[melsharkskin]

Thanks yet again. That still leaves open the question of the Roden S.E.5a kit that was used in the Encore mixed-media kit. Has anyone found any errors in, say, the undercarriage struts, axle/spreader or, for that matter, the tail skid? And while I'm asking, is the kit overall accurate, or does it need some work here and there?

And how good of a job did Squadron do on the new four-bladed prop, as well as the LVG spinner and its four separate blades? (I don't know who contracted to do the resin, but I would guess it was CMK based on similar past projects.)

One sad paradox with the Encore kit is that, though they did an outstanding job replicating the built-up coaming on the McCudden a/c, the effect serves to hide the enormous amount of PE detail that was added to the kit, since the cockpit opening is not only smaller, it's a good half-inch higher and hence that much darker in the cockpit for those things that can be seen.

Back to the undercarriage, I found an interesting quote in the Kagero book that I haven't been able to back up with other sources yet. On page 23 of Kagero's Legends of Aviation Vol.4, S.E. 5a: After large-scale production of the S.E.5a began at the Vickers and Martynside Ltd. plants, "the 150 hp. machines were later refitted with 200 hp engines (e.g. A8898). This change had to usually [sic] be followed by the change of the landing gear legs to steel ones, as 200 hp engines were heavier and the wooden landing gear too weak." It goes on to mention that Vickers-built S.E.5a's had slightly different aft fuselages, but does not elaborate on what those differences were.

Further, Kagero's book says that the wooden undercarriage was tried again later in 1917, in an effort to save weight, but with bad results, so the heavier metal-constructed u/c was retained specifically in the Wolesely-built machines.

I think I'm getting one of those AMS headaches now.

Thanks a bunch Bill for those great photos. The bullet fairings were also a matter of my curiosity. Now I'm going to have to look into that. I had no idea these had anything to do with the bungee cords. Can you tell me their function?