Azur/FRROM 1/72 Potez 25 Salmson 18 CMb, previewed by Scott Van Aken

HISTORY

Potez 25 (also written as Potez XXV) was a French twin-seat, single-engine biplane designed during the 1920s. A multi-purpose fighter-bomber, it was designed as a line aircraft and used in a variety of roles, including fighter and escort missions, tactical bombing and reconnaissance missions. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Potez 25 was the standard multi-purpose aircraft of over 20 air forces, including French, Polish and American. It was also popular among private operators, notably mail transport companies.

2,500 aircraft were built in France with license production taking place in Yugoslavia, Poland and Romania as well as other countries.. The popularity of the type was in part due to the airframe being able to be adapted to a variety of engines. This particular kit provides the option to build a Salmson powered aircraft. This engine was a bit unusual as it was a water cooled radial. Not that many were built and most were used as trainers. A few found their way to Spain and were used in the Spanish Civil War.

THE KIT

Azur/FRROM kits are all made by the MPM/Special Hobby group. This one is typical with the molding in a light grey plastic. As the base sprues are used for other variants, you'll fine several parts not used in this boxing, which is for the Salmson powered aircraft. In fact, the kit provides a separate sprue (L) just for this variant. Typical of these sorts of kits, you will need to drill some holes and fill a bit to properly portray this variant. The instructions show you exactly where this needs to be done so it would be wise to actually read through it before starting. The photo etch fret is fairly extensive. It consists of the wire wheels, control actuators and rigging attachment points.

Construction starts logically with the interior and is quite complete with both the pilot and observer/gunner's positions. In addition to the rear gun (which is on a Scarff ring and installed near the end), you are provided with a camera. Fuselage is in left and right halves with a separate bottom. The forward fuselage is also separate to deal with the different engines. The streamlined fairings for each cylinder asre separate items and while it does increase the number of parts, it also eliminates a possible seam that could be difficult to clean up. Attaching the upper forward fuselage piece traps a set of cabane struts. Lower wings are a single piece and while the 'hills and valleys' may be a bit much for some, this can be sanded or even filled in if you wish.

Once the nose is attached, then comes the upper wing. Some of these planes had fuel tanks attached and the instructions guide you through that. All the other struts are single pieces so some sort of jig would probably be useful. Next the tailplanes are attached and the landing gear made up. Not all options use wire wheels so you need to know which set of markings you'll be using fairly early. If you do pick the wire wheels, you'll need to replace the axle stubs with something thinner.

One of the final steps is rigging. The kit provides wire attachment areas in the p.e. set. You are also provided a complete rigging diagram. After that, one attaches the bomb racks and bombs if you are using those as well as the gun and the proper propeller depending on the markings option chosen.

Instructions are excellent and in color. It provides Gunze paint references. All three markings options are for various French units and are painted pretty much the same way. One has a white fin and that is about it for differences (other than unit badges and numbers). The large decal sheet is very nicely done. I've darkened it a bit so you can see the white bits.

CONCLUSIONS

It is great seeing interwar planes being kitted. Especially this one as it was used so widely in the late 1920s and the 1930s. Azur/FRROM has produced several boxings, each with different engines and this one adds to that growing list. This is not a kit for beginners and it helps if one is used to working with small p.e. parts. The end result will be a very neat model of probably one of the most widely used basic aircraft designs of the interwar period.

My thanks to Azur/FRROM for the review kit. Get yours today at your local retailer or ask them to order it in for you.

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and fairly quickly, please contact the editor or see other details in the Note to Contributors.

KIT #:	FR0054
PRICE:	$
DECALS:	Three options
REVIEWER:	Scott Van Aken
NOTES:	Short run with p.e.