Macchi MC 202 from Hasegawa
My version of the Hasegawa Macchi MC 202 presented for iModeler colleagues. This kit is just 'aces'! It builds so amazingly well. It is painted in Model Master enamels.
The MC 202 Folgore mated the famed (and feared) DB 601A1, inverted V-12, fuel-injected engine from the Bf-109 series and merged it with Mario Castoldi's clean, but underpowered Macchi MC 200 airframe. The result was a beautiful aircraft and dangerous opponent for the RAF's Tomahawks and Hurricanes which were the backbone of the Desert Air Force in 1941. It is fortunate for the allies that Italy was not able to produce more than 1100 of these planes. At the zenith of the plane's career there were about 150 of them in North Africa from mid to late 1942.
I have also posed an Italeri Fiat BR 20 bomber in the background of 2 of the pictures. The BR 20 is in 1/72 scale.
This aircraft is from 53º Stormo, 150º Gruppo, 363ª Squadriglia and was based at Martuba and Benghazi in Libya during 1942, and would have been involved in the battles around Tobruk and El Alamein. I have been unable to 'ID' the pilot of 363 - 2, but it may have been flown by Tenente Ugo Drago (17 kill ace), who became CO of this unit in late 1942. Drago flew for the Regia Aeronautica until the armistice and later flew Bf-109s for the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana (ANR), aligned with the Axis forces. Drago was CO of this unit from late1942 until 1945.
If anyone has info on the pilot, or 363ª Squadriglia please post in the comments, and I will update this write-up. Thanks in advance.
Beautiful pictures of a beautiful model of a beautiful airplane. I really like it at eye-level like this, like looking at the real one. Even the 1/72 airplane behind it fits right into the photos beautifully. You left just enough space between them for a good forced perspective.
I have the Tauro kits of the 202 & 205, they were at my LHS so long I finally got tired of seeing them there so I bought 'em both. They really are some beautiful aircraft, especially the 202, with its pointier nose.
This one is gorgeous.
Thanks for the encouragement, John!
I am having some fun with the camera feature on my iPad. The big screen helps me find the shots that I want.
And I love the Italian camo schemes: olive green on sand yellow in a sprayed on pattern.
Testors Model Master 2110 Italian Sand, and Italian Olive Green Testors 2112. I got the underside light grey a bit too dark. I think I mixed it myself and got it a bit off. C'est la vie.
Castoldi's masterpiece. Few people notice, until you point it out to them, that one wing is longer than the other. But that's how it compensated for engine torque.
That is an amazing data point, Steven. I guess that was a better approach than Marcel Bloch (Dassault) on the MB 152 where he pointed the engine 2 deg to the left, and made for an odd appearance; and the plane was klunky anyway.
Beautifully built beautiful airplane !
Thanks for the comment, Jay! Aermacchi and Mario Castoldi had some real design artistry to come with such an amazing work.
Hasegawa did a great homage to them also.
It’d be nice to have a Bf-109 and a Japanese Ki-61 to display next to your MC202. I’ve wanted to build a trio like that, but always got side tracked .
Nicely done!
Many thanks, Robert!
A beautiful build, Bob.
Agree with all the previous comments.
The shape of that aircraft together with that camo makes it look awesome.
Thanks, John!
The MC 202 is the Ferrari of WW2 fighters.
Amazing result, Bob.
I love the camo a lot!
Thanks, Spiros. My modelling 'career' is all about the N Africa campaign. It was an amazing Theater of WW2 operations.
Nicely done! My favorite Italian stallion.