I-16 Cowling Face Detail

[John Thompson]

Here's a partial image of the Microdesign 1/72 I-16 photoetch set. Two styles of late cowling faces are given, one with all 9 small pear-shaped bulges, the other with the one between cylinders 1 and 9 missing:



The absence of the small bulge is also visible in this image from Massimo's type 24 page:



What is the reason for the difference between the two styles? Could it be because of the addition of the speed regulator? In that case it would be missing on all aircraft with the regulator, but I'm sure I've seen photos of aircraft with the rectangular bulge for the regulator cover, and having all nine of the pear-shaped ones, not just eight, as shown above. Maybe it's a field modification?

I'm trying to relate the presence or absence of this very small detail either to specific types, to a specific engine (M-62 or M-63), or to early or late production of the type 24. I've studied the information here on this site and also the detailed description of building the Eduard 1/48 kit here:
https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/forodemodelismo/viewtopic.php?t%3D8617%26sid%3Dc34773d822b8a6ffb087ec9b303d5461

...but with no answer. Does anyone know? Thank you in advance!

John

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi John,

the peculiarities of the vent at 1 o'clock are due to the speed regulator that interfered with the shutters plate.

In type 18, early 24, 27, early 28 the window was left as usual, but the shutter had an opening to avoid interference that was visible when it was closed.  Part of the regulator was visible through the vent.
In late 24, probably late 28 and 29 the vent was reduced because the regulator changed something (its outer fairing is slightly moved up, else it was forthemost hidden by the spinner) and the bulge between the vents was removed.
Unfortunately the piece 2 of the photoetched sheet fails to show the shortening of the vent, visible in the photo.

Regards
Massimo

[John Thompson]

Hi Massimo! Thank you very much for that detailed answer! My guess about the difference between early and late type 24s was close to the truth, then - well, even a blind squirrel finds an acorn sometimes...   

I'm surprised that Microdesign didn't include the rectangular cover as a separate part to be added during assembly - the set includes some much smaller parts than this. I don't have the p/e yet, but I checked on-line images of the parts and of the instructions, and there is nothing. The Gonza photoetch set has the two different cowling faces like the Microdesign one, but again this cover is not included.

Thank you again!

Cheers;
John

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi John,
perhaps they have thought that the part should be thicker than the tiny metal sheet.
Thank you for showing these interesting sets.
Regards
Massimo

[John Thompson]

Here's a thumbnail of the whole Microdesign p/e set; the original image is quite large:


And a thumbnail of the Gonza p/e set:


John

[Massimo Tessitori]

But...has Gonza made the engine as a photoetched piece? Is there another sheet for cockpit and gear?

Massimo

[John Thompson]

But...has Gonza made the engine as a photoetched piece? Is there another sheet for cockpit and gear?

Massimo

As far as I know, that's the only sheet. No, it's not a photoetched engine assembly, even though it looks almost complicated enough. It's an assembly of parts that allows the builder (if he's skillful and careful enough!) to create a movable set of shutters inside the cowling face! Maybe I should post an image of the instructions. There's no way I'm good enough to build it - I just use the cowling face itself, glued to the kit's cowling, for added detail.

John

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi John,
movable metal parts... I expect to see a lot of gold-shining scratches at the first attempt of actioning.
Regards
Massimo