B&V P.193

[Caveman]

Looking forwards to seeing it. I think it was quite a neat concept

[Dizzyfugu]

Go go go! An interesting aircraft. 

[Mossie]

Very much.  Carry on that man! 

[zenrat]

Would you like an extension?

[NARSES2]

Well I got there. Bit of a struggle but it needed a fair bit more p.s.r. than I was expecting. Planet are normally quite simple, well fitting builds, but I think they covered the whole family of these B&V projects with the same basic set of moulds and that had knock on effects. Still we live and learn 

Piaggio P.115 Martello (Hammer) of the 20th Squadriglia, 46th Gruppo, 15th Stormo d'Assalto, Regia Aeronautica, Summer 1943.

Designed by Giovanni Pegna and Giuseppe Gabrielli in the mid to late 1930's the Martello was originally perceived as an interceptor, but after seeing the success the Luftwaffe had with the Stuka in Spain the Regia Aeronautica was soon looking for some newer ground attack/assault aircraft and asked Piaggio if they could modify the P.115 prototype into such. With the death of Senator Rinaldo Piaggio during 1938 the main opposition to this proposal was gone and with the fast approach of War obvious to everyone the conversion was put in hand.

The aircraft suffered numerous problems upon entering service, mainly to do with its rather unusual layout. Indeed, the tailfin and rudder had been deliberately placed on the aircraft's underside so as to provide some protection to the propeller during the inevitable occasions when pilots forgot that the Martello had a nose wheel undercarriage. The fact this meant that it also offered some protection to the pilot was purely co-incidental. Once its pilots got used to its unusual layout however it proved an effective ground attack aircraft with its heavy cannon armament, 2 x 20mm and 2 x 30mm, and ability to carry 1,000kg of bombs. Unfortunately for the R.A. however it came to late and only 22 entered operational service before the Armistice was signed and production ceased.

This is the Planet Models resin B&V P.193.1 kit and assembles quite well, although there was a fairly serious disparity between the thickness sections of the two parts of the port wing on my example which took a fair bit of time and effort to correct. Other than that, it's a nice, if "delicate" kit and goes together well. If I'd not been building this for the One Week GB then I would almost certainly of handled one or two things differently. Paints are a bit of a mixture with the main colours coming from my Lifecolor Regia Aeronautica WWII (Set One, Fighters) and transfers have been cobbled together from my spares collection. In the main they appeared to be of Italeri origin.

On the whole an enjoyable project and I've another of these Planet model B&V P.193 boxings in the stash which may well be built as a Romanian or Hungarian example. One thing I have learnt since completing this project is that you can never have enough nose weight ! Planet mould the fuselage in three sections, two for the cockpit area and one for the whole aft fuselage, and thoughtfully they leave the aft fuselage hollow so you can insert nose weight. I had enough of such until I came to add the aft mounted propeller and that was just enough to tip it off of its front leg ! Whence it's glued to its Southern Italian base.

[Caveman]

nice one. It looks great!

[Old Wombat]

I'm assuming (Yes, I know! ) that the tubes on the sides are exhaust shrouds, not RATO units.

Well done, Chris! Looks good!

[NARSES2]

I'm assuming (Yes, I know! ) that the tubes on the sides are exhaust shrouds, not RATO units.

Well done, Chris! Looks good!

Cheers mate, and yes they are (at least I assume they are) the exhaust shrouds. When I first cleaned the parts up I thought they were Werfer-Granate tubes 

[Mossie]

Great finish Chris. . Slightly odd machine, but pretty conventional by B&V standards.

[AeroplaneDriver]

Nice job Chris!! 

I cant look at this model without thinking that some designer at Fairchild in the 60s spent some time contemplating it.

[Old Wombat]

I'm assuming (Yes, I know! ) that the tubes on the sides are exhaust shrouds, not RATO units.

Well done, Chris! Looks good!

Cheers mate, and yes they are (at least I assume they are) the exhaust shrouds. When I first cleaned the parts up I thought they were Werfer-Granate tubes 

Had a bit of a look-around & definitely exhaust shrouds. Some versions have six exhaust stubs poking out the side of the fuselage, others have the tubes. Obviously, as a Luft '46 paper plane, opinions will differ on how it would be built. Personally, unless it's a nightfighter or wood construction, the stub exhausts are more likely.

[Tophe]

Nice result!

[Weaver]

Nice one Chris - it looks good in those markings. There were one or two real Italian projects that were along similar lines too. 

[Flyer]

 

[NARSES2]

Nice one Chris - it looks good in those markings. There were one or two real Italian projects that were along similar lines too. 

Very much so and I've built a couple of them