FRROM Douglas DB-7 French Air Force 1940 1/72

[VG 33]

Hello

 

Here is the kit I chose to attend this group build about the first year of WWII in Europe.

This is the new FRROM FR0052 1/72 kit of one of the Douglas DB-7 which entered French Air Force front line service in May / June 1940.

 

Here is some information I picked up on the FRROM Internet site.

http://www.frrom.com/index.php?page=frrom_fr0052

 

In 1939, France, behind in the production of modern aircraft and anxious to rearm in the face of the approach of war, sent a Purchasing Commission to the United States. It was shown various aircraft, including the Model 7B which would become the DB-7, a twin-engine Douglas high-wing. A flight by a French pilot ended badly, the aircraft crashed to the ground, but it was promising enough for France to order 100 aircraft, coded DB-7, which were to be delivered by January 31, 1940. These aircraft were to be equipped with Pratt & Whitney P-1830-SC3-G engines. Additional orders were placed on October 14, 1939 for 100 DB-7As (enlarged tail fin and Wright R-2600-A5B Twin Cyclone engines), 170 additional DB-7s on October 20, and finally 480 DB-7Bs with R-2600 engines and enlarged tail fin. The aircraft, shipped in crates, were to be assembled in France.

 

However, the port of Le Havre and the assembly plant in Caen were considered too close to the frontline, so it was decided to send the DB-7s in crates to Casablanca to be assembled in Morocco. A certain delay in production and convoying allowed only 10 aircraft to be assembled by April, 20 by May, and so on. The aircraft assembled in Morocco were brought up to French standards (throttle levers, radio equipment, armament, painting of the fuselage roundel, which appeared a different blue from that of the rudder and wing roundels, painted in the factory, removal of the registration number under the wings) and were first given to GB I/19 and II/19. It was only on May 16, 1940 that these groups were fully equipped.

 

They were sent to mainland France, and, given the disastrous situation of the French forces, were engaged against the Germans in the North of France. In mid-June, it was decided to evacuate the modern aircraft to North Africa, so the DB-7s were sent to Algeria. GB II/61, equipped in the meantime with DB-7s, was sent to mainland France but only had time to carry out one mission before having to return to AFN, like the survivors of GB I/19 and II/19. After Italy entered the war on June 10th, the DB-7s bombed Cagliari. 16 DB-7s were lost during the battle of France.

 

Specifications (French DB-7): three-seater twin-engine bomber of metal construction with mid-wing. Engines: two Pratt & Whitney 1830-SC3-G of 910 hp. Wingspan 18.70 m, length 14.30 m, wing area 43.10 m2. Ceiling 9,400 m, maximum speed at 3,400 m: 496 km/h. Armament: 4 Browning machine guns in the nose, two twin MAC machine guns in the rear position, 800 kg of bombs in the hold.

 

Pictures of the material below come from the same site.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be followed...

 

Patrick

[VG 33]

Hello

 

Here are my first shot of the work in progress. I started with the outside parts because this is the best moment when I know I will have to sand.

 

First the wings after inserting a clear part for the landing lights which I covered with Molotov liquid chrome inside. After sanding the leading edges I had to make again the hollow lines. As usual I used cyanoacrylate glue to get the most perfect seam. I have checked the position of the wings on the fuselage halves and I can said this is correct.

 

 

Next I made the engine nacelles with their covers. I needed to make again the panel lines as on some places they are not perfect.

 

 

Finally the horizontal tail parts and the wheels are ready.

 

 

To be continued...

 

Patrick

 

 

[LorenSharp]

Cool , another French entry! And one not often seen. Welcome aboard Patrick!

[JWM]

Patrick, very interesting how it will go on. I have bought it already, but the stash is full of machines I would love to start right now... 

Cheers

J-W

 

[VG 33]

Hello

 

Here are the pictures of my work so far.

 

I preferred painting inside the undercarriage doors when they are still attached to the runners.

 

 

The wheels are aluminum painted and I painted the tires with very thinned black near the joint.

 

 

The Pratt & Whitney 1830 SC3-G are nice, nonetheless I added some ignition wires. 

 

 

The same engines now painted.

 

 

The adjustments are not so precise so I had to thin the different parts. They are here marked in blue. Anyway this is a modeller job.

 

 

The rear gunner post before an interior green correction.

 

 

Here is the pilot station. I used the instrument board transfer from the box and I added a belly belt.

 

 

 

To be continued...

 

Patrick

[Geo1966]

Good progress Patrick and excellent photos. Guessing you don't use your mobile phone for them?

 

George

[VG 33]

On 11/7/2024 at 9:19 AM, Geo1966 said:

Good progress Patrick and excellent photos. Guessing you don't use your mobile phone for them?

 

George

 

Thank you George.

Yes pictures came from my Canon G5X camera.

Patrick

[Milan Mynar]

Good progress.

[LorenSharp]

NIce progress.I like the engine detail.

[Franz75]

Very nice, indeed. The French campaign in 1940 was an interesting period of war. Thanks for bringing it up.   It is a short run but looks lovely, an excellent job with the engines.   Taking pictures on a white background is much better; I have to start taking photographs precisely that way.  

[VG 33]

On 11/18/2024 at 7:42 PM, LorenSharp said:

NIce progress.I like the engine detail.

 

Hello

 

Thank you, but I should have used thinner wire to put two ignition cables for each cylinder.

 

Patrick

[VG 33]

Hello

 

I have progressed a little on my subject.

 

I closed the fuselage and I had to sand along the different joints as with any kit.

 

 

 

As this aircraft was equipped with a tricycle undercarriage I chose to put weight wherever possible in the front. 

 

 

I have chosen to open the cooling air exit flaps of the engines as they were most of the time on the ground I scrutinised every pictures. There were flaps around the engine even above the leading edge of the wing. So I dug the positions with my cutter and I will make small flaps with evergreen parts.

 

 

When looking at the flaps from the front I could discover that there were two exhausts per engine. I modified the cowling as well...

 

 

and I made some new exhaust with stretched sprue.

 

 

Here are the main undercarriage. I glued the parts inside the cowling and put aside the legs for the end of the build.

 

 

The front leg is very simple.

 

 

To be continued...

 

Patrick

 

[VG 33]

Hello

 

I have worked around the engine cowlings,

 

 

I put some weight in front of the main undercarriage wells

 

 

and joined the cowlings with the wings.

 

 

To be continued...

 

Patrick

[Franz75]

Excellent work. I hope you put enough weight into it so that the plane can stand on three wheels. 

[VG 33]

18 hours ago, Franz75 said:

Excellent work. I hope you put enough weight into it so that the plane can stand on three wheels. 

 

Thank you.

I have planned to much weight under the bombardier position and even in the front wheel well.

Patrick

[VG 33]

Hello

 

I have glued and sanded the wings and horizontal tail planes. Every joint was bonded with cyanoacrylate glue.

 

 

 

 

 

To be continued...

 

Patrick

[Milan Mynar]

Nice looking building.

[jean]

Bonsoir Patrick,

 

a fantastic build so far.

Super well done.

 

JR

[PaK_Wagen]

Ach yes, brand new DB-7 that suffers from all the shortcomings of regular MPM/Special Hobby's A-20 kits. Looks nicely so far. Did you consider joing the wings with fuselage after all the paint job and weatherings? Btw, watch out for nose section, it will probably cause some problems

[VG 33]

On 11/28/2024 at 1:18 PM, PaK_Wagen said:

Ach yes, brand new DB-7 that suffers from all the shortcomings of regular MPM/Special Hobby's A-20 kits. Looks nicely so far. Did you consider joing the wings with fuselage after all the paint job and weatherings? Btw, watch out for nose section, it will probably cause some problems

 

Hi

 

With the bombardier floor the transparent nose will be closer to the fuselage shape.

 

Patrick

[VG 33]

Hello

 

There was a very little progress on my DB-7.

 

I have prepared the bombardier office which will go inside the transparent nose. I have painted the rear firewall of both engines.

 

 

 

The clear parts are now masked. Just in time to discover some CMK masks for this aircraft. By the way in the Specail Hobby Havoc MkI kit there will be resin pieces to make the engine flaps open and two exhaust for each engine... 

 

 

To be continued...

 

Patrick

[Franz75]

Nice work

[Milan Mynar]

Nice masking.

[VG 33]

Hello

 

I made very little progress this week on the DB-7 with just the front transparencies and the engines in place. I had to adjust the joint with the fuselage.

 

To be continued...

 

Patrick

 

 

 

[VG 33]

Hello

 

Today I secured all the transparencies and I added the engine cowlings.

 

To be continued...

 

Patrick