming rods and antenna, and a satin coat.

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Calling this ready. 

 

No.9 was flown by Sgt. Uher in May 1940, GC I/145 based at Villacoublay, the main French fighter base, to protect Paris.

They were joined there for a short while by the remaining 16 Curtiss H-75s from GC I/4 that operated over Zeeland, Western Brabant and Belgium/Flanders in the first weeks of the war. 

 

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