Some
history:
After
an issued specification for a twin-engined "Flying Cruiser" in 1934,
Stampe and Vertongen accepted the challenge and started their largest project.
Their creation would be a fixed-undercarriage biplane manned by a crew of three;
maximum speed had to be at least 350 km/h, whereas landing speed could not
exceed 110 km/h. Further instructions pointed out to fully aerobatic capacities,
the new machine would be used as a bomber AND a fighter!
This specification stuck to obsolete theories which larger Air Forces had
dropped as early as the mid-1920's, after a handful of disappointing prototypes
had been flight-tested, such as the French Bréguet 41M of 1931.
The
design-office came out with the drawings for the SV-10: as a compact and
powerful aircraft, powered by twin 780 hp Gnome radials, it was a pleasure to
look at.
Click on
images below to see larger images
The
prototype was crabbed out of the hangar on 01.10.1935 and was taken for
its first flight by Jean Stampe; the second flight was done by his son Leon on
04.11.1935. On the following day Leon took off again with chief-designer Ivanow
aboard, with the strict order not to use the landing flaps. After a while the
SV-10 was seen coming back above the field at low speed, engines throttled back,
at about 1,000 feet. The large plane suddenly went into a left spin, recovered
and went then in a right spin, resulting in a crash, wrecking the aircraft and
killing the two men aboard. Several theories still exist, but what had happened,
was never quite found out! After the accident, Stampe and Vertongen decided to
drop the SV-10 program and Demidoff, a Russian-born engineer was entrusted
with the technical department after the sad demise of Ivanow. The information
for this little part of history, comes from the book "Les Avions Stampe"
by Reginald Jouhaud, mostly in French but with some summaries in English. The
picture with the SV-10 being crabbed out of the hangar, comes out of the SV-collection.
Also helpful was the book: "L'Aviation Militaire Belge", part 2
by J.C.Devester
In the
Stampe-Vertongen
Museum
at the
airport
of
Antwerp, we do have the tombstones of Leon Stampe and Ivanow. This model will be placed
there as a salute to this Belgian aircraft builder and the two pioneers that
gave their life.
The
Kit:
After
some delay, Vami models introduced this limited run resin kit. And as a
volunteer at our
Stampe
Museum, this was a "must do"-project to illustrate a nearly forgotten part
of Antwerp history.
As
most limited run-kits, this is not an easy one to build. First of all, one has
to start with removing flash and cleaning all the parts. Next or even more
important part: get enough and clear information and pictures, if possible.
About the SV-10 not much is believed to exist, except some beautiful pictures,
kept scrupulous out off view by some collectors, terrified to loose their
treasures.
While
cleaning the fuselage, I discovered there was a window missing, on both sides.
(After the model was finished, I discovered that I missed another two on both
sides!! I will correct that on the next one, I have two more kits waiting
for my attention)
The
remainder is just carefully studying the plan(? picture 04!!), your references
(available pictures and drawings) and logical thinking (and sometimes supposing
and assuming!). The engines need special care: you have to compose the engines.
You have the main part and then you have to clean and glue the tiny, little
cylinders in place. Somewhere in my search for info, I discovered that the
designer was planning to use the 10-cilinder Armstrong Siddeley Serval-engine of
340 hp beside the choice of the Gnome 14-cilinder of 780 hp. The cylinders are
well detailed but very small, there are some spares and you'll need them; I lost
two or three of them but got two complete miniature Serval's completed
nevertheless!!
The
next problem I had to solve was the colour scheme. The one on the plan, told me
to paint everything in khaki. But one of the pictures available, shows the
aircraft with an unpainted (silver?) nose-section so that is the one I have
applied on my model: underside of the wings and part of the nose in aluminium;
the upper parts of the wings and fuselage in khaki drab. Wheel slabs, struts and
engine nacelles are in black. I haven't applied any weathering; I think the
plane to be rather "factory-fresh" when it crashed (it only made three
flights).
Some
rigging was done after close inspection of the pictures and decals were sparse:
just 4 roundels on the upper and lower wingtips, that was all!!
Feel
free to visit us at www.stampe.be
or if you're visiting Antwerp, visit the real museum!!
Carl Gootzen
Click on
images below to see larger images
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