Morane Saulnier Type L (MS.398) Escadrille MS.12

EDUARD EU8007 BOX ART

MORANE SAULNIER TYPE N
THREE-VIEW DRAWING

This 3-view drawing is credited to J. D. Carrick or F. Yeoman and appeared in Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War compiled by W. M. Lamberton and published by Harleyford Publications Limited. The Type N was another monoplane produced by Morane Saulnier in small numbers numbers, around 50, not including possible Russian production under license, if any. Its intended use was as a fighter but its handling characteristics were dangerous and required above average piloting skill. Certain individuals in escadrilles were sent one or two Type N's all of which mounted a Hotchkiss machine gun over the cowl to fire through the propeller arc. Special metal plates were attached to the propeller to deflect rounds that hit the blades there being no synchronizing or interrupter gear available. Consult French Aircraft of the First World War by Dr. James J. Davilla and Arthur M. Soltan or Windsock Datafile Nr. 58 by J. M. Bruce.

THE MODEL TO BE BUILT

The model to be built is Morane Saulnier Type N (MS.398) of Escadrille MS.12 flown by Sergeant Jean Navarre who claimed LVG C.II C.523/15 of FFA 33 on 26 October 1915. Consult Jean Navarre - France's Sentinel of Verdun (see bibliography).

Navarre is shown in the above photo seated in a Morane Saulnier Type N. Another Type N is in the background, right. Navarrre left Escadrille MS.26 and joined Escadrille N.67 flying the more advanced Nieuport 16 and later 17. This escadrille was then equipped with Spad 7 fighters and joined the famous Groupe de Combat 12 'Les Cicognes' (composed of Escadrilles Spa.3, 26, 73, and 103). Howewer, its pilots retained a modified version of their insignia but with a stork emblem.

KIT DECALS (left) and METAL PARTS (right)

KIT PE & FILM (left) and KIT PLASTIC (right)

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 1

Just getting started with the easy stuff. The engine is a single cast metal piece with the addition of PE push rods. The cowling is painted 'aluminum' on the inside. The wheel covers and propeller cone are painted Vallejo VC0995 German Grey. Wheel tires are painted with my own mix for rubber tires. The propeller is Vallejo VC-984 Flat Brown and have the PE bullet deflectors attached in VC0 864 Natural Steel.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 2

The fuselage interior was a nightmare of delicate PE parts that repeatedly fell apart with super glue adhesive. In the future, I think it best to consider working with solder. The photo shows the next two steps: fuselage halves glued together and the wings glued to the fuselage.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 3

This photo concentrates on the main landing gear. The main struts were reinforced with flattened brass rod for strength.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 4

This photo shows the tail assemly including the rudder, hotizontal flying surface, and the tailskid sub-assembly. The plastic skid was replaced by a flattened brass rod.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 5

The wing warping support strusses are in place on the underside aft of the landing gear and topside in front of the cockpit.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 6

This photo shows a nearly finished Type N. Wheels are positioned for the photo (not glued). All of the wing warping wire holes have been drilled through the wings.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 7

The model was painted overall with Humbrol HUM103 Matte Cream. The metal parts were primed with Vallejo VJ70606 German Green Brown RAL 8000 primer.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 8

Another view of the Type N with its Matte Cream finish.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 9

Painted overall with Humbrol HUM103 Matte Cream (2 coats). When dry, cowling, decals, and semi-gloss black were applied. I was pleasantly surprised how quickly these details were done.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 10

An underside view of Type N with progress to date. The white dots on the propeller are the beginning of the prop maker's logo. Notice the brass Morane-Saulnier nameplate on the cowling.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 11

Top view of the Type N with decals and semi-gloss black paint.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 12

Left front quarter view showing the wing warp rigging. Note the carburetor breather tube and the addition of the machine gun.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 13

Top view of the Type N showing the wing warp rigging and the rudder/elevator rigging just barely visible at the tail.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 14

Homemade decals for the rudder markings.T

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 15

Nice photo of the completed model including the windscreen added last after the model was over-sprayed with polyurethane satin.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 16

Right front view of the completed Type N.

CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 17

Side view of the sleek Type N.

COLOR TABLE

Paint Color Used	Where Paint Color Used
Vallejo VC0824 Orange Ochre	Tail skid and interior wood work
Humbrol HU0103 Matte Cream	All flying surfaces and fuselage
Model Master 1778 Chrome Silver	Engine highlights
Andrea ANC001 White	Rudder central stripe
Vallejo VC0909 Vermillion	Rudder red stripe
Vallejo VC0809 Royal Blue	Rudder blue stripe
Vallejo VC0984 Flat Brown	Propeller blades
Vallejo Semi-Gloss Black (mix)	All metal work (cowling, landing gear, etc)

Bailey, Frank W. The French Air Service War Chronology 1914-1918. London: Grub Street, 2001.

Bruce, J. M. Morane Saulnier Types N,I,V, Windsock Datafile 58. Berkhamsted, Herts: Albatros Productions, 1996.

Davilla, James J. Dr. and Arthur M. Soltan. French Aircraft of the First World War. Boulder, CO, Flying Machines Press, 2002.

Hayez Lt. Colonel (French Air Force Historical Section), translated by H. D. Hastings. French Escadrilles in World War I. Cross & Cockade (US), Volume 7, Number 3, pages 205-231.

Lamberton, W. M., Compiler, and E. F. Cheesman, Editor. Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War. Los Angeles, CA: Aero Publishers, 1962.

Mason, Herbert Molloy, Jr. High Flew the Falcons. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Company, 1965.

Sumner, Ian. Kings of the Air. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen and Sword Aviation, 2015.

Wilberg, Jim. Jean Navarre - France's Sentinel of Verdun and the First French Fighter Pilots. Marceline, MO: Aeronaut Books, 2010.

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