Just started an other Macchi C 205V

[al49]

Hi everybody,
as the painting of my BF 109 G-14 require some thinking and some resting, I started a new project: the Veltro in 1:32 produced by Pacific Coast Models

The main after-market addition will be the nice upgrade set made by Tail Boom

The idea is to paint it with an unusual camouflage:

Both pictures are taken from "Camouflage and Markings of Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana"
In some time I will start posting some photos.
Cheers
Alberto

 

[javlin]

Wow!that paint scheme is Sweeet!!The AM kit looks nice also Al will be watching this one.Cheers

 

[Airframes]

Should look a beaut in that scheme - look forward to the progress pics Alberto.

 

[seiseki]

Those colors look yummy.. like a cocoa and banana flavour..

 

[Crimea_River]

Looking forward to the fisrt set of pics!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

What a great choice and a nice looking camo on the machine. Question though, I always thought the Italian roundel always had three Fasces and not the two shown on these decals.

 

[al49]

...
Question though, I always thought the Italian roundel always had three Fasces and not the two shown on these decals.

Hi Vic,
I will try to explain.
Since the beginning of an Italian air-force as such, wing roundel were the classic three-colour as shown in this model I recently made:

These roundel were used during WW1 and until 1926 when the Fascist government decided to introduce new roundels with three fasces on upper and lower wings.

And a front facing fascio on the fuselage.

The origin of this symbol could be traced back in the ancient Roman times, when it represented the symbol of the imperial power.
With the fall of Fascism, in July 1943, the Royal Italian air-force was simply instructed to cover with paints all fasces. Only the Savoy cross and symbol was retained on fin/rudder.
With the armistice, signed with the Allies in September 1943, the air-force units based in Southern Italy, soon to become "co-belligerent", so fighting against the Germans, went back to the three colour roundels that are still in use today.

Instead, in the North, still under German control, the new fascist government created, in October '43, a new air-force called Aeronautica Repubbicana (later Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana - ANR) and adopted a new/old roundel on wings: squared shape with two fasces only.

On fuselage and rudder a standard shape three colour flag tried to confirm that these aircraft were Italian.
By the way, specially during last months of the war, ANR machine had German black or white crosses on lower wings and fuselage to easy identification from flak.
See, for instance, the G14 model I'm making these days

I hope I've been able to explain
Cheers
Alberto

 

[Wurger]

Nice.

 

[Wayne Little]

Look forward to your new build Alberto!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Thanks Alberto, great explanation and well displayed.

 

[al49]

Hi,
finally I'm able to post a few pictures of this new, just started bird.

First I installed the "Tail-boom" wheel bays: they are quite nice and fit very well in PCM kit.

then I started to replace flaps

but I stopped immediately because I was not able at all to find a picture showing lowered flaps and, from Squadron Walk Around - page 46, I also understood why:
"Once in the parking area and with the engine off, the flaps remained in the up position due to a hydraulic pressure accumulator"
Therefore I will have to choose between nice but historically wrong lowered flaps or historically correct retracted flaps.

I also did some work on the cockpit

Tomorrow I should be able to join the two body halves and start working on the outside.
Any comment/suggestion is very welcom, as always.
Alberto

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Excellent work Alberto!! I have always thought these were gorgeous craft even if they were lightly armed.

 

[Airframes]

Nice work again Alberto.

 

[Crimea_River]

Nice work!

 

[Wayne Little]

 

[al49]

....: I have always thought these were gorgeous craft even if they were lightly armed.

Hi Aaron,
in facts the MC 205 as well as the Fiat G 55 and the Reggiane 2005 belonged to the so called "Series 5" fighters that were developed around the German DB 605 engine and the licence built Italian version.
They were armed with two .500 mg above the aircraft nose and two 20 mm Mauser cannons in the wings therefore they were more then a challenge for allied fighters. (Fiat G55 and RE 2005 had three Mauser cannons)
But the biggest problems were that they were introduced too late (late 1942 - early 1943) and in too small number.

Just to give you some production figures, to the best of my knowledge:

Macchi MC 205: 250 units
RE 2005: 36 units
Fiat G 55: 105 units
Total: 491 units

BF 109 G, based on the same engine: over 27,000 units
Spitfire: over 20,000
P51 and P47: over 12,000 each
Cheers
Alberto

 

[javlin]

Al it sure is looking good there but I am sorry to say we are kicking you back down to the 6th grade there old man 36+105+250=391 units.Seriously I think I have this in the stash and will following the build Sir!Cheers

 

[Wurger]

Looking very nice so far....

 

[fam43]

Looking forward to your progress!

 

[al49]

Hi,
first of all I found a couple of nice pictures of the real bird with that Herringbone camouflage

-
I also did some progresses, here is the model ready for priming:

I just need to wait for a sunny day, as I prefer be stay outside when I spray.
Comments and suggestions are very welcome, as usual.
Cheers
Alberto