The Item

If you want to bring your 1:32 scale Nieuport XXI model kit to the next level, this excellent white metal cast detail set is just the thing for you. This 9-piece complete gear set with struts not only provides sturdy, fully detailed parts replacements, but they are specifically designed to fit the attachment points of the Copper State Models kit.

Remove the parts from the casting stubs so as to avoid bending them. As with other SAC sets, there are minimal casting seams on the parts that will need to be removed. Simple scraping, filing, or sanding makes for easy clean-up. After removal from the casting stubs, the parts can be carefully polished with a rotary tool brush, then primed and painted. Because of their malleable nature the parts can be gently bent for a proper profile and perfect fit

All-in-all this set will definitely enhance the appearance of your Nieuport XXI model.

The Subject

The Nieuport XXI was a French fighter aircraft that was developed in the early 1920s. It was a single-engine, single-seat biplane, and was designed for use as an interceptor and fighter aircraft.

The Nieuport XXI was powered by a Hispano-Suiza 8Fb V-8 engine, which gave it a top speed of around 240 km/h (150 mph). It was armed with two .303 inch machine guns, which were mounted in the upper wing and synchronized to fire through the propeller arc.

The aircraft was relatively agile and maneuverable, but it was also known for being somewhat fragile and prone to structural problems. As a result, it was not as successful in service as some of its contemporaries, such as the SPAD S.XIII and the Nieuport-Delage NiD 29.

Despite its limitations, the Nieuport XXI was used by a number of air forces in the 1920s and early 1930s, including those of France, Belgium, and Romania. Some examples were also exported to other countries, such as China and Thailand.

Today, no original Nieuport XXI aircraft are known to exist, but replicas can be seen in some aviation museums and collections.

Thanks go to Scale Aircraft Conversions (SAC) for providing this set to review and to IPMS USA for allowing me to review it for them.