DONE +++ 1:72 Arsenal VG-38 No. 9, aircraft '2', GC I/3, French Air Force

[Dizzyfugu]

Another project for the GB, and this will be an exotic addition: I guess only a few people know the sleek Arsenal VG-33 fighter and its prototypes, a design that reminds a bit of the Macchi 202 or the Fiat G.55?



Anyway, several derivatives were planned, mostly with different/uprated engines. The VG-38 was one of them and actually on the drawing boards in late 1939/early 1940 - a version with a Hispano Suiza 12Y-77 engine, doped with two Brown-Boveri exhaust turbochargers.

Since there's no kit available (and even no sketch of the VG-38 at all...) I will travesty an "alien" kit as VG-38 in typical French colors and markings. Had this on the agenda for a long time, and now is the occasion...  

[zenrat]

What a gorgeous looking plane.

I found this.

http://www.oldmodelkits.com/index.php?detail=7393&page=805&soldarchive=1

[Dizzyfugu]

Yes, there's also a Pegasus 1:72 IP kit of the VG-33. But it will be more fun (and challenging for third party rivet counters...  ) to adapt a totally different kit for this masquerade. Muahahaha!

[Captain Canada]

Ooh that is nice ! looking forward to seeing this one.

[PR19_Kit]

Yes, there's also a Pegasus 1:72 IP kit of the VG-33.

Only a TOTAL masochist would start with that one Thomas, I tried it years ago now, and I'd have to say it wasn't one of Mr. Gannon's best efforts sadly.

[Dizzyfugu]

Well, I've only seen sprue shots of the Pegasus kit, and it looks... simple. Anyway, I think that my travesty solution might work out better and more convincing than expected. Would not work for the normal VG-33, but the VG-38 seems (more) feasible. 

[Dizzyfugu]

Just to stir some rumors and excitement, here's the kit I will use for the VG-38:

[KiwiZac]

Well, that makes perfect sense 

[Dizzyfugu]

Now we'll focus attention on this one, #4 of the lot...

[Captain Canada]

Cool. This will be good. I just love that first pic, such a tough looking bird !

[Dizzyfugu]

The VG-33 is/was a very elegant aircraft, and it was developed with much thought and effort - but I guess that this just took too long... It was primarily built from wood and non-strategical material, and was still superior to contemporary fighters with the same engine (M.S. 406, Dewoitine D 520). It's a bit of a tragic development like the He 100. And the basic VG-33 must have had a huge development potential, because many derivatives with uprated engines and armament had been on the drawing board - including the turbocharged VG-38 that I will build/represent with the Su-3 conversion.

[Captain Canada]

Parlez-vous Frankus ?

Super cool build here :

http://maquette72.free.fr/amis/SGuerrero/2013_18_vg20/index_asg18.php

[PR19_Kit]

Parlez-vous Frankus ?

Super cool build here :

http://maquette72.free.fr/amis/SGuerrero/2013_18_vg20/index_asg18.php

That's a seriously awesome build there, the fuselage is a work of art. And he did the cockpit seats in BRASS, for goodness sake!! 

[Dizzyfugu]

Very cool build/find! It's the" mother of all VG designs", the initial VG-20, which was a much bigger aircraft than the VG-33 family.

It evolved into a different line (the VB-10 with two engines), though, and inspired this one some time ago...



More here: http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,36349.0/highlight,requin.html


Besides, there's initial progress concerning the VG-38 - the only and biggest modification is the landing gear, because the Su-3 has a P-40-style arrangement (retracting backwards and rotating 90°). This has to change, so the original wells get filled and new wells and an appropriate langing gear have to be installed:

1:72 Arsenal (de l'Aeronautique) VG-38 No. 9, aircraft '2' of the 1re Escadrille, Groupe de Chasse I/3., Meaux-Esbly (Paris region, France), May 1940 (Whif/Amodel Su-3 kit conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Arsenal (de l'Aeronautique) VG-38 No. 9, aircraft '2' of the 1re Escadrille, Groupe de Chasse I/3., Meaux-Esbly (Paris region, France), May 1940 (Whif/Amodel Su-3 kit conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[Captain Canada]

Nice one. Thanks for the pic of how you started the undercart bays....I need to do somat similar for my Comet.