...just updated the list, added the RS Models Reggiane Re.2007, Savoia-Marchetti SM.89 may be built in conjunction with Group II in Tavola X "Continental" colors. Still debating whether to paint the Macchi C.207 in "Continental" or "Silverbird" ala my Reggiane Re.2004 model given neither were built. If I do paint the C.207 in "Continental" ala the FIAT G.56 still need to decide whether to apply Luftwaffe or ANR markings.
Retired In Kalifornia's Italian Aircraft Model Builds In Progress Photos
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Yes Indeed...
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Special Hobby Piaggio P.108 Artigliere
Mainwing Gun Turret & Sighting Station Rotation Details:
Ventral Gun Turret Rotation Details:
Last edited by RetiredInKalifornia on Thu Nov 07, 2019 8:00 pm, edited 6 times in total.
Re: Retired In Kalifornia's Aircraft Model Builds In Progress Photos
Awesome job Richard! I love it. Short article please.
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Will Write It...
...after completing the P.108B hopefully by Tuesday November 5th, meantime follow its ongoing build progress several posts above. I want to do grouped together photos of all my P.108 builds, far as I know nobody has done that for Internet viewing. Am thinking how to do so, afraid they'd be damaged, same handling issues taking more photos of the CANT Z.501 sometime ago for you.
The Special Hobby (SH) kits are nice though have quirks, ex. P.108A nose cap tapers towards top, narrow port side landing gear nacelle made for difficult gluing in landing gear wheel strut, on & on. The kits screamed for more interior & exterior parts detailing, very surprised SH didn't do more! They're several excellent P.108 model photos up on the Internet, mine are just competently built, no resources nor time to go "above & beyond" that. The P.108 isn't a favored subject though always wanted to build models of it, they're the largest "Italians" by dimensions I'll ever build save for the vacuform BroPlan Savoia-Marchetti SM.95, will get to it next spring or summer.
Re: Retired In Kalifornia's Aircraft Model Builds In Progress Photos
The detail of the gun turrets and mgs (gun barrel perforations) are amazing, hard to imagine its only 1/72. Cockpit detail looks good. The P.108A carried a high-velocity 102mm naval gun, its sighting system was supposedly quiet advanced and designed to hit shipping as primary targets.
A group photo of all your P.108 builds would be great - I agree, a first for sure.
A group photo of all your P.108 builds would be great - I agree, a first for sure.
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Not Only Guns...
...but each (rotating) resin mainwing gun turret gunner sighting base has molded-in features ala electrical cabling, too small to photograph alas. Far as I know P.108s were the only operational WWII bombers with mainwing-mounted remote-controlled gun turrets, Messerschmitt 323s had manned ones for sure, surprised their weren't underwing mounted ones, sighting stations where fuselage beam mounted guns are.Editor wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2019 5:49 pmThe detail of the gun turrets and mgs (gun barrel perforations) are amazing, hard to imagine its only 1/72. Cockpit detail looks good. The P.108A carried a high-velocity 102mm naval gun, its sighting system was supposedly quiet advanced and designed to hit shipping as primary targets.
A group photo of all your P.108 builds would be great - I agree, a first for sure.
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List Updated November 3, 2019...
...Added Hasegawa Macchi C.202, Italeri C.205V, FROG C.202 "What If" with fuselage wing root-mounted machine guns ala C.205N-1, super-detailed build as well.RetiredInKalifornia wrote: ↑Mon Oct 28, 2019 9:55 pm...just updated the list, added the RS Models Reggiane Re.2007, Savoia-Marchetti SM.89 may be built in conjunction with Group II in Tavola X "Continental" colors. Still debating whether to paint the Macchi C.207 in "Continental" or "Silverbird" ala my Reggiane Re.2004 model given neither were built. If I do paint the C.207 in "Continental" ala the FIAT G.56 still need to decide whether to apply Luftwaffe or ANR markings.
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Special Hobby Piaggio P.108 Bombardiere Serie I Variants
Fuselage Nose Plug Construction Detail:
Early "Spear" Fuselage Nose Pitot Tube Mast (Nose Cap Paint Masking Isn't Misaligned, Plugged It In Crooked By Mistake ) :
Later "Ploughshare" Fuselage Nose Pitot Tube Mast:
Early "Spear" Fuselage Nose Pitot Tube Mast (Nose Cap Paint Masking Isn't Misaligned, Plugged It In Crooked By Mistake ) :
Later "Ploughshare" Fuselage Nose Pitot Tube Mast:
Last edited by RetiredInKalifornia on Thu Nov 07, 2019 9:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Retired In Kalifornia's Aircraft Model Builds In Progress Photos
Wow, this is the best looking P.108B I've seen to date, hands down.
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Re: Retired In Kalifornia's Aircraft Model Builds In Progress Photos
Did you use setting solution for your decals?
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Special Hobby Piaggio P.108 Bombardiere Serie II
Last edited by RetiredInKalifornia on Thu Nov 07, 2019 9:40 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Yes...
...good 'ole Microsol along with highly watered-down Elmer's White Glue as an adhesive filler. Walthers Solvaset methinks was the first commercial water decal solvent, came out c.1964 though didn't start using it till c.1966, worked well with then new third-party thin & flat decal films ala Microscale, not so well or not at all with then prevalent thick & glossy model kit decal films.
Re: Retired In Kalifornia's Aircraft Model Builds In Progress Photos
A setting solution pushes water out and reduces silvering (apply just before you lay down the decals) - there's none of that on this model but you do get it in others. What I do is spray a gloss to the whole model or to areas you plan to decal, this smoothens the surface and reduces areas where water could get trapped as well as helping the setting solution push out water. Then apply the decal, use a solvent to dissolve the carrier film then apply another coat of gloss and then a flat. The end result should look as if the decal was painted on i.e., no reflected light from the decal. In fact a solvent, if applied correctly, should leave behind only the paint pigment.
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Yes...
...generally except for spraying clear gloss. Tauro Decals are hardest to work with, film bit thick, inks bit too glossy, SKY Models decals slightly better but they've got issues as well. I near always trim around inked areas to cut down silvering, watered-down Elmer's Glue has worked well for me since 1981 though it too has its use limits. The one model I've dreaded trying to build & decal again is the Junkers Ju-52, corrugated surface beyond nightmarish applying decals on. If can find a Heller kit, might try again, closest to scale & proportions to any other injected-molded kit available though will double-check that before buying one.Editor wrote: ↑Thu Nov 07, 2019 7:24 pmA setting solution pushes water out and reduces silvering (apply just before you lay down the decals) - there's none of that on this model but you do get it in others. What I do is spray a gloss to the whole model or to areas you plan to decal, this smoothens the surface and reduces areas where water could get trapped as well as helping the setting solution push out water. Then apply the decal, use a solvent to dissolve the carrier film then apply another coat of gloss and then a flat. The end result should look as if the decal was painted on i.e., no reflected light from the decal. In fact a solvent, if applied correctly, should leave behind only the paint pigment.
Will take group photos of the P.108 builds tomorrow, write articles for the bombardiere variants, commence SEM Model Savoia-Marchetti S.73 & S.74 builds Saturday.