The Little World

The Savoia Marchetti museum in Italy has one of these aircraft on display. It has been repainted from the WW2 Italian version to a Lebanese Air Force scheme from the late 40’s. There are good colour photos of the plane in war service with Lebanon – it is a prime candidate for a special paint job.

I was never more delighted with a discovery in my life – I had been eyeing this Italeri kit for ages but could not think how I might make it in any colours save that of the Axis powers. I do not do European Axis schemes very often.

But the Lebanese one is a beauty – there is Arabic lettering and prominent colour flashes – the tail is a national flag, and the Lebanese roundels are easy enough to make on the inkjet – they are quite a simple blocky design.

Once over the plans, the contents of the box are an amazement.

We are looking at a 1930’s Italian mail plane converted to a torpedo bomber and the peculiarities of the design are wonderful. I can see where Buck Rogers got the design for his space ship.

The engines look good, but the facf that they needed three of them to do what the British did on two and the Americans did on one tells you a great deal. They may be the makers of Lamborghinis and Ferraris now but this was a long time ago.

Even the torpedo is a little skinny, though it has a pretty good length for the propulsion.

But bless the Italians – they made a good sturdy undercart and a great tailwheel. The boxes have assembled very well. At the finish the wheels will just snap in.

For all the peculiarities, the design looks to be fun to build, and will be a central feature of Schmattarim Museum when that is displayed.