Plastic model aircraft kit Encore Models EC32002 RAF S.E.5a McCudden — 1:32 with scale aircraft conversions metal parts

Encore Models and what makes this kit different

Encore was essentially Squadron Products' reboxing/upgrading brand, rather than a conventional model manufacturer developing its own range of injection moulds. Squadron took existing kits from other manufacturers and combined them with additional resin, photo-etched metal, decals and other accessories to create more comprehensive special editions. A contemporary description of the brand specifically explains that Encore kits were upgraded versions of existing manufacturers' kits.

That distinction is particularly important with EC32002. The basic plastic is derived from the Roden 1:32 S.E.5a, but Encore turned it into a much more elaborate McCudden-specific package.

Large Scale Planes records the Encore kit as EC32002, injection moulded, 1:32 scale, while separately listing Roden's S.E.5a kits.
What is actually in the box?

This is where the Encore kit is substantially more interesting than an ordinary Roden boxing.

The documented contents are:

Over 150 injection-moulded plastic parts

25 resin parts

Three photo-etched frets

Colour photo-etched cockpit components

Resin components specifically intended to reproduce McCudden's modified aircraft

Resin propellers

Resin radiator-related components

Resin exhaust components

Resin wing inspection plates

1:32 resin figure of James McCudden

Painting masks

Cartograf decals

Markings for four aircraft

Full-colour assembly instructions

Dedicated photo-etch installation instructions

Complete aircraft rigging diagram

This unusually detailed contents list is confirmed by contemporary reviews from both Modeling Madness and HyperScale.

The HyperScale review is particularly useful because it records more than 150 plastic parts, 25 resin parts and three photo-etched frets, while also noting that the kit was supplied with markings for four aircraft.
The plastic tooling

The underlying Roden plastic was already regarded as a good representation of the S.E.5a. The HyperScale review notes that the main components matched published plans well, with particularly restrained fabric representation on the wings. The reviewer did note that the wings were slightly longer than expected and could be corrected by sanding the extremities.

Encore's major contribution was therefore not a new airframe tooling, but the extensive detailing package.

This includes the areas that modellers commonly wanted to improve on the original Roden kit, particularly:

cockpit

seat and harness

radiator

exhaust

inspection panels

undercarriage

cockpit surround

engine details

The three photo-etched frets are a particularly important part of the package. One contains coloured cockpit parts, allowing the modeller to achieve considerably more detail without having to scratch-build instrument panels and other small components.

The review describes the kit as essentially a complete makeover of the Roden release, rather than simply a rebox with different decals.
McCudden-specific parts

This is probably the most interesting feature for collectors.

James McCudden's S.E.5a was not entirely standard. Encore included resin components to reproduce the aircraft's individual configuration.

His early S.E.5a had a modified/enlarged cockpit area, and the kit provides this as a resin replacement component.

The kit also provides alternative landing-gear arrangements and other components because McCudden's aircraft changed during his operational career.

According to the contemporary review, the options allow the modeller to build two of McCudden's aircraft in three different configurations/markings, while the decal package overall contains four aircraft options.

The marking options include:

McCudden's early 56 Squadron machine with the large “G” marking and squadron dumbbell

The same aircraft after the rear fuselage marking was changed to a white band

His later aircraft carrying the number “6”

The later aircraft's distinctive red spinner

The later aircraft also had a strengthened double-tube undercarriage arrangement.

That makes this much more than a generic S.E.5a: it is effectively a McCudden-specific conversion/detail set packaged together with the basic kit.
Decals

The decals are another significant upgrade.

The kit uses Cartograf-printed decals, which the contemporary review specifically praised for excellent registration and minimal carrier film.

For collectors, this means that a complete kit should ideally retain its original decal sheet. Replacement aftermarket decals can be found for the S.E.5a, but they don't necessarily reproduce the specific McCudden options supplied in this kit.

Consequently, an opened example should be checked for:

the decal sheet;

all three photo-etched frets;

the resin components;

the resin McCudden figure;

the painting masks;

instructions.

The resin and photo-etch are particularly important because replacing all of those components individually could be difficult and expensive.
Instructions and rigging

The instruction package is unusually comprehensive.

The contemporary review describes the instructions as full colour, with detailed construction illustrations and a substantial section explaining exactly where the photo-etched parts are fitted and which plastic parts need modification or removal.

There is also a dedicated rigging diagram, with portions of the rigging highlighted in colour.

This is useful because the S.E.5a has extensive external bracing wires, and the Encore instructions are intended to guide the modeller through the complete arrangement.

This isn't therefore a beginner-oriented 1:32 kit despite its conventional injection-moulded foundation. The combination of plastic, resin, photo-etch and rigging makes it much more of a serious scale-modelling project.
The real aircraft — shorter history

The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 first flew in 1916 and was developed into the S.E.5a, which became one of Britain's principal fighters during the latter part of the First World War.

It combined a relatively robust airframe with good high-altitude performance and was particularly effective as an escort and reconnaissance fighter.

The S.E.5a was normally powered by the 200 hp Hispano-Suiza or related Wolseley Viper engine depending on production batch.

It became strongly associated with several famous RFC/RAF pilots, including Albert Ball, Edward Mannock and James McCudden.
James McCudden

McCudden was one of Britain's most highly decorated WWI airmen.

He joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1913, initially as an air mechanic, and subsequently became a pilot and commander. His technical knowledge was unusual for a fighter pilot and influenced the way he prepared and operated his aircraft.

By the time of his death in July 1918, McCudden was credited with 57 aerial victories, making him one of the highest-scoring British Empire aces of the war. The contemporary Encore review describes him as the seventh-highest-scoring WWI ace and notes his exceptionally long service.

McCudden was killed in an accident on 9 July 1918, shortly after take-off from Auxi-le-Château, while flying an S.E.5a.

The Encore kit concentrates specifically on this late-war chapter of his career, which explains the inclusion of the resin figure and the several personalised aircraft configurations.