Hi Mark  – this will be an excellent save on your SE5a Also – Thank You for showing us the bits in place and giving us your take, this is most helpful! Best Regards Mikael

Mark, Glad to see this is helping you past your mishap! That being said I have to ask the following: Am I the only one who thinks the Encore SE conversion looks like a turret from a 1930's 2 seater? I look at the pics of Macs earlier, read Voss fight, bird and the lines seem much more subtle and refined. Maybe I am wrong, what do others think? RAGIII

From what I have seen of this modification on real SE 5a aircraft the bulge was little more than an effort to expand the cockpit for the shoulders of the pilots. It composed 2 half moon cresent shaped additions (one to each side). I may have some images I can share. More later.

Stephen, Looking forward to any pics you can post! I know what I think I see in High in the Empty Blue and other references. Just wondering if my eyes are wrong! RAGIII

The first field modifications amounted to cutting them down and adding to the cockpit sides or just cutting them down only. McCudden's aircraft was similar. These were all seen when 56 RFC was doing some home duty chasing Gothas in June - July 1917.

In 1910, James McCudden joined his father in the Royal Engineers as a 15 year old bugler. By the time war was declared, he was an aircraft mechanic with 3 Squadron in the Royal Flying Corps. One of three brothers to serve with the RFC, he saw combat in France as an observer and gunner before returning to England for flight training in 1916. His talents as a pilot were so extraordinary that he became an instructor within days of receiving his aviator's certificate. By the beginning of April 1918, 22 year old James McCudden was the most decorated pilot in the Royal Air Force. Sadly, he was killed three months later when his aircraft stalled after take off and crashed to the ground. Here is the late productuion standard on another kit representing 56 Sqn RAF late 1918.

Remember this old thread? build notes The late production factory standards increase the cockpit sides and allowed for more interior room accomidating pilots with broader shoulders. Again Roden did it before anyone else. The images I used here were from my 1:48 builds.

Thanks for the info Stephen, I'm building a kit with this conversion now and appreciate the background. Nice to see yours underway Mark. Ted

Hi Rick: I do agree, that in the raw it does have the '30's look to it. Final judgement will have to be made once the thing is done. Special thanks and a hats off also to Stephen for providing the references and the models displaying the various modifications to the SE5 cockpit area. Hope to tackle this this summer sometime after we get situated and I finish the Albatros. Best Mark