1:48 Curtiss-Wright SNC-1 Falcon II

The Curtiss-Wright SNC-1 Falcon II in 1:48 scale from Dora Wings

An injection-molded plastic kit of the American two-seat SNC-1 Falcon II trainer in 1:48 scale from Dora Wings. The model is supplied as a set of plastic parts, unassembled and unpainted.

The real subject

SNC-1 is the naval designation of an advanced trainer derived from the Curtiss-Wright CW-22 line. It is an all-metal cantilever low-wing monoplane with retractable landing gear, a radial engine and two crew positions in tandem under a long cockpit glazing. The design deliberately copied the layout of the combat airplanes of the day, so that a student would master the retractable gear, the variable-pitch propeller and the flaps before moving on to a frontline type. Machines of this type served from the early 1940s for advanced pilot training and for training aerial gunners and navigators. Alongside naval service, related CW-22 versions also reached export users.

Building and painting tips

With airplanes of this size it pays to offer all the main assemblies up dry first, verify how the fuselage halves and the wing seat, and only then glue. The cockpit interior is clearly visible thanks to the long glazing, so give it time: pick out the seat frames, the belts and the instrument panel with a dark wash and a dry brush. Mask the glazing before you lay the primer down and glue it with cyanoacrylate glue intended for clear parts or with a PVA-based adhesive, so that it does not fog. Lay down a gloss varnish before the decals and, once it has dried, go over it with a flat or satin one, depending on the look you want.

Who the model is for

• collectors of American trainers in 1:48 scale
• modelers drawn to less usual types outside the mainstream
• builders of interwar and early wartime aircraft
• more experienced modelers used to careful dry-fitting of parts

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.