Greetings! I got the Azur 1/32 Bloch 152- “Vichy paint scheme” cheap from Squadron. Would like to build it as a May 1940, Battle of France fighter, but I’m not familiar with the differences in the paint schemes- if I just omit the red and yellow “slave’s pajamas” stripes added after the French surrender, and use the numbers, roundels, squadron insignia, etc. as supplied in the kit, would that be historically accurate for May 1940? Can we assume that the only major difference after the fall of France is the addition of the prominent red and yellow Vichy stripes? Many thanks!
Try looking up squadron numbers, and that may answer your question. I’m not home right now, but I have a book that I will look at tomorrow and should have the answer.
By the way, there is a French Aircraft group build going on right now if you would like to join.
Thanks, Budd
Hmmm, sorry, my book doesn’t have anything helpful. From what I can find though, the markings would be noticeably different. If the instructions have any information about squadron number, etc, try looking those up. I have had great success doing that.
Hey AUSTanker, not sure on the markings/stripes option. You may have to troll around some of the European sites for an answer if you can’t find something in here. I’ll also echo Budd’s mention of the French group build going on in here. Small but varied bunch of machines on the go, would love to see you in there.
I do have a french site bookmarked that could be useful to you - don’t happen to speak any French do you?? If not I can have a look for you at some point over the next few days.
Gentlemen, I truly appreciate your help and look forward to your expert insights! I’ve done a ton of research and found a few European websites, and settled on an A/C, but I don’t read French!
Would love to get your take on a few things re: French Ace Georges Tricaud’s Bloch MB. 152-
- There is a nice full color profile of this A/C floating around the Net, if you search for “Bloch MB. 152 White 13.” The side profile hints that there were large black letters/ numbers on the underside of the wings, but you can’t make them out. Was their a system to these numbers, that would help me decipher them to decal the plane?
It was Bloch MB.152 #195, Y-682, flown by Commandant Georges Tricaud, GC III/9…could this info help me learn what the specific underwing codes were?
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The Azur 1/32 kit of the Bloch in Vichy markings includes a decal for Tricaud’s insignia, a red and white diamond with a face of a Viking-looking Gallic warrior. I’ve seen photos showing this insignia in red and white as the kit includes, but the color profile of Tricaud’s plane shows the squadron insignia painted in full color, with black diamond, silver armor on the warrior, yellow beard, etc. Any guess as to which is correct, red and white or full color? Perhaps as a squadron leader, Tricaud had a fancier paint job on his A/C?
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There’s an original black and white photo on the Net of pilots standing in front of Tricaud’s Bloch, “damaged by another pilot of GC III/9 on 23 December 1940,” but it doesn’t have the prominent yellow and red “slave’s pajamas” stripes on the nose and tail. If that 23 DEC 1940 date is correct, wouldn’t the Germans have ordered the Vichy stripes painted on by then?
Many thanks for all your expert advice! Best, Christian
PS I’ll dig out my copy of the After The Battle “Battle of France” book and see what they show…I don’t think it covers the Vichy period, but worth a shot.
For BoF markings you could always just use the profiles from the BoF Azur boxing for guidance and have some paint masks cut if necessary.
http://www.model-making.eu/products/Bloch-MB-152C.1-Battle-of-France.html
Got one of these since it was Squadron’s mystery deal yesterday. I’m thinking of trying to do it in Greek markings.