Classic Airframe 1/48 FIAT Cr.32 original release.

The top four images are of the first edition Classic Airframe kit. Using White Ensign enamels, the colour scheme was matched to the one shown in the guide book 'Colori e Schemi Mimetici della Regia Aeronautica 1935-1943' by Umberto Postiglioni and Andrea degl'Innocenti. The dihedral of the top wing was reduced to match the plans in the Ali d'Italia guidebook, but the interplane struts were still a bit of a handful, especially those attaching the top wing to the fuselage. The kit is still a worthwhile purchase and Special Hobby have since re-issued the kit.

Classic Airframe 1/48 FIAT Cr.32 (export) Second edition kit. Originally built for a SAMI review in 2006.

This is a revised re-issue of the Classic Airframe kit released a few years ago. It's a welcome return, as it was a fine kit. The bonus this time around is the inclusion of extra resin items and a revised breakdown of parts to further enhance the accuracy of the kit. The biggest change is the decision to mould the entire engine section of the fuselage in resin, rather than smaller nose part used in the older kit. Other additional resin parts are rear stabilisers (with separately moulded elevators) and a rudder. Another good feature are separately moulded wheels, even though the original integrally moulded spats and wheel parts have been retained on the sprue, as are the rear control surfaces. Another added extra is a coloured etch set for some of the cockpit detail, namely the seat belts and instrument panel. A second non-coloured sheet is supplied for the aileron 'winglets' and actuator arms, plus a few smaller cockpit items. The decal sheet is printed by Microscale and is well laid out. The windshield is injection moulded, in place of the vacu-form version provided in the original release.

The cockpit is built using a combination of old and new parts. Most of it is from the original, but the new coloured etch parts certainly liven it up. However the instrument panel is too wide to fit. The upper section of the fuselage side walls will need to be thinned down for it to do so.

After fitting the fuselage halves together, which has already had the rudder removed, the resin front section is offered up. The general fit is good. The resin part is perhaps a tad undersized, as there should be a step around the lower section, but it's not too noticeable. As I chose to do the aircraft featured on the boxtop, I felt it was safe to also assemble the undercarriage, lower wing and rear stabiliser/rudder before applying the scheme. The propellor was prepared as well. With each blade looking a little on the thick side, I chose to thin them down on the back face only to get a more realistic look.

For the silver dope scheme, I used Alclad II White Aluminium, over a grey primer decanted from a spray can. As a silver finish tends to hi-light any flaws I was pleased to see that, in this case, there are mercifully few of them. I could detect only a few minor flow marks on the upper wing. The struts were painted black and applied to the upper wing, being mindful of the fact that each one had a specific location.

After successfully mating the upper wing to the rest of the model, it was just down to the smaller details, such as the step, Venturi tube and gun sight. The injection moulded windshield was offered up, but this is where I found a bit of a problem. What with the protective leather covering around the cockpit aperture, it's thickness did not allow me to place it correctly. This is perhaps a instance where the vacform canopy should have been retained. Fortunately, as it's such a simple structure, it was easy to fabricate a new one from clear sheet stock.

The colour options, previously mentioned, are for a silver Austrian or Luftwaffe machine, an overall olive green Chinese example and two Hungarian camouflaged aircraft. No specific colours are provided for the Hungarian machines, so extra research will be required in this case. The Austrian decals were no trouble to apply, although a bit of cutting was needed to get the band to fit properly around the fuselage. A final touch up on the band and the rudder was also necessary when the decals had dried.

This is a very enjoyable kit to build, with just enough 'built-in' challenges, intentional or not, to help increase the sense of satisfaction when completed. Recommended to most modellers, although there are a few traps for the less experienced.