il gobbo maledetto - SM 79

[Tex]

I'd started this one on the hopes it would spur ACG's entry into the Mediterranean theater. Alas, seems we will trade the sunny North African skies for the cold Russia Steppe. That said, I have always liked the odd look of the SM79 and have been tempted by the interesting Italian camo. I picked up the Trumpeter kit, my first, on a work trip. The it is rather simple and some of the detail a bit light. However, I really was more interested in tackling the paint scheme so the interior detail did not bother me much. Despite this, my special brand of OCD forced me to scratch built some of the interior but I held back as much as I could.
The scheme will ultimately be a fictional one. I am basing it on a combination of actual scheme but could not find insignia for the version I wanted. So, a departure for me, that I am intentionally not building something accurate. Just aesthetically pleasing, hopefully, in the end.
For those that don't already know. The SM79 was an Italian torpedo bomber. Initially nicknamed Sparviero - "Sparrow Hawk" - it was also known as "Il Gobbo Maledetto" which -my limited Italian - translates as "dammed hunchback." So named for the distinctive hump behind the cockpit area.
The kit went together quick enough. Some fit problems in the wing and engine nacelles and the overall fit is a bit weak. Bunch of filler to correct the problems and more than a bit of sanding before I could get on with the painting. First painting attempt went south, did not look right at all even though it was colorful. I'm using the MRP paints which I have been getting to know in my recent Hurricane builds. They go on very light, requiring multiple coats to fill in. This actually helped on the scheme when I toned down the multi-color effect with an overspray of the underlying yellow-tan.
Still have to weather and wash etc. But I thought you might enjoy the progress shots.

[Tex]

The first painting attempt went wrong. Camo "spots" too large and kept getting larger. Contrasts too high. Pretty much everything went bad. That said, I tried to initially convince myself it looked right since the scheme was interesting.
Eventually, I repainted the base tan and started over.

[Tex]

I'd wanted a scheme like the in-game Italian bombers. The SM79 was also used in the Spanish Civil war and I found an image of the scheme that I was after. But, could not find the correct insignia and masking them by hand was beyond what I really wanted to do on this one. So, I decided to go with something that is not technically accurate but looks nice. I especially like the big white fuselage band. Something about it just says "Italian Bomber" to me.
I used the image to practice painting the scheme and found it helped quite a bit. Had to reduce the air pressure on the air brush and, because the MRP paint sprays so thin, learned how to "soften" the spots. Then, a happy accident while trying to fix an area, I oversprayed the undercoat tan and really liked how it unified the scheme and toned down the colors just a bit. I now like the look.

[Broadsword]

I've always had a bit of an odd soft spot for the gobbo, so I'll be watching this with interest. Nice choice, Tex

[Jammy]

With Broady on that one, epsecially the little MG sticking out of its fore head.

If it brings you any consolation the SM-79 was used on the eastern front by the Romanians, though with heavy modifications. They got better engines resulting in them dropping the nose engine.



note: bottom image has roundels as a result of Romania switching sides towards the end of the war like Italy.

[Bunny]

Wow - that 79B1 looks lovely! Not so sure about the Gobbo - I suspect you all need your eyes looking at But I know Tex's work will make it look as beautiful as is humanly possible

Broady - didn't you call one of your Elite craft Gobbo? Or was it El Gobbo?

[Broadsword]

The Golden Gobbo - since it was yellow and slightly hunchbacked. But the only reason that I (a poor linguist at best) knew that Gobbo was old-Earth Italian for hunchback is because of the SM.79

[Secu]

Wow, you didn't choose the simplest camo. But what a look and what a beautifull paint.

[Tex]

There are a few moments in model making that I find particularly rewarding. One special moment is that day when you get to apply the markings or insignia. Just something about it that makes the model come alive for me.
I rushed a bit to get to this stage, failing to spray the underside with clear gloss in preparation for the decals. The MRP paint goes on somewhat "shiny" on its own, so I thought I would take the risk. I was initially worried about whether the white of the decals would be opaque enough. They looked particularly thin and light on the carrier sheet. The good news is that they are passably dense and the underlying camo does not come through. The only exception is the cross on the rudder which is a bit thin. I'd thought about painting the cross to begin with and passed. Oh well.
My first impressions of the Trumpeter decals is overall favorable. The set for this model was not particularly complex, in fact it was rather minimal. But they performed well. The second major concern was the clear carrier film for the fuselage side numerals, but it blended in well with the gloss coat I'd put down.
I had to resist the urge to remove the canopy and engine cowling masks at this point. I still need to overcoat with gloss, do some panel line shading, oil wash, watercolor pencil, add antennas and other small details, install landing gear. In other words, almost done,

[Tex]

Latest progress.