1:48 Fiat CR.42 Falco propeller set

A propeller for the Fiat CR.42 Falco in 1:48 scale

A small but striking accessory to a model of the Italian biplane. On a machine with an exposed radial engine the propeller together with the engine cowling makes up the whole front silhouette, so every inaccuracy on it is told at once. A kit of the aircraft is not in the package, as this is a replacement part for it.

The real subject

The Falco was the last fighter biplane to reach large-scale production, and it came into service at a time when its concept was already outdated against modern monoplanes. Even so it earned a reputation as an exceptionally agile machine with pleasant handling, and the Regia Aeronautica committed it from the Mediterranean through North Africa and even over England. Besides Italy it was operated by Belgium, Hungary and Sweden, and in the later phase of the war it served mainly for night attacks and for training. It was powered by an air-cooled Fiat radial engine, whose installation gave the aircraft its characteristically stocky nose.

Installation tips

Fit the propeller at the very end of the build, so that it does not get in the way during masking and painting. Check that the hub is in line with the engine cowling, because even a slight misalignment is immediately apparent from the front. Wooden blades on machines of the period were often finished in a dark tone with the grain showing through, which can be imitated with a glaze over a lighter base.

Who the accessory suits

• Builders of Italian machines of the Second World War
• Lovers of biplanes in 1:48 scale
• Modelers who tune the front section in detail
• Anyone interested in the air forces of the Mediterranean theater