STORMO! Broplan 1/72 Aeronautica Umbra Trojani AUT.18 (Pre-Modification) by Richard Mendes

Broplan 1/72 Aeronautica Umbra Trojani AUT.18
Prototype Fighter (Pre-Modification)
by Richard Mendes

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The Aeronautica Umbra Trojani 18 (Aeronautica Umbra T.18 or AUT.18) designed by Felice Trojani (1897-1971) in 1934 was a very modern all-metal stressed-skin fighter aircraft design long predating its direct competitor the Aeronautica Macchi C.200. The sole prototype M.M.363 first flying on April 22, 1939 nearly a year and half after the C.200, subsequent flight trials proving disappointing. The plane was returned to the Aeronautica Umbra factory at Foligno, Perugia on Ferbuary 20, 1940 for modifications and further flight tests commenced on November 5 with no improvement being demonstrated over fighters already in production and all further development subsequently was abandoned.

Construction

The 1/72 scale 2004-vintage BroPlan of Poland MS-86 and MS-88 vacuform kits with injected styrene plastic parts featuring different engines and cowlings are only known ones of the AUT.18. Adequately molded with good cockpit detail, the kits were relatively easy builds no gross molding imperfections other than around extreme aft mainwing-fuselage roots as well as along upper fuselage and lower nose requiring lots of putty and sanding, massive shape-sanding along all mainwing, tailplane, fuselage rudder and sail edges necessary as well. Getting good clear vacuform cockpit canopy fits came easy with the BroPlan builds poor pane scribing the downside, i.e., inordinate time spent alignment-masking them over.

Mounting injected plastic-molded FIAT A.80 radial engines on fuselage noses and fitting cowlings over them proved problematic; MS-86 "pre-modification" build required mounting a brace fabricated from styrene sheet plastic glued onto the nose top to hold the cowling on, too wide engine mount cut off and replaced with form-cut piece of sheet plastic thick enough for engine nose to clear cowling to glue propeller on later. The MS-88 "post modification" build engine mount nose was too long, cut it off, sanded nose down to glue engine directly on it later, "post modification" engine cylinders too tall, sanded them down to fit inside cowling.

Painting the BroPlan AUT.18 was relatively easy; Humbrol, Testors and Model Masters enamels employed for fuselage, engine cowling and mainwing wheel well interior painting, exteriors Testors Flat Aluminum overall for the MS-86 "pre-modification". Humbrol 63 Matt Sand + 10% Testors Flat Yellow + 36% Flat White shading replicating Giallo Mimetico 3 base, Humbrol 117 Matt U.S. Light Green Humbrol replicating Verde Mimetico 3, Testors Model Master 2009 British Crimson and Humbrol 118 Matt US Tan 80/20 mix replicating Marrone Mimetico 2 each with 36% Testors Flat White shading enamel mottles per CMPR/GAVS Schema C1, Humbrol 140 Matt Gull Grey + 36% Testors Flat White shading enamels replicating Grigio Mimetico undersides for the MS-88 "post-modification". Excellent quality BroPlan kit water decals applied afterwards, entire model then over-sprayed with Testors Clear Semi-Gloss Lacquer.

Technical Data

Aircraft: Aeronautica Umbra Trojani AUT.18
Manufacturer: Aeronautica Umbra
Type: Fighter
Year: 1939
Engine: Fiat A.80 RC 41, 18-cyclinder twin-row radial, air-cooled, 1,000hp
Wingspan: 37 ft 9 in (11.5 m)
Length: 28 ft 1 in (8.56 m)
Height: 9 ft 5 in (2.88 m)
Weight: 6,560 lb kg (2,975) (Loaded)
Maximum Speed: 300 mph (480 km/h)
Ceiling: 32,800 ft (10,000 m)
Range: 430 miles (800 km)
Armament: 2 × 12.7mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns
Crew: 1

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