Jacques Roques' SPAD S.VII

[Bluesfan]

I wasn't going to present this, my most recent effort, until I remembered that the forum had a special section entirely suitable, ie. Hall of Shame.

This is Jacques Roques'  SPAD S.VII  S1213, made for a couple of friends visiting from France who I saw at the New Year. There are a couple of main areas of shame, one being that I did skimp on the rigging, especially as regards the correct double wiring. I'm afraid time ran short and I cynically cut corners knowing that my friends would be impressed enough simply to see the rigging.

It's done with ceramic wire by the way, which apart from doing away with the need for lots of stressful drilling, is quite well suited to this particular kit, as regards the way Roden moulded the attachment points on to the struts.

[Bluesfan]

What a mixture of emotions I have about how this turned out.

I enjoy making my own decals, which I've done a few times now. This was the most ambitious project so far, entailing the recreation of SPA 48's big cockerel insignia, as well as Roques' own jolie demoiselle design. I looked at several sources, but primarily the images in Jon Guttman's Osprey book on the S.VII (there's more information on Roques himself in Guttman's S.XII/S.XIII book).

I considered the limits of my cutting skills, and decided to do the cockerel scheme in two layers, one on white decal film, the other on transparent film. I would not do this again with this design. And I think I'll be looking for a better brand of material. The positioning of the two layers was 'challenging for my expertise' and involved a lot of unbroadcastable language. And as you may be able to see, although the fuzzy photography disguises it, there was a lot of colour bleed. I suppose I could call it weathering!

[Bluesfan]

Before anyone says it, a third area of shame would be the mish-mash of colours, with three different blues and three different reds on view. First, I used the Roden roundels, and neither the red nor the blue of those look right to me. As for the home made decals, well I did try several shades, especially of the blue, but I could have done better there. And for the tail, I used the relevant Misterkit paints. The blue looks okay to me, but their French roundel red seems rather dark to my eyes.

[Bluesfan]

It's my second S.VII  - the first was my initiation into 1/32 - and although it might not seem like it, my standards would seem to be inching upwards on this evidence. I certainly made a much better hash of the fit of the front fuselage, than I did the first time

I basically like this kit, which is just as well, because I still have the Russian ski version to do some time. And I like SPADs in general, not to mention Nieuports, and wish we had more of all available in 1/32.

[IFF1418]

Hi there Bluesfan,

This topic is silently being filled with Spad's as mine went straight on there too. But I think that I had a better reason than you have my friend. The overall work on it seems very good. If you don't like the colors of the roundels, you are quite right. Roden seems to make the French colors a bit too intens, I don't like them too. As for the homemade decals, you nevertheless did a great job as you had to use two different sorts to merge ( a clear one and a white one ). It is a pity that our printer can't print white! But it was very courageous of you to try and it makes your build itself not to be ashamed of. So if I were you I would redirect it to the completed models.

Kind regards
Patrick

PS What brand of decal paper did you use? I used the Expert-Choice decals for the Guynemer's Bébé.

[Bluesfan]

Thanks Patrick! You're right, this is creating an unfortunate impression of a kit I personally like     
I'm just a bit cross with myself that I could have done something about the various points:
ie. not put myself under time pressure, and done the whole set of rigging; similarly taken more time over the decals, experimenting with the colours. And maybe another layer of liquid decal would have solved the colour bleed problem.
As for the cockerel decal, as I say it could have been printed once, on white paper, and if I'd printed off lots of examples, eventually I could have cut around (and inside it) neatly enough to satisfy me.

Ah - it was Expert's Choice paper. I wouldn't say it is terrible, but it is intended to be multipurpose, for all sorts of hobby needs. And if you are layering it - as you know all too well! - if you don't get the placement right straight away, a nightmare rapidly develops!

Here's my version of the jolie demoiselle, by the way. I realise that we don't know if Roques did have a mirror image version of this on the other ie. left hand side of the fuselage but, well, that's what I decided to do.

Mark

[WarrenD]

I really like the cat. 

Warren

[RAGIII]

The SPAD VII is obviously one of those kits that MANY of us struggle with! I think you have done a credible job! As for the personal and Squadron insignias, far better than I would have done!
RAGIII

[Bluesfan]

Thanks also Warren and RAGIII for your kind remarks.
I must admit, I'm sort of warming to it now, and feel less 'Hall of Shame-y'.
There's a lesson for me here, to take a while after finishing a build, go and look at other stuff, and later cast a kinder eye over it and forget all the earlier annoyances.

Off for a week or so (to see my favourite Blues play some ice hockey) but after that, a Nieuport 28 beckons...

Mark

[WarrenD]

Mark,
         I've got a MAC SPAD VII C.1 on the shelf of doom that I ruined. The top wing is a disaster. Don't beat yourself up.

Warren

[lcarroll]

Mark,
    I'm with Patrick; this belongs in Completed Models. Nice clean paint job, great home made decals (not everyone knows that trick!) and solid work on a very difficult Kit. Good luck with the N.28, I had a tough time with that one as well.
    So, I gotta ask, how does a Brit get to be a St. Louis Blues fan let alone get to watch some of their games??
Cheers,
Lance

[Des]

That is a very nice looking model Mark and does not deserve to in the hall of shame, if you would like me to move it the the completed model board please let me know.

Des.

[Bluesfan]

Thanks Warren and Lance, I'm now progressing to 'serene' on this one
I've wondered about those MAC 1/72 kits, but they're a little hard to get hold of at the moment.
St. Louis Blues? Heh, no, these are a Finnish variety, out of Espoo...

I would say about the SPAD, that though it does have lots of struts, at least your target structure is a nice stable box, lots of 90 degree angles.
Those late Nieuports are not like that. At all. Patrick IFF1418 has inspired me to resurrect the bits and piece of my earlier failed attempt on my Nieuport 24 and see if I can't finish it sometime this year as well. Yes, at the beginning of January all our plans look splendid don't they. All that's required for their completion is that no one brings out any new kits...

Mark

[Bluesfan]

Thanks Des - now I'm positively blushing!
Yes, perhaps if you would be so kind as to move it, and I won't be so embarrassed - as I was saying, time has begin to heal wounds.
But perhaps other modellers will understand my initial feelings - when it's your creation, it's hard not to be very aware of all the various things which went wrong.

Thanks again, yes, please do promote it

Mark

[WarrenD]

Mark,
        The MAC SPAD suffers, like other of their offerings, with very thick trailing edges. I sanded mine down on the underside to thin it down, got it looking good, but then dropped the wing and the trailing edge shattered. 
I was so frustrated that I shelved it for later. My biggest hurdle with that kit, or any SPAD in 1/72nd, is going to be how to replicate that double rigging.

I've got a couple of other builds on the shelf of doom or shame to get through first before I can screw my courage up for that one.

FWIW,

Warren

PS: Glad you're going to move this one to the completed builds.