Hanriot HD.1  #11432 

‘The Red Headed Stepchild from Italy’

The large production numbers of this French designed bi-plane are directly attributed to foreign purchases.  Designed by Pierre Dupont, the HD-1 had excellent flying characteristics.  The type was competing with the Nieuport Company for the French government’s need of low altitude fighters.  The Spad VII had the position for high altitude.  While Nieuport took up most of the French contracts the Hanriot, an aircraft of better flying qualities was availing the lion’s share of its contracts to Italy’s Maachi Aviation (831 licensed built aircraft out of 1700 ordered.)  To a lesser degree variants were sold to America (about 26 aircraft), Belgium (125 aircraft),  France (20-24 aircraft) and Switzerland (16 aircraft.)  The first major modification came when on the Belgian issue the gun was placed centrally rather than being offset.  Also, the sight arrangement was moved from the cabane struts to the gun itself.

This is the JGMT multimedia (resin & etched metal) kit.  I replaced the kit rotary engine with a spare Eduard LeRhône rotary that I added intake pipes and push rods to.  The rigging is monofilament.  I moved the Vickers gun to an offset position to match the actual aircraft profile.  The unit decals are from the kit but the Breech shroud and the national markings are left over items from Eduard’s kit #8018.

This represents the Hanriot HD.1, Nr.11432 belonged to the 72a Squadriglia. It was a machine of French production and delivered in aluminum finish overall. This aircraft had one gun and the typical Italian windscreen. Cockades were painted over the upper wing and on fuselage sides, and had green outer rings. The lower wing under-surfaces were painted with the classic green and red wide bands of Italian practice. As for the lion colours, it is shown here in red but black is also possible, with a white outline. It reproduces the classic lion of St. Mark, more or less as it is seen over the famous high column which is so well visible when one is approaching Venice from the sea. On the original statue the tablets held by the lion carries the Latin inscription: "PAX TIBI MARCE EVANGELISTA MEUM" (may the peace be with you, Mark, my evangelist).