Azur FRROM 1/72 Renard R-31 - Belgium May 1940

[PattheCat]

Good afternoon fellow BMers,

 

I didn't complete any build in 2024, but here is the first one for 2025.

To be honest, it was started in april 2023 (no April Fools Day here, I swear) for the "Not my comfort zone" group build (thanks Adrian @AdrianMF) and was my first try at a short run kit and some bit of rigging.

Following a third attempt at landing, and thanks to your support, it's finally parked here for you to see. Let's also admit I'm particularly fond of high winged aicraft (Lysander, Henschel Hs 126, Fieseler Storch, PZL 11 ...).

 

The subject is a Renard R-31, the one and only Belgian designed and built military aircraft to have ever entered service and was used during the early days of WWII over Belgium.

Conception by André Renard began in 1931 and it first flew in 1932. It entered service in the Belgian Air Force in 1934, 34 were built by Ateliers Renard (Liège) and SABCA (Gosselies). Deliveries occurred in in 1934-1935. Twenty-one were still serving in two frontline squadrons (named Blue/Red Sioux) based at Bierset (Liège) during the German invasion of Belgium on 10 May 1940. Eighteen days later 9 were left (some sources say 5). These were destroyed by their crews after all the ones who tried to reach Britain were shot down by German fighters.

 

It was a single engined (Rolls-Royce Kestrel II) observation monoplane. It followed the usual configuration of many recon planes used then, with parasol wing and fixed landing gear. It had a metallic frame and fabric covered surfaces except around the engine and part of the fuselage underside.

It housed a crew of two, pilot and observer/rear gunner. Armament was one front-facing FN Browning 7.62mm and another one for the rear gunner. I couldn't find a picture of a bomb equipped machine but according to my sources it could be fitted with 8 bombs (10kg each) and was used once in a bombing mission, on 16 may 1940.

As many allied aircraft of the time it could already be considered as obsolete when it entered service. Underpowered (500hp), slow (max 290-300kph), devoid of armor or self sealing fuel tanks it seemingly also suffered of bad maneuverability, and wasn't much loved by is pilots. Thus it sadly was easy prey for the flak and 109s.

As said above, there is no survivor left but a replica build is in progress at Brussel's Air Museum https://www.brussels-air-museum.be/conservation/.

 

A nice little kit (except for the decals). The sum of my blunders - I certainly can't fault the kit - can be found here: 

Enough talking, here are the pictures:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope you find it to your liking.

Thanks for watching and a nice evening to everyone.

 

Cheers.

Pat.

 

 

[wanders_up_the_wrekin]

That's an exquisite little build of a very elegant looking aircraft, love it. Great work on the rigging and the paint finish.

[PattheCat]

Thanks @wanders_up_the_wrekin. So many compliments, wow. Careful if you please, I'm veeeery 😊but also heavily  , and I wouldn't want to add to the global warming.

Regards.

 

Pat.

[georgeusa]

I didn't know of this aircraft until I read your RFI.  It is an elegant little design, but looks like it would be more at home in the 1920s and early 1930s rather than over the war torn skies of Europe in the 1940s.  Thanks for sharing this little gem.

[PattheCat]

3 hours ago, georgeusa said:

I didn't know of this aircraft until I read your RFI.  It is an elegant little design, but looks like it would be more at home in the 1920s and early 1930s rather than over the war torn skies of Europe in the 1940s.  Thanks for sharing this little gem.

 

Thank you @georgeusa. To tell the truth, I'm a Belgian and only learned about it 20 years ago.

The second half of the 1930'es saw such a huge leap in aeronautics that many airplanes suddenly became obsolete. Knowing it was conceived in 1931, and that it replaced the Breguet 19 from 1924, I dare say it wasn't when on the drawing board. The first comparison  that comes to my mind would be with the Henschel Hs.126. Developed a bit later (1936) it had a more powerful engine, STOL capacity, enclosed cockpit but was as outdated and vulnerable in the early stages of WWII.

Regards.

Pat.

[Dennis_C]

A very nicely made model! And as others sad - a very aesthetic but also a totally unknown airplane!

[AdrianMF]

Gorgeous build and some fine detailing too! The Belgian green over silver colour scheme is very attractive.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[PattheCat]

Thanks Adrian @AdrianMF.

I didn't use paint over the Badger Stynylrez (SNR-212 "metal") primer as I found it to be a rather good representation of aluminium dope (IMHO).

But it has to be sprayed at high pressures and also there is much clogging due to aggregation of the metal particles in the nozzle. It's particularly annoying when you need to make touch-ups.

As I fear to ruin the primer's adhesive properties I don't like too add too much thinner or additives.

The solution I found is to apply it without breaks when spraying and protect it with a coat of Alclad/Ammo gloss clear before much handling.

 

Friendly regards.

Pat.