MAC
Distribution 1/72
Dux SPAD 7
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Overview
This is the third SPAD C.VII release by MAC Distribution this year and
the first release that has a scheme that utilizes the skis included in
the other releases. As with the US Volunteer release, rather than rehash
an earlier review, we'll just look at the decals in this release. For
a full review, look at the original review back in January 2004.
The Decals
Stepping away from the traditional SPAD markings, this release looks
at a couple of the lesser-known operators of the SPAD 7. The name on the
box, Dux, comes from the Russian factory that produced roughly 100 examples.
Understandably, the majority of decal options therefore are Soviet SPADs,
with a single Finnish example rounding out the sheet. Since it is the
latter that is on the boxtop, we'll look at that one first.
 The
Finnish SPAD VII is finished in overall dark green (although the Aviatik
book on the SPAD VII suggests an overall dark brown color), making it
the simplest option to finish. The painting diagram depicts the plane
with both skis and wheels, suggesting that this plane used both during
its career. The Finnish national markings are carried in six positions:
upper top wing, lower bottom wing, and both sides of the rudder. The number
'1.D.445.' is in black, outlined in white, on the fuselage sides. For
maximum mileage out of a small decal sheet, the white circle backgrounds
to the Finnish national markings are provided separately, as they also
provide the background to the Soviet options.
Moving to the Soviet examples, this sheet offers an interesting trio
of options. The first is a SPAD VII of the 10th Fighter Detachment, Slavnoye
Air Group, based at Slavnoye airfield in Russia, July 1920. This plane
has unpainted clear doped linen (CDL) on all the fabric surfaces, and
cream paint on all the metal surfaces, with the vertical fin and rudder
painted black. Large red stars on white circles adorn the upper top wing
and lower bottom wing, while a white circle is on the rudder. For further
drama, this SPAD also has a gull with its wings outstretched on the fuselage
sides atop a white circle.
The second Soviet option is from the 1st Fighter Detachment, Northern
Hydro-Aviation Battalion, on the North Dvina front in Russia during the
summer of 1919. This plane is finished in the same manner as the first
Soviet example, being CDL and cream, with national markings on the wings.
The rudder of this plane is white, with a large red circle on it, and
a red winged anchor with the phrase "Kotik" is on the fuselage
sides.
The final choice is much more sedate, being a SPAD VII from an unknown
Red Army unit in 1920. Instead of having the metal sections painted cream
on this one, they are painted gray. The wing markings are the same as
the other two Soviet examples, while the rudder is marked with a simple
white circle. Like the Finnish example, the instructions show this SPAD
VII in both skis and wheels, again suggesting an either-or usage.
Conclusion
The MAC SPAD VII is an excellent little kit, and the many releases so
far offer plenty of interesting and attractive marking options. I wonder
if we will continue to see releases of this kit with new decals, as they
have only touched on the foreign operators of the SPAD VII, still needing
to cover Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Serbia, Greece, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Estonia, Ukraine, Holland, Japan, Thailand, Brazil, Argentina,
Chile, Uruguay, and Peru. That's quite a few choices, and I hope we see
many of them in the future. My thanks to Squadron
Mail Order for the review sample.
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