1/144 Sud-Est SE.161 Languedoc - Mothership of Leduc ramjet aircraft
It would appear Anigrand has started to cast his net wider in order to source interesting and unusual aircraft to provide to the modeller. Today, we arrive in France!
The Sud-Est SE.161 Languedoc is an interesting aircraft in it own right, however the version presented to you by Anigrand is the Test Bed Launcher for the Leduc series of Ramjet Experimental Aircraft form the 1950s! (A golden age when British and French experimental aircraft look like something from a Science Fiction book!)
It will be interesting to see if this will come 'fully glazed' or if decals will be used for the windows?
I know this debate if of great concern to Airliner modellers, but apart from briefly mentioning it I will move on....
It may surprise some new comers to 1/144 this aircraft is actually already produced by a company called F-RSIN (since 2008) , and is still available directly from their website (and, maybe Hannants?). The F-RSIN Languedoc come with a different experimental aircraft the LEDCU 01 and high quality decals. It is also cheaper than the Anigrand version (but typically of equal, or greater quality)
The Bonus aircraft are interesting, and the french had many. The choices are good, in part due to the under representation of French aircraft in the Anigrand ranges. You do have to ask the question, would it have been more or less interesting to have some of the other Leduc Ramjets such as the Leduc 01, or Leduc 022 Aircraft as bonuses, especially considering the main purpose of the subject presented is the test bed ?
The French experimental would make for a great set of 'Various in one' sets that Anigrand do from time to time. Those interested in French Experimental aircraft of the 1940s-50s should visit the Creation Chaubet website which has has a range of very interesting aircraft available(but are in solid white metal)
See Anigrands Site for Details
Available: Feburary 2011
Price: $78 USD
Bonus Aircraft (Left to Right)
1. SNECMA C450 'Coleoptere'
2. SNCAN Nord N1500 Griffon 2
3. tbc ?
http://www.anigrand.com/AA4061_SE-161.htm
http://www.f-rsin.com/index.html
http://www.f-rsin.com/pages/collection/14067.html
http://jacques.chaubet.free.fr/index02e.htm
http://jacques.chaubet.free.fr/fra1946/0000.htm
http://xplanes.free.fr/stato/stato-2.html
http://www.aviastar.org/air/france/a_leduc.html
http://jpcolliat.free.fr/xfv1/xfv1-8.htm
http://kampfgruppe144.blogspot.com/2008/02/1144-sncase-se161-languedoc-leduc-01.html