Caudron C.600 Aiglon – Armée de L’air – SBS 1:72
I think I've fallen in love with this kit - otherwise I find it difficult to explain why I built four of them so far. Yes four and I still did not get bored with it. I reviewed the kit earlier here in iModeler (first look see here: https://imodeler.com/2017/04/caudron-c-600-aiglon-172-sbs-model-first-look/ and build review here: https://imodeler.com/2017/05/caudrons-little-eagle-caudron-c-600-aiglon-172-sbs-model/) so I can not write too much novelty about it; it's a nice, well engineered and especially well casted resin kit - in fact I think this is the best in it's cathegory: simple, easy to build and the fit is excellent. Oh, don' forget the decals, I always forget to mention but SBS new decals are amazing! Normally I hate decaling but I haven't got any problem with their decals - they are easily comparable to the best manufacturers, ie. Cartograph or even better! No kidding!
Some reminder about the airplane itself: The Caudron C.600 Aiglon (Eaglet) light touring monoplane was the work of the outstanding French aircraft designer of the 1930s, Marcel Riffard. He had taken over the design department of the newly amalgamated Caudron and Renault combine at the end of 1933. The first of two prototypes made its maiden flight at Issy-les-Moulineaux in March 1935. A low-wing cantilever monoplane with tandem open cockpits, it had the excellent aerodynamic qualities that became associated with all Riffard designs. The Aiglon proved itself with a number of outstanding flights. Andre Japy flew a single-seat C.610 version from Paris to Saigon between 12 and 16 December 1935 at an average speed of 128km/h. The type was especially popular with French women fliers: Mesdames Dupeyron and Lion flew an Aiglon to establish new women's straight-line distance records in 1937 and 1938, while Suzanne Kohn flew her Aiglon from France to Madagascar in 1939. … Total production of the Aiglon was 203, some being fitted with continuous glazed canopies over the cockpits. The type was particularly popular with French private owners and flying clubs. A number were sold abroad, 14 being exported to Spain, two to Argentina and one to Japan. With the outbreak of war in 1939 many Aiglons were requisitioned by the French government and used as liaison aircraft by the Armee de I'Air.
The story begins here as SBS made several boxings for the Aiglon - two civilian (Hungarian and French) and two military (spanish civil war and Armée de L'air) releases. Each releases are different in some details - engine, exhaust or landing gears and naturally the decals. The military - Armée de L'air - version contains two different engine cowlings and uncovered main wheels from white metal and optional parts for build a two and a single seater version. The two seater (white 21) is a "by nature" training plane the other one, the single seater is a requisitioned (or impressed) plane which came from the club aeronautique de Bernay (ex F-ANZL n/c 7126) and interestingly partially retained her original civilian registration marks.
After my first article SBS founder and owner Csaba Bordács asked if I would build a French military version for him, which is his personal favorite. He geneorously offered me two kits to build one for him and one for me. I choosed to build the single seat version as I think that one is more interesting and the faired over front seat makes a sporty long nosed look for the plane. I think I said everithing about the kit earlier except that little niggle with the wing joins locator pins which are corrected in this release. The fit is as good as can be so if You want to wet your feet in the world of resin kits this kit is a perfect choose to start with. I only added brake lines from thin lead wire otherwise I built the model OOB. I used all kind of paints I found in my stash to reproduce the french livery; mostly eyeballed the colors and just want to replicate the total effect and tried not too dogmatic here. Instead I tried to replicate the somehow unique pattern which is so characteristic of this particular airplane. The dark blue gray is from testors (intermediate blue), the brown is Tamiya chocolate brown and the green is a Gunze color mix. The light blue gray is an old stock Gunze Mr.color RLM 76 with some white (their original and much discussed release from the 90's - still works perfect from the bottle! - which is not too good for the german RLM 76 but quite good for this french light blue 🙂 ). I painted the model with my trusty Iwata HP-CH and the small patters (the brown and the green) with free hand with an H&S Infinity with a 0,2 head. I make some weathering with oils and pastels,, some drybrushings with light gray and silver finally I made a small display base before I sent it to Mr. Bordacs. For my surprise the military colors suits really well for this little sport plane. I made the photos in front of a printed picture of a landscape with a french castle - the lights could be much better but sadly the summer is long gone and I still haven't got proper lightings for photography purposes - sorry. Anyway here are the photos and I hope You will enjoy them as much as I enjoyed building this little aeroplane. All C&C are welcome as usual. Cheers: Gabor
Exotic resin 😉 SBS has been delivering some rather unique aircraft models in the near past. This one I did not know about. One that caught my eye was the DH Dragon Rapide, boxed with some splendid liveries, including one from the Portuguese AF. Too bad they only do 1/72, but still I’m tempted to buy one.
Your build is just great, the camo stripes are very tempting to anyone who likes free hand airbrush, god knows I do. Thanks for sharing this beauty
Thanks Pedro. They made this airplane in 1:48 too. I've acquired one and that's more refined and detailed as in 1:72 (it has an engine for example!). Just a hint: if You want one buy fast because Mr. Bordacs sayd to me when we met this weekend on the Bolyai Model Cup that they finished the manufacturing of the 1:48 version because it was more of a prestigious affair than a financial success...
Thanks for the hint Gabor, will look it up on their website
Nice presentation, sir.
Thank You Craig!
Pedro has the right of it; this is a beauty and that wingspan is something. You’ve worked some magic on this build, Pedro; even pulled a rabbit out the hat.
Lovely, really lovely.
Thanks David. I uploaded the picture of our rabbit accidentally 🙂 - Anyway meet my little friend Bruno. He is especially good in chewing compressor air hooses and computer cables.
If Bruno keeps that sort of behaviour up then he’ll literally be in the stew...
😀 but nonono. We love him too much to even think of it theoretically.
I know, Gabor - apologies, I’m really not a pet person. I’m barely even a people person. Love the cameo on that Caudron, buddy.
Hey no problem David 🙂 We are more pet person than people person 😀 - anyway my girlfriend is vegetarian 😉
Ha, I’d whisper it here and hope some of our midwestern friends in the States are not listening - I’ve been a vegetarian for 25 years.
Another beauty Gábor!
Thank you Greg! 🙂
Great little trainer, Gabor! I love the paint scheme. This looks to have been a really fun plane to fly or fly in.
Vegetarians! My Sis-in-law in Glasgow is a vegetarian as well. Not me. Give me a big ol' cheeseburger and I'm happy. But I could likely do without meat if I had to. I love veggies and salad. Yum! (Especially Brussels Sprouts)
Thank you Jeff! Well I actually can't imagine the world without a good steak sometimes 🙂 I learned a lot about vegetarian food from my GF - now I can even make some kind 🙂
Excellent build! Resin kits are always challenging to build, but you did it well.
A great build!
great finish, lovely plane
very cool build. would think it was injection molded from looking at those pics. Resin kits sure run a range of quality, and this one does look on the very high end of that range! Love the camouflage as well. Thanks for sharing a kit I knew nothing about! Now, if it came in 1/48 I would be tempted 🙂
Thanks! Yes they make it in 1:48. Actually I acquired one on the latest model show - I will write a review about it soon. https://www.sbsmodel.com/models/97/sbs-model/sbs-airplane-full-kits/1-48-scale
Thank You Guys! 🙂