Aurora Sopwith Triplane ‘Black Maria’ Kit Review and History

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By Fred Boucher and with Kit History by Alan Bussie   Google+ profile

Kit History

Aurora’s Sopwith Triplane was the eighteenth model in Aurora’s twenty “Famous Fighters” of World War One aircraft series, with all kits in 1/48 scale.  It was released in 1963 with the Fokker E-III, which is kit #134.  Curiously, the Sopwith Triplane was released as kit number 100.  The first kit in the series was 101-69, the French Nieuport II.

 The first issue was numbered 100-79 and had brilliant box art by the great Joe Kotula.  The plastic is gloss black.

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A factory sealed example of 100-79 

 

 The second release had a part number of 100-100 but the box art was identical.  By the mid 1960s,  pressure from retailers to remove the price suffix was peaking. Some dealers could or had to get higher prices for the kits, while large retailers often sold them for less.  But old habits die hard, and Aurora (and others) simply increased the suffix prices.  Since the box art was retained, the copyright date was still 1963.  The actual release date was probably closer to  ’65.

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Back To Basics, Back To Fun! – A Monogram P-40B “Classic Build”

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By Eric Freese

After taking nearly 4 years to build a 1/350 Titanic, I realized that I was not having much fun modeling. What could I do to love this hobby as much as I did when I was younger? Then I was lucky enough to meet Eric Freese and Dick Hague. They introduced me to a new style of building strictly for fun. After seeing numerous photos of fantastic looking kits built “The Old Fashioned Way”, I tried my hand at a few and I was hooked. My sincere thanks to Dick and Eric for their “therapy.” I hope you give it a try soon! – A.B.

Introduction

Alan asked if I would show a FUN way to do a “classic build” kit with no frills – just basic tools and supplies right out-of-the-box, like we did in the 1960s. Sometimes we get too serious about building, and it’s easy to suck the fun out of it. Veteran modelers refer to it as “AMS”; Advanced Modelers Syndrome. Most of us have been there and done that. Remember when model building was exciting? Well, what better way to re-live that than with that old chestnut, the Monogram P-40B Tiger Shark! Let’s get into it, shall we?

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The Monogram P-40

The Kit

Originally released in 1964 as a “Four Star” kit, it is an all-time favorite that has been released again and again. Today it can be found just about anywhere that kits

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Aurora 1/48 Scale De Haviland DH-10 Amiens IIIA Kit Review and Release History

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Review By Fred Boucher and kit history by Alan Bussie Google+ profile

Introduction

Aurora released their big, 16½ inch(41.91 cm) wingspan de Havilland DH10 Amiens IIIA model in 1958 as the “De Haviland DH-10 Bomber.”  It was the 13th of 20 1/48 scale kits in their “Famous Fighters” of World War I series.  The DH10 was Aurora’s Triple Entente / Allied ‘monster’ kit, with Germany’s Gotha being the ‘monster’ representing the Central Powers.  This model represents the Amiens IIIA variant.

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DH-10 IIIA (courtesty airwar.ru)

The actual DH10 was built in five variations:

Amiens I- Prototype powered by two pusher Puma engines.

Amiens II- Prototype powered by two tractor Rolls Royce Eagle engines.

Amiens III- Main production variant, powered by Liberty 12 engines mounted midway between wings, 221 built.

Amiens IIIA- Modified Mark III with engines directly attached to lower wings, 32 built, also known as the DH.10A

Amiens IIIC- Version powered by Rolls Royce Eagle engines in case of shortages of Liberty engines, 5 built, also known as the DH.10C. *

Kit History

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Aurora’s 1/48 Fokker DR-1 Triplane Kit Review and Release History

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By Frederick Boucher with kit history by Alan Bussie Google+ profile

Kit History 

Released in 1956 the FOKKER DR-I [sic] was the fifth model of Aurora‘s original six “Famous Fighters” 1/48 World War One aircraft.  This example is kit number 105-69.

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In order, the 5 predecessors (using Aurora punctuation and spelling) were the French Nieuport 11, Sopwith Camel, SE-5 Scout and German Albatross D-3.  (Curiously, although the Sopwith Tripe was one of their final WWI models, it was originally numbered 100.)  In the early 1970s Aurora reworked many of the molds by adding fabric texture and removing raised insignia and data markings, issuing the models as the 700 kit series.  The Dr.I was kit 750.  The triplane was not one of the kits eventually issued by Aurora subsidiary K&B.

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Revell/Monogram 1/48 P-61C Black Widow From Operation Thunderstorm

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by Steven Krick

Operation Thunderstorm

In 1945 the US Congress gave $250,000 to the US Weather Bureau to study violent weather, particularly thunderstorms.  In Phase I, the main base for this study was Pinecastle Field, Florida.  It took three months to get the microwave towers and all the test equipment in place. The first flights were made over Orlando by nine specially rigged P-61C aircraft fitted with weather instrumentation and recording devices.  As soon as a storm was detected, the aircraft were dispatched at 5,000 foot intervals up to 25,000 feet.

Phase II of the Operation was conducted at Clinton County Army Air Field in Ohio.  The equipment reached this field in February of 1947.  On this occasion, there were 13 P-61Cs, plus four variants sent by Northrop including two production F-15A’s, the XF-15, and the XF-15A.  Quite a line-up!  Also included was a P-61B sent to TWA for weather testing.  All aircraft got plenty of flight hours and took numerous lightning strikes and hail hits; many of them had Plexiglas nose damage. 

The Operation was suspended in late 1947, with the University of Chicago responsible for assimilating all the data and information.  These results contributed greatly to the knowledge of extreme weather flying and civil aviation safety.

 

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P-61C Decal Search

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Aurora’s 1/48 Scale Breguet 14 With Kit Release History

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Written by Fred Boucher (courtesy of Aeroscale)

Kit History by Alan Bussie Google+ profile

The Aircraft

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Breguet 14

Built by The Société des Ateliers d’Aviation Louis Breguet, also known as Breguet Aviation, the Breguet 14 (often spelled as the Breguet XIV) is considered one of the most important French warplanes of WW1. Designed for reconnaissance and bombing roles, it was known for toughness and performance, thanks to Breguet Aviation internal structure of duralumin and steel, with a wood and fabric external construction. Powered by a Renault 12Fe water-cooled inline engine rated at 224 kW (300 hp), the Breguet 14 was fast (121 mph) and fairly maneuverable. It usually packed a fixed Vickers 7.7mm machine gun firing ahead, and single or twin 7.7mm Lewis Guns mounted on a scarf ring for the observer.

The Aéronautique Militaire used them Continue reading “Aurora’s 1/48 Scale Breguet 14 With Kit Release History”

Aurora’s 1/48 Gotha G.V Bomber Review with Kit Release History

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Written by Fred Boucher, courtesy of Aeroscale

Kit History by Alan Bussie Google+ profile

The Aircraft

Built by Gothaer Waggonfabrik AG, the Gotha G.V was a heavy bomber used by the Luftstreitkräfte (Imperial German Air Service) during World War I. It corrected a design flaw of the G.IV–mounting the fuel tanks in the engine nacelles, which contributed to three-quarters of G.IVs destroyed in landing accidents! Gothaer moved the fuel tanks to the center of the fuselage. Housing Mercedes D.IVa engines rated at 190 kW (260 hp), the smaller engine nacelles were mounted on struts above the lower wing, e.g., “floating,” between the wings. Thirty-six were built and began operations in August 1917.

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Gothaer Waggonfabrik G.V Bomber

The fuselage was fully skinned in plywood. It was noted at the time Continue reading “Aurora’s 1/48 Gotha G.V Bomber Review with Kit Release History”