ADVANCED BUILD
Richard Spreckley builds Special Hobby’s limited-edition Italian Breda 65A-80, which is packed full of extras.
Breda’s Ba.65A was designed originally as a multi-role aircraft for the Aviazione Legionaria, the Italian expeditionary corps, in the Spanish Civil War. During the campaign, it became apparent that the type was a superb ground-attack aircraft, rivalling Germany’s Stuka. It packed four wing-mounted Breda SAFAT machine guns, a 440lb internal bomb load and could also carry external ordnance of up to 2,200lb. The original Gnome-Rhône K14 radial engine proved underpowered, being replaced with a Fiat A.80 RC.41 18-cylinder, twin-row radial powerplant. The Ba.65 had a maximum speed of 270mph, a range of 300 miles and a service ceiling of 20,700ft.
It was so successful in the Spanish Civil War that Italy continued to use it against Allied forces in North Africa, where it suffered heavy losses against British fighter squadrons, to the point where most of the fleet had been either shot down or put out of service by early 1942.
Special Hobby is renowned for offering interesting subjects and this is no exception. The model comes with three light grey styrene runners, which on first inspection are well moulded. There…
