Improving the Hanriot HD.1

The kit offers two versions: the Italian of the 78 Squadriglia and the other is the Belgian fighter piloted by Willy Coppens who scored 37 victories flying Hanriots, becoming not only the maximum Belgian ace but also developing an especial expertise in shooting down enemy observation balloons. I decided to represent the machine piloted by Coppens in mid 1918. It’s a Hanriot HD.1 that belonged to the 9me escadrille “Le Chardon”

His wartime career came to an end however on 14 October 1918 - less than a month prior to the armistice when he was struck in the leg by an incendiary bullet while achieving victory number 37 - his final 'kill'. This resulted in a severed artery and a crash landing from which he emerged in the safety of Allied lines. His left leg nevertheless had to be amputated.
Having served as a post-war military attaché to France, Britain, Italy and Switzerland, Coppens retired in 1940. He published his war memoirs, Days on the Wing, in 1931.

The kit
This kit (8018) is a good quality release from the Czech company Eduard but, it needs some modifications and improvements. Since this is a non- Profipack version, I used the Hanriot HD.1/HD.2 Profipack detail set (kit 8034).

The full article can be found here