1/48 Reggiane Re. 2005
This is the recent Special Hobby kit. This is one of those planes that I’ve always wanted on the shelf and was surprised to see SH and Sword release kits simultaneously. The kit built up very nicely. It features a well detailed cockpit that I only added a set of Eduard seat belts to. Unfortunately, the injection molded canopy is one piece and can’t be posed open. More on the canopy...I actually started this model in August, but lost the canopy. I found it with my left foot. Not good. An online search revealed a vacuform alternative made by Jay‘s Models. Never heard of Jay’s and it didn’t state which kit it was for. I went ahead and ordered one from BNA Modelworld in Australia. It’s nicely done and is of the same quality as a Falcon product. It fit pretty decently and solved my problem.
The wheel wells are well detailed on this model and I was really impressed with how they built up. The only thing that gives this kit away as limited run is the fact that you need to sand the roof of said wheel wells to get them inside the wings. Not a big deal.
I finished it with Humbrol enamels that the Stormo! Italian aviation website recommends. Special Hobby advises you to paint the spinner red on this ANR example. I doubt Italian fascists would have used an Allied ID marking on their planes. I found a pic of this plane online and it appears the same tone as the rest of the plane to me . Green it was!
EZ line for the antenna and it was done. This is a nice kit that I really enjoyed.
11 additional images. Click to enlarge.
Erik Gjørup said on October 11, 2020
and with a "109" engine, I have to have one too! - nice build.
John Healy said on October 11, 2020
Thanks, Erik! That DB 605 looks a lot better on this plane.
Christopher C Tew said on October 11, 2020
Really nice work, John. I have both kits and have been collecting the various updates and masks, hoping they'll get built some day. Your surface finish looks great, and your careful delineation of the underside color separation is so smooooth and graceful! Glad you were able to find a replacement canopy to finish this one up in such fine fashion.
John Healy said on October 11, 2020
Thanks, Christopher. I look forward to seeing both of yours.
George Henderson said on October 11, 2020
Very nice
John Healy said on October 11, 2020
Thanks, George!
John vd Biggelaar said on October 12, 2020
A beautiful looking Reggiane, John.
John Healy said on October 12, 2020
Thanks, John!
DE4EVER said on October 12, 2020
🙂 ... Greetings ... 🙂 :
Very nice build of this elegant aircraft. The headline picture alone shows the gracious
lines in the wings.
Thank you for sharing these images John.
John Healy said on October 12, 2020
Thank you, Sir!
Spiros Pendedekas said on October 12, 2020
Very goo job on the Special Hobby kit, John!
This is an extremely elegant plane and you brought out its lines nicely!
John Healy said on October 12, 2020
Thanks, Spiros! It’s a beautiful airplane and the dark green suits it well. Very nice kit too.
George R Blair Jr said on October 12, 2020
Great job, John (@j-healy). I just finished a Special Hobby kit, so I know that there was probably more work than your average kit to get it looking this good. Well done.
John Healy said on October 12, 2020
Thanks, George. I enjoyed following your Maryland project. I learned a lot for when I tackle mine. SH kits are improving steadily. This Reggiane was pretty trouble free. The only real fit issues was having to sand the roofs of the wheel wells. If you like Reggiane types, Sword is about to release a 1/48 Re. 2001.
Greg Kittinger said on October 12, 2020
Very nice! With that swept tail surface, it really does look like a dart. Great build!
John Healy said on October 12, 2020
Thanks, Greg. These were fast.
dale travis said on October 12, 2020
Nice work on this John. The 2005 to me is a really sleek design. This kit looks to be based on the Flying Machines kit SH did for them some years ago. I posted some shots of my FM kit build last year.
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
John Healy said on October 12, 2020
Thanks, Dale! I referenced your fine example while building it. It’s a beautiful plane. One thing I’ve never understood about these later, high performance Italian fighters is the canopy/head rest. The open backs to these canopies had to cause terrible turbulence and noise.
dale travis said on October 12, 2020
I agree John but apparently the better rear view through the open panel was deemed worth it.