Spad XIII Early 1/32 Roden Speaking Italian

[Monty]

I am fully aware I have a poor record of finishing kits, but I'm pretty good at starting them. This one screamed at me from the box, then jumped out and had a tantrum until I started it. Blame Rick. He talked about the "Spad weeks" and his build was quite beautiful. I didn't enter the Roden competition as my LHS was busy sending me this one, and will have to send another. It felt really bad not to join in the competition fun, so here we go!

This is the colour scheme I'd like to do:



The kit started itself... I prefer to get subassemblies together before painting, and also get the difficult bits out the way if possible, so the interior was put together, it went quite well, just some minor trimming and adjustment needed. The prop really needed some putty, quite a bit of that and sanding... Started fixing the undercarriage spreader bar, will have to get some measurements from plans to get that right... I will skin it with 5 thou plasticard... I will stick with the kit instruments and details, I don't have any other...



The engine is started. I see no point in adding the piping or carburetor details between the cylinders, or the cylinder heads as they won't be seen unless you remove some panels, but I don't want to ruin those beautiful Spad lines... The detail on the rear of the engine May just be visible, so it's worth adding... I did remove the "Photo panel" on the fuselage side as Rick suggested, not shown here. And then it was on to paint, sand yellow as it is a base for the wood tones, I'll do those first then block in the fabric and metal ... kind of hoping it works out...



The prop looks better than expected. Sorry about the photos, it's a grey day here and I'm shooting indoors with poor artificial light. Regards and enjoy your modelling!

Marc

[Stuart Malone]

Marc,

I picked up a couple of these too.  Rick's build has been tempting me to give one a try, now you as well.  But I'm going to stay focused for the time being.  It looks like you're getting a good start.  Keep going!

Stuart

[KiwiZac]

Another SPAD Weeker here, although mine's likely to be a month or three!

A great start. You have one advantage on me: you have CDL paint! 

[pepperman42]

Nice start!!

Steve

[gbrivio]

Starting kits is my expertise too...  and this start looks really good. Baracca's plane is a great classic and a loved one here in Italy.
Ciao
Giuseppe

[kensar]

Off to a good start.  I hope to see this completed.  I would like to see this livery.

[RAGIII]

Excellent Start Marc! It is Great to see another SPAD XIII being built and the Italian scheme should look terrific! You are correct about the piping on the engine. The late model will be a bit different as so many left off the side panels and used screening. I am looking forward to the next update.
RAGIII

[FAf]

If you don't start them, you can't finish them... 
Looks good and if you just take it one step at the time it'll be finished before you know it!
/Fredrik

[Monty]

Thank You all for checking in! Yes, Fredrik, I'm building this one in my head already, I really want to get it done! Hi Rick! You are right about that extra engine detail, wonder if Roden will add the mesh sometimes seen on those side panels? But I am checking your build out carefully, there are so many small improvements that can be done... Ken, your build is the definitive build of this kit so far, simply lots of wonderful work and extra detail... but I must admit my build won't come close, but I appreciate your build for the wonderful details and help. Giuseppe, thank you for the encouragement too, I hope to do this aircraft justice! Are you aware of any other photos of it apart from this one?


It is a lovely photo and confirms many details, I don't think there are roundels on the upper wing, for instance. The five colour camo is well shown... Thank you Steve for following along! Stuart, I am sure your build will progress even faster! Zac, I am following your build too, some good stuff there!

Today I managed to add some wood tones and grain effect using oils:


There's a lot of wood in the cockpit... the slight overpainting around the stringers doesn't matter as I shall block in using fabric colours... Here is my mix for doing this:



Note just a tiny amount of Liquin helps oils flow better and they dry real hard in 48 hours too... The white spirit is the best thinner for sure... The props on Spad's are very dark with a brown varnish on them, I'll try to emulate this in the next step...

Regards and enjoy your modelling!

Marc

[RAGIII]

Moving forward quite nicely Marc. As far as I know that is the Only Photo of Baraccas SPAD XIII. Overall I think Roden did their homework well on the markings and agree about the lack of roundels on the upper wing. ( Their is the possibility of those small roundels at the tips that Roden gives as an option) Many state that the right fuselage side should have the Griffon squadron marking. If Baracca followed the same pattern he used on his SPAD VII that would be correct. With no known photo of the right side I am not "Sure" that can be proved?

One thing I am questioning is the camo scheme. This is a Bleriot built bird and as far as I can tell from the photo is doped in the "Standard" Bleriot scheme. I do not claim to be an expert but I have not seen any SPADs with a scheme like Roden depicts. JMHO,
RAGIII

PS: My reason for stating the "Possibility" of Small upper wing roundels that don't gp over the ailerons is that there is a photo of another 91` squadron bird that shows the wing tips and the small roundels are present.

[gbrivio]

...Giuseppe, thank you for the encouragement too, I hope to do this aircraft justice! Are you aware of any other photos of it apart from this one?


Marc, i'm sorry but this is the only picture I know of this aeroplane. I will try to ask my friends if anyone knows something more about her.
Ciao
Giuseppe

[Alexis]

Can't aid with info Marc , but I will follow along and try to get up-date with progress . So far she s starting to shape up nicely



Alexis

[andonio64]

...Giuseppe, thank you for the encouragement too, I hope to do this aircraft justice! Are you aware of any other photos of it apart from this one?

Hi Marc, there are really few images (a couple?) of Baracca beside his SPAD XIII, and really few photos of other S XIII from other Squadrons,but what I was able to understand (although statistically the sample of images I found in my books is not relevant) is that camouflaged S XIII did NOT have the roundels on top wing, while all (?) SPADS (S VII?) in the "original" CDL colour seem to have the national insignia on top of the upper wing...

Another discussed point on Baracca's SXIII is if it had the horse also on the starboard side of the fuselage. No photo is known of that side... The most accredited version says YES, some say (I don't know on which  argument) it had the Griffon (Symbol of the 91st Squadriglia). The Restored SPAD in the Baracca Museum at Lugo di Romagna has the Griffon on that side but I don't know why thy chose that interpretation, I don't even know if that plane was the actual Baracca's one, in any case is a "CDL" version.
If we want to make life even more complicated some say the horse was painted red ().

Well I hope I did not puzzle you more instead of clarifying the situation!

I would go for:
- No roundels on top wing
- BLACK horse on both sides

[Monty]

Wow! Thank You Rick and Antonio for your detailed and amazing help on this beautiful Italian bird! Yes, I was pretty sure some help was out there! Rick, I agree completely this is a Bleriot built airframe, and without a doubt had the early Bleriot 5 colour scheme, just comparing what I can see in the one photo with early Bleriot builds proves this... What I cannot find is a diagram or sketch of the entire early pattern, but apparently it appears in an issue of Cross and Cockade, I regret a publication I never managed to collect. (To my eternal regret). If someone can direct me to a diagram online I would be very grateful... Antonio, I agree with your interpretation, Thank You for going to all the effort! It's so good to have you checking in, Alexis, I appreciate the interest! And Thank You Giuseppe for your interest in this project too. Well, I made some progress, some silver on the metal areas, still to be weathered, and yes, I better hide some of that overspray!


The radiator, cowling and shutters are together and really look quite nice. I used Vallejo for the silver, a first for me. I came across this table and I post it just for fun, I'm very far from choosing colours myself. There are some eminent researchers here, but I think it's almost "pick a colour, any colour"...


Regards,

Marc



 

[RAGIII]

The interior is shaping up quite nicely Zak! As for the Bleriot scheme I think I have a decal sheet instruction that showed all portions. Also a very good rendition of all surfaces is included in the Aviattic Luke set. ( Even though Luke flew a late model the pattern was pretty much standard. I am providing a link to my Hobby Craft build that should at least get you in the ballpark.I hope this helps and I will look for further info on the pattern.
RAGIII


  https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=10981.285

PS: The first three photos are the Bleriot built version