The plane: Morane-Saulnier M.S. 406
French aircraft have that "I can't tell for sure why the Hell I like that darn kite" factor that makes them so unique. A retracting radiator, canted wheels, a somewhat outdated structure layout and challenging colour schemes are just a few of the many "downsides" to model that monument to french aviation technology that is the Morane 406. Steel tube, plywood, aluminium sheets and fabric all combined to render what has been called "the french Hurricane", thus provoking no few smiles and heated commentaries from too many a defender of Hawker's ultimate underdog. It was slow and lightly armed, but it flew well and was a good, steady gun platform for shooting its 20mm cannon and two 7.5mm MAC 34 mgs.
Even so, the 406 was to distinguish itself both as a forgiving and manouverable fighter, with the ability to take a hard beating at the hands of the enemy and yet bring the pilot home, and as a maintenance intensive machine. The radiator may give problems lowering or retracting, the Plymax fuselage sheets used to fly off the sides due to the screws getting deformed by aeroelastic tensions and vibration, the pneumatic system operating the flaps and landing gear was troublesome in cold weather and the MAC 34s had the tendency to freeze in high altitude flights. Plus, their 300 round magazine drums were a pain to change and reload.
This could make you think about the aircraft as being virtually useless. But the 406 was to soldier on wherever the Armeé de l'Air was stationed for much of the war, even after the Vichy regime came to power. Its moderate export success was due to the current conditions in Europe, but can be equalled to the one for the Hurricane before 1940. Turkey, Finland and Switzerland were the destination of many a 406, with the Swiss and Finns updating their planes with local modifications, like engine and armament upgrades. Besides them, the croatian A.F. used some during the last half of the war, purchased to the Luftwaffe.
The turks ordered 45 Moranes, which were delivered beetween 1939 and 1940 and comprised 40 airworthy fighters and 5 instructional airframes as a source for spares. Having received the four digit serials ranging from 3001 to 3040, they were assigned to operational duties with the 43rd & 48th Companies of the 11th Battalion of the 4th Regiment based in Kütahya and later in 1942 the regiment moved to Merzifon. The planes gave way to more modern frontline fighters in 1943 and transitioned to the training role till 1945, when they were taken out of active service.
The kit: Morane Saulnier M.S.406 C1 - Hasegawa 1/72
This particular kit got started some 2 and a half, may be 3, years ago when I got hold of a Smer Morane 406, that is, the old Heller kit with new decals. Alas, the kit was old but the decal sheet was worth the thought of using one of 3 Hasegawa Moranes I had at the time and do the turkish option, with those beautiful white and red squares and the crescent and star on the rudder.
So, back to the kit. Using an old but very useful SAMI with some detail drawings for the Morane and Bloch 152 (another pugnacious little critter that remains close to my heart), I detailed the cockpit with stretched sprue for the steel tube airframe, lead foil for the harness and various bits of plasticard to replicate the rudder pedals, switch panels, throttle cuadrant, and so forth.
At the time, I had no idea that Quickboost would eventually release a beautifuly casted wheel well for Hasegawa's Morane, so it took some modeling skills long forgotten to box it in and prevent the see thru all the way uo to the cockpit. Plasticard, putty, some swearing and absolutely no modeling ingenuity got me a nicely boxed-off wheel well in the end.
Other than that and a small gap at the rear of the lower wing/fuselage joint that had to be taken care of, the kit builds in a few moments and is very nicely panelled and detailed.
After seeing the Hobbyboss Morane, my feelings stick to the old Hasegawa kit, it still looks better in an all round basis. The flat canopy helps with all the interior detail added.
After having all parts prepared, this lumbering little frenchman was ready for some painting time.
I cleaned up the kit of all the dust and set to paint it. Humbrol 27, 33, 11, 191 and 41 were used for the interior, while 19 was used for some knobs and the rudder. It's a pretty straight forward 4 colour french pattern, so no big deal. The colours used were Humbrol 127 for the under surfaces and Humbrol 27, with ModelMaster Italian Red Brown and RLM 80 for the upper scheme.
You may ask yourself why use this colours, if there are devoted french paints at hobby shops. The answer is fairly simple. French factories and repairmen were allowed to mix their paints as they saw fit, thus lending the modeler a hand on colour accuracy issues. That also allowed me to play with the idea of a nearly fresh airplane, just arrived to its destination and waiting for its first flight check.
The decals by Propagteam went on the kit like a dream, with no silvering at all and reacting very well to Humbrol's Decal Fix.
Grime and wear were limited to some light washes of H-33 Black around the enging cowling and radiators, some light dry brushing in metallic hues for the latter and dusted the wheels, wheel covers and the lower rear of the aircraft with Humbrol 118 light earth, for the sake of having the Morane just towed to the field, the engine warmed up and awaiting its pilot.
One thing that hasn´t got any better, along with my modeling skills, are my picture taking abilities. And I'm greatly sorry about that. I promess to improve on the matter.
So, that's pretty much it. I got on the modeling road again, and still have that penchant for what are most of the times, underdogs in aviation history. It is all for now, but pay me a visit every once in a while. I'll be posting my hungarian experience with Special Hobby's Heja II and a self inflicted painting disaster that turned out to be as discouraging as taking Sza Sza Gabor on a blind date.
Take care and good luck.
The Modeling Underdog.
Comments
All the best,
TMU.