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Interesting diecast 1/72 SM 79

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2015 9:18 pm
by aferguson

Re: Interesting diecast 1/72 SM 79

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2015 11:53 pm
by snake
Not the colour scheme I would want, but sure looks like a SM 79 8)

Hard to complain, given the price :wink:

Re: Interesting diecast 1/72 SM 79

Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2015 2:31 pm
by aferguson
I suspect this model is made of plastic, mostly or entirely, rather than diecast metal. One of the above sellers describes it as 'resin', which is often used to describe plastic models like those made by Skymarks and the shipping weight of it boxed is under 1000 grams. Even smaller HM models like the Beaufighter are around 1200 grams or more.

Plus if you look at the detailed pics you can see the waist gun positions are open, not solid, something far more characteristic of plastic construction than of diecast metal construction.

Re: Interesting diecast 1/72 SM 79

Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2015 1:35 pm
by Epap
I contacted the fist seller who confirms that this is a "diecast" but "built up in resin" model. He was not clear about its basis---like if it was kit-based---but looking at the pictures, I tend to doubt it.

Re: Interesting diecast 1/72 SM 79

Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2015 2:12 pm
by aferguson
to a lot of people 'diecast' does not really mean made out of metal. It means molded/constructed as a unit (as opposed to being a kit you have to assemble). At best it would be metal fuselage, plastic wings but I bet it's virtually all plastic given it has a total weight, boxed of under 1000g.

I've considered getting it, but there are just too many little things I don't like about it to justify the money (for me). Torpedo looks squarish in cross section, canopy framing is weakly done and different in colour from the main colour, markings are 'spindly' meaning they are too thin/narrow, and the paint scheme, while accurate is not very exciting and the green is too bright, should be more olive. Also the dorsal gun position at the rear of the hump is closed....rarely seen on the real machine and while it may be a separate part and can be 'opened' by removing it, it may not too.

So with all that (and probably more that can't be seen in pics) I think it's too expensive.....it's basically the same price as a nice quality corgi, without the nice quality. The unusual subject matter is all it has in its favour, but there are lots of good model kits available.

Re: Interesting diecast 1/72 SM 79

Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2015 5:25 am
by aferguson
Epap did you buy them? If so, i'd be interested to know if this is a new series just starting up or if these are old models from years ago, we've never heard of. The number S79001 implies there could be repaints perhaps.

Maybe the seller will tell you this information, now that you've purchased. Looking forward to your thoughts on the model.

Re: Interesting diecast 1/72 SM 79

Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2015 2:33 pm
by Epap
Yep, I couldn't resist, AF. As far as I can tell, this does not represent a new line but is probably a one shot effort---I could be wrong, of course. Ill provide a full review when the models arrive and later, when I finish my code 3 work on them. Stay tuned.....

Re: Interesting diecast 1/72 SM 79

Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2015 3:13 pm
by aferguson
I will :)

Old Cars (often wrote Oldcars) is mostly a diecast car company, not surprisingly. Their models seem to be of old school quality, so my bet is that this is a model from many years ago. Not 100% sure it is an Italian company, but given the only 2 planes they made are Italian (they also have a 1/96 SM 55x) , they most probably are.

Re: Interesting diecast 1/72 SM 79

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 12:46 pm
by Epap
So, thanks to AF's initial post, I went and bought two of these models and the first one just arrived.

The model is resin, not diecast metal and it has a mostly hollow fuselage, with a weight somewhat heavier than a kit but lighter than a metal replica of the same size. It looks as if parts of the model were cast using parts of a kit but some of the panel line detail is painted on---the main wing spars and fuel ports, as examples. There are missing parts---a loop areal and the pitot heads---and some rough spots on the underside which will need repainting. I can live with the upper surface green but I'll redo the white band around the fuselage as well as its blotches and probably put in new Italian insignias and markings.

Overall, I'm quite happy to have a 1:72nd scale rendition of this unusual and much longed for Italian bomber--again, thanks, AF. Here's a picture:Image

Re: Interesting diecast 1/72 SM 79

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 12:46 pm
by Epap
The other side:Image

Re: Interesting diecast 1/72 SM 79

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 12:47 pm
by Epap
A side view:Image

Re: Interesting diecast 1/72 SM 79

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 12:48 pm
by Epap
A closeup shot of the main cockpit canopy and side gun positions:Image

Re: Interesting diecast 1/72 SM 79

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 12:49 pm
by Epap
Finally, the underside:Image

Re: Interesting diecast 1/72 SM 79

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 1:37 pm
by cjg476
Can't wait to see your redo Ed. Does look nice over all.

Re: Interesting diecast 1/72 SM 79

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 2:17 pm
by aferguson
Good pics, Epap. I gather there are no moving parts at all, except probably the propellers? Does the cover on the dorsal gunner station on the hump open or remove or anything?

Glad you're happy with it, looking forward to your re-do's. You could try doing a 'reverse mottle' effect on the upper surface of one of them ie paint on sand to look like it's the base colour and the green is mottled onto it. I did that once on a model and while it took a bit of thought, it's easy once you figure it out and works well.

Any indication of when this model was made?

By the way, the markings are accurate, as is the fuselage band. While it should wrap all the way around the fuselage of course, it did have a green speckled mottle on it, as this plane was used for night bombing and I guess they were trying to subdue the white markings.

Re: Interesting diecast 1/72 SM 79

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 5:03 pm
by Epap
The code 3 process is already underway on this model. It's upper surface is now a faded olive green with most of the painted panel lines and the upper wing insignias gone. I've added pitot heads as well as a loop direction finder and a short antenna. I also redid the white fuselage band, which now wraps around the fuselage but will shortly be obscured by roughly applied green blotching. I am using some pictures of similar planes as well as some old but very good artwork as a guide. Next step will be painting in the missing canopy frames and redoing the underside. More on this later.

AF, as you know I bought both of these SM-79s and the second one will probably be redone in a more common sand and spinach-type scheme. Not sure which one as yet.