SPAD XIII WWI RAF

This is a great beginners kit. There are better kits with more detail and decal options for the experienced modeler. I am not an experienced modeler. I find myself exploring a hobby I haven't done since I was a child. I see the great models some guys do and want to build kits like that, but I was just as clumsy at building it as I thought I would be. I received one of these for Christmas and I wasn't satisfied with my work, i.e. I made a lot of mistakes, but this kit is only a bit over $4 so I bought another one. All of the advanced techniques you use on expensive kits can be applied to this kit, it is nicely detailed, or so I think. These are great kits to learn on, even experienced modelers can use these kits to practice new techniques upon. For us newbies, there are painting techniques to master, there are decals to be applied, you can add your own rigging, you have work with small parts (my fingers are clumsy and I need the practice), and even have fit issues that will require you to step up and problem solve. All of these things are standard procedure for plastic models. I say practice on this kit and if you screw it up, so what? As for the plane the kit represents, it is a Spad XIII, a French built fighter noted for its ruggedness and speed. The decals show the markings of the 103rd Aero Squadron, which absorbed the pilots of the famous Escadrille de Lafayette (Lafayette Squandron) of the French Air Service, which were American volunteers flying for France, but who transferred to American service when the US entered the war. I don't know which pilot this plane belonged to, but a Spad VII with these markings appeared in a French newspaper article during the war. The 103rd replaced their Spad VIIs with Spad XIIIsand the pilots seemed to have kept their personal symbols pretty much intact on their new planes, but I was not able to verify a Spad XIII with these markings (only a Spad VII), but I was okay with that since I saw evidence of other pilots transferring their personal insignia over to their new planes. The insignia of the Escadrille Lafayette that came with them over to American service was and Indian chief in a war bonnet. It is not shown on the box, but there swastika decals as well, which despite their association with Nazi Germany, are ancient symbols used all over the world such as India, China, Japan, the Nordic countries, and even by Native Americans and American military units and It is still in use by religions in the Far East. Since there weren't any Nazis in WWI, it shouldn't be a problem if you are sensitive to their use, however if you chose to leave off these decals the model would still be accurate for this squadron.

Not very many parts to this model. Most fit together fairly well. The decals looked great, but didn't go on well. Some were over-sized and needed to be trimmed and others just would not conform to the body, even with several applications of micro sol and micro set. The painting guide could have been a bit more descriptive, but it all worked out. Well worth the price though. It was a fun build.

This is hardly the best SPAD kit on the market (If you're looking for a high level of detail, buy the superb Eduard kit), but it is adequate if you're looking for a relatively straightforward biplane build. Detail is limited, with no cockpit interior, and vague bazooka-like shapes instead of the front machine guns. However, some of the surface detail is reasonably crisp, and the fit of most parts is good. The struts fit into large grooves on the wings, so alignment is easier. One word of advice: attach all of the struts to the bottom wing and fuselage first, instead of the top wing, and you will get a better fit. Decals are OK, not as thick as some other Academy releases. There is no marking information provided, but the aircraft appears to be from an American volunteer unit fighting for France on the Western front (not the RAF). Therefore, you would need 5 colors to paint the French camouflage: a dark green, a pale green, dark/chocolate brown, tan/beige, and a light blue (I used RLM 78 for the undersides). The SPAD kit is better than the ancient Revell release (which is horribly off in terms of dimensions), but much less detailed than the Eduard version. Considering the Eduard release costs more than 3x as much, the Academy is not a bad buy. I used mine to learn rigging and how to paint faux woodgrain. For $4, it was worth it.