Silver Wings resin 1/32 Fiat CR-32
So I always thought the Fiat CR-32 was a good-looking aero plane. Pointy nose, scalloped wings/tail, cool spatted wheels. For some reason I never got round to doing one, most likely due to the limited run nature of the available 1/48 kits. But then 1/32 mania hit, and one was put out by Silver Wings Company of Poland. Combine this with the ability to expand my 1/32 Chinese Air force, and the challenge was on. It is OOP now, but I scored one on EvilBay. These are all resin kits, but I had survived their Gladiator, so here it is.
Doing pre build research turned up some interesting and thought provoking stuff. This Fiat was considered to be a hot ship, one of the best fighters of the late 30's. Enough to convince Italy that the Biplane could still be a viable fighter, leading to their follow on CR-42. I'm looking at this thing and thinking, this 'aint nothing more than a Curtiss P-6E, a machine the U.S. Air force considered obsolete in 1937, with the same configuration and engine power. Why the CR-32 was 20 MPH faster, I don't get, as it was heavier. The Hawker Fury and Ki-10 Perry were pretty much the same too. But the Regia Aeronautica's pilots loved it, and it was still in widespread service in 1939-40.
The Republic of China AF saw it and liked it too. They ordered 16 (or 24? more on research problems later) as soon as they were available, even getting early production models before the Italian AF did. This was in 1936 before the main fighting flared up against Japan. Most of the Fiats were burned up in training, but some survived long enough to join the fights over Nanking in 1937, joining the polyglot (love that word) collection of foreign fighters trying to defend Chinese airspace.
Silver Wing's kit is well done for a resin job, having fairly thinly molded fuselage halves and cleanly cast wing and tail surfaces. All the little bits, and there are a LOT, are in small baglets for You to sort out. No numbered part trees for you. The instructions are usually good for Identifying these bits, but some guesswork is needed. One must be careful when installing the interior parts, to make sure nothing interferes with the next parts. The two cylinders were the worst, playing hob with the seat installation. It took a Long time to get the fuselage halves together, but finally I was able to glue them up. The top seam was nice, but the bottom was a long divot, and lots of CA glue 'n sprue was needed to fill it. Worst part on any resin biplane is the wings. With normal plastic glue time is available to shift things around and line them up, but time is limited or nil with CA. None of this was helped by the kit having the locator holes marked in the wrong places. I've had root canals that were more fun than doing the wings and struts on this thing, but I think I got it right. The landing gear and those cool spats were the same story.
So, that research thing. How many actual photographs of Chinese CR-32's did I find? Answer-ONE. This was a view from the front with a Chinese pilot, only showing the nose and bits of wing. The only info I gleaned from it was the prop was unpainted in front, and the wing unders were dark, probably painted overall Dark Green as other CAF machines. That's IT. Any color/numbering info I got was from Profiles or OP's models, and You know how reliable those can be. Oh well the upside is nobody can prove me wrong. One thing these told me was that the early CR's the CAF bought had no cooling fins on the oil cooler above nose. This I was dreading as Silver Wings gives you 24 separate little etched cooling fins to try to glue on straight. HA! I didn't have to do it! A Albacore had been lifted from my shoulders (Any Taxi fans out there?).
Anyway, the paint was Mr. Color RLM 80 used for Chinese Dark Green, whatever that was. I did the preshading thing with Buff and added some lightened and darkened tones of the green. I had some ROC decals that would work and cut masks to paint the fuselage numbers. According to Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces, number 126, Aces of the Republic of China Air Force, 806 was the last surviving CR 32 and fought in all the battles over Nanking in 1937, flown mainly by Lt. Chen, Tse-Liu, scoring several victories, before being retired in 1938 due to lack of spare parts. The rudder stripes are masked and sprayed. I did some chipping, oil staining and exhaust streaks, put on the windscreen and gun tube sight, and finito!
Now I think the CR is better looking than ever, she looks more like an aerobatic demo flyer than a warplane, but she was, serving longer than many biplane fighters. It is also number 7 in the BK ROC 1/32 Fighters series. Number 8 is ready for paint. When finished, I will do a family portrait.
Beautiful build! I've always admired the CR-32 - have an illustration in one of my books of one in combat over Spain, and always thought I might try to find one in 1/72 to add to my collection, even though pre-WWII/inter-war aren't really my bag.
Great job, Bill.
If that's all resin like their PT-13 that looks like one heavy beast.
Fantastic build, Bill.
Nice work Bill - resin kit instructions are often a challenge (part nos. an optional extra). You handled this one very well and produced a superb result.
Big and beautiful build, Bob!
Excellent job and ditto result after great research, Bill!
This is a wonderful build, Bill @billkoppos
Even though you only found one picture of it, I think you are correct on the used color, it definitely looks great in dark green.
Awesome build Bill @billkoppos, that plane does look great and you did a great job. Nice photos, too!
Beautiful build.
Excellent work, Bill! Like you, I’d love a good CR32 in 1/48.
Really did a nice bit of work there, Sir. Silver Wing kits, to me, are a treat.
Great work on an ugly plane Willy.
Your work on this is so good I can't see any evidence of the difficulties you list in doing it. Very nice result.
You've convinced me to stick to the Classic Airframes kit in the stash here.
Thank You very much to all my talented Colleagues who responded.
Man, that looks great, Bill! 🤩 I've always admired those inter-war biplanes, and the CR-32 is one of the best looking. I have the old CA kit in 1/48 and would love to see it built...someday!
Excellent result! I've always liked the CR-32 for some reason, yours is awesome.
Absolutely top notch all the way around, Bill @billkoppos.