This is a very interesting release from Special Hobby. The quality of the kits by this manufacturer has steadily increased over the last years but it is still a short run kit, so you have to invest more time and elbow grease to get a nice model than for a standard “Revellogram or Tamigawa”. Don't get me wrong, this is a pretty good short run kit but I needed more than a year to finish it (on and off). Sometimes I just needed a week or two to avoid throwing it into the next wall.

Luckily I found one mistake pretty early when I cut out the rudder. The panel lined has a dent at the top but the photo in Osprey AoA shows a straight rudder. So I re-glued the already cut model part and made a correction. Everything else went pretty straight forward for a short run kit. The engine had to be adjusted to fit in the cowling ... the motor tool is very helpful thinning it from the inside. Also note that the cover for the tail wheel was dismounted on Baschirotto's machine.

I airbrushed the model with Tamiya acrylics. I do apologize for all the mistakes here ... just estimated the colors with Mk.1 eyeball and Ali e'colori No.2. Then followed an acrylic gloss clear layer. The decals are very thin but strong ... they did not fold over and are “tearproof”.  After these had dried I put on a washing in umbra and black. Then after a proper drying time again I sealed it with Gunze flat clear. Then some detail painting (e.g. exhausts) and I had another model for my collection. The plane is C.200 MM.5797 "88-9" at Catania, Sicily in August 1940 belonging to Italian Ace Maresciallo Gianlino Baschirotto.
Special Hobby Macchi C.200 Serie I
Italian Ace Gianlino Baschirotto
Saetta (Lightning)
by Steffen Arndt
Click on the STORMO! Eagle to return to the Gallery

October, 2008
STORMO! © 2008
Technical Data:
Aircraft:
Macchi MC.200
Manufacturer: Aeronautica Macchi S.p.A.
Type:
Fighter
Year: 1939
Engine: Fiat A.74 RC 38, 14-cyclinder radial, air-cooled, 870hp
Wingspan:
34 ft 8 1/2 in (10.57m)
Length:
26 ft 11 in (8.19 m)
Height:
11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)
Weight:
4,874 lb (2,208 kg) (Loaded)
Maximum Speed:
319 mph (512 km/h) at 16,400ft (5,000 m)
Ceiling:
28,700 ft (8,750 m)
Range:
540 miles (870 km)
Armament:
2 machine guns
Crew:
1

Additional Images:
Some may recall that I had a few questions during the build (looooong ago) posted in the Stormo! forum. I would like to thank all who put in there knowledge then!!

References:
Massimello, Giovanni; Apostolo Giorgio: Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 34: Italian Aces of WW2, 2001