Kit: No. 4811
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Czech Model, available from Squadron Mail Order, 1115 Crowley Drive, Carrollton, TX 75011-5010, 979-242-8663, www.squadron.com
Price: $39.95
Comments: Mixed media, 80 parts (31 injection-molded, 45 resin, four vacuum-formed), decals
Pros: Colorful subject, sharp resin parts, good decals
Cons: Some resin parts broken, pilot’s cockpit a little too big to fit in fuselage, short axles for wheels and prop
Military aircraft of the 1930s can be described as colorful and obscure. The rapid changeover from biplanes to monoplanes, and the advancement in engine design and performance led to a parade of ever-more-capable aircraft that saw limited production.
Among the U.S. Army aircraft of the era was the Curtiss Shrike – a name bestowed by the company, and not officially applied by the Army. These metal-skinned attack monoplanes were the first U.S. Army aircraft to utilize take-off and landing flaps.
Only 14 Curtiss Conqueror-powered A-8s were produced (officially designated XA-8 (1), YA-8 (5), and Y1A-8 (8). They were followed by 46 Wright Cyclone-powered A-12s, some of which were still in use as trainers in 1942.
What’s inside the box is proof that Czech Model has raised the bar on quality among short-run kit manufacturers. The gray plastic sprues are bagged separately from the cast resin and vacuum-formed parts.
The sprue attachment points are large, so use a razor saw to separate the parts. Both recessed and raised details are sharply molded. Two different propellers are included; one could be suitable for an A-12 kit if it comes.
Two sets of vacuum-formed canopies are provided; they were easy to cut from the surrounding sheets, so I didn’t need the spares. The resin parts are produced by Squadron’s True Details, and they include cockpit details, a rear gun, radiators, exhaust stacks, gun barrels, strut fairings, flap and aileron actuators, and resin bulged tires.
The decal sheet was well-printed, with markings and stencils for two Shrikes from the 37th Attack Squadron in 1934. The nine-step instructions include history, a parts map, and color and markings diagrams.
The resin forward cockpit didn’t quite fit into the plastic fuselage. Mine was 3/32″ too long at the rear, and the instrument panel was too tall and too wide. I sanded everything down to fit. My sample’s rudder pedals had separated from the floor. The rear cockpit was OK.
I lightly sanded all the mating surfaces and test-fitted the fuselage halves before gluing them. I decided not to cut open the small rear-view windows in the fairing behind the pilot’s cockpit; I just painted them black to save time.
The fit of the two upper wing panels to the one-piece lower panel was nearly perfect, but the fit of the fuselage to the wing was tight. By bending the wings down, the fuselage can fit into the opening, but this risks decreasing the molded-in dihedral.
The landing-gear spats fit OK, but getting the wheel axles into the holes inside the spats was difficult. The propeller has a short shaft with no backer, so if you want to have it spin, you’ll have to make an axle and end cap.
I temporarily left off the small parts, struts, and horizontal stabilizers to make the model easier to paint. I used Testor and discontinued Floquil military colors. Note that the FS number given for olive drab is for a flat sheen; it should be glossy. The canopies benefited from a dip in Future floor polish before the frames were painted.
The decals went on without problems. I expected trouble adding the two pairs of wing struts. Hallelujah! They fit perfectly. The horizontal stabilizers needed only minor sanding of the mating edges for a perfect fit.
The most time-consuming chore was adding the stretched sprue brace wires; someday I’ll try monofilament. Executing a smooth glossy paint scheme and adding the rigging drove my build time up to nearly 40 hours. Nonetheless, I think the resulting model is spectacular! It looks right compared with photos in the old Profile No. 128. I’m going to have a hard time waiting for an A-12.
– Allan F. Jones