Airfix O-2A Oscar Duece 1/72

[hsr]

This is my 1/72 Airfix O-2 Skymaster, affectionately known to its crews as Oscar Duece. At least I think it is Airfix. I bought is as a bag of parts that contained almost, but not quite, enough parts to make 2 models. The instruction were marked "Made in England" but no other identifying markings, so I am assuming it is Airfix. This was a bit of a more difficult build then I expected and not my best work, mostly because of the transparencies. There was no way to fill and sand the seams for the fuselage halves and the wing to fuselage joint without also sanding the window. I used a Flex-i-file polishing stick and future to fix the scratches, but they are still not as good as I would like. The interior was a compromise between the commercial version which I think had 6 seats in rows and the military version which had 2 staggered seats. I tossed 2 and moved the observers seat back a bit. I did not try and to replicate the radio equipment in the back. I think there were decals in the bag, but I tossed them because of sever yellowing and I had a Wolfpak sheet. I have used Wolfpak decals before and have been happy with them, but this sheet was a disappointment; they were thick, stiff with a large surrounding film and tended to disintegrate when dipped in water.

 

Anyway, enough complaining and on to the pictures.

 

Next up will be the Anigrand HL-1 and M2-F2 which I will probably post together

[stever219]

Airfix were the only UK manufacturer to produce a kit of the O-2A, but didn't Testors also do one?  

 

I don't recall ever seeing an O-2A in camouflage but despite your transfer tribulations it's come up rather well.  Any chance please that you could get some more images with more depth of field to show it off a bit better?

 

I must confess that the aeroplane itself leaves me rather cold (I've never really liked Cessnas at all) but I do have a soft spot for the Airfix kit as my late grandparents bought me the Dogfight Double that paired it, rather improbably, with the MiG 21 C!

[hsr]

Years ago when I got my first SLR, a Nikon EM, I was able to use ISO 400 film set the aperture to f22, manually focus and get great shots with great depth of field. Now I have a fancier digital auto everything camera, Nikon D50, and it seems to get offended if I don't use Program mode and try to set some of the parameter. It will refuse to use the flash, or it will loose the ability to focus or just refuse to take the picture. . So going full manual, including manual focus, I retook them and get better depth of field. I guess the D50 is a bit long in the tooth and I should get something newer.

 

This is the color scheme that the Wolfpak decals called for and searching the web I web able to find a B&W photo of this plane in this color scheme.

 

Testors has/had one in 1/48, not 1/72.

 

Thanks

 

Howard

 

[John Masters]

A quick online check told me that Aurora put out an O-2 in 1/72nd scale in the 60s...apparently with a set of aviator sunglasses included!

[Colin1967]

Nicely built up Sir !  Despite your problems during the build, my congratulations to you and thank you for sharing your work.

[stever219]

43 minutes ago, hsr said:

Years ago when I got my first SLR, a Nikon EM, I was able to use ISO 400 film set the aperture to f22, manually focus and get great shots with great depth of field. Now I have a fancier digital auto everything camera, Nikon D50, and it seems to get offended if I don't use Program mode and try to set some of the parameter. It will refuse to use the flash, or it will loose the ability to focus or just refuse to take the picture. . So going full manual, including manual focus, I retook them and get better depth of field. I guess the D50 is a bit long in the tooth and I should get something newer.

 

This is the color scheme that the Wolfpak decals called for and searching the web I web able to find a B&W photo of this plane in this color scheme.

 

Testors has/had one in 1/48, not 1/72.

 

Thanks

 

Howard

 

 

I wish I could still get to my old Olympus OM-10 and '20 for the same reasons you miss your EM.  Manually set depth of field you could drive a bus through; wonderful.  Now I have a dip-de-do Sony DSLR which won't let me do a lot of what I want to.  I still think you've done a lovely job on your Cessna though, thanks for reviving some memories of happier, simpler times.

[Dazey]

Nicely done model of an interesting plane.

 

I confess that I didn't know this plane, and at first thought Airfix have come out with a Nakajima Oscar!

 

Regards,

David

[Vultures1]

Not a type you see every day, especially in 1/72.  Great work!

[Horatio Gruntfuttock]

THat's a critter that hardly ever gets out - yours looks interesting in that scheme - well done.

[hsr]

Thanks all. It is surprising that there are so few kits of this. That and the O-1 Bird Dog

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Unfortunately "O" types and "L" types just aren't as exciting to the manufacturers. Considering a good number are just re-purposed civilian types. Such as in the cessnas you've mentioned, and the L-4 from ww2 was just a piper grasshopper. Some of us would like to do civilian versions of general aviation but are pretty much left with just a few options. 

[Gerrardandrews]

Very nice kit, made the dog fight double myself, century ago, odd mix of types, but good box art😊