Newsletter n°03

Balnot, December the 15 th, 2016

This is our third Newsletter on the Bizerte project. You are receiving it because you registered (with an email address) for a Bizerte kit in 1/72 nd scale (and/or a book).

 

Follow up, next Newsletter on: march 2016


1 - Kit :
1.1 Technical points

We met recently Special Hobby and discussed with them. As they already told us, they are not too keen to go to this kit, of quite big size, which shows a quite big risk, for the hull.

SH started to work on a Sunderland kit in 1/72 nd, and they experienced a break in the hull mould, at a weak point. Consequently, SH is not ready to go to a quite similar kit without having first solved the hull trouble on the Sunderland.

Special Hobby had said in Fall that we would meet again in Nuremberg (end of January 2017) to exchange informations on the Sunderland progesses. The release of the SH Sunderland kit, more exactly the hull problem resolution, is a prerequisite to launch the Bizerte project.


1.2 Subscriptions

Quite naturally, the flow of new subscribers has slowed down during the last months. We are still at too low a level to launch the project without risks. We will raise the awareness again in Nuremberg and in the meetings (IMPS, clubs) where we will appear.


2 - Other topics – the book
The book on the Bizerte should have been published by Artipresse, possibly with a part taken by FRROM. Artipresse will go alone on this book.

Artipresse has not communicated any new schedule for the book, but information dosn't seem too encouraging, given their last performances :

  • A book on the Trident was scheduled (according to Air Mag Nr 65, december 2015) for end of january 2016, now the book is under subscription for release on beginning of 2017.

  • Air Magazine, published by Artipresse, is supposed to be released every two months. The release was already quite erratic, and the last issue was Nr 66 (january/ february 2016). It seems issue 67 is scheduled for january 2017, but it also seems quite difficult to launch a subscription on the Trident without giving a release date for the magazine.

  • Ciel de Guerre issue Nr 28, on Israeli aviation (fourth part) was scheduled two weeks after Air Mag 66 but is not out yet. This magazine was ready to print on february 2016.

  • Nr 4 of Ailes Françaises, on the french floatplanes (second part) was supposed to be released at least two years ago.

  • Some other books have been advertised many years ago (one on the Italian air force during the Spanish Civil War, another one on the DB2/IL4, to name a few) without going out, for the moment.

Gérard Bousquet, the Bizerte book author, feels himself morally committed with Artipresse. We will see what schedule we will get (the real schedule may differ from the plan).

Z - Summary

This chapter will contain technical informations on the aircraft variants given in the Newsletters (we might or might not go for these variants).

Z.1 Hull

The standard Bizertes (Nr3 to 37) did have an improved hull, differing from the hulls used on Nr1 and 2 and Saigons (same hull on Nr 1, 2, and the two Saigons - TBC). As the hull is a quite big part of the kit (and therefore costy), we should produce only the hull for Nr 3 to 37. The long canopy was used from Nr3 to 37 and will be provided in the kit

Z.2 Engines
We wish to study the fitting of alternate engines :

  • on the prototype (but... we will not go for the prototype – hull differences)

  • on another plane, for trials (Hispano Suiza engine). The trials proved unsatisfactory but the engines were kept during quite a long time (then replaced by standards G&N engines),

For sure, preparing to go for alternate engines will complicate a bit the project.