AdrianMF Posted October 24, 2021 Share Posted October 24, 2021 This thread has its origins in my wife’s love of all things Italian. She saw a picture of the Italian WWI ace Count Francesco Baracca with his Spad XIII, and asked me for a model. The Spad was decorated with a the family crest of a black horse rampant, and the emblem would later be adopted by Ferrari in homage to the Count, who died at 30 years old. So this is what I have in the stash: The Revell one was bought on a whim cheap on eBay some time ago. The Academy followed because it had the right decals, which unfortunately weren’t very good. The ESCI one after that because it had better decals, and finally the Eduard one because it is simply an amazing kit and I got it for under a tenner. The Eduard kit is amazing - two whole frames (which even clip together!) containing the parts, decals and full colour painting guides for four different versions, windshields and paint masks: I’m calling this one “The Good” and it will be done as Baracca’s aeroplane. The Academy (left, grey) and ESCI are very similar to each other and but the mouldings have detail differences. ESCI is more refined in both parts and decals. The ESCI is “The Spad”, the Academy is rather “Ugly”: Finally, The Revell kit has a slightly different parts breakdown to the previous two, but I’m afraid is still in the “Ugly” pile: The decals look OK but my experiences with old Revell transfers have not been good! I’ve made a bit of a start on the ESCI one but want to get cracking on the Eduard. I’ll do some comparisons along the way. The Academy and Revell ones will follow, but may not get as much love… 25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted October 24, 2021 Author Share Posted October 24, 2021 Well, you have to hand it to Eduard: ten wholly interior pieces and nine sub-millimetre dial decals. 23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted October 24, 2021 Share Posted October 24, 2021 (edited) I built the Revell kit a few years ago. It was my first biplane on coming back to modelling. I disliked the wing detail so much it was also my first scratchbuilt set of wings on my return as well 2017 ohh, still turned out reasonably ok considering The Eduard interior is something else. Of course now you’ll have to replicate it on the others Edited October 24, 2021 by Marklo 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted October 24, 2021 Share Posted October 24, 2021 A 'good' start. I'll be interested to see these come together. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted October 24, 2021 Author Share Posted October 24, 2021 A couple of comparison shots. I have no evidence, but I will assume that Eduard is the most accurate. Wings: Eduard the smoothest, the others are all very corrugated. Dunno what I’m going to do about that, if anything. Eduard have the squarest tips, Revell has more span, the other two are a bit narrower in chord. Tailplanes: Revell is significantly larger (and slightly short shot, I’ve just noticed). Fuselage: Revell is again larger than Eduard, the other two are a tad shorter. Fin: Revell big, rest pretty similar. 20 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted October 25, 2021 Share Posted October 25, 2021 Looks like an interesting comparison build going there Adrain. I should imagine that the Eduard would be miles ahead of the rest of the pack and that ugly Revell option looks like it's the wrong scale. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted October 25, 2021 Share Posted October 25, 2021 Oh dear. What to do indeed. I’d be breaking out my mouse ( electric sander) or scratching new wings. The fuselages are a whole other story. You could probably trim the end of the revel and move the cockpit opening/turtledeck foward to match the others, or just make sure the four planes are never seen side by side Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spadgent Posted October 25, 2021 Share Posted October 25, 2021 What a great looking build. I don’t envy you with those wings. Still that edward interior is nice. I take it the others have next to nothing inside? I’ll tag along if I may. Johnny. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted October 25, 2021 Share Posted October 25, 2021 This could be fun, at least for us! I built the Meikraft one which was pretty dire, but it got damaged during my relocation so I bought the Eduard kit to replace it. Looks as though I made the right choice! Ian 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichieW Posted October 25, 2021 Share Posted October 25, 2021 This is a fantastic project, I didn't know the Ferrari badge came from Barraca's family crest. I suspect that is not the only thing I will learn from following this multi Spad build. Richie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted October 25, 2021 Share Posted October 25, 2021 Interesting project , amazing how four models in the same scale of the same aircraft can be so different!!! The interior of the aeduard model looks good. Chris 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted October 27, 2021 Author Share Posted October 27, 2021 On 25/10/2021 at 09:01, The Spadgent said: I don’t envy you with those wings. Well I thought about the excessive ribbing and a few minutes with a sanding stick last night got me this: The sanding hasn’t broken through to the slots for the spars, so that’s good news! I will just leave the wings plain as there is a complex camouflage pattern to provide some visual interest. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry1954 Posted October 27, 2021 Share Posted October 27, 2021 Interesting project Adrian. I once fancied doing some WWI Italian stuff, but my real focus these days is largely post WWII. I am sure I have a sheet of Italian decals for Neuports and Spads. I'll check later and PM you. If they would help, they are yours! Terry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehed Posted October 27, 2021 Share Posted October 27, 2021 Looking forward to this one. If memory serves correctly the Academy, and probably the Esci, are XIII's but the dimensions are the smaller Spad VII. The Revell kit has oversize wings which I solved by modifying the wingtips, no doubt the wrong solution. I found these measurements when I researched my build. Pictures have gone I'm afraid. https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/airfixtributeforum/viewtopic.php?f=78&t=39602 Regards, Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted October 29, 2021 Author Share Posted October 29, 2021 Thanks gents! The main lesson from this build will be “if Eduard make a kit of your chosen WWI subject, buy it!”. The Academy and ESCI kits do have an interior, made up of a solid step across the fuselage. This is because they were all derived/copied from the Marusan mould, which introduced this feature. It doesn’t take long to remove! The ESCI was a rebox of the original Marusan tooling but the Academy was new tool which was pretty faithful to the original. On 27/10/2021 at 15:45, Terry1954 said: sheet of Italian decals Special thanks #1 Terry! I’ve bought an Eduard Nieuport 17 just to use up a couple more schemes. On 27/10/2021 at 16:51, stevehed said: The Revell kit has oversize wings which I solved by modifying the wingtips Special thanks #2 Steve! I might well do some sanding here to get it all a bit more shipshape. I suppose I should dig up my Airfix Spad VII while I’m about it. It’s interesting to see how many Spad and Nieuport versions there were and how many of them have been kitted! Regards, Adrian 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted October 29, 2021 Share Posted October 29, 2021 I'm going from memory here, not having any references to hand, but aren't there at least 2 different upper wingtip designs on the SPAD XIII? One squarer and one more rounded. No idea which one might be appropriate for these builds though 🙂 John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry1954 Posted October 29, 2021 Share Posted October 29, 2021 18 hours ago, AdrianMF said: I’ve bought an Eduard Nieuport 17 just to use up a couple more schemes. On 10/27/2021 at 4:51 PM, stevehed said: Nice one Adrian! It'll be great seeing the decals put to good use at last! Terry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted October 29, 2021 Share Posted October 29, 2021 3 hours ago, John said: I'm going from memory here, not having any references to hand, but aren't there at least 2 different upper wingtip designs on the SPAD XIII? One squarer and one more rounded. No idea which one might be appropriate for these builds though 🙂 John Correct. The early production XIII’s had the rounded wing tips and the later ones the shorter, squared off tips. AW 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted November 6, 2021 Author Share Posted November 6, 2021 It looks like the Academy and ESCI ones are slightly undersized then. I will try not to put them next to the Eduard or Revell… I have a clear weekend today so I thought I’d start by getting rid of all the ribs. That plastic is hard ! 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted November 6, 2021 Author Share Posted November 6, 2021 Someone commented that I’d be making the other cockpits look like the Eduard one. Here’s my first, in the Academy kit: I’ve used a postage stamp sized piece of 20 thou and a corner of an envelope for the chair back so far. Strangely enough, @perdu’s concept of “scale creep” seems to be running in reverse on this one. 15 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted November 6, 2021 Share Posted November 6, 2021 On 10/29/2021 at 4:59 AM, AdrianMF said: I suppose I should dig up my Airfix Spad VII while I’m about it. Please don't, it truly is awful and you won't be able to sand down the wings without making them too thin! If you need a SPAD VII there is the Pegasus kit or MAC Distribution. I have the Pegasus and it appears pretty good although I haven't matched it to any plans yet, and I have the MAC one on order. I'll keep you posted! Ian 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted November 6, 2021 Author Share Posted November 6, 2021 1 hour ago, Brandy said: Please don't Er, too late Here it is lined up against the Spad 7 plans from the Harborough book. Looks pretty close. The moulding is horrible but at £1.99 from a Covent Garden gaming shop some 10 years ago, it would be rude not to… The Eduard kit lines up well with the Spad 13 plans on the next page, where the Academy and ESCI are too small, and the Revell too big. I can see that as soon as I start sanding the Airfix wings I will open up the strut slots… Meanwhile, three cockpits (chairs and sticks not shown): 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted November 6, 2021 Author Share Posted November 6, 2021 From the bottom: Eduard, Academy, ESCI: I can do some closing up tomorrow. 20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k5054nz Posted November 6, 2021 Share Posted November 6, 2021 What a great set of builds! I too have built the Revell kit, a newer iteration sans stand when I was about 11, my first solo WW1 model. Somehow it's managed to survive to the present day (I'm 34 so I guess that's not terribly impressive) to see me win a copy of the new Roden 1/32 kit! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted November 7, 2021 Share Posted November 7, 2021 Nothing like a nice bit of whittling and your work is paying off. Looking good. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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