Author Topic: 1/72 Nieuportski Parasol  (Read 4637 times)

Offline Brian da Basher

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1/72 Nieuportski Parasol
« on: November 08, 2014, 04:06:43 AM »
The Morane Parasol was one of the most famous aircraft at the start of the Great War. It was flown by practically every belligerent, even the Germans built them under license.



It's no wonder that this brilliant design would spawn imitators. The good people at Nieuport were no different, but unfortunately, the Morane firm got wise and sued for patent infringement. Nieuport argued they'd been inspired by sources other than the famous Morane Parasol.



After all, parasols were the feminine fashion statement of the era. Still, while the lawsuit wound its way through the Byzantine French Civil Court, Nieuport could not produce its parasol indigenously. Fortunately, the Russian branch, Nieuportski of Novogorod, was free from such restrictions.









The Russian Imperial Air Service suffered from a lack of modern aircraft throughout the Great War. However, between 1915-1917, the Nieuportski Parasol was one bright spot. Maneuverable and easy to fly, it was armed with a 7.96 mm drum-fed SHSKSHSKA machine gun on top of the wing, angled to miss the propeller.







While widely-used by the entire Russian Imperial Air Service for pursuit, ground attack, recon and fetching the Colonel-General's brandy & cigars, it was most famously flown by the 13th Air Pursuit Battalion otherwise known as the "Near Death's Head" squadron.



Their fearsome skull and crossbones rudder markings came to public notice in the January edition of Russian Motherland Today magazine. The translated article and photographs were widely re-printed in the west and the "Near Death's Head" squadron became one of the most famous of the entire conflict.



Neither the Nieuportski Parasol nor the 13th Air Pursuit Battalion "Near Death's Head" squadron would survive the war. All that is left today besides this crude model are grainy black and white photos which continue to confound those members of the W.W. I modeling community obsessed with color accuracy.

Brian da Basher





« Last Edit: November 08, 2014, 05:03:42 AM by Brian da Basher »

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: 1/72 Nieuportski Parasol
« Reply #1 on: November 08, 2014, 04:26:12 AM »
This all started when I picked up a fistful of bagged Eduard Nieuport 17 "econo-kits" for some ridiculous price, $2 each if I remember correctly. There's no box art to speak of because there's no box, but the parts are very nicely molded.



The minute I set eyes on this kit, I knew I had to build one as a parasol monoplane. Of course, mine would be just a little different. Since the kit comes with a bunch of different cowlings and a very nicely done engine with separate exhaust collector (or are those fuel lines?), I've been hoarding those parts. For this build, I swapped out the kit engine & cowl with one from a Revell Sopwith Camel.



Mine, however, wasn't in as nice shape as the one in that glamor shot. Most of the plastic behind the cylinders was gone, leaving a lot of jagged flash. I carved out what little remained and hope some fancy paintwork would help.





Since we just had our first frost here last weekend, I decided to put this baby up on skis which were left over from a 1/144 R2D/C47/DC-3. The attachment points were scratched from bits of sprue and a prop shaft ring.





The model was brush-painted by hand with acrylics, Dark Ghost Gray (I think) mostly.





Kit decals were used for the roundels, although I swiped a pair of the larger ones from another Ni-17 kit. The skull and crossbones are from a sheet Mr GTX sent me for the Pirate GB a while back.








This model took me about five days from start to finish.





I hope you enjoyed the pictures and learning a bit more forgotten history.



Brian da Basher





« Last Edit: November 08, 2014, 05:07:04 AM by Brian da Basher »

Offline Tophe

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Re: 1/72 Nieuportski Parasol
« Reply #2 on: November 08, 2014, 06:25:57 PM »
Lovely! :-*

Offline perttime

  • The man has produced a Finnish Napier Heston Fighter...need we say more?
Re: 1/72 Nieuportski Parasol
« Reply #3 on: November 08, 2014, 07:03:03 PM »
Maneuverable and easy to fly, it was armed with a 7.96 mm drum-fed SHSKSHSKA machine gun on top of the wing, angled to miss the propeller.
The angled machine gun might not be a too bad idea.
I'm just reading a book on Finnish 34 fighter squadron, flying Bf 109 against the Soviets 1943-44 - and one of the successful tricks of Ilmari Juutilainen was to continue a climbing turn in front of an enemy fighter behind him. The other guy would try to get enough lead on him for a deflection shot - having to raise his nose higher and higher until he stalled. Then he was easy prey to Juutilainen who had enough speed to turn and follow in the dive. Worked more than once.

If the other guy could lead without raising his nose quite so much...

Offline Camthalion

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Re: 1/72 Nieuportski Parasol
« Reply #4 on: November 08, 2014, 08:35:31 PM »
Very nice