STORMO! Classic Airframes 1/48 I.M.A.M. Ro. 37bis by Laurent Locheron

Classic Airframes 1/48 I.M.A.M. Ro. 37bis
Reconnaissance Plane
by Laurent Locheron

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The Meridionali Ro. 37 bis was a excellent two-seat Italian reconnaissance bi-plane with a Piaggio P.IX radial engine of 560 hp. Of mixed construction the Ro. 37bis was a very reliable aircraft and much loved by its crews and was even used as a figther and ground attack aircraft. The Regia Aeronautica used this plane on every battlefront, except in Russia and over the English channel.

Construction

The CA kit is very good, but is a short run product … therefore slightly more difficult in comparison with an industrial production kit! The build was OOB except for two modifications:

- The tubing is reinforced with the evergreen profiling
- Modification of drift delays to make it correspondent

Building bi-planes is always tricky and this one is no exception. The secret for the pose of stay ......”le sang froid”. To paint our nice bird I used the acrylic colors LIFECOLOR and GUNZE Mr color:

- UA080 Giallo Mimetico 3
- H302 Verde Mimetico 2
- UA113 Grigio Azzuro Chiaro 1

The plane depicted was based in Tamet (Tunisia) during the North Africa campaign. Our Ro. 37 bis belongs in 115 squadriglia, it was used along the Egyptian border against columns of British troops.

Technical Data

Aircraft: Meridionali Ro. 37 bis
Manufacturer: S.A. Industrie Meccaniche & Aerondutiche Meridionali (I.M.A.M.)
Type: Reconnaissance
Year: 1935
Engine: Piaggio P.IX, air-cooled radial, 560hp
Wingspan: 36 ft 4 in (11.08m)
Length: 28 ft 3 in (8.62 m)
Height: 9 ft 9 in (2.95 m)
Weight: 5,269 lb (2,390 kg) (Loaded)
Maximum Speed: 202 mph (325 km/h)
Ceiling: 22,000 ft (6,700 m)
Range: 726 miles (1,168 km)
Armament: 2-3 machine guns
Crew: 2

Additional Images

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