1:32 SE-5

A biplane that leveled the forces over the front

The Royal Aircraft Factory SE-5 and its more powerful successor were among the mainstays of the British fighter arm from 1917. It was not an agile acrobat like the contemporary Sopwith triplane, but it was fast, strong and exceptionally steady in gunnery, so it forgave the mistakes of an average pilot. It was on it that a number of the most successful British airmen collected their victories, and some of the machines also served with home defense squadrons which took off at night against German bombers over England.

A finish that above all protected

The covering of these aircraft was fabric stretched over a wooden frame, and the paint on it served a different purpose from the one we expect today. The upper surfaces were covered with khaki brown dope, the lower ones stayed in the light shade of doped fabric. That brown coat was first of all protection: it tightened the fabric, sealed it against damp and shielded it from sunlight, which broke the fabric down quickly. That such a surface also stands out less against plowed earth was a welcome side property. The shade moreover differed from workshop to workshop, because it was mixed from natural raw materials.

What a mask changes during the build

The package carries four masks for the national insignia. A round roundel on fabric is large and has a sharp transition between the concentric circles, so sprayed it comes out more faithfully than a decal, which would have to arch over the ribbing of the covering and could break. At the same time the glossy rim of the carrier film disappears, which on matte fabric always draws attention.