RNZAf Macchi MB.326 advanced trainer

[KiwiZac]

Hi team,
No big backstory for this one, just a simple premise: what if the Royal New Zealand Air Force had replaced the De Havilland Vampire with the Macchi MB.326 in 1970, rather than the BAC Strikemaster?

We ended up replacing the Strikemaster with the Aermacchi MB.339CB in 1991, so perhaps this idea makes a bit more sense?

This is the Supermodel 1/72 kit reboxed by Italeri with a great decal sheet. I was planning to make it a real world RAAF Roulettes machine OOB, but the included RAAF roundels are awful to my eye, so I started thinking...

No real issues with the kit that weren't my fault - I used superglue to mount the wings but used too much, and the ventral airbrake on Supermodel Aer/Macchis REALLY doesn't suit beingbuilt closed! Ventura decals for the national marks, kit decals for the stencils and Italeri OH-6A for the numbers. I used the practice bombs and racks from the Hasegawa Harrier, I'll take more pics soon to show these off   

[GTX_Admin]

Sweet. :)

[FAAMAN]

Wot GRX said!!

[KiwiZac]

Thank you! Where's that bowing smilie?

[Buzzbomb]

Very nice work

[Frank3k]

Nice build and fantastic color scheme.

[Brian da Basher]

Oh my, what a looker! I've never seen that fetching Kiwi camo done better!

Sharp as a tack, Zac!

Brian da Basher

[KiwiZac]

Thanks Brian :-) I know how much you love our camo schemes!

Thanks for the kind words Frank and buzzbomb. I didn't make it easy on myself by using a new cement and too much superglue, but it's come out ok. After I glued the canopy on I saw I missed the black stripes on the ejection handles... 

Now I REALLY want the 1/48 version.

[elmayerle]

Beautiful!!  Ermano Bazzochi would have loved it.  Would the RNZAF have purchased some MB.326K's to supplement their Skyhawks?

[Volkodav]

They used to run BAC Strikemasters before switching to Macchi 339CBs in 1991.

[KiwiZac]

They used to run BAC Strikemasters before switching to Macchi 339CBs in 1991.

And we now have three ex-RNZAF Strikemasters on the scene as flying warbirds! Very cool, considering I was only four when they retired.

Thanks Ev :-) Not sure, not in this timeline - just what we have, with the 326 as an exception!

[elmayerle]

Well, I was just thinking that, since they already had MB.326 trainers, adding MB.326K single-seat strike aircraft, with internal cannon armament, leaving all the under-wing pylons for weaponry, would make logistics sense.  They could have even been supplemented/replaced by MB.339K aircraft when the trainers were replaced.

For timing purposes, the MB.326K came out in the early 1970's (they were doing the final flight testing when I "interned" there the summer of 1972).

[GTX_Admin]

Hmmm...some RNZAF MB.326Ks with Martin Pescador missiles...