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Gábor Szabó
65 articles

Latecoere 28.3H 1:72 scratchbuilt

April 9, 2015 · in Aviation · · 26 · 9.5K

I scratchbuilt this model and in progress I turned it into a kit form. I made 12 from these (under my fantasy model company name Plastic Passion) before SBS Model bought the original masters from me - now they producing the plane and her sister plane the "La Fregate". The Latécoère 28 (or Laté 28) is the aircraft from the Latécoère firm which Mermoz used to cross the South Atlantic ocean for the first time on May 12, 1930 named "Comte De La Vaulx" (You can read in Exupery's book the 'night Flight' why 🙂 ).

The type became famous by its use in postal links between France and South America in the service of Aeropostale, in the 1930s. I built the model used the drawings from various issues of the Le Fana De L'Aviation magazine. I made the masters from plastic cards and balsa wood roughs copied onto resin. I add some WIP photos just for some interesting 🙂

Reader reactions:
16  Awesome

33 additional images. Click to enlarge.


26 responses

  1. A classic short-run resin kit, displaying excellent engineering and scratch building skills. A real inspiration in modelling techniques.

  2. Fascinating examples of true "modeling", sir...I applaud your efforts.

  3. Great work again sir.
    Well done.

  4. Thank You Gentlemen!

  5. These are marvellous modelling skills, Gábor.
    My two cents: I visited the company in the early 00 years in Toulouse two present simulation software for the development of aircraft doors. Waiting for my host In the entrance area, it deeply impressed me to read that they used to count Saint-Exupéry to their employees.
    Equally it made me sad that like so many once proud designers of entire aircraft, the company was limited to being a sub system supplier for Airbus.

  6. This is the kind of inspirational article I really love to read! Fantastic work!

    Regards

    Magnus

  7. Very interesting and great modelling, thank you for sharing it with us, Gabor.

  8. A beautiful model Gabor. Your modeling skills are impressive.
    California Steve

  9. Greetings :
    Very good work, I enjoy watching this, thanks for the images.

  10. Really really nice! Superb craftsmanship.

    I have my father's copies of both Night Flight and Wind, Sand and Stars and have read both several times. There was a good movie made from Night Flight, starring Clark Gable, which is one of those great Warner Brothers 1930s flying movies (another good one is "Helldivers of the Navy", starring Gable, the Curtiss F8C-1 Helldiver and the USS Saratoga). "Night Flight" is well worth watching. Unfortunately there are no French airplanes in it.

  11. Thank You! I will watch those movies and Exupery's books are among my top favourites 🙂

  12. Excellent workmanship, nothing like a scratchbuild model that turns out so well.

  13. Well, words can't describe how amazed and moved I am by your work, you should see my face 🙂 I really appreciate and enjoy it a lot. Craig mentioned "true modelling" - I do agree! Sheer excellence! Thanks for sharing.

  14. Gabor,
    I, like all of the others i am Truly impressed . I am in awe of your skills.

  15. Simply stunning! One day I may grow up to be a real modeler also!

  16. ez valami elképesztően komoly munka, gratulálok! it's a kind of extremely great modelling work, congratulations (...for those non-hungarian readers 🙂 )

  17. Gabor, my sincere admiration!

  18. Thank You All - You are too kind to me 😉 ! Köszönöm Milán!

  19. This is amazing work! Beautiful!

    • Thank You Jeffry! 🙂 One may never knows how much work to make a model entirely from scrath until try one - so much parts 🙂 That's why I rarely complain about kit's accuracy 😀

  20. Hello from France ! I just discover your website, looking for information about Laté 28.3 "Comte-de-la-Vaulx". Your model is so fantastic really real ! Infact, I'm specialist about Aéropostale and french line air company between 2 wars, and I discovered that the picture about the seaplane Laté 28.3 was faked, because I discovered an other with the two extra people on the float. And it's strange because you post the faked picture whereas your model work is right. So here is the right and original picture. Congrats for all. Vince

    1 attached image. Click to enlarge.

  21. But I think the propeller wasn't in wood...

    • Hi Vince! The original picture as I remember was in the Le Fana De L'aviation (They had a three piece serie about the Late 28). I can't comment on the propeller but the thichkness and the fact this is a fixed pitch large propeller (and the time priod of 1930 plus minus 2 years) drove me the conclusion that this was a wooden item. I'm curious about Your work because me and especially Csaba Bordas also a huge fan of that era and french postal air companies (one of my favourite writers is Exupery naturally). The picture itself is a fake indeed as this is clearly described in the Le Fana... firstly they retouched the two passengers onboard for the acticle about the record flight secondly the picture was taken originally at Natal before the record attempt (the plane lost on the backroute because of engine failure and an attemplt to tow the airplane by a boat so they used pictures remained at hand - also a fun fact that the plane later exhibited in Paris was only a replica of the Comte De la Vaulx). I'm in anegotiation to make a design for the Latecoere 26 also for SBS. If You have pivctures, infos, drawings that would be awesome. This model is available as a kit from SBS now as they purchased the masters from me. Thanks for Your kind comments!

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