Gary, you have made this kit look better than the adverts and box art, no small achievement!!!! Bob England

Being a modler since the 60s these old kits or kits with flash or parts that refuse to get along. Well for me thats just modeling. Majority of the kits back in the dark ages of plastics came that way. Probably why you never hear us old builders kit complaining. There all fun. ❤

About to watch this with great interest. As a kid my father brought home that kit without instructions. It went together well but I had 2 grilles left over....so 50 years later I might get an answer

I built that one back in the 1970s and it was one of my better (read: least bad) efforts at the time, so I think you're right that it's a pretty nice kit for its day.

The finished product really did look first class

Is anyone else shouting, "Gary needs a Dremel". The finished result is incredible, considering it's an old Vintage Kit.

I enjoyed your build sequence. I built an SM 79 in 1/72 back in the '80s. Similar camo, [what I call ,,Pizza Crust''] only it was a khaki base and light green spots, shot on from spray cans thru a perforated mask. Prickly pear cactus leaf-size in scale. I didn't do the proper research, and sprayed the undersurface with light blue instead of the Regia Aeronautica grey. In the US, the kit was marketed by AMT, and had a goofy ''custom'' parts tree -- chromed, so you could knock yourself out making a bizarre unhistorical model, if so desired. A nose spinner for a P-40, a Hamilton Std hydraulic prop, extra machine guns, various exhaust ports, and other stuff were on the Custom bit. I ignored it but it went into the spares box.

Always fancied making this kit - mainly for the chance to do the fantastic paint scheme

About the parts around the rear gunner section: the Sparviero was originally designed as a passenger and transport aircraft but then got converted into a combat aircraft. Nice touch from Airfix to give the builder an option for both versions.

This kit is like the actual plane itself...legend

Belisimo, Gary! Just goes to show that with a little care, models of this vintage can still be made to look more than presentable. Some, not all modelers, will turn their noses up at such offerings but certain folk of a certain vintage, like me, will have fond memories, because that was all that was available back in the day. All you need now is the FIAT G50 'Freccia' to go with the 'Spaviero'. I believe that's also a 'Vintage Classic'.

I have this Airfix model too. Bought and built this around 2005.

Over the last year I have found myself gravitating to these older kits. While they have problems, the core build is a lot simpler than modern kits. I agree with putting both torpedoes on. I build to make my kits look cool rather than operationally accurate. As for senior moments, welcome to my world lol

Hi Gary, it just goes to prove you don't have to have a modern kit to turn out an excellent quality model, well done sir. Love the colour scheme. Best wishes Vic

Great Job Gary. I'm always a little nervous about older kits or less known manufacturers. As I've gotten older I seem to be able to tackle these with less frustration and more patients. I do love the Seniors Moment, I have experienced these on occasion and tend to keep them to myself. Great to be able to laugh at ourselves.

I was building vintage classics as a kid before they were vintage classics!!

Nice build and aircraft. During the 70s I built most of the Airfix aircraft, as I used to buy one every week with my pocket money, but I never purchased this one (even though I saw it for sale many times.) It may have been because it was Italian and as a child I was more excited by British, US or German aircraft models.

My father’s ship H.M.S. Nelson was torpedoed by one of these. His Tank style watch was forever stopped at that moment as it flooded his personal locker. I think it was shot down. 👍🏻🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Very nice work on the figures Gary, you’ve turned them from jelly babies into usable (and very decent) crew figures.

Very good job with a classic like the SM.79. It seemed to me that it didn't have that many complications for a kit from the sixties. I have it in my stash but I had not dared to put it together yet because being from an old tooling it could have certain problems, but you have shown that it can be put together in a simple way, a few adjustments and that's it.

Propeller trivia - 3 bladed props are normally positioned in a 'Y' configuration, with a blade pointing straight down, because it hurts less when one walks into it. If the blades are in in an inverted 'Y', then you are likely to get the sharp tip contacting your head. I didn't walk into the blade tip on a C47 while doing leak down tests on the port engine, and I didn't need stiches in the resulting wound 😇(or 'Don't ask me how I know, I just know ok?').

Finally....the two grilles I had left over are the yokes

You're too modest Gary, I thought you turned an ugly duckling into a swan quite brilliantly. Bravo mate.

Great build and video! My understanding is that the SM.79 only carried one torpedo during a combat patrol on the port set of shackles. It could fly with two but only as a transport. The starboard shackles were simpler to allow the aircraft to carry an additional reload weapon when transiting to a forward operating base.

I remember building this exact kit when I was a lad (early 90s). Quite nostalgic to see!

I remembered my older brother build the old airfix 1/72 lancaster in 1978. The crews were really terribly sculptured (being generous with the choice of word).

This brings back memories! The first model kit i built with the help of my dad in the early 90's. Great job and thanks for sharing it with us

Morning Gary, a really good recovery on the figures, I'm sure this will inspire some oc to take the knife to the figures in the future, when this kit was released, we all thought great and it is still not a bad kit, these classics push our skills, which is never bad thing, Gary a brilliant job.

Lovely job. I built this kit earlier this year as I love that era of Italian aircraft. I had to buy an after market cockpit screen as that part was missing and I opted to brush paint the kit. I also added the two torpedoes as I read somewhere one of the Italian aces did carry two torpedoes on one mission.

I built one of these a couple months ago and i think its a great kit

Nice job on this classic oldie. Love the mottling scheme. Italian planes are known for their fantastic camouflages. ✨👍✨

Beautiful kit. But in the book of the pilot Martino Aichner ("Il gruppo Buscaglia" Buscaglia's Squadron) it's said that the two torpedo set was abandoned for only one torpedo and it was preferred to have more gasoline because the distance was too long for go and go back. The configuration with only one torpedo is more realistic.

I built this around 1971. It’s quite a nice model. Great job!

Lovely looking model..great job amazing to think it was first on the market in '67

I stared with Airfix Do-217. Wonderful trip down the memory lane. Excellent build👍. I myself recently started the cycle "Then & now". First one was Bf-109 E from 1974, and second from 2020. Came out great.

Got this one couple of months ago, it was missing the door, which I made, the windows fit badly so I had to fix that, but at the end it was fun to build, more memorable the more issue you have to fix I think.

That's a blast from the past! Wonderful aircraft and very nice job putting it together. Thank you.

Really nice build, especially the figures. I can't believe they are the same blobs from the kit. We all get senior moments when modelling. I spent 5 minutes the other day looking for a black line decal. I knew I'd cut them all out and I'd already put 3 on. It was only when I rechecked the instructions that I realised there were only meant to be 3. I'd spent 5 minutes looking for a none existant decal.

The camo job is superb Gary, definitely gives the kit a boost!

Fantastic result Gary...you really did the figures justice.

Great build, you have really done this kit justice. One thing I would suggest is turning down the your air pressure a bit more and perhaps thinning your paint a little more, and get in close when spraying those difficult shapes. We can see that the camouflage pattern is not tight enough, not a criticism just an observation to improve your painting skills. I’m not the best as I am still learning.

Great job Gary, I really enjoyed your video and the finished SM79 looks stunning. Although it's an old kit you've done a great job. Keep up the good work 👏

Lovely build Gary - I've got one of these to do. I can't wait now! Thank you.

Hi Gary, I like your no fuss style. Me: Getting back to kits 40 years on. Many tubers set high bars. Intimidating. Some of their kits end up looking like they flew into an oil gusher, cartwheeled through a chicken coop, hit a saw mill before flopping in the pig stye just to get that weathered effect. I think getting younger people to engage is important. I reckon you and one or two others are in the sweet spot. Ottimo lavoro (Well done) 😊

Incredible work Gary. I’ve been looking forward to a build video of this bird since Monday. Great job!

It looks like synchronised piloting

Great job Gary!!

It turned out great!

Lovely kit great job Gary . One of my favourite models ah we all love Airfix the classic brand. Still like them bought their 1.35 Austin K2 ambulance lovely kit. Time for tea and a biscuit .Happy modelling.

very nice job, Gary!

That's a very nice build. I distinctly remember building one back in my teen years. Nowhere near as good as that though. A great colour scheme too - love it !!!!

Very nice Gary, well done

Well done Gary, a really great build and you really nailed it...makes me want to try a classic like that...like you say skill and patience.

Considering age of kit a very good outcome. Makes you wonder about effort to complete modern cockpit areas.....

Turned out really well. 👍

Gary, well done. For an older kit, no one would know it's an old kit unless they took a really close look at the finished product.

What an excellent result, Gary! Thanks for making this video. If I can ever get the clear parts for my kit, I would really love to build it.

I think the model looks good as well as the overall paint job. I did notice a fair bit of spatter on the "blobs" of colour that formed the camo scheme. Having fought with this in the past I can offer the following. First off a really cheap single action airbrush is not going to cut it, you need a good quality dual action airbrush. I had most success with Tamiya acrylic paint thinned to the point of almost being too thin with Iso Propyl alcohol (IPA). With this as a thinner the paint dries really quickly. To paint a spot on the aircraft first point the airbrush away from the model and then push down and pull back on the trigger for max paint flow. Keep the air going and shut off the paint and then point the airbrush at the bit of the model too be painted. Quite slowly pull back on the trigger until the paint just begins to flow then hold it at that and create the spot of colour you need. Avoid too much paint at all costs as it will look like a splat of paint on the model with the paint being so thin. Repeat this process for each spot of colour and go over each spot several times until the colour density looks right. It is a long winded paint scheme to spray.

Lovely job of a very interesting old kit.

Nice! Looks great Gary. I’ve not actually seen one built before. The colour choices make it pop!

The words "silk purse"and "sow's ear come to mind 😃. Nice one Gary, a beautiful model of a beautiful aircraft.

Well done, looks great.

Very nice build.

In the hospital for tests. Great to wake up to Gary and his plastic manipulations. 😀

Hi Gary , what a lovely build of a very old kit, I see you sorted the cossack dancers out too. The painting really brings the model to life, very well done.

Nicely done! It brought back memories of the days when model kits straddled that line with toys, so they needed lots of moving parts.

I picked up the original kit at a swap meet, blue plastic and original decals. The transparencies are so old that they have crystallised and gone brown. It has remained unbuilt and has gone into my kit archive collection of historic kits( Frog Firefly being another for example). I've built the Italeri kit as a replacement.

Its a beautifull plane.much more beautifull than junkers 52 in comparison

great job

Hi Gary, fit for Il Duce. You have done wonders. This build looks superb. You've done a marvelous job on the crew. In period, in my ignorance I would have used them as is, but now seeing your treatment, such an improvement. I might use a dremmel on low speed with a tiny cutter, but in principal I think I would copy your effort. Well done top draw. I wonder if the "one torpedo" operation was to save weight for fuel for long range over water missions. On the landing gear front, I suspect that the square bosses represent forked lugs for the actuator/brace rods to rotate in so straight on to the boss is probably correct. A flat filed on the ends of the brace would give a bit of area to glue to. Was there flash on the braces or was that a representation of pipe work etc. I could wish to look at one of the survivors but Italy is a long way to go for that. I wonder if one of your Italian viewers might help out there. The rods on the tail are struts, or sometime bracing struts. The "hooks" on the national markings are axe heads. The shape represents the ceremonial axe bound in sticks or rods (I've heard of them called fascines but?) that were carried ahead of the consuls of ancient Rome. I don't remember varnishing before adding transfers. Why do I see everyone doing it now? Is it something to do with modern paint? I don't remember matt varnish being very matt so I generally didn't use it. Is the modern stuff better? I do like your idea of doing a full interia but that leaves me wondering what it would look like. Italy is a long way to go. The raised panel lines don't show up at all in the vid. Interesting. It would have been interesting to see how you straightened the bent prop. In conclusion a marvellous build and an inspiration.

I did exactly the same with the crew figures in the vintage classic p61 black widow. This turned out ok as well.

nice build looks a nice kit thanks lee

Really enjoyed that - thanks! I had one of these made from wood, purchased at a jumble sale. Wish I still had it!

Lovely build Gary. I last made this kit in around 1974, it was a blue plastic if I remember correctly. Your figure work was outstanding considering what you started with. Entertaining video too. 👍

Restoration of the poor aircrew figures is a miracle. Great job on the Italian bomber. I like the paintwork camo. Keep having fun. Bill

Happy days

Very well done Gary l think you did great the crew turned out really well considering what they looked like and your airbrush skills looked alright to me not an easy camouflage scheme but for me what really set off was the red and white engine cowlings and the propellers, glad you straighten that blade out 😊 and that's a 👍

Great video!

Skilled paint job u did there nice model

Hi Gary, that was a superb build, you have done the 'vintage' kit great justice, congratulations a the great job, bedt regards from a Kiwi living in Australia 👍👍👍👍

Nice one Gary.🖒

If I find myself putting together a really old kit with little or no cockpit detail, I might try painting the inside of the glazing gloss black (maybe translucent if there is such a paint) - if you look at the box art, that's how some of the glazing appears at a distance. Well done with the crew figures!

Wow, that really comes up a treat! Congratulations Gary. I’ve got the Vintage Classic P-61 Black Widow on the “naughty shelf” temporarily. The transparencies (and there are a lot on the P-61) fit where they touch but the crew figures are a bit better than yours. I think these kits need a bit of patience and maybe putting them down for a while and relaxing when you get to a particularly awkward bit. You’re not going to get a competition winner but you will have lots of fun.

wow that's a very interesting challenge! Also nicely done

Good job. Enjoyment is where it's at, vintage or new :). Ian

Nice kit Gary! Thanks for sharing. 😎🇨🇦

Beautiful job gary great skills😂

A very good end result there Gary. As you mention, a "Vintage Classic" kit can be a bit of a challenge in comparison to a modern kit as the mould process etc was completely different 56 years ago, but at the end of the day if you can finish any kit build with a pleasing end result then that's what its all about. Glad you never had too many fit issues with the kit and what an amazing job you did with those pilot figures plus that camo scheme looks great. Im sure Im not alone in looking forward to the possibility of you building further vintage classics kits, but the one Im really looking forward to is the Fairey Rotodyne kit when its released. 👍

Informative and s helpful as ever! Loved the music, as well! I've got a red stripe version of this and it doesn't have the original kit didn't have the dashboard decal. Thanks, Gary! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Brilliant job, Gary it came out very well. As mentioned, the rear gunner looks as if he needs some privacy curtains. 😊

Very impressive. You certainly transformed those figures. I would have liked to see how you did the camouflage, but another excellent video. Might see you on Saturday in Worthing.

I don’t think you can remind yourself they’re already there if you’ve already forgot they’re there in the first place. It’s catch 22.

Video actually starts at 1:54

Re the the landing gear actuator, maybe there's pictures on line.

Nice build, but I'd love to see Airfix release a new tool to their growing line of multi-engined WW2 bombers.

It certainly looks the part, nice job 👍🏻🇦🇺

I don't know if you intended it or not but those pilots have turned out with a more than fair representation of the Italian flight suits of the period. Well done!

Hy Gary. I build the same kit in 1976 and still I have it. In my opinion Airfix captured very well the lines of the real aircraft. I noted that you placed two torpedoes as supplied by Airfix, but all the operational Sparvieros in operational actions carried only one torpedo on the left side, despite there were two racks, because with two torpodoes the flying performances were very poor. Moreover, in your model I noted that 1) the white band in fuselage is too much wide, it should be reduced to an half; 2) the front part of the engines cowlings should be bronze and not red, since they were part of the engine exhausts, if I remember well. In any case many compliments for your build and for the choice of a great Italian aircraft. I suggest you to try also the Fiat G.50 Freccia from Airfix, it is very simple and capture very well the line of the actual plane, despite the diameter of the engine cowling is a bit smaller than the original one.

Those pilots looked like the space jockey from 'Alien' :D

I like it !