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LF Models has just released 1/48th Spartan 7 Executive resin kits. Connected to the Dekno Models kit (link) ? - ref. 4816 - Spartan 7W Executive - in USAF service Source: https://www.lfmodels.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_26_27&products_id=4003 - ref. 4817 - Spartan 7P-1 Executive - in China service Source: https://www.lfmodels.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_26_27&products_id=4004 - ref. 4818 - Spartan 7W Executive - over Spain Source: https://www.lfmodels.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_26_27&products_id=4005 - ref. 4819 - Spartan 7W Executive - over Canada Source: https://www.lfmodels.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_26_27&products_id=4006 V.P.

LF Models (http://www.lfmodels.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2_26) is to release 1/72nd Spartan 7P-1 & W Executive kits - ref. 72103 & 72104 Source: http://www.lfmodels.com/index.php?main_page=products_new&zenid=h9fb04krrnmsje7la5uc7tsql0 Box art ref.72103 - Spartan 7P-1 Executive Source: http://www.lfmodels.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1805 ref.72104 - Spartan 7W Executive Source: http://www.lfmodels.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1806 V.P.

(notice that the drawing has the American Airlines legend on the nose, which no photo I have shows for this plane. The instructions and decals have it right, though) The stocky and rather ungainly appearance of the Vultee V-1A is balanced by the impression of power and compactness it gives. Fast and rugged, with a characteristic forward-slanting windshield, its general lines having a portly look. One of the Vultees was modified as a seaplane, and sold to Russia, and I have modeled that plane using the Execuform vacuformed kit, some time ago: The Vultee lines are vaguely similar to other comparable planes of the time, like the Lockheed Orion, Clark GA-43 and Northrop Delta. Capable of carrying two crew members and eight passengers in relative comfort, it was used by airlines as well as private owners, among the latter William Randolph Hearst, the newspaper tycoon, reputedly depicted in Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane". The Special Hobby kit has been in the market for a while, laudably also in a civil guise, which is the one I purchased. The kit decal options are nice: American Airlines, Lady Peace (more like an afterthought since it's not depicted in the instructions) flown by Merrill and Richman over the Atlantic, an oil company executive transport, and one of the American Airlines machines in which Jimmy Doolittle established a record (sponsored by Shell, whose logo was added to the plane). Some of them need a different interior, a fact not contemplated by the kit makers. Lady Peace needs long-range tanks and exterior modifications (window arrangement, RDF antenna, engine, etc.), and others had an executive interior (the oil company hack). Pay attention to the exhaust plumbing which is different in some planes -most likely tied to the type of engine used) and at least one machine had different L.G. doors (Vultee NO A-181). For the adventurous modelers, other possible civil schemes are Alaska Airways, Frank Fuller's plane, one that went to México (only a couple of not very satisfying photos on the Net), United Gas System, Spirit of Pueblo, Sierra Aviation, Canadian Colonial Airways (CF-AWC) (This should be CF-AWQ, as correctly pointed out by Roger Holden below), and some others. All the kit options were considered but discarded since I decided to represent the Hearst machine, which was overall gold with stylized elements in red, plus the logos of the San Francisco and Los Angeles Examiners, owned by him. I became curious about Hearst after watching, more than once, that remarkable movie -cited above- that is Citizen Kane. A few years ago I visited Hearst Castle in the California coast, a perfect example of all the taste money can't buy, a monument to cultural pillage and appropriation rendering a remarkable kitsch result. In any case, the plane landed in Hearst's private airstrip at his property, as well as other of his planes and the planes of notable and famous guests. Do not be tricked by the Lady Peace that is in a museum, which is not the original machine but actually Hearst's. If you are representing Lady Peace, there are contemporary drawings of the different interior, and rather base your model on photos than on the reworked, repainted museum example that is, like some museums examples, an absolutely meritorious effort, but not necessarily accurate. The kit, as many kits, needs some details added, which will be dealt with during the construction stages. Since parts of the kit are shared with the militarized version, unfortunately you have to close with a lid a hole on the spine of the fuselage, that will keep you busy trying that the seam doesn't show on the finished model. Being a luxury model, Hearst's plane had six reclining seats (instead of eight) and a full bathroom (instead of the standard one), as well as better radio and navigation systems. The engine was more powerful too. One Vultee V-1A even participated in the 1936 Transcontinental Air Race (decals in the kit) with number "B3", obtaining a third place, whereas the first and second were obtained by women. Here is the roster, juts for the sake of detail: 1. Thaden and Noyes -Beech C-17R NR-15835 2. Laura Ingalls -Lockheed Orion NR-14222 3. William Gulick -Vultee V-1A NR-14255 The prototype X12293, of smaller airframe, is distinguishable because of its different landing gear covers, rounded rudder where it meets the fuselage tailcone, different exhausts and in most photos a three-blade prop. It went to American Airlines. Many long but fruitful hours of research led me to an article in Air Magazine #18, an old Aero Digest April 1933 article, Aviation April 1933, Popular Aviation August 1934, Air Classics, Paul Matt Scale Airplane Drawing Volume 2, pages on Flight Magazine, and other sources. I would like to commend Special Hobby/Azur/etc. on the release of refreshing civil planes. The kit moldings, though, were meant to cover a number of variants, not all civil. This, we know, helps with the manufacturer's costs and revenue, and provides modelers with more options, but at the cost of a burden put on the modeler to deal with some fixes. As mentioned above, there is an opening on the fuselage spine that doesn't apply to any of the civil versions presented in this boxing. There is a cover to deal with it, and the surrounded area has to be sanded and re-engraved to delete any traces of the paneling of the military version from it. The pesky ejector towers should be removed from wings and fuselage interior. There is some minor thin flash in many parts, mostly easily cleaned, though. As it is the rule with this type of kit there are no locating pins, and the ridges molded to indicate where parts go inside the fuselage are a bit vague. There are some butt-joints that will need securing. The fit of assemblies that come in halves (fuselage, engine cowl) is again imprecise and will need some adjusting and a little persuasion (one half is a tad smaller than the other, creating a ridge). A full interior is provided, although somewhat basic and as said above, not accurate for some of the versions. The drawings in the instructions are not bad, but they sin -yet once again as it is common with this type of kit- of imprecision. Where, exactly, goes the floor? above that faint ridge? below it? against it? and the bulkhead? On that ridge molded on the fuselage sides? behind it? before it? and the cockpit floor? and so forth for other parts. "More or less there" "Try and you will find out" "Oops, may be not there" could be the calls for the drawings. The sprues: Some details: Nice surface detail, more consistent than the general short-run kit: Bagged decals, resin bits, canopy: I was elated that for a change the resin parts did not come pre-broken. I noticed this difference between exhausts: