The toys get airborne in this blogpost with the Regia Aeronautica. My difficulty was I didn't have any Italian warplanes to hand so I had to think laterally to get what I wanted. So I bought a Revell Micro-Wings P-40E Warhawk and tried to turn it into a Macchi 202.Cue much bodging and hacking. first I had to trim off the huge air-scoop thing under the Warhawk's nose. Then fill it with greenstuff and get a more bodged stream-lined shape. Then I had to cover the aft section of the huge cockpit glazing. Again with green stuff and again much bodging. What I was left with after all the surgery looked reasonably like a 202 if you did this with your eyes: -_-
Air-scoop off. Putty in.
Underside. New nose and putty in-fill on landing gear
Gaps in wing roots & tail plane filled with putty
Close up of putty bodging on wings & tailplane
The putty was left to harden in its own time. I then turned my attention to those unsung heroes of all air operations: The Groundcrew. For without them no aircraft would ever fly nor engage in meaningful acts of war. Now, this being a Megablitz unit some creativity is called for. Sadly I have none so this is what I came up with:
I really like this chap. He looks like he knows his stuff and could probably re-arm, re-fuel and generally do an operational turn-round on his aircraft on his own.
So what of the aircraft itself? Well, if you'll forgive the obvious bodges and remember to look at it with your eye-lids half closed here it is:
I hope you all had as splendid an Easter as I did and I'll be back with more toy-based nonsense soon!
Nice job on the Macchi, James. They say a coat of paint will hide a multitude of tins.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly looks like one to me!
Cheers, Col, and I think you're right.
DeleteFirst class bodge Chumrade!
ReplyDeleteThe groundie is the star however!
Great work.
Weren't we always? ;-)
DeleteLooks pretty damn good to me!!
ReplyDeleteChocks away then! (I wonder what that is in Italian?)
DeleteSbloccate le ruote, e via!
DeleteAfter some googling............
Just noticed this, Neil. Molte grazie ;)
DeleteA P-40 to Macchi? You could never be accused of lacking ambition!
ReplyDeleteHave scalpel will bodge!
DeleteYour Italians are very inspiring!
ReplyDeleteYou can field a JU87 with a clear conscience....
http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww2/b/29/32/0
(scroll down)
If you want real Italian planes in 1/144 they are out there, but pricey.
http://www.sweetaviationmodels.com/14101Macchi.html
FoW do a CR42 as well.
Thank you, Neil! I have a diecast JU-87 around here somewhere too. It's just crying out for a repaint....
DeleteYou're right about those Sweet models; very nice but a little pricey. We shall see, maybe on-line auctions may help.
All the best!
Bravissimo ! Works for me :O)
ReplyDeleteRegards, Chris.
Molte grazie, Signor!
DeleteLooks more than good enough to use on the tabletop!
ReplyDeleteAll the best,
Bob