Airfix Model World – September 2019

ADVANCED BUILD
MC202 FOLGORE

ADVANCED BUILD

MC202 FOLGORE

http://www.airfi xmodelworld.com 19

KIT OPTIONS

Eduard included a selection of the many imaginative unit emblems and wartime

camouflage patterns utilised by the Regia Aeronautica, the majority of which

represented aircraft that had served in either North Africa or the Mediterranean

theatres. The single exception (and the scheme chosen on this occasion), was a

machine from 386a Squadriglia, 21o Gruppo, which was used in Russia – its aircraft

retained the original Mediterranean camouflage. Like those of its Axis allies, Italian

aircraft operating over the Eastern Front wore yellow-painted fuselage, nose and

wing-tip identification panels, and it was this incongruous colour combination that

appealed. The options were:

• MM9066, 2-151, Ennio Tarantola, 151a Squadriglia, 51o Stormo, Gela, Italy,
  September 1942


• 2-70, 70a Squadriglia, 3o Stormo, Cerveteri, Italy, August 1943


• MM8122, 1-386, 386aSquadriglia, 21o Gruppo Autonomo, Kantemirowka, Russia,
  October 1942


• MM7711, 4-378, 378a Squadriglia, 155o Gruppo, 51o Stormo, Gela, Italy, 1942


• 10, 24o Gruppo Autonomo, Olbia-Venafiorita, Italy, June 1943


• MM7860, 2-71, 71aSquadriglia, 17o Gruppo, 1o Stormo, Udine-Campoformido,
  Italy, 1941

pipes, framework and wiring.

It comprised just ten resin

components plus a modest number

of PE parts, and was simple to

assemble, although much time

and care was needed to remove

these delicate items from their

substantial casting blocks. That

said, effort spent in preparation

and in careful study of the

instructions was rewarded by an

incredibly realistic sub-assembly

upon completion.

The assembled resin bay slotted

into place without needing any

modification to the styrene and

was secured within the airframe

prior to painting. This

made the post-build

brush-work more difficult,

although it lessened the

risk of losing any of the

miniscule pipes as would

doubtless have occurred

had they been painted

individually. Other than

those already detailed, the

only alteration considered

necessary to the wings at

this stage was to remove the

simplistic engraved

wing-tip

navigation

lights and

replace them with clear

lenses, fashioned from CA.

Office furniture

The kit’s cockpit was

deemed adequate

straight from the box,

and in this limited-edition

offering benefited from

approximately 50 PE

enhancements. These weren’t

used on this project though,

as there was a superior

alterative, in

the form of

Hungarian

resin-

specialist

SBS Models’

(www.sbsmodels.

com) Macchi C 202 Folgore

Cockpit set for Hasegawa Kit

(48017), which comprised just 11

delicately cast components. A PE

fret supplied such items as the

head armour, harness and lever

details, while an acetate sheet

featured printed dial bezels. Being

a direct replacement for the kit

interior, no modifications were

necessary, though the fragile

components needed careful

handling during assembly. With

the resin side walls fixed to the

fuselage halves, the partially

assembled ‘office’ was primed

with Alclad’s ALC-302 Grey Primer

and Microfiller (www.alclad2.com),

over which was sprayed a coat of

ALC-105 Polished Aluminium. Once

dry, this was followed by a layer

of airbrushed darkened ACRA

Verde Mimetico 53198, from the

Colourcoats range of authentic

aircraft operating over the Eastern Front wore yellow-painted fuselage, nose and

wing-tip identification panels, and it was this incongruous colour combination that

appealed. The options were:

• MM9066, 2-151, Ennio Tarantola, 151
  September 1942


• 2-70, 70


• MM8122, 1-386, 386
  October 1942


• MM7711, 4-378, 378


• 10, 24


• MM7860, 2-71, 71
  Italy, 1941

ADVANCED BUILD

MC202 FOLGORE

KIT OPTIONS

Eduard included a selection of the many imaginative unit emblems and wartime

camouflage patterns utilised by the Regia Aeronautica, the majority of which

represented aircraft that had served in either North Africa or the Mediterranean

theatres. The single exception (and the scheme chosen on this occasion), was a

machine from 386a Squadriglia, 21o Gruppo, which was used in Russia – its aircraft

retained the original Mediterranean camouflage. Like those of its Axis allies, Italian

aircraft operating over the Eastern Front wore yellow-painted fuselage, nose and

pipes, framework and wiring.

It comprised just ten resin

components plus a modest number

of PE parts, and was simple to

assemble, although much time

and care was needed to remove

these delicate items from their

substantial casting blocks. That

said, effort spent in preparation

and in careful study of the

instructions was rewarded by an

incredibly realistic sub-assembly

upon completion.

The assembled resin bay slotted

into place without needing any

modification to the styrene and

was secured within the airframe

prior to painting. This

made the post-build

brush-work more difficult,

although it lessened the

risk of losing any of the

miniscule pipes as would

doubtless have occurred

had they been painted

individually. Other than

those already detailed, the

only alteration considered

necessary to the wings at

this stage was to remove the

simplistic engraved

wing-tip

navigation

lights and

replace them with clear

lenses, fashioned from CA.

Office furniture

The kit’s cockpit was

deemed adequate

straight from the box,

and in this limited-edition

offering benefited from

approximately 50 PE

enhancements. These weren’t

used on this project though,

as there was a superior

alterative, in

the form of

Hungarian

resin-

specialist

SBS Models’

(www.sbsmodels.

com) Macchi C 202 Folgore

Cockpit set for Hasegawa Kit

(48017), which comprised just 11

delicately cast components. A PE

fret supplied such items as the

head armour, harness and lever

details, while an acetate sheet

components needed careful

handling during assembly. With

the resin side walls fixed to the

fuselage halves, the partially

assembled ‘office’ was primed

with Alclad’s ALC-302 Grey Primer

and Microfiller (www.alclad2.com),

over which was sprayed a coat of

ALC-105 Polished Aluminium. Once

retained the original Mediterranean camouflage. Like those of its Axis allies, Italian

aircraft operating over the Eastern Front wore yellow-painted fuselage, nose and

 The aftermarket resin seat was

noteworthy and featured a convincing

integrally cast harness and back cushion,

which benefited from careful painting.

 Detail on the resin parts was impressive, and time spent painting it was well rewarded;

weathering/chipping effects were created with a dental probe and white spirit-laden brush,

to reveal the underlying metallic hue.

“DETAIL ON THE

RESIN PARTS WAS

IMPRESSIVE”