Welcome to the Regia Aeronautica Co-Belligerent Air Force Campaign!

The campaign will run from October 1, 2016 through May 1, 2017.

If you haven't signed up yet, or want to see the rules, go here.

Please post your initial and in-progress photos as well as campaign discussion in this thread. Please post your finished build photos in the campaign gallery.

Looking forward to some awesome Italian birds!

Michael

Thanks Michael! Now I'm stuck with making a decision as to WHAT I'm going to build! LOL

A-Men Chris, I think I will wait to most people make their choice. Then pick something different. I think I have a good stock to chose from.

I agree Jeff the more unusual and left field the better! LOL

Here is my entry for the campaign

Oh hell yes! Great choice Linus not only in scale but in markings as well! I built the Eduard 1/48 scale kit and I liked how it turned out. Can't wait to see how this one builds and turns out!

Just to pique your interest I found this on the interwebs and thought I'd put it out there for those interested.

Okay I've decided on which kit to build and I'm going with the Astrokit 1/48 Saetta. I've never built a completely resin kit before so this will be a first for me. It's also an early version of the Saetta so has an enclosed cockpit. I t was later changed to an open style cockpit as I believe the pilots had fears they couldn't get the canopy open to exit the aircraft in an emergency and that it felt "claustrophobic"!

Here are some pics of the kit to see what I'm working with.

Excellent choice Chris!
Fun to do a complete resin kit.
I am still trying to decide. But since there have not been to many people starting, I may just choose something a little out of the ordinary.

Thanks Jeff! The kit while full of lovely details has it's fair share of issues. Major pin holes in the casting and the fuselage halves didn't line up particularly well. Which required remedial work and rescribing. Which has become a nightmare because of the pin holes. But I've been slowly filling them in with super glue and a fine wire to get into the pinhole. Some of the pinholes are over 1 mm in diameter and are located mainly on the upper fuselage where the major alignment issues were.

But it all adds to the fun pics to follow!

It didn't take very long to build the kit to this point just a couple of days painting and one of putting it together. I've probably spent another half day doing the pin hole fill and rescribe. I've also had to fill in areas on the cowl that had broken in transit or were simply short shot as in the tail cone. It's been frustrating but my patience has been rewarded to a certain extent. I still have some pin holes to fill and some panel lines to redo as they're either wobbly or are a little on the deep side. Any how here are the promised pics!

Chris

That's impressive progress on your resin kit. Have not come across that one before. How easy is it to find one for sale?

Simon

Hi Simon I picked this kit up on New Zealand's local auction site Trademe for around $30.00 plus freight. In fact I'd never heard of Astrokit before purchasing this kit. But I researched it via uncle google. I've looked on eBay and there are a number of them on there for around $60.00 plus freight. I'm not even sure if Astrokit are still producing kits. So still available but not exactly common place, hope this helps.

Thanks Chris. I will watch your progress and keep a look out for one of these for myself.

Simon

I've applied the camo, decals and a panel line wash there are a few details left to paint gear covers and spinner. I still have the weathering to do though it will be light as this is early war and they were well maintained. So here's a few progress pics so you can see where I'm up to. The camo scheme turned out rather well but the problem with the two colours being close still remains. But they're not as bad as it was in my previous attempt with the SM.81.

Looking good Chris, nice camo work!
I'd never seen one of these Astrokit kits either until you started this one, doesn't look too bad.

Cheers, D

Thanks D! The quality control had slipped a little on this kit from the reviews I've read the original casting was perfect no pinholes or any other issues. Some of the parts were broken but the kit was pre owned and were originally on sprues so I'm guessing in the removal they got damaged. But the detail is really nice and the kit actually goes together quite well with a minimum of fuss.

I did intend to paint the copper oil cooler first and then mask before painting however with the desire to paint the camo pushing me on I subsequently forgot. So it was a troublesome masking job and some Vallejo copper paint and I've got it done.

Chris,

Really nice. I like the paint job and the wheel wells look really good.

I am still trying to decide.
I am down to 4.......
1/72 Special Hobby IMAM Ro 57, Fiat CR 25, and Caproni Ca 310-311
Or
1/72 MPM Breda Ba 88B

Decisions, decisions.......

Thanks Jeff just about done with this build got the wheel covers, prop and spinner on. Just need to put on the inner gear doors and fabricate the closing mechanism which Astrokit haven't supplied which is strange as they supplied pretty much everything else! Fairly simple system just figuring out how to replicate it.

One question Jeff which one has the most outrageous camo? I suggest you do that one! LOL

Hi,

well done Chris with your camo

nico

Merci! Thanks Nico I appreciate the compliment.

Gee, Thanks Chris!

I guess that means the IMAM Ro.57 with the dot on spot scheme (My name for it) Maronne-Giallo over Verde base.

Forza Italia!

You're more than welcome Jeff don't mention it!

Now while I've been concentrating on my P-47 build I haven't neglected (too much) My Astrokit Mc.200 Saetta. The tubing I got was to build the pitot tubes for the kit as the kit ones were either missing or so ill formed that they didn't look the part. Here's a pic of the fabricated items it has not one but TWO of them.