Special Hobby CAC CA-9 Wirraway - 1:48 Special Hobby

[Julien]

CAC CA-9 Wirraway

1:48 Special Hobby

 

 

The CAC Wirraway was a trainer aircraft developed by the Australian Commonwealth Aircraft Company. It was based on the North American NA-16, a design which was itself developed into the T-6 Texan. CAC altered the basic design of the NA-16 by adding a second forward firing machine gun and strengthening the wings to enable the aircraft to perform dive bombing missions. A total of 755 Wirraways were built by the time production ended and the design also served as the basis for the Boomerang emergency fighter. Aside from fulfilling its role as a trainer aircraft, the Wirraway was also pressed into service as a stop-gap fighter and ground-attack aircraft during the early phases of engagement between Japanese and Australian forces. The type's only air combat victory occurred in January 1942, when Pilot Officer J.S. Archer dived on a Zero flying below him and shot it down.

 

The Kit

This is a re-release of the 2009 kit form Special Hobby. There are two sprues of short run plastic, a bag of resin parts, clear sprue, small sheet of photo-etch;  and instrument panel film. Construction starts with the cockpit, The instrument panel s built up from plastic and PE parts with the film for the instruments being sandwiched in between. The PE seatbelts are then added to the seats. The cockpit is built up from the tubular side parts and the base. Mounts for the seats are added then the seats themselves. Other cockpit parts and framing bars are also added. Once complete this can be mounted inside the fuselage halves and the lower fuselage parts can be added. The engine mount can be added at the front and the front coaming with the machine guns can be added to the top front fuselage. 

 

 

 

Once the main fuselage is complete the wings can be added. These are a conventional single lower wing with upper left & right wings to add. The wheel wells must be added in before the wings are closed up. The resin engine is added to the front an the engine cowls closed up around it. The tail planes can now be added. The main and tail wheels and their mounting legs are added along with the undercarriage doors. The underside air filter is also added. To finish up the pitot tube, antenna mast, landing lights, propeller and canopy are added.

 

 

 

 

Decals
Decals are from Aviprint and should pose no problems. Markings are provided for 3 examples;

 

• A20-444/ NV-J, 23 Sqn RAAF, Lowood AFB, Queensland 1943.
• A20-496 / TM, 23 Sqn RAAF, Lowood AFB, Queensland 1943.
• A20-572 / QE-H, 4 Sqn RAAF, Port Moresby, New Guinea 1942-43.

 

 

 

 

Conclusion
It is good to see this kit of an important Australian type re-released. Recommended. 

 

 

Review sample courtesy of