Nieuport Delage NiD-72 by Azur

1/72 scale
Kit No. A069
Cost: $20.00
Decals: 3 versions – Belgian, Brazilian, or Romanian Air Forces
Comments: 1930’s French sesquiplane fighter; includes resin and PE parts for cockpit, radiators; includes photo-etch parts (instrument panel, belts, harnesses) and film instruments; choice of fuselages and parts for Romanian variant.

History

The Neiuport Delage NiD–62 was the standard fighter of the Armee de l’Air in the late 1920’s, and was such a rugged design that it was purchased for export by other European countries, as well as Brazil. During this period, France was a recognized world leader in aircraft design. The NiD-62 had a wooden airframe but its export versions were all-metal. In 1928 the all-metal NiD-72 was designed, which arose from the popularity of the Spanish export version, which Spain later built domestically under license. The NiD-72 wings were derived from the NiD-622 wings, but the NiD-72 wing structure had all-metal structure and skin. The oil radiators were mounted below the lower auxiliary wings. Standard armament of the time was two 7.7mm machine guns, and the NiD-72 followed suit. Three production aircraft went to Belgium in 1929; four were purchased by Brazil in 1931, and in 1932 these aircraft took part in operations for and against revolutionaries, with 3 machines being flown by the Brazilian Air Force and one by the rebels.

Romania also purchased 3 production NiD-72’s; compared to the standard version, the Romanian NiD-72 featured a wooden fuselage, a hold-over from the NiD-62 design, and larger oil radiators. These aircraft participated in the 3rd Annual Race around the Little Entente in 1929.

The Kit

The NiD-72 is a limited run kit, and is injection molded with 28 grey plastic, 23 resin, and 13 photo-etch parts. There are PE seat straps, instrument panel and throttles for the cockpit, and a host of resin parts for the seat, bulkheads, internal cockpit frame and other controls.  Although there is a choice of fuselages, at a casual glance they look the same, as they have an identical shape. But the Romanian version of the NiD-72 retained the wooden fuselage of the earlier NiD-62 series, and accordingly has a series of finely engraved longitudinal lines along its length.

The alternate all-metal fuselage bears no such lines, and instead has very delicate flush-rivet detail in their place. The instructions are well illustrated and provide clear guidance for the external placement of the some of the kit’s smaller parts, including the struts, machine guns and oil radiator wells. A detailed paint guide is provided which unfortunately only calls out colors in Gunze Sangyo numbers, and in one case leaves the modeler guessing as to what color is meant by “grayish blue” for the cockpit interior. It’s pure speculation, but this may in fact be French Light Blue Grey, available from Polly Scale as No. 505242.

Conclusion

A beautifully rendered limited run kit of an important fighter of the late 1920’s and 1930’s. Highly recommended.

Reference

• www.wikipedia.org