Revell 1/72 Morane Saulnier N Bullet

REVELL 1:72 MORAINE SAULNIER N BULLET

Reviewer: Richard Stracey (rec.models.scale)
Kit Review submitted: June 2002

Revell (Kit No. 4174) 1/72 Morane Saulnier N Bullet

Aircraft:
Flying just prior to WW I in 1914 and retiring after the battle of the Somme in 1916 only forty nine N’s were produced. The RFC took twenty four and the French and Russians the remaining twenty five. Anthony Fokker copied it, after purchasing a crashed machine, to create the Fokker E IV and Pfalz fighters. Aces, including Ivan Smirnov, Jean Navarre, Adolphe Pegoud and Roland Garos flew the N. Roland Garos was probably the first person to shoot down another aircraft with a fixed machine gun firing through the propeller arc. This being before the introduction of the interrupter gear so therefor the propeller had metal plated fitted to deflect the odd bullet! It was powered by a Le Rhone 9c 80 hp rotary engine and had a span of 8.15m and length of 5.83m.

The Kit:
In the 1960’s Revell GB produced a nice line of pre WWII aircraft including the P26, Camel, Dr1, Kaydet, DH2, Sopwith Triplane and the N which was available in 1965 as H644-A with decals for an Imperial Russian machine.

Submitted by Steve Collins - original boxart

This re issue comes with decals for a 60 Sqn. RFC and French machine and consists of twenty four parts including a pilot but not, as in the original issue, a stand.

Construction:
As would be expected, this is a very simple kit which goes together easily and needs no filler. The attachment points for the landing gear and control struts are a bit vague and consequently I used epoxy glue to make sure of a positive fixture. I white glued the Vickers machine gun (14) in place as it will be replaced with an Aeroclub G017 Lewis gun without the cooling jacket, as this is what the RFC machines were armed with. The French machine needs an Aeroclub G020 Hotchkiss 7.7mm gun. For a change I used the pilot otherwise I would have replaced the seat with an Aeroclub V054. The carburettor intakes could be added about mid chord under each wing on the fuselage centreline.

Painting:
Both the French and British machines were clear doped linen with red noses, spinners, wheels and even propeller blades! This was for recognition purposes, not as Squadron or Flight colours. For many years I used Humbrol 74 Matt Linen but was never satisfied as it produced a “painted” look. The method that I now employ is to use Humbrol 148 or Testors 1709 Radome Tan or even Testors 2053 Sand all of which are a very pale crème or off white and much lighter than the intended finish. I then brush on powdered brown chalk (or Carr’s weathering colours, available from good hobby or model railway shops). Just about any shade of brown will do…experiment! I then blow off the excess and rub the surface with a soft cloth. This step can be repeated to darken up the surface or washed off to try another shade. I find that this results in a natural uneven fabric colour, much more realistic than just painting. Just remember that as the N was retired in 1916 the tyres would have been off white/light grey, not black as depicted on the box art.

Decals:
The decals are very accurate in proportions but not in printing as both roundel options are off register to various degrees. I could find no other British WW I roundels of the same proportions for the wings so used the kit ones. The fuselage ones were un useable and had to be replaced. I cut up and spaced out the registration “A.186” as the lettering was too close together. The final and very important job is the rigging. Revell provide the holes in the wings and I used hemming nylon painted metallic grey.

Reference Notes:
I could find very little information on the N, in fact was not aware that the RFC even used them which is why I chose the 60 Sqn. Aircraft flown by Lt.Bayetto. The best information, including a photo and five view colour drawing of A.186 is to be found in a 1974 translation from the Italian, called “Color Profiles of WWI Combat Planes by Crescent books of NY that I found in the Municipal Library.

Overall:
All in all, a very nice little kit, a must for any WWI collection and simple enough (even with the rigging) for even the beginner.

Related Reviews:-

Eastern Express (Temeks) 1/72 Morane Saulnier Type I

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