1/72 Venezuelan Vulture

[Brian da Basher]

In 1926, the Venezuelan Air Arm was in dire need of new equipment, having been armed with mostly second-hand W.W. I types. In an effort to help grow the nascent Venezuelan aeronautical industry, the government sought native-built designs. Venezuelan aeroplanes built by Venezuelans for Venezuelans was the oft-heard quote of the day. The Caracas based firm of Vargas Aeronatics was the winner of the competition, submitting a design they called the V-3. This design used knowledge gained by keeping the old W.W. I types flying, notably the Sopwith Camel and Snipe. Vargas Aeronautics improved on the design by replacing the wooden structure with aluminum, a growing trend among the most advanced designs of its time. They then added a small but powerful inline Arriba engine and enhanced the coolness factor by 1000% when they added spats. The V-3 was ordered in great numbers in 1929. In field use, the V-3 was armed with three 7.9 m.m. machine guns, two on the engine decking and one on the upper wing and the split-axle landing gear allowed it to carry either a drop-tank for long missions or a 500 lb. bombload. The V-3 was well liked by its pilots and crews, being easy to fly and maintain, and was the aerobatic marvel of all South America. The  crack Venezuelan display team, the Green Hornets, often toured Central and South America, delighting crowds with their flying finesse. In 1934, Comintern-backed revolutionaries launched a five-year guerilla war against the Venezuelan government. The V-3 was often used to attack rebel supply columns, but was no match for opposition aircraft like the Soviet-supplied Il-16. The V-3 was by then often referred to as the Vulture by its pilots because due its obsolescence, it was unable to succussfully engage any foe but the most decrepet of aircraft. The example shown here was painted in the famous "dragonfly" camoflage and was flown by Major Rafael "Rafa" Valasquez who gained fame by forcing an end to the insurrection in chasing down the rebel leader Col. Hernando Cheeto and forcing him to surrender due to the sheer intimadation factor of his Vulture's amazing spats.

1st of 8 pics.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

This one I built in tribute to one of our newest members, Rafa. The base kit for this is a 1/72 scale Airfix Sopwith F.2 "Ship's Camel". I just love these little biplane kits. They're a lot of fun in a small package and make fairly easy projects. This is one of the kits I got in a deal from the amazing Phil P.

2nd of 8 pics.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

So I have a surplus of Sopwith Camels in my stash now...what to do? well as you may know, I just love turning radial/rotary engined birds into inlines and vice-versa. I thought this little kit was ripe for the re-engining treatment. After rummaging through my spares box, I foud the tip of an old dried-up Sharpie™ marker. With some careful surgery, I was able to fabricate an inline engine. I closed the gap between the new engine with a blanking plate that made a fairly passable air intake/radiator. Next I found one horizontal stab. off of an onld Airfix SPAD VII that I was bale to fit as a new rudder. To my eye, the vertical stab. on a Camel is one of the most identifying features, so finding a replacement was necessary.

3rd of 8 pics.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

Next, I made some exhaust pipes from sprue and then made the spatted, split-axle undercarriage. I used some left-over struts from my spares box and bits from an old Airfix Avro 504 undercarriage on the landing gear. Unfortunately, the struts that came with the Camel kit were horrible thin flimsy bits of plastic, so I was forced to fashion new interplane struts from toothpics and I found some U shaped things in my spares that I was able to use as cabanes. I also added a headrest fairing cut from the tip of a drop tank. The aircraft was rigged using .009 guitar strings and Elmer's™ white school glue.

4th of 8 pics.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

I then had to decide on markings and a paint scheme. I had some Venezuelan markings in my decal stash, and having enjoyed Rafa's posts on the board, I decided to use them and complete this build in his honor. I used darn near every color of acrylic paint I have for the "dragonfly" camo pattern and the rudder stripes were painted by hand. The decals were unfortunately not very opaque and slightly out of register. I'm not sure what it is, but I seem to have terrible luck with roundels and often end out re-painting them. It started with the yellow and then I noticed the blue in the roundels didn't match the blue on the rudder stripes...then I goofed up and had to re-paint the red centers too. I suppose the one good thing about re-painting roundel decals is that when you're done, they certainly do look like painted markings.

5th of 8 pics.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

Here's another shot of from the side that highlights those spats. Did you know that spats increase the coolness factor of any aircraft by 1000%?

I love spats!

6th of 8 pics.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

I also decided to make use of a set of Cooper bombs I found in my spares box. I'm fascinated by the idea of using a small and nimble biplane fighter to drop bombs and I couldn't think of a more appropriate project to use them on. Here's a shot of the undersides that shows off that rack of bombs.

7th of 8 pics.

Brian da Basher

[The Rat]

                   

The Camel family grows again! Bloody good show Brian!

[Brian da Basher]

Here's the last shot, one that gives you an idea of the size of this little beastie. I got the idea to do this from Mr Howling Mouse who noticed I used a bottle of correction fluid to prop up my 1/72 Burrito Biplane and he said it really helped him see how tiny these 1/72 scale biplanes are. I hope you enjoyed the pics as much as I enjoyed building this project. Rafa, this one's for you!

Last of 8 pics.

Brian da Basher

[Rafael]

Well, That's a beautiful airplane and the paint job and markings are wonderful!!!. I am honored by your making a model not only for fun, but to make it as a tribute to my new membership is really making my chest swell. I look forward to model a lot of items that cross my mind.

Sure, every model you all, Guys and Gals make are a statement to respect, consideration and a bond of brotherhood for us all whiffing modelers.

THANK YOU!!![/size]

[Archibald]

Very nice! Now you know how spatman is -so nice! -

[B777LR]

Look, its has spats!

[Radish]

Fantastic....so inventive!

[luvly_lana]

Nice plane you got there though I do agree with the other members, you should ask "santa" for a new camera this xmas hehe. Hopefully we will catch you online today for our weekly chat.

[Chap]

Fantastic! Very well done Brian.

~Steve