1:32 scale SPAD XIII C.1 of Frank Luke Jnr

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
I thought you might like to see my 14th 1:32 scale build - The Bleriot built Spad XIII C.1, Number 26 of ‘C’ flight, 27th Aero Squadron, 1st Pursuit Group, based at Rembercourt, near Verdun, France during September 1918.  This was one of the Spad XIII’s flown by Francis ‘Frank’ Joseph Anthony Luke Jnr, the ‘Arizona Balloon Buster'.

This kit is the old Hobby Craft Spad XIII 'International' kit, which is I believe was the only 1:32 scale of the Spad XIII made. The kit was, as expected, fairly basic and had no engine at all.  In fact the whole forward fuselage was blocked off.
I didn’t recall ever seeing this kit made with an engine installed, so I decided to give it a go.

The basic list of changes/additions to the model are:

Scratch built:
Radiator shutter control rods (Micro-tube).
Radiator drain valve (Micro-tube).
Cockpit head rest support frame.
Fuselage internal storage and cross members (Micro-rod).
Engine bulkhead.
Decking panel right gun - ejection chute.
Forward gun mounting brackets (thin brass sheet).
Engine access panels - wire mesh.
Ventral fuel tank cap.
Fuselage lifting straps.
Fuel tank rip (jettison) panel.
Oil cooler drain valve (Micro-tube).
Ring gun sight and mounting bar (thin brass sheet).
Undercarriage struts.
Wing inboard 'H' struts (Micro-tube).
Wing outboard rear struts (Micro-tube).
Wing strut rigging fittings (photo-etch).
External aileron operating bell-crank and rods (Micro-tube).
Exhaust pipe support brackets (Micro-tube).
Cockpit:
- Fuel, oil and vent pipes (Micro-tube)
- Cockpit frame wire bracing
- Additional instrumentation
- Instruments pipes/cables (Micro-tube)
- Gun firing cables (lead wire)
- Fuel rip panel T-bar handle (Micro-tube)
- Mallet (freeing gun stoppages) (Micro-tube)
- Pilot's seat cushion (Milliput)
- Rudder bar foot straps (lead wire)
- Top frame above pilot's head
- Flight control cables

Engine:
'Wingnut Wings' Hispano-Suiza V8 engine built (detail modified)
 - Ignition leads, support tubes and magneto connection (Micro-tube/lead wire)
- Engine support beams
- Carburettor air intake
- Air breather and pipe (Micro-tube)
- Fuel manifold primer valves (Micro-tube)
- Cooling/heating system pipes and filler (Micro-tube)
- Gun cooling jacket ‘stay’ rods (Micro-tube)
- Various fuel, coolant and control rods (Micro-tube)

Modified or corrected:
Rudder, Ailerons and Elevator animated.
Louvres in engine panels opened.
Engine valve gear cooling fairings drilled.
Forward decking panel separated.
Engine cowl cooling apertures created.
Fuel filler aperture.
Cockpit surround panel modified.
Forward fuselage, decking panel and cockpit floor modified.
Exhaust tail pipes

Aftermarket additions:

'Proper Plane' hand made propeller (De La Granville)
'Aviattic' Spad XIII wheels.
‘Aviattic’ decal and figure set (Frank Luke Jnr)
'HGW Models' seat belts.
'Gaspatch' .303 standard Vickers machine gun (modified).
‘Gaspatch’ Vickers ‘Balloon’ machine gun (modified).
'Gaspatch' turnbuckles.
'Albion Alloys' micro-tube.
'Steelon' 0.12 mm mono-filament.
'Polak' grass mat.
'Wings Cockpit' and ‘Copper State' figures.
'Airscale' instruments bezels.

As usual I've created a downloadable build log in Adobe PDF format, for those who might want to refer to it for reference or build details. It contains full step by step descriptions of the model build, its modifications/changes and is also supported with illustrations and photographs. If viewed in Adobe Reader, each build log has book marked chapters/headings for easier navigation through the log.
NOTE:  Due to the complexity of this build, the PDF build log is large at over 200 pages (download size is close to 10 Meg).
My model website has the gallery page, so to view any model, go to the gallery and select it.  If it has a PDF build log, it will be available to download using the 'PDF' icon on that models photo's page. For any photograph, just click the photo to enlarge or reduce the viewing size.

PC link:
http://igavh2.xara.hosting/index.htm

Mobile device link:
Igavh2.xara.hosting

My next model will be the ’Wingnut Wings’ 1:32 scale model of the German ‘Hansa-Brandenberg W.29’, a twin float, two seat naval patrol aircraft.  

[DocRob]

Very nice, The SPAD looks perfect with all the scratching you did and the scenery is beautifully convincing. Chapeau 

Cheers Rob

[sandbagger]

Hi,
Many thanks for the encouraging comments - they go long way to keeping the motivation going.
I'm doing a float plane next as I want to try resin water effects on a larger scale - we'll see,

Mike

PS: Oops - I posted this in the 'WNW Finished' page, but it's not a WNW model - sorry.

[sandbagger]

Hi all,
I forgot to bookmark the various parts of the PDF build log on my site.
I've replaced the build log now with a fully booked copy.
You can select the required bookmark now in a PDF reader, such as Adobe DC,

Mike

[Guest DannyVM]

Mike, this is just splendid work mate, really, i'm without words.

[harv]

Geezzz. Fantastic...... Harv

[sandbagger]

Thanks guys - it took a lot of modifying and corrections to the old Hobby Craft kit, but I think it looked OK in the end.