The
Hanriot HD.1 fighter was an oddity in aviation history; a highly successful,
high-performance aircraft that was never adopted by the country that developed
it. The HD.1 came along at an awkward moment for a French fighter aircraft. It
was too late to compete with the Nieuports that formed the backbone of French
fighter aviation in the first years of the war. By the time it appeared, it was
eclipsed by the SPAD VII and the SPAD became the standard fighter of the French
Air Force. The French did, however, allow Hanriot to market its new airplane to
France’s allies. Belgium bought a modest number, as did the U.S. Navy. But the
major user of the HD.1 was Italy.
The
Italians chose the airplane as the successor to the Nieuport 17, their standard
fighter at the time. While some aircraft were imported from the parent firm,
Nieuport-Macchi obtained a manufacturing license and became, in fact, the major
builder of the type. During the massive Italian offensive of October 1918, 130
out of the 211 fighter squadrons available were equipped with Hanriot’s. Most
of the Italian aces flew the Hanriot HD.1 at one time or another, most notably
Silvio Scaroni (26 victories). It saw service primarily on the Alpine and
Venetian fronts, where it was frequently mistaken for a Sopwith in Austrian
reports. But it also operated over Albania and Macedonia.
A
grand total of 831 Hanriot HD.1s were delivered to the Squadriglia da Caccia
(Hunting Squadrons) by 1918, out of more than 1700 ordered, and production
continued after the Armistice. Despite the arrival of more modern types,
including the SPAD XIII, the Hanriot did not pass out of Italian service until
1925.
The
model represents a Nieuport-Macchi built HD.1 flown by Tenente (Lieutenant)
Antonio Bogliolo of 81a
Squadriglia.
As a general rule, most all license-built HD.1s were painted in an overall
silver dope made by mixing aluminum powder into clear varnish. At first, the
finish was shiny, but quickly the mix took on a flat bluish-gray appearance in
the field. The title translates to
“Do you know I was (have been) a shooting star”, a bad play on the Bad
Company song, which I had to use in the past tense. Many thanks go to Andrea
Donadon from Italy for his translation assistance.
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Cockpit:
There
was little the kit could improve on with the photoetch Profi-Pack that I bought
other than the seat, seat cushion, lap belts, and instrument panel. For the
scale, it is almost too complete, but by following instructions, everything fits
to a tee in a neat little package. As usual, care needs to be taken to make sure
everything is aligned, but from the engineering aspect, this kit’s interior is
spot on.
The
fuselage sides, gun cartridge container, and floor were painted Polly Scale (PS)
SF Silver (a model RR paint). Sidewalls to the fuselage and floor were masked
and the framing painted Model Master (MM) Acryl Wood, all of which was dry
brushed with a little red-brown and dark brown before removing the masking.
After removing the masking, the framing was shadowed with a 0.005-in. tech pen
and black permanent ink.
Rather
than use the photoetched carburetor/intake and rudder support that was to be
attached below the cartridge container, I left the injected piece intact and
attached the carburetor/intake and rudder bar to it. I did use the tiny
photoetch rudder bar foot straps, which were tedious, but fit like a glove once
formed correctly. All was painted PS SF Silver with the carburetor and rudder
bar painted PS Steam Power Black. Three supports for the control stick were also
paint PS Steam Power Black. The control stick was painted PS SF Silver and the
handle painted PS Grimy Black (a very dark gray). I opted for the injected
throttle blipper, as the photoetch piece was just too fragile for my liking. It
was painted PS Steam Power Black with the blipper stick and frame painted silver
and the handle wood (wood was dry brushed as before).
The
photoetch instrument panel and its plastic backing (actually the injected panel
sanded) and the photoetched seat were painted MM Acryl Wood and also dry brushed
in two darker shades. Gauge dial fronts were brushed in PS Bright Silver and PS
Brass as per reference photos accompanying the Profi-Pack kit. I chose to use
the decal for the instrument faces, as it was more authentic than the acetate
film gauges. The decal was applied to the plastic panel and carefully aligned
with the photoetched front. Once the decals set, I attached the front piece with
a thinly applied bit of lacquer thinner using a fine paintbrush. This was given
a touch of insurance after set with a thin bit of super glue along the top where
not seen. The photoetched seat
cushion had a wonderful look, but was too thin, so I attached it to a piece of
0.030-in. plastic card, cut and sanded it to shape for a little bulkier padding.
The kit did not include the padded headrest so often seen in HD.1s, but this was
an easy piece to scratch-build from 0.025-in. card. I etched the card front to
match the diamond pattern in the seat cushion. Both the headrest and seat
cushion were painted MM Acryl Leather. The cushion was cemented to the seat once
all paint had dried, but I held off attachment of the headrest until final
assembly.
The
photoetched lap belts were first airbrushed a light gray, then brushed in PS
Dirty White with the buckles and latches brushed in PS Bright Silver. The
seat’s fitting frame was painted PS Steam power Black. The fuel pressure pump
body was painted PS Steam Power Black with the head painted silver and the pump
handle painted wood.
After
all painting, it was all stuffed into the starboard fuselage half and aligned,
then the port fuselage half was slid in place and cemented. All together there
are 19 parts fitted into the cockpit, which is most realistic for the scale.
About all I really could have done to enhance it more so would be to add some
cross bracing to the sidewall framing. This was a wonderful piece of work from
Eduard.
Engine
and Propeller:
The
engine was enhanced by using the photoetch intake piece. The engine was painted
PS SF Silver with the cylinders brushed PS Oxidized Aluminum and the intakes
brushed in PS Copper. After a coat of clear gloss the cylinders received a black
wash. All was sealed with a coat of clear flat.
The
propeller was airbrushed MM Acryl Wood and dry brushed with PS Italian Camo-Brown
and an ever so light dry brushing of PS RLM 61 Dark brown, the propeller hub was
brushed PS Graphite with the bolt heads brushed PS Bright Silver. All was given
three light coats of clear gloss. All wing struts, horizontal tail struts, and
the tailskid were painted MM Acryl Wood and drybrushed as above.
Exterior:
Just what we
have come to expect from Eduard. Though not the snap-tight fit of a Tamiya, once
everything is cleaned and aligned, the fit is square on and there is no filler
whatsoever needed, though I do like to use a little Mr. Surfacer 500 alone the
seam joints to give a nice clean finish before priming.
Before
attaching any parts, however, I wanted to predrill all of the necessary holes
required for the rigging. This was done with a #80 bit held in a pin vise. I
drill half way through the upper wing’s lower side and all the way through the
lower wing. Believe me, this makes rigging a snap in the end if you use
invisible thread as I do. All one has to do is thread the rigging through the
lower wing, attach it to the corresponding hole in the upper wing with a drop of
super glue from a fine piece of wire, let it set, then attach a cloths pin (just
the right weight) to the thread coming through the lower wing to pull the thread
taut, and secure it to the lower wing with a touch of super glue. Once set, all
one has to do is snip the thread with some fine cutting nippers, apply a little
super glue to cover the tiny hole, and touch up. Anyhow, all rigging was done in
the final assembly.
I scratched a
little blast plate for the Vickers from card stock and attached it below the
barrel end. The photoetch front piece was attached to the gun and the barrel end
drilled out slightly. The machine gun was first painted PS Steam Power Black and
then brushed in MM Acryl Gunmetal. All cabane struts were painted PS RLM 66. All
was sit aside until the painting of the major assembly.
The
engine was cemented into place (I did not care for it moving) and the cowling,
lower wings, and horizontal and vertical tails attached. I left off the landing
gear struts until after I had installed the upper wings and rigged the wings, as
it is easier to align the wings and work with them this way. The landing gear
struts were temporarily attached with Elmer’s so that I could cement the axle
bar to the struts and align all for painting with the fuselage assembly and
upper wing. Once the landing gear struts and bar were set, I popped them out and
cleaned up the dried Elmer’s with a little warm water before the paint stage.
The
cockpit opening was masked with masking tape and the engine front, rear, and
cooling vents masked with card paper.
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Painting
and Decaling:
The main assembly, upper wing,
landing gear strut assembly, and wheels were primed with PS Reefer White, about
the best white acrylic I have found and tough as nails when cured. This was
rubbed out with a T-shirt and cotton swabs in hard to reach areas. Areas under
the outer third of the upper and lower wings were masked and the port wing
painted Gunze Primary Red and the starboard wing painted with a mix of Gunze
Primary Green and White to match the green in the decal roundel.
Once the underwing red and green
were dry, they were masked and the entire airframe; upper wing, landing gear
struts, and wheels were airbrushed Alcad II Aluminum (non-polishing variety).
Once dry (almost immediately), all underwing masking was removed and the model
was given three light coats of clear gloss for decal prep. Masking over the
cockpit opening was removed and the combing painted MM Acryl Leather.
Tires were
brushed PS Grimy Black, with the axle center painted PS Graphite. The clear
windshield was mask on the front with Bare-metal foil and on the back with
masking tape cut to cover the glazing. It was painted reefer white and Alcad II
Aluminum along with all major components. These were then set aside for final
assembly.
Decals
from the kit were used and if I have to say anything bad about the kit, it would
concern these decals. They were Aeromaster made by Cartograf and looked splendid
on the sheet. In fact they came off the sheet looking splendid also, but
that’s where the love affair ends. The adhesive was nearly non-existent, so I
added some Elmer’s to my decal water. The decals would not nestle into
recesses at all either. I usually only have to use decal setting solution to the
so called “state-of-the-art” decals, but nothing under the sun, including
Solvaset would budge these monsters. I had to stay with then all day, pressing
them out. Once dry, I had to cut them in any recess areas and apply a little
Elmer’s and press them into the recesses, let dry and swab the excess
Elmer’s. A total snit to work with and not at all what we have come to expect
from Aeromaster, but all of what I have experienced with Revell of Germany kits
containing Cartograf decals. A pity too, because Cartograf use to make really
fine decals. I shall not purchase any Aeromaster sheets printed by them either.
If it doesn’t say “Printed by Microscale”, it doesn’t go on my “get
list”. I would have preferred Eduard use Propagtem than this. Anyhow, after 10
hours of TLC they looked fine and after a clear gloss sealant coat, they looked
better. Some touch up was necessary on the rudder, this being done with Gunze
Red, PS Reefer White, and my mix of Gunze Green and White. The best I can say
is, the decals didn’t tear on me and the inks were very opaque and in superb
register.
After
the clear gloss finishes, I was tempted to leave it so. But it just did not look
right for scale effect and I also know, that super shiny silver models just do
not photograph well. So I gave the model two coats of MM Acryl Clear Flat.
The
machine gun and feed and ejection shoots were attached and the center cabane
attached right after them. The windshield was attached with some Elmer’s and
the upper wing attached initially to the center cabane. Before this set, I
popped in the wing struts and cemented them in place. This was one of the
easiest wings for a biplane I have done lately to attach the upper wing and
align it. After the wing struts and central cabane were set, I attached the four
small cabane support struts, again these going in with ease.
The
model was rigged and touched up, actually a rather easy rigging considering the
last two biplanes I have done were two-bay. It probably took me two hours at the
most to do all the rigging and touch up. After said touch up, I attached the
wheels, gave them a little earth brown wash and dry brushed a little earth brown
under the lower wing to simulate earth that was thrown up on the wing. A little
dry brushing of earth brown was also done to the tailskid and a little thrown on
the rudder. All wooden struts were given a brushing of clear gloss and leather
articles such as the headrest, seat cushion, and cockpit combing received a
brushing of clear semi-gloss. All shadowing and shading was done using a
0.005-in. tech pen and artist’s inks (Windsor & Newton).
In
conclusion, I can highly recommend this kit to World War One enthusiasts. As I
said, it was a spot on in assembly and the only spoilsport in the entire package
were the decals, which in the end came out looking fine.
References:
J.
M. Bruce. "Hanriot HD.1." Fighters. Warplanes of
the First World War. Vol. 5: France. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1972..
J.
M. Bruce. The Hanriot HD 1. London: Profile Publications,
n.d.
Caz
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