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Fiat G-50 Freccia – Finnish Air Force

This project started by sheer chance: while putting models aside to give them away to the neighborhood and family kids, and comparing both 1/72 scale kits (Airfix and AML), I realized that the former was not bad at all (actually, much better then the latter…) and that, with a bit of work, a decent model could be made. And off we went!!! Me, 1; Kids, nil!!!

As a start, the kit got a good rubdown to do away with the raised panel lines. New panel lines were engraved (recessed) using a new X-acto #11 blade. Those followed closely the available plans by the Ali d’Italia publication on the Fiat G-50 series.

The cockpit received some – but not all – metal elements of an old Eduard photo-etching reference (instruments panel), the bulk being made from scratch. The grills on wings related to the carburettors are also from the metal fret. References were found in the Ali d’Italia photos and in the net., but the main purveyor of ideas was the in-progress build-up of a similar model in 1/48 scale (The Fiat G-50bis Freccia by Werner Scheibling, a really 5 star-feature published in the HyperScale web site. Highly recommended!!! )

The major problem of the kit – the engine cowling – was solved following an article published in mid 70’s by a US magazine, long gone, Replica In Scale (see how old am I???). It suggested applying laminations of .60” plasticard around the cowl, in order to bring the cooling gills flush with the new cowling contour and filing them to a rounded profile. I went a step further and also replaced the cooling gills. The propeller was replaced as well by a more suitable item from the spare box – but don’t ask me from which kit…

The undercarriage and its bays were visited, resulting in new “legs” made from metal tubing and the addition of bits and pieces to the wheel wells (carburettor [?] piping and walls). Because I could not find suitable wheels to replace the kit ones, those were slightly modified to resemble, as much as possible, to the original.

Painting the Italian / Finnish scheme was achieved using the reliable, old Humbrol enamels, home mixed to obtain as good a match as possible of the camouflage.

The decals come from a sheet brought ages ago from an IPMS expo in Belgium (in Scale 72, AC005 – FIAT G-50 in Finish Air Force service, 1939-1944).

Et voila… I think I obtained a fairly decent representation of the Freccia, using mostly the kit parts, reducing, this way, costs with expensive after market knick-knack… At end of the day, this is also part of the modelling game, I believe...

Hope you enjoy the photos as much I enjoyed building the kit.