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Tom Cleaver
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Build 'em or Bin 'em – Off the SoD: Special Hobby Fiat G-55 Serie 01

January 24, 2021 · in Aviation · · 9 · 2K

I got this kit in 2007. It's the Serie O first production type. It wasn't until Reinhard posted his take on this kit and noted that it's really a Serie 01, that I realized the cannons were there all along, as well as the proper nose. So it finally got pulled off the Shelf of Doom. It's an older Special Hobby limited run kit, not one of their more modern kits, but with a bit of effort (like modifying the left horizontal stabilizer so the elevator is at right angles to the centerline like it's supposed to be), a nice result is possible. I used decals from the dungeon to do a Second Group airplane. The G.55 was only used by the ANR from late spring to September 1944, when the ANR pilots burned their airplanes rather than turn them over to the Germans. I think the airplane looks pretty good in the "Luftwaffe-style" paint job.

Reader reactions:
13  Awesome

13 additional images. Click to enlarge.


9 responses

  1. It does indeed look great in Luftwaffe scheme, Tom.
    The mottling is very nice.
    An absolute 'Like'.

  2. Very nice build and paintwork, glad this one got pulled from the SoD. Liked!

  3. Liked a lot from me, too, @tcinla, as well as the build thread.
    No bin for this, but a deserved place at a nice showcase!

  4. Neat model! The ANR paint scheme really came out well, like the markings & paint job around the front cowl & spinner.

  5. Very nice looking machine

  6. Nice save, Tom. I have the postwar release of that kit in the stash. It looks like it includes all of the parts to make any and all versions of the G.55. It even has two different fuselage sprues. The only reason I haven’t built it yet is because I can’t decide which version/scheme to do. They’re all great. Thanks for the inspiration.

  7. Looks good, TC. Well worth saving from the "bin."

  8. I agree - the Italian birds look nice in the German scheme. Nice build!

  9. You're right Tom. It does look good in that “Luftwaffe-style” paint job. Very good.

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