1/72 Kovozavody Prostejov Avia B-35

by Pavel Senk

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  Czech National Day 2005 

 

This kit represents the first prototype of famous Czechoslovak fighter, Avia B-35, from October 1938 in the livery it carried during the VTLÚ (the Aircraft and technology research institute) institute test period until it crashed. It was the most advanced Czechoslovak fighter aircraft those days, later the more powerful Avia B-135 with retractable undercarriage was researched. It is a shame that the World War II broke it's future so early...

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I have built this kit three times - as a child about 15 years ago and then later in the year of 1998 again. For the third time I only removed old coat of colors it had, scratchbuilt the flaps, resprayed the whole kit (except the cockpit) and added new decals, which appeared on the market - finally you can see how it looks today. I simply like this plane and also the kit goes together very well. Although it is molded in the early 80's (I hope it was the 80's, but maybe late 70's!), the kit has very nice surface detail and recessed (!) panel lines. There are not many details - the cockpit has only an instrument panel, a seat and a pilot figure, undercarriage legs are hidden in the streamlined spats and very crudely detailed water radiator air inlet - so there is much to do! Nowadays the very good book from MBI Publishing named "Avia B-35, B-135" is here to guide you through detailing your Avia.

As a result of studying the materials, I made a whole new cockpit, new cockpit floor, rudder pedals, instrument panel, control stick and a seat with seatbelts on it.  Also new canopy was made by bending hot acetate foil over the original piece filled with putty. The water radiator, propeller, exhausts and other "air outlets" were modified and got a step higher by adding some scratchbuilt pieces.  Also flaps are made from a plastic card to make the model more attractive. So only the main legs in those spats and the tail wheel are as they came from the box. The first prototype was unarmed, so this kit has also "no guns".

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As I mentioned in the beginning, the camouflage livery represents the first prototype aircraft in the tests of VTLÚ - that is why the plane bears the "S3" marking on both sides of the fuselage. On the upper surfaces, there are irregular patterns of sand (light ochre), dark brown and dark green, underside is sprayed light grey. I used Agama enamels to spray the camouflage on my model with the help of Tamiya spray work. Decals come from Propagteam and they are very thin an excellent.  Weathering is made by using grated color chalks and silver paint, antenna is made from a stretched sprue.

Thanks to Steve Bamford for running ARC, and giving the opportunity for modellers worldwide to represent their country!

 Hope you will like my model of this unforgettable Czechoslovak fighter aircraft.

Pavel

MK APOLO Koprivnice, Czech Republic

http://apolo.koprivnice.org

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Photos and text © by Pavel Senk