Fulco Ruffo di Calabria's SPAD VII

[jbmacek]

I picked up a Skytrex SPAD VII from ebay earlier in the year and finally got around to putting it together.

It was a fairly easy build.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/skytrexspadvii01.jpg


The tricky part was cutting down the struts enough to achieve the sleek SPAD look.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/skytrexspadvii02.jpg


As you can see by the debris field, there was much trimming to be done.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/skytrexspadvii03.jpg


But it cleaned up nice.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/skytrexspadvii04.jpg


http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/skytrexspadvii05.jpg


I had no idea what I was going to do for a motif. The thought occurred to me to go with the red SPAD Vii captured by the Germans. Instead, I decided to paint my first Italian machine.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/fulcospadvii01.jpg


It came out nice enough, though I may do a little touch-up on the tail flash.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/wow/fulcospadvii02.jpg

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Nice to see di Calabria's earlier Spad John. It will go very well with the later one that I did earlier this year. I feel that the Italians are vastly under represented, but have some unique aircraft and colour schemes just waiting to be attempted. Also where else can you dogfight with the Alps as your backdrop, or the Adriatic under your aircraft.
Rob.

[Attila57]

Thanks John for your nice Ruffo di Calabria's SPAD Thx Rob for your words and a well known aborption for italian planes and aces.

Attilio

[Nightbomber]

Great work John. :clap:
Attilio! Wasn't Ruffo the ace who shot down an A-H ace pilot of Polish origin and gave him a kind of gift in a hospital afterwards... I think I read something about it...
I'll search the net for more info... That was a nice story I remember...

[gully_raker]

:thumbsup: Nice work John. Those metal struts can be a real "pain in the Neck" !:eek:

[The Cowman]

As always John, fine work followed by gorgeous results!

[Attila57]

Great work John. :clap:
Attilio! Wasn't Ruffo the ace who shot down an A-H ace pilot of Polish origin and gave him a kind of gift in a hospital afterwards... I think I read something about it...
I'll search the net for more info... That was a nice story I remember...

I think your are referring to the four victory of our ace.

I found in "Roberto Gentili, Antonio Iozzi, Paolo Varriale - Gli assi dell'aviazione Italiana nella Grande Guerra . Aeronautica Militare Ufficio Storico " " that in June 1917 Ruffo and Baracca visited Leutnant Wilhelm Graf Siemienski (a galician - polish - earl) at the hospital. They gave him a fragments of the propeller of his plane with a dedication. Ruffo shot down the Br. C.1 27.74 of Flik 35 on February, 11 1917. Korporal Ludwig Fleck and Leutnant Wilhelm Graf Siemienski, after an emergency landing (the plane ended the landing against some trees in a meadow near Premariacco - near Remanzacco), were taken prisoner. Leutnant Wilhelm Graf Siemienski was later repatriated to the severity of injuries.

In "Pietro Baroni - Il Principe con le Ali Fulco Ruffo di Calabria - Macchione Editore there is the Ruffo's description of the dogfight and the visit to the hospital And the encounter with Siemienski during Fulco's honeymoon in 1919.

[Guntruck]

Nice neat paint job John :thumbsup:

[Attila57]

I think your are referring to the four victory of our ace.

I found in "Roberto Gentili, Antonio Iozzi, Paolo Varriale - Gli assi dell'aviazione Italiana nella Grande Guerra . Aeronautica Militare Ufficio Storico " " that in June 1917 Ruffo and Baracca visited Korporal Ludwig Fleck (a galician - polish - earl) at the hospital. They gave him a fragments of the propeller of his plane with a dedication. Ruffo shot down the Br. C.1 27.74 of Flik 35 on February, 11 1917. Korporal Ludwig Fleck and Leutnant Wilhelm Graf Siemienski, after an emergency landing (the plane ended the landing against some trees in a meadow near Premariacco - near Remanzacco), were taken prisoner. Ludwig Fleck was later repatriated to the severity of injuries.

In "Pietro Baroni - Il Principe con le Ali Fulco Ruffo di Calabria - Macchione Editore there is the Ruffo's description of the dogfight and the visit to the hospital And the encounter with Siemienski during Fulco's honeymoon in 1919.

Sorry for my mistake The galician earl was the Leutnant Wilhelm Graf Siemienski!

[jbmacek]

Thanks, it was a fun build, and for my money, you can't go wrong with yellow and black and skull and crossbones. Those are a few of my favorite things!

Attilio, that's a great story. Thanks for sharing.

[john snelling]

Nicely done.

[greenalfonzo]

That's a beauty! I love the Italian front. Criminally underrepresented.

[zmaxthrottle]

Very nicely done, indeed!

Max Z

[COLBATMAN]

John
Loverly build and great finish

[Jure]

Wonderful work, John! I love your how-to's and your painting is truly amazing, too. :clap:

Jure

[jbmacek]

Thanks!