[Serpiko]

PROS

- Correctly asymmetric wings
- Adequately detailed

CONS

- Injection marks on cockpit details
- Poor fitting in the nose area
- No shell ejection ports




THE PLANE

Following an Axis request for a fighter plane to be quipped with the new and more powerful Daimler-Benz DB605 inline engine, Macchi proposed the MC.205 "Veltro" (Greyhound). This was basically an improved version of the MC.202 "Folgore" (Thunderbolt/Lightning), whose proven and excellent airframe was simply adapted to the new engine, along with other minor modifications. Ideally, this would have required little changes in the production line, thus granting the new fighter to be promptly available in numbers.
The 205 also inherited the most unusual feature of the 202: asymmetric wings. The left wing was 20cm longer than the right one, a design solution to compensate engine torque.

The new Macchis were now able to fight on equal terms against contemporary Allied first-line fighters (and vastly outperform older Hurricanes, P-40s and Spitfire Vs); but they were still armed with only two nose-mounted 12.5mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns and two 7.7mm MGs inside the wings. Poor armament had been a handicap to Italian fighters since the beginning of the war, and even more now that they had to defend their homeland from the raids of 4-engined heavy bombers. Finally, from the 3rd serie on, "Veltros" were equipped with a pair of MG-151 20mm cannons (replacing wing LMGs), thus granting adequate firepower.




Anyway, the hope of quickly deploying large numbers of "Veltros" soon vanished. Manufacturing the plane required a relatively high amount of working hours and, even worse, the production of engines couldn't keep up with that of the airframes. Not only were factories constantly being bombed; after Allied landings in southern Italy and subsequent German occupation of the north, the whole Italian war industry was "walking on the edge", since pressures and threats kept coming from Germans leaders to increase the efforts, but also from anti-fascist resistance for the opposite reason. As a consequence, too few MC.205s were produced (and even fewer were operative at once) to effectively influence the outcome of the air war against the endless waves of Allied planes.

HISTORICAL NOTE: After the Italian armistice on September 8th 1943, the Regia Aeronautica split into Aviazione Nazionale Repubblicana (ANR - national republican aviation, on Axis side) and Aeronautica Cobellierante Italiana (Italian co-belligerant airforce, on Allied side). Like many Italian fighters, the MC.205s fought on both sides; however, according to historical records, never did Italian pilots face other Italian pilots in combat (Allied and Axis high commands chose to deploy their own Italian allies on different fronts).




THE KIT

Although there aren't many 1/72 MC.205 releases, Italeri's kit is relatively easy to find. The content of the box looks quite simple, being made of just two sprues (plus a clear two-pieces canopy) with engraved paneling and a limited number of components, instructions, and a small but nice looking decals sheet.

At a first look, the kit shows a decent overall detail level, despite a little excess plastic on some edges (probably due to molds age). Taking a closer look, cockpit details look good too, but... AARGH! Are they kidding? With plenty of space on the inner side of fuselage halves, they left injection marks right in the middle of cockpit walls! And on the VISIBLE side of floor and seat, too! WTH?! :evil: Luckily, the finished cockpit will be quite cramped (expecially with closed canopy), so everything either good or bad inside it will hardly be visible.

Another flaw that meets the eye, is the absence of shell ejection ports under the wings. Wings themselves feature limited weaponry details, with the option of adding the protruding MG-151 barrels, but no holes to drop empty rounds! At least, the asymmetry between left and right wing appears to be correct.




Unsurprisingly, this kit shares most components with Italeri's MC.202 release (which I also bought and compared); in fact, the two halves of the fuselage lack the lower part of the nose (where the .202 and the .205 show their bigger differences), which is provided separately, and so are the two little "barrel" radiators. The tailwheel section comes as a separate piece too (retractable in the .205, fixed in the .202). The spinner appears to be correctly "rounded" (while the .202 has a "pointy" cone)

Apart from wing MGs/cannons, no loadout options are provided, nor either hardpoints: although some sources report the MC.205 being able to carry ground ordnance/droptanks, this happened very rarely. So this time the "clean" configuration is mandatory. The canopy can be built either open or closed, while the landing gear is intended to be built lowered (a gear-up building will require extra work both on main gear and tailwheel). Also, two different pairs of tailplanes are provided.




The decal sheet, though small, appears to be well printed. It provides decals for three liveries:

- 23-1, 1° Gruppo Caccia, ANR: this plane wears a "Luftwaffe-like" livery, with a 2-tone grey camo (splinter on wings, mottling on the fuselage), sky grey belly and yellow on the lower side of the nose;

- 6-1, 6° Stormo, 1° Squadriglia, ANR: painted in sand with green "smoke rings" all over and sky grey under wings and elevators only (this is the paintscheme I chose);

- 378° Squadriglia, Italian Co-Belligerant A.F.: with the same "mediterranean" paintscheme as above.

The markings of the first 2 options include a white band around the fuselage, which is also provided as a decal. Luckily, it proves to be decently shaped, and the color is "dense" enough (limited "see-through" effect).




BUILDING

I'd like to say that this is a straight and simple build... but, actually, a few nasty issues make the job a little harder than expected.

The building process follows the "classic" main steps (cockpit -> fuselage -> wings -> gear and details), but the fact is, while most pieces fit properly, some do not. This becomes a serious nuisance in the nose area, since both the upper piece with the MG muzzles and the "chin" appear to be badly shaped. Slicing, puttying and sanding work is mandatory here, just to get a decent fit with the rest of the fuselage. You'd better try several dry tests before applying glue.
The rear side of the fuselage-wings joint, the windshield and the tail wheel doors may be other tricky points, but they are much less a pain.




PAINTING AND DECALS

Painting such a "smoke rings" camo is a nice challenge because, whatever tool you use, the final result depends on your hand (unless you use dedicated decals... you cheaters! ) Since I have no airbrush, after painting the base sand layer, I drew the "rings" by using a toothpick.

I also painted the missing shell ejection ports under the wings, and applied small drops of very thick paint in an attempt to reproduce the little bulges behind them. The result is arguable, but enough for me.

Decals proved to be not only nicely printed, but also elastic and quite resistant. Although I eventually managed to break the fuselage band (and replaced it with the one from the MC.202 kit), this happened after quite a lot of mistreatment while weathering.

White areas don't seem to look transparent but, anyway, you'd better leave an "uniform" surface under that large white band.

One thing that I suffered, and you probably will as well, is the absence of a spinner spiral decal. This has to be hand painted, too.





CONCLUSIONS

I really wanted a Veltro and now I have one. It took me more work and time than usual but, in the end, I feel satisfied and proud of the result. Do I feel satisfied about the kit too? Well, yes, overall I do: it is reasonably priced, nice looking and adequately detailed...
...BUT, honestly, I can't promote it with full marks. The bad fitting of nose pieces, though not irreparable, is a significant flaw IMO, since it can spoil the whole look of the finished model unless it's fixed.

Therefore, reluctantly, I say...

YELLOW LIGHT! (Almost green!)

[Deutschmark]

Thank you once again Serpiko for a great review
And a very nice build looks GREAT!!!

Deutschmark

[LeBigTed]

Hi Serpiko,

As always, I am glad to read you and to see the pics !!!

Nice review and comments, well done as usual ;o)

You wanted a Veltro, you have one, so... what will be next ?

;o)

Cheers


Ted
\,,/ (°_°) \,,/

[Serpiko]

Thanks for your appreciation guys.

For a little change, a WWI bird is currently on the bench... :wink: I see lots of rigging ahead.