Macchi M-5

[RLWP]

Why are you concerned with how heavy the model is?



Okay - that's another joke.

He's trying to avoid static discharge

[AndRoby67]

Hi Mike!
As italian, I'm always happy when a modeller build one of our planes.
The Macchi M.5 was one of the best flyingboat fighter of the entire conflicts, I built one of them in 1/72 scale from the Pegasus kit.
Do you have the Datafile dedicated on the subject? Because there are inside some original drawings from Macchi's factory.
The M.5 was modified during production so take care about little modifications too.
Again, if you choose the black 6 with skull it had inscriptions in black over red/green striping on hull sides.
I will follow you WIP!
Roberto

[Mike Norris]

Hi Roberto,
I hope to do the M.5 justice.
Yes I have the data file and a full set of the drawings downloaded, which have all of the drawings in the data file, plus more.
I am doing Black 6 from 260a Squadriglia.



The markings in the kit are the same on both sides.

Are there markings missing on this scheme?
If you have any extra data for this aircraft I'd like to see it if possible,

Mike

[AndRoby67]

Hi Mike!
This aircraft had the inscription in latin words "FRANGAR NON FLECTAR".





You may note that no roundels are under the wings.
So, you are working on the tail:



Hope useful,
Roberto

[Alexis]

How does the lightning know it is meant to go through the holes?

 

Richard

You know ...I have been sitting here waiting for a lighting bolt to go through one of those holes . Was even planning on starting a poll and get folks to place bets . Waiting and waiting for a lighting bolt to flash across my screen ....well we all know how that ended !


Terri , still waiting for that lighting bolt 

[RLWP]

How does the lightning know it is meant to go through the holes?

 

Richard

You know ...I have been sitting here waiting for a lighting bolt to go through one of those holes . Was even planning on starting a poll and get folks to place bets . Waiting and waiting for a lighting bolt to flash across my screen ....well we all know how that ended !


Terri , still waiting for that lighting bolt 

Send your request here: https://www.boltlightingrental.com/

Yes, I know - sorry Mike...

Richard

[Mike Norris]

And they say lightning never strikes the same place twice 

Roberto:
Thanks for those photos - I have them but not the one of this aircraft in flight.
Now I see the Latin words on the fuselage side, which is just visible on the cockpit photo.
Of interest on that photo is the wind driven fuel pump is mounted on the central cross bar between the engine struts, not in front of the radiator.
Also the wing 'V' struts seem to have coloured leading edges?
It's of note just how many fuselage panel 'nail lines' there are when seen close up.
The forward engine support strut on the right side is wider than the left side as it had a cover to protect the engine controls, fuel and oil pipes to the engine.

Mike

[Mike Norris]

Hi all,
I thought I'd take a short break from the resin model and start on the 'easy' job of constructing the 'laser cut' wood trestles and beaching trolley.
Hmmmmm - most of the parts have not been laser cut through, just scorched the surface.
So these will need to be cut out manually and some parts are quite thick,

Mike

[Mike Norris]

Hi all,
Not represented in the kit is the fuel filler for the tank.
'Des' represented this as a filler cap on the right side of the rear decking panel, to the rear of the pilot's seat bulkhead.
The initial versions of this aircraft were based on the Lohner T.1, which had a cylindrical fuel tank, connected by a filler tube to a filler cap on the decking panel.
However the production Macchi M.5 had a more rectangular fuel tank. Drawings of this aircraft don't show a filler tube to the decking panel.
Photographs instead show what seems to be a cover plate over an aperture in the decking panel.
My assumption is that when this cover plate was removed, it gave access to the filler cap located on the tank itself.

Mike

[RLWP]

Even if it isn't the cover on the filler, it is a part of the aeroplane that needs modelling. It does look rather like the covers along the fuselage going towards the tail

Nice work, Mike

Richard

[petrov27]

Good spot on that - I also think it is the same kind of round cover (or very similar at least) to those along the top of the rear fuselage, especially after finding a pic of a Macchi M7 where it is clear they are the same covers on that a/c

[AndRoby67]

Hi Mike,
my two cents on what you wrote and made until now. I don't think that struts are tricolor painted. It seems that they are "reinforced". As you sure noted, the wing arrangement of the M.5 have "Nieuport style", Macchi was building under license Ni.11 and Ni.17. Maybe the sesquiplane structure had some problems of strenght, as all the planes that had it, Albatros fighters too. Sure the little floats under the wingtips are tricolor painted, not as in the profile (Bob Pearson's style?).
In my files, your choice was the mount of TV. Alberto Bortolozzo, last Commander of the 260a Squadriglia in the war period. "TV." was a Navy ranking, something like "Vessel Leutnant", literally "Tenente di Vascello". In one of my sources, this M.5 was indicated as 7088 instead of 7288, but I'm far to say who's right or wrong.
I think you are right about the "cover" of the filler cap, from photos it seems that was more low and "levelled" in the hull than your build. That section was covered by metal, it permits to a better profiling of the cover. You're right too about front port strut, with piping and motor commands wrapped with strut himself.
Really well done!
Roberto
 

[Mike Norris]

Hi Roberto,
I see what you mean about the fuel filler cover.
I've looked at the photo again and I think you are correct.
The cover is 'dished' below the steel decking panel, not raised as I have it.
I'll correct that,

Thanks,

Mike

[RAGIII]

Terrific attention to the details as always!
RAGIII

[Mike Norris]

Hi all,
Just a couple of updates.
The fuel filler cap access panel has been added and is now 'dished' into the decking panel, as can be seen on the previous photograph.
Also the model had a pre-moulded circular access panel on the left side of the rear decking panel.
As I can't find any evidence that it existed on this aircraft, I've assumed it was supposed to represent the fuel filler cap access panel.
If so it was the wrong shape and size and on the wrong side of the decking panel.
I've removed it. If I'm wrong it can easily be re-instated.
I've built the wood trestles and beaching trolley, although they need to be cleaned, stained etc and have the photo-etch parts added.

I'm off for a two week break tomorrow so no more updates until I get back,

Mike