Imperial Roman Spitfire - FINIT!

[nev]

Inspired by Radish, I am taking a terrible kit and doing the only decent thing with it - whiffing it to within an inch of its life! 



Just check out that cockpit detail!    I've gone the sports-car red-leather-with-black-trim look



Wings and fuselage together - and just check out that fit 




Now, there are 2 colour options here

1)  Silver with purple trim, as flown in the Ist Aztec War

2)  White with purple trim, the personal mount of the Emperor himself.

Whaddya think?

[sequoiaranger]

Nice concept.

Maybe instead of "rockets" under the wings, you could have spears. After all, the forward momentum on a diving airplane should be enough to enable a spear to impale an enemy combatant!

Maybe have engraved prop blades (like swords).

Maybe have a nice red "brush" atop the canopy, like on Roman helmets.

Have wooden, wooden-spoked wheels like a chariot.

Just some thoughts!

I made a "Vatican Air Force" plane with a pilot in armor and the red "brush" on his helmet (from some 25mm Roman figures, I think)--shown (but not very well) here:

[ysi_maniac]

 
I see people coming to my Anachronistic GB

[ysi_maniac]

I see people coming to my Anachronistic GB

BTW: I love that cooper/bronze coated fuselage

[Mossie]

Got to be the Emperors aircraft, not to mention that with the silver, the filled gaps on those wings will show!

Looking forward to this Nev!

[dragon]

Obviously the name has to be changed into Latin.......
How does one say Spitfire in Latin?  Sputumflama?

[Weaver]

Registration letters SPQR, of course.....

[Radish]

nanny     stinky     

Grandaughter wanted to write that.
Stinky is her teddy

Good stuff, Nev.

[cthulhu77]

Love the concept !

[The Rat]

Splendid! Ludicrus Sextus would be pleased (can't find a picture of Michael Hordern 'in character') 

Ah, got one, and he looks positively delighted!

[nev]

Well this one has certainly caught the imagination of the plebians!

Maybe instead of "rockets" under the wings, you could have spears. After all, the forward momentum on a diving airplane should be enough to enable a spear to impale an enemy combatant!

Maybe have engraved prop blades (like swords).

Maybe have a nice red "brush" atop the canopy, like on Roman helmets.

Have wooden, wooden-spoked wheels like a chariot

you're just being silly now :p

How does one say Spitfire in Latin?  Sputumflama?

Round of applause for that man!  Although I can't help thinking of John Cleese in The Life of Brian - you've used Spit as a noun, but in Spitfire it is a verb, as in it spits fire

Nev, you git!  I've been after one of those Spitfires for my nostalgia box!  It was the first Spitfire kit I ever built and I'd like to give it another spin.

If you haven't binned it, can I scrounge the box please?

Sorry Lee - I won this kit in a GB on ARC and I know I've discussed its origins on here before,   You are most welcome to the box and instructions.  I'll save them and hand them over in person next time our paths cross rather than risk it getting damaged in the post.

[puddingwrestler]

If it is the emperors personal bird, might I suggest a double cockpit so a slave can sit in the back holding the laurel wreath over his head and whispering in his ear "Remember, you too are mortal"...

And it needs eagles and lightning bolts on the wings ala legion shields.

Possibly a number of slain gaul icons painted on the side? Or vanquished provinces?

[kitbasher]

If te Roman Empire operated Spitfires, would Richard Branson be in charge of Vestal Virgin Atlantic? 

[nev]

Sputumflamma Mk.II, personal transport of the Emperor Augustus Terencius Campionicus Aztecus



Presented by the Roman people to Terencius I on the Xth anniversary of his coup ascension to the Imperial throne, this Sputumflamma is the very plane that Campionicus flew during the Ist Aztec war.  Discovered in a scrap-yard by the eminent historian Narses Christos Edwardius whilst writing his History of the Aztec Wars, it was restored to full flying condition and apart from the new paint scheme and machine guns replaced with fuel tanks to save weight and increase range is identical to its configuration when Campionicus won his great fame defending the Roman Colony of Novus Eboracum.



Novus Eboracum had been established as a Roman Merchant colony for over CD years on the continent of Americanus Inferior and although Rome never had any intent of expanding its foothold in Americanus Inferior, as the years and centuries passed, and the size of the colony grew, so did the size of the forces based there for its defence.  However, it was always considered something of a backwater, and as such the equipment assigned to it was often outdated, if not obsolete, and to be assigned a posting there was considered as something of a career dead-end.  As such the officers sent to Novus Eboracum were either trouble-makers and/or lacking in political connections.  One such man was Terencius Campionicus.  His low birth was the first impediment to his career – born in Ratae Corieltauvorum in the province of Flavia Caesariensis in the unfashionable island of Brittania.  This, coupled with his flamboyant lifestyle, eccentric behaviour, loudly voiced opinions on the tortuous nature of Imperial beaurocracy and the widely held belief amongst his superiors that he might be slightly insane, meant that the IRAF was glad to post this otherwise outstanding fighter pilot to command of the XXX Airborne Legion, Abyssus Angelus.



There he took command of an under strength legion equipped with outdated Sputumflamma Mk.IIs and a colony that was under increasing threat from an ever more belligerent Aztec Empire.  The warning signs had been there for years, but the base and decadent court of Lamingi VI chose to ignore them.  With his own increasingly alarming reports back to Roma being ignored, Campionicus did the only thing he could – train his men to the peak of efficiency and prepare them for the onslaught that was clearly on its way.  Sure enough in the MMDCXCII year since the foundation of Rome, the Aztecs struck.  It began, as did so many of the surprise attacks launched against the Empire down the centuries with a sudden mass murdering of the Roman merchants and their families in every city, town and village within the Aztec Empire.  Luckily enough Romans survived long enough to send a plea for help back to Novus Eboracum, such that when the Aztec air fleet came swooping in to what they believed would be a sleeping and vulnerable city, Campionicus and his Abyssus Angelus were there waiting for them, Campionicus bagging IV of his XVII kills during the war that day.  Although the fighting was bloody and hard fought for days afterwards, the Aztecs never regained the initiative after expecting a quick and easy victory and Novus Eboracum held out long enough for the Roman Navy to steam to the rescue, a task force headed by the carrier Marcus Licinius Crassus bringing reinforcements of planes and soldiers just X days later.  With their arrival the fighting bogged down in stalemate and a truce was signed.



For those X days whilst the fighting hung in the balance, the entire Roman world held its breath over the fate of the thousands of citizens trapped in Novus Eboracum, such that when the city was saved there was an eruption of rejoicing and thanksgiving throughout the Empire.  Lamingi VI, always jealous and suspicious of potential rivals – especially those more popular, intelligent and talented than he – was forced against his will to award Campionicus the Corona Obsidionalis , the highest Roman Military award, for saving an entire city. The Senate also granted him the cognomen Aztecus in thanks for his heroics – another award which irked Lamingi.  When Campionicus returned to Europa he was greeted by huge crowds of acclamation wherever he went – a popularity that was dangerous to his person.  Many of his close friends and family warned him that Lamingi would not let such a popular military hero live and that he must strike first, and strike fast if he did not want to die in an unfortunate accident.



So it was that the Emperor Lamingi VI was killed in a tragic plane crash.  It was never proven that Campionicus was behind it of course, but a simple perusal of the military records shows that both the pilots of the II Praetorian Air Force planes escorting the Emperor to a meeting in Transalpine Gaul had served under Campionicus when he was a young pilot commanding the Ist Cohort of the Ist Decadron of the XVII Air Legion.....

With his death the corrupt and unpopular Lamingii dynasty came to an un-mourned end and the Campionii dynasty began, a dynasty that would last XIV generations, launch the Roman Empire into a new phase and glorious phase of conquest and expansion and culminate in the colonisation of the stars.  But all that was for the future.  First Campionicus had to secure his place on the throne and prepare the Roman military for the vengeance that was to be the IInd Aztec War....

The aircraft bears the white and purple livery that is the reserve of the Emperors personal aircraft, the white replacing the traditional silver finish of Roman warplanes.  It carries a double stripe on the wings, signifying the pilot is a current or former 1st consul (during the Ist Aztec War it wore the single red stripe of an Airborne Legion commander)  The roundels are standard, with the III Fasces depicting Roman authority.  On the nose is the marking of the XXX Airborne Legion Abyssus Angelus in whose service this plane won its fame.  Finally the Sputumflamma, as during the Ist Aztec War, bears the name & likeness of Mid, the beloved wife and later Empress of Augustus Terencius Campionicus Aztecus

[Ed S]

SUPER!!!   A real beauty Nev.  And the back story is pretty good as well.



Ed