Airfix Model World – September 2019

ADVANCED BUILD

MC202 FOLGORE

ADVANCED BUILD

MC202 FOLGORE

16 Airfi x Model World

M

acchi’s C.202 Folgore
(Thunderbolt) was
a development of
the firm’s radial
engine-powered C.200 Saeta
(Lightning) and served with the
Regia Aeronautica (Royal Italian
Air force).
It featured a German Daimler-
Benz DB 601 inline powerplant,
which was placed inside a more
streamlined fuselage than
its predecessor, and entered
service in September 1941.
While fast and manoeuvrable,

its armament – comprising a

pair each of 12.7mm (0.5in)

and 7.7mm (0.303in) machine

guns – was regarded as light

for a World War Two fighter.

Despite this, it was a formidable

and successful fighter, even

against contemporary Spitfires,

and was used by the Regia

Aeronautica in the North African

and Mediterranean theatres

of operation as well as on the

Eastern Front. It was replaced

partially by the C.205 Veltro

(Greyhound), but production

of both aircraft was hampered

severely by Allied bombing.

Perfect plastic

Hasegawa’s 1990s-vintage Macchi

C.202 Folgore is a sought-after

item among fans of this elegant

fighter and for good reason;

despite being out of production

for more than a decade, it

remains the best 1/48 kit of the

type. Czech manufacturer Eduard

obviously thought so, as in 2016

it re-boxed the original styrene

parts with a bevy of resin and

MODELSPEC

Folgore

By: Eduard

Stock Code: 1132

Scale: 1/

Price: £31.

Available from: http://www.eduard.com

Eduard’s re-boxed and

updated Hasegawa 1/48 Folgore

received an Eastern Front livery,

courtesy of Jay Blakemore

THUNDERBOLT

ITALIAN

 SBS Model’s ten-piece resin cockpit set was cast beautifully and included everything
necessary to create a detailed replica, with no modification needed of the kit parts.

 Eduard provided several Brassin items in its re-packaged Folgore, such as these

delicately cast resin wheels, air filters and wonderfully detailed tailwheels.