Scratch-built 1/72 ARME-2 Montevideo

Gallery Article by Gabriel Stern on June 10 2010

 

 

   The Uruguayan ARME (nothing to do with arms, just the acronym of  “Avión de Reconocimiento Modelo Escuela”) Montevideo was a vernacular creation loosely based on the Breguet XIX. It was an observation trainer powered by a 450 hp. Lorraine. One was equipped with floats –of archaic design- aiming to a Montevideo-New York raid (Via the Pacific Ocean climbing the Andes, not an easy feat) that fell short in Colombia.

   Three machines were built and operated from the late 20’s into the mid 30’s.
This model was a commission that pressed a little bit more on the skills department, as the stringer-ridden fuselage needed a viable way to be reproduced.

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   So again a wood fuselage was created, and again the lack of vacuforming equipment of the right size prevented a copy to be made; therefore the wood shape once carved was covered with previously-engraved skin panels.

   Some small parts as per photos were vacuformed with the Mattel Psychedelic Machine, and the rest was created from styrene sheet of varied thicknesses again as per images.

   A wood prop was made and much fun was had with the 28 struts and the rigging that populate the wings and attach the floats. The two cockpits were provided with generic interiors and the decals were home-made. The fuselage and tail added up to 75 parts, the wings to 12. Floats to 18. And better to stop here.

   A certain number of images is included to depict the techniques used during construction, saving me (and you) from large explanatory paragraphs.

   Not in the same aesthetic category as the Uruguayan seaplanes posted here before, but this one had two merits: it was a local creation and after all its clumsy lines look in a –strange- way appealing.

Gabriel Stern

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Photos and text © by Gabriel Stern