Author Topic: Salmson 2A2 USAS  (Read 1660 times)

Offline wmoran

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Salmson 2A2 USAS
« on: March 21, 2018, 01:31:01 AM »
I have the Pheon decal sheet for USAS and Polish Salmson 2A2s, and I was leaning toward building a model representing the aircraft crewed by Lts Conover and Valentine of the 90th Aero Squadron when they were each awarded a DSC for actions during the Meuse-Argonne campaign (scheme 3 on Pheon's sheet 32050).  The Windsock Datafile is my only reference for this aircraft, and the only photo of this aircraft does not reveal the answer to my question.  I am trying to determine of the aircraft had the generator mounted on the starboard side.  Rowan's profile only shows the port side as do the majority of the photos of other 2A2s in the WSD.  If I can get confirmation as to whether or not the Corps observation group installed the generator on most of their aircraft, I will install it on my model.  I just wasn't sure if the generator was less common on the Corps observation groups aircraft compared to the Army observation groups aircraft.

Also, I noticed that some 2A2s used double wires that have wooden battens between the wires and wrapping around the wires (linen?), while others appear to use the RAF aerodynamic double wires with no wrapping.  Has anyone tried wrapping the double wires with decal film?  I don't think I could do that without getting so frustrated that I smash the model against the wall, so I'm going to go with the unwrapped RAF wires.

Thanks,
Bill
« Last Edit: March 21, 2018, 01:36:29 AM by wmoran »


Offline lcarroll

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Re: Salmson 2A2 USAS
« Reply #2 on: March 21, 2018, 05:45:46 AM »
Bill,
    It's been 2 1/2 years since I rigged that Nieuport and the decals are still as I installed them FWIW. If I do another aircraft that requires them I'd use the same method with no reservations.
Cheers,
Lance

Offline wmoran

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Re: Salmson 2A2 USAS
« Reply #3 on: March 21, 2018, 12:22:33 PM »
Thanks Bo & Lance.  I think I'll just go with RAF wires on my Salmson since a number of pics of the USAS aircraft had that type of wiring.  On the models I've worked on since I got back in the hobby about a year ago (note I said 'worked on' not 'completed'), I have found I have a bad tendency to screw up a good model when trying to do the final assembly.  I can definitely see myself screwing-up the Salmson if I tried the wrapped wires.  My skills are still too rusty, and I was primarily an armor modeler in the past, so I'm having to learn a lot of new skills for WWI aircraft.

Bill

Offline Petie2nd

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Re: Salmson 2A2 USAS
« Reply #4 on: March 21, 2018, 12:25:31 PM »
Bill,

In the Flying Machine Press "Salmson Aircraft of World War I", I only found 2 photos of 90th Squadron Salmsons, both on Page 86. One is a port side closeup of the crew area on aircraft No. 16. The other shows the starboard side of No. 12, which does have the generator mount on that side. Both also show additional light colored rib tapes on the first 2 ribs by the fuselage, used to reinforce the ribs in the airscrew slipstream. You might consider that an interesting feature for your model. The caption states that this was common on many 90th aircraft. There is also a profile of No. 4 in that book, but only from the port side.

If you don't have the FMP book, I could scan the photos and email them to you. Send a PM if you'd like to have them.

Rich