OT - Lukes Spad XIII

Hi all,
I thought you might like to see my 14th 1:32 scale build - The Bleriot built Spad XIII C.1, Number 26 of ‘C’ flight, 27th Aero Squadron, 1st Pursuit Group, based at Rembercourt, near Verdun, France during September 1918. This was one of the Spad XIII’s flown by Francis ‘Frank’ Joseph Anthony Luke Jnr, the ‘Arizona Balloon Buster'.

This kit is the old Hobby Craft Spad XIII 'International' kit, which is I believe was the only 1:32 scale of the Spad XIII made. The kit was, as expected, fairly basic and had no engine at all. In fact the whole forward fuselage was blocked off.
I didn’t recall ever seeing this kit made with an engine installed, so I decided to give it a go.

The basic list of changes/additions to the model are:

Scratch built:
Radiator shutter control rods
Radiator drain valve.
Cockpit head rest support frame.
Fuselage internal storage and cross members.
Engine bulkhead.
Decking panel right gun - ejection chute.
Forward gun mounting brackets.
Engine access panels - wire mesh.
Tyres spokes and valve.
Ventral fuel tank cap.
Fuselage lifting straps.
Fuel tank rip (jettison) panel.
Oil cooler drain valve.
Ring gun sight and mounting bar.
Undercarriage struts.
Wing inboard 'H' struts.
Wing outboard rear struts.
Wing strut rigging fittings
External aileron operating bell-crank and rods
Cockpit:
- Fuel, oil and vent pipes
- Cockpit frame wire bracing
- Additional instrumentation
- Instruments pipes/cables
- Gun firing cables
- Fuel rip panel T-bar handle
- Mallet (freeing gun stoppages)
- Pilot's seat cushion
- Rudder bar foot straps
- Top frame above pilot's head
- Rudder, Aileron and Elevator cables
- Pilot’s seat belts.

Engine:
'Wingnut Wings' Hispano-Suiza V8 engine built (detail modified)
- Ignition leads, support tubes and magneto connection
- Engine support beams
- Carburettor air intake
- Air breather and pipe
- Fuel manifold primer valves
- Cooling/heating system pipes and filler.
- Gun cooling jacket ‘stay’ rods.
Various fuel, coolant and control rods.

Modified or corrected:
Rudder, Ailerons and Elevator animated.
Louvres in engine panels opened.
Engine valve gear cooling fairings drilled.
Forward decking panel separated.
Engine cowl cooling apertures created.
Fuel filler aperture.
Cockpit surround panel modified.
Forward fuselage, decking panel and cockpit floor modified.

Aftermarket additions:
'Proper Plane' hand made propeller (De La Grandville)
'Aviattic' Spad XIII wheels (modified).
'HGW Models' seat belts.
'Gaspatch' .303 standard Vickers machine gun (modified).
‘Gaspatch’ Vickers ‘Balloon’ machine gun (modified).
'Gaspatch' turnbuckles.
'Albion Alloys' micro-tube.
'Steelon' mono-filament.
'Polak' grass mat.
'Aviattic' and Copper State' figures.
'Airscale' instruments bezels.

The following shots show where I'm at right now.
The next step is to start fitting the upper wing prior to rigging.

Mike

That cannot possibly be a scale model. The detail tells me that you’re having us on - those photos are of a full size replica

Cheers
shredward

Congratulations for such a beautiful model. The aftermarket additions and scratch built details are amazing.

A very amazing piece Sandbagger, the detail is fantastic and it is a plane of one of my favorite pilots in WWI. Thanks for sharing.
John

Niiiiice!

I never stop to be amazed by your sense for details, Sandbagger! Great job!

Noice!

My goodness Mike.. wow... you are a true craftsman and a master at what you do.

Just incredible! Thank you for sharing!

James
'OvS'

The first biplane model I ever made was a SPAD with Frank Luke's markings. My inability to glue the right parts together left me wondering why mine didn't look like the one on the box (Ok, I was about 8 at the time).

You seem to have the opposite problem and the people who designed the concept art on the box must be asking themselves "Why doesn't our picture on the box look like his model?"

Awesome as usual! Was his lower wing really "Neon Guacamole" in color?

Wow, just a super detailed example. My Hat is off to you. It looks Great.

Hi all,
Thanks for your encouraging comments.

Rick:
He Heh - apparently so.
Different manufacturers of the Spad had slightly different adaptions to the Spad scheme, but all had the five colour pattern:
Dark Green
Light Green
Beige
Black
Brown

Mike

Very cool! For some reason, it looks like a more "modern" color to me, compared to what I would expect to see from 100 years ago, learn something new every day! Looking forward to seeing it finished!

Are any of these models for sale? (Not that I could afford any of them, but they are that good)!

You madman.........good show!

Sandbagger

That's just amazing!

Having little patience and barely being able to hang a picture straight, I was wondering how long did that take you to build?

Hi all,
Thanks for your comments.

Rick:
Yeah the colour schemes for the Spad XIII were all based on that base scheme designed by Spad. The aircraft was built not only by Spad but by other companies, such as Bleriot, Kellner, Benard, Levassuer and SAFCA. Each company produced slightly different patterns for the Spad scheme, but all similar to the Spad pattern. These companies also had their own locations for the roundels (cockards) and their own font designs for the serial numbers. I skinned all of the Spad XIII aircraft for WOFF and they were done with data sent to me by 'Shredward', out research 'guru'.

Buckeye:
There are those around that do commission builds, but in all honesty, I have my doubts that anyone would be prepared to pay for the cost of a model. Taking into account the cost of materials alone (model, display case, after market add-ons, figures, paints/adhesives etc) you'd be looking at around £200 for a single seater and that doesn't include time cost for building. Then of course there's the problem of shipping the model to the client without it getting damaged in transit!!
That said there are commission builders so I guess there is a market out there.

Mike

At £200 a pop I would seriously consider checking out the market. How many models do you have in your collection?

Of course, selling any of them would be akin to selling your own children, so I can see how you might hesitate to part with any of them. Maybe you could charge admission to see them, instead!

Thus far 14 with 50 in the stash yet to be built.

Mikes WW1 Aircraft Models

Mike

Amazing detail!

Hi all,
Completed the SPAD - not an easy time modifying it to take an engine etc but I think it turned out OK in the end,

Mike

Amazing!

You knocked that one out of the park Hoss! Truly stunning.

that is excellent you are very talented, Thanks for sharing

Incredible Sir! Nuff said. Maybe a glass display box to keep the dust from attacking it?

S!Blade<><

That is a real work of art. Wonderfully well done.