Sud Aviation Vautour, GC1/III 'Normandie-Niemen'

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Spaceowl
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Sud Aviation Vautour, GC1/III 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by Spaceowl »

Sud Aviation Vautour, GC2/30 'Normandie-Niemen' Orange-Caritat Airfield, France, 1963

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In 1957 Normandie-Niemen Squadron were re-tasked as Night/All Weather interceptors and issued with the Sud Vautour, a giant of a bird next to the diminutive Mistral, and for the first time ever had an aircraft they would stick with for more than five years. The Vautour also saw them through their redeployment to France, the first time the squadron had served in the homeland since 1948. It was also the aircraft in which the last of the Red Army veterans, Cdt. De Voure, retired in 1968 and the first exclusively French designed and built aircraft they operated.

The kit was, like most limited run ones, a bit of a beast with all the problems of mixed-media; a bit fiddly in short. However, I will say I enjoyed a more leisurely build than normal. Particularly of note, and one to watch yourself should you ever build one, is the care that needs to be taken getting the 'bicycle' undercarriage to balance. It is nevertheless a very well-engineered kit, fitting well except for the wing roots which required a monster amount of filler. The decals were lovely and very well-thought out in regard to placement - the red strakes on the fuselage and engine nacelles being split into multiple pieces without which they would have been a nightmare to apply.

Build eight squared away, the next one moves into the modern jet age as I tackle the Mirage F1.
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Re: Sud Aviation Vautour, GC1/III 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by JamesPerrin »

Nice subject not often seen.
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Re: Sud Aviation Vautour, GC1/III 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by celt »

Well tidy,as usual.
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Re: Sud Aviation Vautour, GC1/III 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by Zee28 »

Not a plane I am familiar with, so nice to see something different and built nicely. Well done.

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Re: Sud Aviation Vautour, GC1/III 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by ShaunW »

A great result, Spaceowl and an interesting bit of history regarding the Vautour's use by the N-N. It's a handsome jet IMHO.
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Re: Sud Aviation Vautour, GC1/III 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by PropWash »

I've wanted to add a Vautour to my collection for some time now. Really nice build you did of it.
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Re: Sud Aviation Vautour, GC1/III 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by FAAMAN »

Great looking build!! :beer: :beer:
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Re: Sud Aviation Vautour, GC1/III 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by skypirate »

A real eye-catcher!

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Re: Sud Aviation Vautour, GC1/III 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by Dazzled »

Very nice. Special Hobby I assume?
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Re: Sud Aviation Vautour, GC1/III 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by Spaceowl »

Dazzled wrote:Very nice. Special Hobby I assume?
Close! It's an Azur kit. Similar in most respects to Special Hobby though.
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Re: Sud Aviation Vautour, GC1/III 'Normandie-Niemen'

Post by Old_Tonto »

Lovely result Rob. Well worth the effort.
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