Author Topic: Copper State Models 1/32 scale Caudron G.III  (Read 1147 times)

Offline Dave W

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1608
Copper State Models 1/32 scale Caudron G.III
« on: January 22, 2022, 06:47:45 PM »
Copper State Models 1/32 scale Caudron G.III



REVIEWED BY David Wilson

Kit #: CSM 32-006
Scale: 1/32nd
Price: €56.00 Euro direct from CSM.
                                                  
Stockist: Review Sample provided by and available through Copper State Models at: http://www.copperstatemodels.com
Also available from quality model retailers world wide. 

Contents: Seven frames in grey plastic (one of clear parts); decals by Cartograf for four marking options; full colour instructions booklet; photo etch fret.



Background:
Despite a resurgence of interest in WW1 aircraft models in the 1990s and again in the Wingnuts era in the mid 2000s, most of the focus has been on mid to late war aircraft. The early war machines have not had as much love from kit manufacturers.
This is changing with Latvian company Copper State Models debuting its 1/32 scale Caudron G.III.
The Caudron G.III was a single engine French aircraft designed by brothers Rene and Gaston Caudron and popular as a reconnaissance aircraft and trainer.
The type first flew in 1914 and eventually more than 2400 were manufactured in France while others were built in Britain and Italy. It proved a very popular design and was widely used as far afield as New Zealand, Italy and China.
Although unarmed, the Caudron was sometimes adapted to carry a machine gun or small bombs and this option is also provided in CSM’s kit.
The Caudron G.III was widely used by the French air force and also saw service with the RFC. It continued to see use through the post war years and several still exist, preserved in museums.

Comment:

Copper State Models’ latest 1/32 scale release of the Caudron G.III is unquestionably the best new large scale kit to be released in 2021.
Modellers have been enthusing over CSM’s range of kits and the standards get even better with every new release. The Caudron promised much from its early renders but in the hand this one is all you could hope for, and a lot more.
With Wingnut Wings now history, modellers have looked to companies like Copper State Models to replace the Wingnuts kit quality they have become accustomed to.
Copper State have openly declared that they do not have the resources or the budget to replace Wingnuts’ release numbers. Nor are they trying to do so. Wisely, they are pursuing a strategy to produce a popular series of armoured car kits to generate revenue to fund their aircraft models.



First impressions of their latest 1/32 release show that from a quality perspective there’s no question that Copper State can now rightly lay claim to being the equal, if not better than Wingnuts models

We don’t do Kit of the year here but if we did, I’d be nominating the CSM Caudron G.III as kit of the year for 2021. The design, kit engineering, the fine detail and the attention paid to the tooling is high quality throughout.
Copper State has come a long way since it launched its 1/48 kits and then entered the 1/32 scale market in 2018 with its acclaimed Nieuport XVII kits. Several variants have now appeared as CSM maximises the tooling, a shrewd move.
The Nieuport represents one of the most famous French designs of the First World War and so there’s a sense of continuity that Copper State’s next large scale release should also be a classic French design – the Caudron.

Copper State’s kit:
Copper State Models' 1/32 scale Caudron G.III comes in the now familiar packaging of a solid flip top- opening cardboard box beneath a separate lift off box top featuring distinctive artwork. The cover boxart is quite outstanding and really promotes the model within.




The Caudron features 105 injection moulded plastic parts on seven frames. The individually bagged frames within are well protected. All of the plastic parts, the decals, the clear parts frame and the small photo etch fret are individually bagged. This is a very professional touch.
The options include optional radio equipment and bombs which are well covered in the instructions booklet.
The moulding quality is quite superb, there’s no flash present and the part attachment points are small and easier to remove from the frame.







Copper State have delivered subtle surface textures and it’s worth noting that the wing trailing edges are commendably thin and in scale.


The Caudron was powered by a Le Rhone 80hp engine and CSM’s Le Rhone is nicely moulded and will really bring the model alive. Super detailers will have fun adding more to it.


For me cockpits really define a model and the cockpit interior for the Caudron is beautifully designed. The seat back part is fully perforated, a nice detail touch. The parts show just how spartan these early war aircraft cockpits were.


The upper wing is cleverly designed in three parts which ensures all of the frames sit comfortably in a standard CSM box.

I think this kit will produce a museum quality model out of the box but the super detailers will find it’s a great basis for their enhancements!



Instructions:
The 30 page instructions booklet features a cover which resembles a vintage Caudron technical publication, a nice atmospheric touch.



The instructions booklet, in an A4 format, is well illustrated in colour and by necessity devotes some space to show the complex rigging and control cables that go into this model.
If the Caudron has any complications they will be in the rigging phase. The rigging for a Caudron is extensive and complex, but not impossible so the full rigging diagram is a major bonus.
The parts breakdown looks straightforward to assemble and the easy to follow instructions are clear and with colour references.






However as with previous Copper State kits the colour callouts are generic only. There are no hobby paint brand references provided and this means modellers have to find this information elsewhere.

Photo Etch:
The small 10 part Photo etch fret is of good quality and not overdone. With photo etch, less is sometimes best. The PE fret provides for seat harnesses and so on



Decals & Colour schemes:
 The kit features four colour schemes
1 Caudron G.III Verdun 1916
2 Caudron G.III Verdun 1915
3 Caudron G.III September 1914
4 Caudron G.III speculative scheme, unidentified unit.
Interestingly Copper State note that some colour callouts are speculative and suggest options for the modeller.
The decals are by Cartograf of Italy, regarded as among the best in the world. They are perfectly in register as expected.





Conclusion:
We can now say with their Nieuports and now the Caudron G.III that Copper State Models are the world leaders in producing the definitive large scale plastic kits whose quality is the equal of or even better than Wingnuts.

Verdict:
Our highest recommendation.


(Review kit kindly supplied by Copper State Models. Please support the businesses that support this Forum.)


« Last Edit: June 28, 2023, 04:57:13 PM by Dave W »
Owner and Administrator of ww1aircraftmodels.com and forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com

Offline KiwiZac

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2589
    • My Linktree
Re: Copper State Models 1/32 scale Caudron G.III
« Reply #1 on: January 23, 2022, 05:44:53 AM »
It seems the kit lives up to the hype. What a beautiful moulding of such an important type - here in New Zealand Caudrons were used pre-war for flight training and other purposes, so I expect some Kiwis may already have their hands on this kit. The rigging certainly strikes me as the most daunting part of the build but the instructions appear to be very informative and user-friendly in that regard.

Thank you Dave for this review. To be honest while I've read other reviews of this kit I've been waiting for your take on it.

One question: is the kit's engine fixed or does it rotate?