1/72 Ansaldo Avanti

[Brian da Basher]

In 1918 Austrian-built Fokker D.VIIs began a reign of terror in the alpine skies against their Italian foes. The Italians were opposing them with Ansaldo Ballilas and license-built copies of Nieuports and SPADs. The Austrian D.VIIs quickly established almost total air-supremacy and the Italians needed a solution.

Enter a young designer names Tomassa Supremo who came up with a very compact and lightweight fighter called the Avanti. The small fighter was able to out-turn and out-climb the enemy D.VIIs with its very light but powerful six cyllinder Super Mario engine, enclosed in a wooden, monocoque fuselage. The little fighter had a length of 18 feet and an equivalent wingspan of very wide chord which assured fine manueverability. The Avanti also showed the shape of things to come, posessing a pair of amazing streamlined spats which were soon to set a new aeronautical style.

Due to the Avanti's diminuative size, the Italians were able to transport almost an entire squadron on one supply train, enabling the Italian Air Service to re-arm quickly and once again take the skies back from the Austrians, who were often so intimidated by the Avanti's spats, they simply landed without firing a shot. The Alpine war ended with an armistice on favorable terms for the Italians in late 1918. The example shown here, No. 34 of the 17th Squadriglia is currently on display at the Great War museum in Torino.

1st of 7 pics.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

Here's yet another one of my little drop-tank models. I would've had this completed for the 1 Week Group Build, but I wasted time trying to decide between five different marking schemes. The fuselage is made from a spare drop-tank, and I used part of another drop-tank to make a radiator scoop, which can be clearly seen in this head-on shot.

2nd of 7 pics.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

The rudder and tail fin were scratched from sheet plastic and the horizontal stabilizers were left over from an Eduard SE-5. The head rest was fashioned from a piece of sprue which was smoothed into the fuselage with putty.

3rd of 7 pics.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

The lower wings are left-over from my RoG Fokker D.VII. I shortened them a bit to form the center section of the upper wing, the outer parts of which are spare Avro 504 wings. I made a windscreen from clear blisterpack packaging that AA batteries came in.

4th of 7 pics.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

The struts for the wings and horizontal stabilizers were more left-overs from that D.VII as were the wheels. The inner cabane struts were actually from the landing gear from my Academy Wildcat.

5th of 7 pics.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

The prop was swiped from a 1/72 Hayate kit and the spats I scratched from sheet styrene, cut to shape with any gaps filled with putty and sanded smooth. The landing gear struts were from my Eastern Express Vimy. The guns are made from pieces of landing gear and the fairings behind them are bits of sprue. The exhausts were un-named parts from my spares box. I used old guitar strings and CA for the rigging.

6th of 7 pics.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

The entire model was brush-painted by hand using acrylics. The wings and tail were painted with Polly Scale French Beige and the fuselage was painted with Polly Scale Italian Green (natch ). The prop blades were painted with Model Masters Rust and Testor's Tan. I used a custom mix of "Blue Steel" for the exhausts and Tamiya Gunmetal on the guns. The tires were painted with Testor's Dark Gull Gray and the rudder stripes were painted with Model Masters Euro Green, Artist's Gesso for the white, and Polly Scale Red. The decals all came from my dwindling collection. I want to thank Super Tom (Tomassa Supremo in Italian) for helping me decide what markings to use. He mentioned Italian without even knowing it was one of the choices I was considering. The entire model is only about 3 inches (7.5 cm) long with a wingspan of approximately 3 inches. The U.S. penny in the shots should give you an idea of the scale.

Last of 7 pics.

Brian da Basher

[Rafael]

WOW!!![/size]

Another stunning, wonderful, drop-tank build!!!

Seriously, Brian, this is really beautiful, and very credible. The Spats are sure the ultimate weapon, and the paintjob and markings,...wow!!!

I LOVE IT!!!

Rafa
(Pics stored!!)

[Chap]

Beautiful work Brian! Definitely has that Italian look.

~Steve

[Maverick]

Gads Brian!!

A drop tank, again!! Now thats CREATivity with a capital CREATE

Excellent work

Mav

[Captain Canada]

Wicked ! How do you do such amazing work in such a small scale ?



I think Leigh should crank up the guitar and play that old Foreigner tune
" Droptank hero "

 

[Brian da Basher]

<snip>

I think Leigh should crank up the guitar and play that old Foreigner tune
" Droptank hero "

I'd love it! Especially if he broke a guitar string in the process and gave it to me to use for rigging!

Brian da Basher

[fabe]

Wow that is so cool!  
Just imagine whole squadrons of those bees buzzing Mussolinis parades in the early 1920s...  
I am really amazed by your pace and creativity, as a tribute take this piece of cannon fodder  :salute:

[The Rat]

Brian, you're...


I mean, it's just...


How do you keep, like...


Oh SOD IT!


I AM NOT WORTHY!        

[Glenn Gilbertson]

Brilliant creativity!