Alberto Casirati's RAF Models
Bristol F2b "Fighter": Based on the old Airfix 1950's kit, this model was completed
back in 1987. Wings were thinned down by vigorous sanding and ribbing was simulated
by stretched sprue segments fixed with liquid cement and later sanded to a better
appearance. Tailplanes and front fuselage decking were replaced by 0.3 mm plasticard
items. Engine, Lewis gun with mounting and cockpit interiors were scratchbuilt
in plasticard and stretched sprue, just as all struts and control horns. Wheels
came from Revell's Nieuport 17.
This 1995 model is based on the old Revell 1/72nd kit. The cockpit upper decking
was replaced by a 0.3mm plasticard item, which had been heat moulded over a balsa
wood male mould. The typical exhaust channel for engine gases was added and the
fuselage was skinned with plastic sheet, both to achieve correct dimensions and
to cope with the badly moulded rear fuselage. Cockpit details were scratchbuilt
in the usual manner, by means of stretched sprue and plastic sheet. Ribbing was
sanded off and replaced by pre-painted decal strips. Tailplanes and all struts
were replaced by new plasticard items, the fuselage struts being in one piece
as per original practice. Wing inspection windows were cut out and covered by
clear decal film. The simple markings were cut from white decal sheet. Wheels
by Aeroclub, airscrew from the Martin Digmayer catalogue. As usual, rigging is
0.65 mm stainless steeel wire, glued with thinned down white glue.
The model is based on the old Revell 1/72nd kit. The rear fuselage was shortened
and modified to end to a knife horizontal edge. The nose area was extensively
reworked. Wings were modified in chord , span and position. A few cockpit details
were scratchbuilt and the "office" upper decking was replaced by means of 0.3
mm and 0.1 mm plasticard parts, just as the tailplanes. All struts were replaced
with heat-stretched plastic extrusions, while wheels came from the Aeroclub catalogue.
The spinner was heat-moulded and a new airscrew shaped from plasticard. The gun
was built from stretched sprue and sheet styrene. Wing ribbing reinforcement was
made of decal strips.
This was my first serious attempt at detailing a WW1 aeroplane model. Starting
from the Revell 1/72nd kit, interiors, radiator and engine were scratchbuilt in
plasticard and sprue. The exhausts, the guns, all struts and the small external
details were replaced with hand made items, while the Foster mounting was reworked
from the kit offering. Decals from Microscale and Revell.
Here are some other pictures of my RE8 model for your site. A couple of modellers
wrote to say they like it, so maybe the addition of a few pictures of the model
under construction can be appreciated.
Return to The WWI Images
Page
