Savoia factory pipe line

[JWM]

6 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

I must admit the green does look a bit bright and a bit blue, but I am certainly no expert in WWII Italian colour schemes. I've seen Humbrol 80 Apple green in that context.

Hi Adrian, many thanks for comment.. It is Humbrol 120, which is suggested on Stormo magazine web page for this particular shade of "Regia Aeronautica Verde 53192" (I wrote previousely that It must be Verde Mimetico 3, but it was a mistake, it is  "53192",  I thought that they are different names for the same shade...  so I wa wrong) I am following the instruction for a resin kit of SM 73 which is here, can be downloaded free https://www.scalemates.com/pl/kits/sem-model-72804-savoia-marchetti-sm73-ita--1004336 ... The Humbrol 80 looks much more "militar" - is not that much bright,... I must say, that I am very confused with number of Italian colors, were they actually that much non-unified???

Regards

J-W

 

 

Edited March 25 by JWM
typo corrections

[GiampieroSilvestri]

On 24/03/2024 at 13:53, JWM said:

I faced another problem with SM 55A kit by Dora. There are two sets of plastic parts for coolers provided in the kit, but only one PE set. There are on I and L frames.

https://www.mojehobby.pl/products/Savoia-Marchetti-S.55A.html#gallery_start

In instruction the parts used are said to be I12 and I 12, to which the PE parts fits, however the frame L is the new one, purposely added for this variant and one should use those parts from L frame (with oval opening) to which there are no PE parts for a frontal part. 

This photo

shows, that oval is there (not circle) and the position of cooler is lower then if you will use parts from frame I....

But no metal part for it available..

Regards

J-W

 

 

The colours of aircraft number VII could be grigio azzurro scuro above with the lower parts in grigio azzurro chiaro which is the standard camouflage of Regia aeronautica sea planes.

 

Saluti

 

Giampiero

On 24/03/2024 at 13:53, JWM said:

I faced another problem with SM 55A kit by Dora. There are two sets of plastic parts for coolers provided in the kit, but only one PE set. There are on I and L frames.

https://www.mojehobby.pl/products/Savoia-Marchetti-S.55A.html#gallery_start

In instruction the parts used are said to be I12 and I 12, to which the PE parts fits, however the frame L is the new one, purposely added for this variant and one should use those parts from L frame (with oval opening) to which there are no PE parts for a frontal part. 

This photo

shows, that oval is there (not circle) and the position of cooler is lower then if you will use parts from frame I....

But no metal part for it available..

Regards

J-W

 

 

 

On 24/03/2024 at 13:53, JWM said:

I faced another problem with SM 55A kit by Dora. There are two sets of plastic parts for coolers provided in the kit, but only one PE set. There are on I and L frames.

https://www.mojehobby.pl/products/Savoia-Marchetti-S.55A.html#gallery_start

In instruction the parts used are said to be I12 and I 12, to which the PE parts fits, however the frame L is the new one, purposely added for this variant and one should use those parts from L frame (with oval opening) to which there are no PE parts for a frontal part. 

This photo

shows, that oval is there (not circle) and the position of cooler is lower then if you will use parts from frame I....

But no metal part for it available..

Regards

J-W

 

 

 

Edited March 25 by GiampieroSilvestri

[GiampieroSilvestri]

On 24/03/2024 at 13:53, JWM said:

I faced another problem with SM 55A kit by Dora. There are two sets of plastic parts for coolers provided in the kit, but only one PE set. There are on I and L frames.

https://www.mojehobby.pl/products/Savoia-Marchetti-S.55A.html#gallery_start

In instruction the parts used are said to be I12 and I 12, to which the PE parts fits, however the frame L is the new one, purposely added for this variant and one should use those parts from L frame (with oval opening) to which there are no PE parts for a frontal part. 

This photo

shows, that oval is there (not circle) and the position of cooler is lower then if you will use parts from frame I....

But no metal part for it available..

Regards

J-W

 

 

Edited March 25 by GiampieroSilvestri

[JWM]

2 minutes ago, GiampieroSilvestri said:

The colours of aircraft number VII could be grigio azzurro scuro above with the lower part in grigio azzurro chiaro which was the standard paint scheme of Regia aeronautica seaplanes.

 

Saluti

Thank you - this is something I am thinking about as well . However it would be if she came to Romania from Italian phased out machines just at war starting moment.  But from I have read all Romanian SM 55A were from early 1930s purchase, many years before Grigio Scuro was applied in Italy on upper surfaces of flying boats.  I supouse, that they were re-painted in Romania during war since the aluminium dope were to easy to seen when parked. Of coures they migh use Italian style and Italian paints. But also some own colors or German one.... Unfortunatelly not testimonies on colors available here... At least this is an option. BTW - I have feeling that bottom is still in alu dope...

Regards

J-W

 

[JWM]

The cooler of SM 55: 

front (with modified central opening) 

 

And rear: 

 

where I added central oval tube, just to have it thicker then only PE frontal net part.

 

The assembly of engines

 

Between cylinders on right engine (the pusher) you may see the piece of brass tube. 

After added 8 carburetors, 24 exhaust pipes and some water pipes

 

To be cont.

Regards

J-WW

 

[JWM]

I did some corrections of mottle pattern in SM 73, I left the Humbrol 120 as Stormo advices even if I also think that it looks too bright for a come color... Anyway I applied the most of decals: 

 

So the end of work on SM 73 is approaching... 

 

I painted bottom of hulls of SM 55A 

I think it looks on photos really dark, so more like black than green, so I went to black. But I did it with "rubber black" (by Tamiya) - I think it must be a bit faded. 

 

 

And with SM 66 - I am recovering broken fronts of hulls. They got broken when I was drilling openings for portholes. 

I did some reinforcement of the real part, which started to collapse (be concave) a bit...

The bottom of wing looks ok  now.  It is I think the final coat. 

 

To be continued

Regards

J-W
 

[AdrianMF]

The SM73 is looking good!

 

Regards,

Adrian

[ColinChipmunkfan]

Amazing work and skills as ever.

[JWM]

Many thanks!

Power-tower glued in:

Regards

J-W

 

[Fin]

Great work! How is the Dora Wings S.55 kit to build?

[JWM]

16 hours ago, Fin said:

Great work! How is the Dora Wings S.55 kit to build?

Not bad but one have to be careful with it and compare with photos. First of all the surface (side enforcements) of gloats/hulls are required corrections. One have to be cerefuls about the cooler which is misleading in instruction. The fit is very good. I replaced the PE parts in tail to a plastic one out of scratch. The PE is too fragile for bending which you cannot repair then... 

Generally - very nice but I did once a Delta 2 SM 55X as well and will said that Dora is  better nut certainly it is not Tamigawa... 

[Fin]

Thank you! That sounds encouraging. It’s a very beautiful aircraft/boat and the kit’s box seems well packed with various stuff but it’s also somewhat expensive so if the fit was poor or it would have needed complicated modifications I would have decided to skip it. Looking forward to see yours finished!

[JWM]

I added mat varnish on SM 73

And the central exhaust pipe, also the factory (Hamilton-FIAT ) badges on prop blades

 

SM 55 got two layers of Humbrol 125 (it is satin, but there will be the mat varnish anyway)

 

The SM 66 - I made some furniture of hulls 

 

I de-mask some windows just to check if the back side is not ruined... 

Now I can glue floats and wing which is a critical for the geometry of model. I have to make some jigs I think.

To be continued

Regards

J-W

 

[JWM]

2 hours ago, Fin said:

Thank you! That sounds encouraging. It’s a very beautiful aircraft/boat and the kit’s box seems well packed with various stuff but it’s also somewhat expensive so if the fit was poor or it would have needed complicated modifications I would have decided to skip it. Looking forward to see yours finished!

Certainly the kit is worth its price, it is very detailed. I am keeping fingers crossed for your work!

Regards

J-W

 

[JWM]

I was working on SM 55 today only. 

Yesterday I masked canopy and then twice painted with Humbrol 125 and then once with Vallejo mat varnish (acrylic). I glued the spars (bot small and large) to canopy and was hoping that it will help the montage. It did not, or a little only.  But I was sucessful

As you see I also painted twice, corrected yellow belts and even applied decals. 

For the end of today it looked like here:

 

 

The Romanian crosses I had in drawer from a Potez 631 Azr kit. 

The rudder flash is from Dora box and the yellow "VII" is modified from SH Junkers W34 yellow "KV+AK"  decals. Still needs some correction. I modified also a shape of the font using a bit of yellow (Hu 24) and some Hu 125....

That is all for today

Regards

J-W
 

[JWM]

I made further correction (small) of the patches on SM73 and put it on RFI 

 

So first one left the factory....

Regards

J-W
 

[JWM]

I glued fuselages/hulls/floats with the wing in SM 66 build:

Some Milliput added to fill the gaps

 

I glued booms with tailplane

 

To be continued

Regards

J-W

 

[JWM]

Hi

I sanded the coarse Milliput filler on the transition between the hulls and wing and aply some fine Tamiya putty 

 

I started also work on the fins

I cut out from a 1 mm thick plastic sheet the fins and gave them final shape holding them together 

 

The re is a third rudder visible as well.

 

Glued

 

I am not sure if the rudders are not of to small chord. I will check it tomorrow

Regards

J-W

 

[JWM]

I started work on MGs at SM 55A

 

 

With SM 66 I am wrestling with float-wing connection...

 

BTW - I think I will go to black regarding the bottoms of floats/hulls... The machine when was civil had intense blue (I think). But the color looks rather dark...

 

To be cont.

Cheers

J-W

 

[JWM]

Hi

I added MGs, driving elements of control surfaces  (I do not know the proper name even in Polish, otherwise I will use the google translator to fine proper term in English...)  and applied first layer of Mat varnish (Vallejo)

 

Only torpedo left to attach and corrections of painting... BTW - the Romanian torpedo is the Italian one - do they have a special color for warhead?

 

The hull-wing fairings in Sm 66 looks better, I think:

Howewver some small correction must be done.

 

So it goes slowly, but goes

Regards

J-W

 

 

[JWM]

I have doubts how the control  cables to ailerons and elevator goes on SM 55. To elevator they goes along the boom on the inbourd side, but how or where  they cross the surface and goes inside the cabin? I suspect but I am not sure that to ailerons they goes also on an external side of wings, so on surface, like in many early airplanes however  I cannot find any picture where it cross the surface... Any help please...

[JWM]

Sorted - I have found this Walk-Around  pile of photos https://ipms.nl/walkarounds/walkaround-vliegtuigen-props/savoia-marchetti-s55#&gid=1&pid=21  

 

[JWM]

Hi,

Since I finished SM 73 and approaching to the end with SM 55A I start to think seriously on starting a next one. Namely I look through I have on SM 74,75 and 84. I have found interesting info on SM 75. I am going to build is as Hungarian machine. The new for me Hungarian article is here https://felderitokblogja.blog.hu/2021/04/12/egy_alkalmatlan_eszkoz_kalvariaja_a_savoia-marchetti_sm_75_repulogep_tortenete . The Google translator helped...  It seems that military service of them started in September 1939 till some mid 1943 when remaining machines were replaced by Fiat G 12. Two SM 75 were lost in accidents: E 102 in April 1941 in war against Yugoslavia and E 105 later. After the second crash the remaining E 101,103 and 104 were converted to ambulance. It is said that they were painted yellow and red crosses were added - but on available photos they have just yellow tips of lower part of wings and yellow belt the remains is untouch. The another interesting info is that the ventral gun position was taken from Ju-86 and the dorsal one was constructed by Breda.  They were installed in Hungary during militarization of civilian machines in Autumn 1939. The engines were GR 14, so double row 14 cylinders one. In ambulance voariant (this is what I am planning to do) 8 bed for stretchers were installed instead of 24 seats.  All photos but one (from front) wich I have show initial markings - the arrows. On one are white crosses on black square, but since they served till mid 1943 all remaining three machines are suppose to were them as well...

Regarding SM 74 I have found very nice work on Italian web page Stormo https://www.stormomagazine.com/ModelArticles/SM74/RichardMendes/SM74_RM_1a.html - this is about the resin kit, I will study this (and follow) with my build on my Broplan vacu kit.

Regards

J-W

 

[JWM]

I have  installed a torpedo on the bottom of center part of wing 

As it can be likely seen I added the control cables, which in SM 55A goes on the surface of wings.

Perhaps it finished  . Anyway I will go with it to RFI... I will give the link for future users in separate post. 

 

Now the SM 66 is the current subject to go go on with first, then SM 74, 75 and 84...

Regards

J-W

 

[JWM]

The SM 55A is on RFI here 

 

 

 

Now it is a high time to go with SM 66, a bit more vigorous ....The SM 66 had three Fiat engines, whereas from a single kit of SM 55 I have just two of them. I asked my friend, who is owner of an aftermarket modeler company and he made me a silicone form to copy the resin engine by Dora. I am able to copy parts bit made of stirene, not a resin one.  The resin sticks very well to my silicone and one cannot separate. With adequate silicone such problem does not exists. 

So I had a form and he even made me to additional engines, so now I have one spare

 

they all looks ok. Although there are small parts in Dora's SM55 to furniture engine: carburetors, exhaust pipes and an element mounted on the top of engine which purpose I did not recognized yet. 

The small elements I copied with my silicone and resin. 

The engine with carburetors and this top elements, no exhaust pipes yet made.

 

I did also remaining work on pilot cockpit

 

I removed all maskings from windows, glued also all portholes in hulls

 

Tp be continued

Regards

J-W