ANGELO LODETTI

Aircraft Scale Models

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Macchi MC 202 - Italian Co-belligerent Air Force

1. History

The Macchi C.202 Folgore (Italian "lightning") was an Italian fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by Macchi Aeronautica. It was operated mainly by the Regia Aeronautica (RA; Royal (Italian) Air Force) in and around the Second World War. According to aviation author David Mondey, the Folgore has been considered to be one of the best wartime fighters to serve in large numbers with the Regia Aeronautica.

The C.202 was designed by a team headed by the company's chief of design, Italian aeronautics engineer Mario Castoldi. As per company tradition, Macchi aircraft designed by Mario Castoldi received the "C" letter in their model designation, hence the Folgore is commonly referred to as the C.202 or MC.202. The C.202 was a development of the earlier C.200 Saetta, powered by an Italian-built version ( Fiat RA 1000 RC 41-I ) of the German Daimler-Benz DB 601° a engine and featuring a redesigned fuselage for greater streamlining.

Operational history

The Macchi MC 202 Folgore has been a real innovation for the Italian Regia Aeronautoca fighter squadrons. Extraordinarily beautiful, from the aerodynamic point of view, it was equipped with the powerful German engines produced under license by the Italian manufacturers. Thanks to the new engines and the strength of the project, the Macchi MC 202 become immediately an effective "dogfighter" able to counterbalance the performances of Allied fighters. The "202" evolution was the Macchi MC 205 Veltro, featured with an heavier armament and a more modern and more powerful engine. A lot of Regia Aeronautica Aces, who had fought on the CR-42 biplanes and on the dated G-50 and Mc-200, found in Macchi's fighter their warhorse. After the September 1943, the MC 202/205 fighters has equipped the Squadrons of R.S.I. air force, in the North of Italy, and The Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force (Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana, or ACI), or Air Force of the South (Aeronautica del Sud), was the air force of the Royalist "Badoglio government" in southern Italy during the last years of World War II. The ACI was formed in southern Italy in October 1943 after the Italian Armistice in September. As by this point the Italians had defected from the Axis and had declared war on Germany, the ACI pilots flew for the Allies.

2. The Kit

Hasegawa released its 1/48th scale MC.202 Folgore, kit # 9132 in early 1994 – almost 19 years ago. The shapes are very regular and well proportioned, the lines of the panels very well done, I have added some rivets.

I have used the following accessories:

Eduard MC.202 undercarriage bay 1/48 Cat.No.: 648278
Eduard MC 202 Folgore 1/48 Cat.No.: 49288
Jaguar Machi 202 Detail Set in 1/48 Scale 64801
Aires 4493 Macchi MC 202/205 wheel & paint masks

3. Cockpit and Seat

The cockpit has been replaced with the resin one from Jaguar (excellent in fitting and detail); in the car seat, I added the belts from the Eduard photo set for the Italian WW2 belts. In order to increase the level of detail, various cables and tie rods in sprue and copper wire have been added.

3. Cockpit and Seat

4. Fuselage

The fuselage complete with negative panels is dimensionally scaled, but requires some minor adjustments. I just went over the panels with the addition of other rivets

5. Wing and Tailplane

The wings look good. Here too I have added over the panels of other rivets.

6. Canopy

After assembling the model I installed the canopy. This was masked with paper, then painted. This painting included the frame of the internal. When the canopy is finished it can be positioned and secured with cement.

Macchi MC 202 - 101° Gr. - 5° Stormo Caccia Terrestre - Italian Co-belligerent Air Force

7. Painting

This is the sequence of the surfaces that I painted.

1. Clean the whole with alcohol

2. Paint with a very diluted layer of Mr. Surface 1200

3. All the final surface with AK 479 aluminum metal

4. All the final surface with mixing AK 480 and AK 478 aluminum metal

5. Final semi-gloss with Johnson's Pledge Revive it - floor glass

Mr. Hobby H50 Interior green ( Interior )

8.Landing Gears and Wheels

The undercarriage looks good, but a deep modification was made by inserting of Eduard MC.202 undercarriage bay 1/48 Cat.No.: 648278
I replaced the wheels with the Aires 4493 Macchi MC 202/205 wheel & paint masks

9. Weathering

The wear of the model can certainly not be carried out randomly, especially in the case of the Macchi MC 202 , which must respond to a precise logic. Let's see how: first of all we need to highlight the paneling lines. There are different techniques for this purpose: Personally, I use dry brush strokes with aluminum-colored powders in various shades and acrylic and oil colors for soft effects.

To complete the work it is necessary to pass a coat of semi-gloss with Johnson's Pledge Revive it - floor glass transparent on the whole model.