SPAD VII.C1 Roden 1:32. Belgian Air Force Edmond Thieffry.

[Adam]

14-10-2014 was born my grandson in Belgium. 
To commemorate this event I bought a new airplane model at my favorite shop.  That day was available SPAD VII.C1.
Then I started to look for a suitable paint. It have to be a painting of the Belgian Air Force, so I found a the Belgian ace Edmond Thieffry. The choice was doubly fitting, Pilot was Belgium and  before the war he studied law at the University of Leuven. My grandson lives about 30 km away from the city.
In July 1914 Edmond Thieffry he was assigned to General Leman. Captured by Germans, he managed to escape to Holland and again in 1915 he was joined to Belgian air force. In February 1916 he joined the 3rd Squadron, flying two seaters. Lather he was reassigned  to 5th fighter squadron. Thieffry scored his first win in March 1917, and became an ace in July.
In February 1918, he was shot down, and spent rest of the war as a prisoner of war in Germany. He tried to escape, but unsuccessfully. After the war he returned to his practice as a lower. He remained active in aviation.
In 1925, he made the first flight between Brussels and Leopoldville, in Belgian Congo.
Edmond Thieffry died in crash near like Tanganyika.
This model will be painted according to the drawing.



In my stash I found also Spad VII.C1 in 1:72, I have a plan to do it paralelny. It will be with painting from time when it was used by 1st Polish Combat Air Group, formerly used by Russian 11. KAO. In this scale usually I'm doing planes from beginning Polish aviation.
Literature from which I will use when building both models.



Inbox of big Spad.



I will use PE parts from Part.

 Inbox of small Spad.



For this model I ordered PE parts and decals, so it will be wait for it.

So I began the big Spad.



After surfacer.



Then there was painting the inside of the fuselage and cockpit.







Now is time for cockpit  interior, control stick need some improvements.





Cockpit after painting, all parts are  fixed only for test.









I think big problem will be with rigging, first of all will be problem with double wires.
Part proposes such a solution.



I do not think I will use this method, I will have to find another way.

Maybe these pictures SPAD XIII, which I did in the Museum of Flight in Brussels will help to find solution.









Adam.

[RAGIII]

Awesome work on the interior! My SPAD VII suffered a horrible end in a crash so I am looking forward to seeing yours completed. The rigging does present a challenge. My solution was using stretched sprue  Des replaced the horizontal support with tubing,out of my skill level, and did a great job. I think Part and Eduard both present viable options. I look forward to your progress and ultimate solution. By the way just a heads up on the engine cylinder banks. They fowl the fit of the upper cowling. I have not heard or seen anyone manage to get them to fit without cutting them down or leaving them off. I hope you are the first to succeed!
RAGIII

[Juan]

Great start, both the kit and grandson.  Looking forward to your progress.

[PrzemoL]

Adam, it is great to see you start this fine but underrated kit. Fine progress so far.
If you are interested in how I coped with it some time ago, there is a build log in The Aerodrome:
http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50150
Also Des has one on his website.

[uncletony]

Following with great interest!

[Adam]

Thank you RAGIII, Juan, PrzemoL and Bo.
Przemek thank you for showing this thread. I think I've got licence from you . 
Probably I will use yours method for rigging, and bottom engine cover.
RAGIII now I began working on the engine, soon I will check if is problem with engine cylinder banks. I saw thread shown by PrzemoL, he has similar problem. I'm thinking positive, maybe this time will be OK? 

Adam.
 

[lcarroll]

Adam,
    That's a great colour scheme you've chosen, and your work thus far is excellent! I have this kit and the Part PE Set in my "pending pile" and will be following your Build with great interest, keep up the excellent work!
Cheers,
Lance

[coyotemagic]

Excellent choice, Adam!  I look forward to following along.  I have several SPAD VII and XIII kits in my stash and have yet to get one to the point where I need to figure out the rigging at the mid-span struts.  I'll be looking to get some pointers from you on this.
Your story behind this build is sweet.  There's nothing more precious than grandchildren.
Cheers,
Bud

[rhallinger]

Great subject!  How will you do the markings for this aircraft?  Are their commercial decals available, or will you create masks for painting?

Regards,

Bob   

[TobyCoulson]

Nice start. I have this kit so will look forward to seeing this progress

[Adam]

I will use mask. Roundels I made on the Nieuport 17. but big problem will be the comet, probably I will ask one of my friend to do it.

Adam.

[dr 1 ace]

As above, a very nice start and a really colorful scheme to do !!

Ed

[Brez]

Great start Adam, love the SPAD and I've rarely seen this kit in any build logs on the net, though I know that Des and Przemol both built beautiful models with this kit.

Cheers,
Tony.

[Manni]

Great plane ans a very promising start.
I will enjoy this buildlog.
Manni

[Adam]

Thank you my friends. 

Now short training before big rigging. 



I used GasPtach turnbuckles. In back side on  the left side are in 1:32 on the right 1:48. In my opinion these 1:32 are to big so was used smaller.





Now is time for cockpit equipment.

Adam.