forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
WW1 Aircraft Modeling => Completed models => Topic started by: torbiorn on April 29, 2025, 11:36:12 PM
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Not a productice year for me but finally something rolled off the production line. The SE5a has been a bland plane for me, but learning, in the Memorial build, that the SE5 was a favourite of Dave s I decided to have a second look. I had two Roden kits in my box, which I mainly bought because a Great War collection without its best(?) scout would be lacking, and decided to have a go. I have to say I have changed my opinion. It has a sleek, no-nonsense appearance with several interesting design choices. At a first glance it is difficult to imagine that this comes from the same office as the slow, overly stable but ungainly-looking BE2 and RE8, but a closer look does show the inheritance in several details.
I built two in parallel, one with a Viper and one with a Hispano-Suiza engine. Trying to find two airframes to demonstrate as many different variations as possible, I settled on the following:
Viper: E4071 of ballon-busting ace Sydney Highwood, No 84 Squadron, autumn 1918.
Reinforced wooden undercarriage, 2-blade propeller, no headrest
Hisso: McCudden?s B4863, No 56 Squadron, late 1917.
Spindly legs, built-up cockpit, shortened exhaust pipes, early roundel inboard location, etc
I know 84 squadron painted the undercarriage PC10, but I?m waiting with that until I see a photo of Highwood?s machine with painted legs? (red: I painted it before I selected airframe and need an excuse not to repaint)
I experimented with the colours. McCudden?s machine looks brownish enough to live eyes when standing alone, but is decidedly green when placed next to Highwood?s chocolate machine.
(https://i.imgur.com/okmgzXh.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/gpR7NcM.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/xheoTxx.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/FIMMsoG.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/FfEP8iN.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/gO31afM.jpeg)
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Lovely job on both of these. 8)
Roden's kits are lovely, but not always as easy to put together as other manufacturers offerings so kudos for even attempting a brace at the same time.
I've also got a pair on the shelf so maybe . . . . :-\
Of course you now need to rush off and build the Pegasus Se5 to make it a complete set ;D
Paul
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Very nice pair of SE5as. You are making me feel bad, I've had the WNW SE5a on the shelf since it first came out.....
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Nice job! I like the Roden SE5a even though it requires a bit of joint sanding.
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Double bracing wires in 1/72 scale is quite the feat! Well done on both birds.
Warren Q
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Nicely done! Great job showcasing the different designs.
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A nice pair indeed.
BTW, should not the Mc Cudden's plane have a makeshift spinner from a shot down LVG?
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Thanks for the kind words.
Lovely job on both of these. 8)
Roden's kits are lovely, but not always as easy to put together as other manufacturers offerings so kudos for even attempting a brace at the same time.
I've also got a pair on the shelf so maybe . . . . :-\
Of course you now need to rush off and build :-\ :'( :'( the Pegasus Se5 to make it a complete set ;D
Paul
These were on the easy end of the Roden scale. It took me a while for other reasons and they?ve been sitting finished for awhile, so I?ve all but forgotten the build process, but I don?t think there were any issues. Perhaps the cabane struts were not perfect in length.
I?m afraid a Pegasus Se5 would murder my little mojo :'(
A nice pair indeed.
BTW, should not the Mc Cudden's plane have a makeshift spinner from a shot down LVG?
He had at least two of these: Rudolph replaced the plane I depicted. I chose the earlier plane so I could show the early design with skinny legs. I did start building the spinner:ed plane first though, before I changed my mind, which is the reason the elevators are at an angle and slightly misfitted - I first added the narrow elevators of the later plane, changed my mind but didn?t want to loose all work on carving out the pulley inspection panels, and cut and replaced the elevators instead. Well, maybe there were reasons they took a long time to build?
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Beautifully done! I really must restore my mojo and get mine finished.
Ian
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Always liked the SE5a. Making one of these at the moment. I?m almost at the rigging stage and not looking forward to the double braced wires! Hope mine comes out looking as good as these two.
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I didn't read the scale until after someone mentioned it - you could've fooled me that these were 1/32! Beautiful work and a great concept.
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What a super pair! The contrast in the upper surface colours is interesting - just shows how much variation there could be with PC 10.
Stephen.