Roden 1/72 Nieuport 24bis arrived yesterday

[Dave Fleming]

Finally, we have the later '15 metre' Nieuports in 1/72 injection moulded. Roden have released the Nie24bis first.

http://www.roden.eu/HTML/059.htm

Decal options are:

1. Nieuport 24c1bis, (s/n and pilot unknown), Escadrille N.97, Aviation Militare, 1917.

2. Nieuport 24bis, (serial and pilot unknown), Soviet Army, Slavnoe's Air Group, 13 Fighter Detachment, Priyamino airfield (now in Belorussia), May 1920.

3. Nieuport 24bis, no. N3263, Unknown Training Squadron, USAS, France, late 1917.

Some self explanatory screen shots.

Fuselage

Wings - note how Roden correctly protray the underside rib positions as indented.

This third sprue is familiar - it's from the Roden Camel kit, used for the engine, gun and a couple of smaller pieces. Clever design, saves them from cutting a whole new mould, just a few pennies on plastic - and lots of spares!!

A comparison with the Eduard Nie 17 - I think the Roden is just as good, if not better, than the 'straight from the box'plastic version of the Eduard.

Roden also get the subtle nuances of the 24/24bis/27 spot on - the slightly wider wing chord and the different angle on the 'V' struts (Because the wing spars were closer together on the new wing)

Only downsides are no windscreen (Not fitted to all Nie 24bis), and no RFC decals - an opportunity for a resouceful aftermarket producer, there is an Nie24bis in that famous line up of No 1 Squadron!

To build a RFC bird, a foster mount for a Lewis gun will be needed, but I have a stock of Aeroclub items.

I look forward to the Nie 24 and 27 kits (maybe RFC, as there is a Lewis gun there....), and will be experimenting with spare Eduard wings and struts with a view to later doing Nie 17bis and Nie23bis

Edited January 21, 2011 by Dave Fleming

[Dave Fleming]

Comments from a friend who has already built it - the plastic is very soft, but it's very good.

http://wwi.priswell.com/french/nieuport/index.htm#nie24bis

[Paul RH]

Excellent review Dave...you have made the the differences clear. nice one..thanks

[alex]

nice review. Good luck with the decals, hope they are better than they used to!

Alex

[Killingholme]

Right, I'll be having one of those then. Thanks for the detailed description of the parts.

Will

[Dave Fleming]

Thanks guys - I don't think the kits are available yet in the Uk, but I got mine from ebay from a seller in Poland for a few pounds less (including postage) than the indicated UK retail price.

[Obi-Jiff Kenobi]

Only downsides are no windscreen (Not fitted to all Nie 24bis), and no RFC decals - an opportunity for a resouceful aftermarket producer, there is an Nie24bis in that famous line up of No 1 Squadron!

That's the bird I'd want to build. Hopefully someone will oblige.

Thanks for the review.

[Dave Fleming]

That's the bird I'd want to build. Hopefully someone will oblige.

Thanks for the review.

Hi OJK,

On checking, I discovered that Nie is on the now sadly OOP Americal sheet for No 1 Squadron, although without it's serial as it was not known at the time.

The Roden kit has a pitot on the interplane strut, which could indicate that the 24 or 27 kit has an RFC option planned.

[Obi-Jiff Kenobi]

Thanks Dave. I think I'll wait and see what Roden or aftermarket companies have planned before I look for the Americal sheet.

[Rowan Broadbent]

Thanks Dave. I think I'll wait and see what Roden or aftermarket companies have planned before I look for the Americal sheet.

Hello Obi-dobbi-do-dah...

Just finished the drawings for all the round-fuselage'd Nieuports and will be producing stickers for a variety of nationalities, inc RFC and 1 Sqn (for which you seem to have a exaggerated partiality...) initially in 72nd, but 32nd will follow when the bigger Roden kits are here - in June it seems. Nice to see them getting back to 72nd. In 48th there is the Nie.24 and 25 from Karaya. Very nice resin kits - I wonder if we shall see some in this scale from Roden as well?

[Dave Fleming]

Hello Obi-dobbi-do-dah...

Just finished the drawings for all the round-fuselage'd Nieuports and will be producing stickers for a variety of nationalities, inc RFC and 1 Sqn (for which you seem to have a exaggerated partiality...) initially in 72nd, b

Mmm, now do I go ahead with my build plan or wait and see what Rowan produces.........

[Obi-Jiff Kenobi]

Hello Obi-dobbi-do-dah...

Just finished the drawings for all the round-fuselage'd Nieuports and will be producing stickers for a variety of nationalities, inc RFC and 1 Sqn (for which you seem to have a exaggerated partiality...)

I do indeed, so I shall be adding this sheet to my shopping list.

Mmm, now do I go ahead with my build plan or wait and see what Rowan produces.........

Wait and see what Rowan produces. Have you got any of his sheets? They are the dog's danglies, as they say.

[Dave Fleming]

I do indeed, so I shall be adding this sheet to my shopping list.

Wait and see what Rowan produces. Have you got any of his sheets? They are the dog's danglies, as they say.

All the 1/72 RFC ones so far - but I have a plan for my Nieuports, I even made a little table on a spreadsheet............