S.M. 79-II

Post in-progress or completed model pics here
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davenport49
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Re: S.M. 79-II

Post by davenport49 » Sat Oct 15, 2022 1:22 pm

Fellows in my club predict that shortly we'll just download a file for the entire kit! :crazy:

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Re: S.M. 79-II

Post by Editor » Sat Oct 15, 2022 3:06 pm

I agree, at some point the cost of 3D printers will be low enough, and ubiquitous enough, that you simply buy and download the instructions to print out a kit. I think that's the general idea. Question is when that happens.

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Re: S.M. 79-II

Post by kensar » Mon Oct 17, 2022 6:10 am

Nice detail in there. Shows how tight space was.
I just got promoted to Comandante!

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davenport49
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Re: S.M. 79-II

Post by davenport49 » Wed Oct 19, 2022 9:23 am

Progress is coming along nicely.

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There's lots of modification of the fuselage, like enlarging the opening for the gondola. :problem:

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Re: S.M. 79-II

Post by Editor » Sat Oct 29, 2022 5:41 pm

You're getting good at this Richard! Great job detailing. Very nice.

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Re: S.M. 79-II

Post by davenport49 » Tue Nov 01, 2022 9:43 am

Thanks for the compliment, Vince. It's only taken 70-some years! :biggrin:

Here is the completed fuselage interior. I know there are prominent ejector pin marks, but they won't be visible once the fuselage is closed up.

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Re: S.M. 79-II

Post by Editor » Thu Nov 03, 2022 6:05 pm

This is excellent Richard, you did a great job highlighting the details and it looks accurate. Send in an article when your done. Did you get around to reading Peter C. Smith's Pedestal? Its probably the best reference on the subject and a must read for anyone interested in the Mediterranean air-sea battles.

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Re: S.M. 79-II

Post by davenport49 » Fri Nov 04, 2022 6:40 am

Excellent volume, found it really fascinating. Also, just came across a biography of pilot Sgt. George Beurling, known variously as "Knight of Malta", "Falcon of Malta", labeled by press as "Buzz" Beurling, but by peers as "Screwball" Beurling. Credited with 27 "kills" while stationed in Malta. I have his Spitfire Mk.Vc in my "Battle of Malta" display.

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Re: S.M. 79-II

Post by Editor » Sat Nov 05, 2022 7:53 am

Pedestal is one of those books you can't put down in fact Vince Biondi lent me his copy many moons ago when he was in town and I read a chapter or two and then ordered my own copy. George Beurling is a hero in these parts, Vince Biondi is the expert on him and I think he too built a model of his plane. His attributes were great eye sight and an incredible ability to lead the target (deflection shooting). He also managed to survive many close calls.

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davenport49
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Re: S.M. 79-II

Post by davenport49 » Sat Nov 05, 2022 8:17 am

Of course! I hadn't stopped to consider he was Canadian and a national hero. Although it doesn't fit the Stormo theme, here are a couple shots of my tribute to him.
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Re: S.M. 79-II

Post by Editor » Sat Nov 05, 2022 9:02 am

No rules about posting pics of a beautiful plane! A Classic Malta Spit with the Vc wing and Vokes filter, I never get tired of looking at a Spit. Incredibly, decals for Beurling's plane BR323 are hard to find in 1/48 and I'm not even sure if there are decals for his plane in this scale. I should do a 1/48 sheet with mixed subjects German, Italian and British planes in the Battle of Malta 1942, a two or three part series - that would be fun.

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Re: S.M. 79-II

Post by davenport49 » Sat Nov 05, 2022 9:54 am

This was an Airfix 1/48th, (05110). I went through my construction notes and didn't find any mention of the source for decals, and Scalemates doesn't list 323/S as included in the kit. So, I don't know where they came from. Curious!

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Re: S.M. 79-II

Post by Editor » Sat Nov 05, 2022 12:17 pm

Yeah that is interesting, the decals were probably custom made, but very cool! To me its amazing that an important ace would be left off virtually ever Spitfire decal sheet in 1/48, in what was arguably one of the biggest and most important air battles of WWII.

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Re: S.M. 79-II

Post by davenport49 » Sat Nov 05, 2022 12:30 pm

I agree completely. We had the opportunity to spend a week touring Malta a few years ago; one of the highlights of my life! And learning about its critical role in the war in the Mediterranean, which was new to me, was incredible. The once-gorgeous opera house in Valletta remains in its bombed-out condition and serves as an amphitheater now. A beautiful country with an amazing history.

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Re: S.M. 79-II

Post by Editor » Sat Nov 05, 2022 5:03 pm

Was the Opera House targeted, was an AA battery nearby, military installations, muntions, supply depot, HQ, radar etc.?

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