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1:72 Pro Resin Curtiss Wright XF15C-1


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Hi mates,

 

I started this model for the Prototypes, Experimental, World's First & Record Breakers Group Build, but life got in the way and I wasn't able to finish it in time. Eventually, it came together and here it is!

 

The Curtiss-Wright XF15C-1 mixed-propulsion fighter was developed for the United States Navy at the end of WWII, first flying in February of 1945. Only three prototypes were built, as the US Navy moved their focus to pure jet propulsion. Only one of the prototypes survived. 

 

Similar to the Ryan FR Fireball, which entered service on a limited basis, the XF15C-1 had both a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engine/Curtiss Electric propeller up front and an Allis-Chalmers J36 turbojet (license built de Havilland Goblin) under the tail. The mixed propulsion concept was devised to counter the slow acceleration of the early jets, a characteristic that limited their appeal for carrier use. Including the radial engine allowed for safe carrier launch and recovery, and the turbojet in the tail would contribute to higher cruise speed. Or so the theory went. 

 

The need for further development of the mixed propulsion concept for carrier fighters was negated by improvements in jet power, and the Curtiss-Wright XF15C was never ordered into production. It was the last Curtiss aircraft to be built for the US Navy, and the penultimate design for Curtiss itself. This kit, from Olimp and their Pro Resin brand, represents the T-tail design as incorporated into the second and third prototypes after the crash of the first, which had a more conventional tail. The casting of the resin parts is very nicely done,  with lots of detail and no real fit problems. This was my first Pro Resin kit, and I wouldn't hesitate to build another. The only issue I had were the stickers, which refused to lay down without silvering no matter what I did. The spares box is meant for these occurrences.

 

Project: Curtiss Wright XF15C-1

Kit: Pro Resin (Olimp) Kit No. R72-008
Scale: 1:72 (if you're not building in this scale, you've got a lot of 'splaining to do)
Decals: Kit decals were unusable, all markings from the Island of Misfit Stickers 
Resin: Hey, the whole thing is resin! No need to buy any aftermarket...
Photoetch: Supplied with the kit and included instrument panel, seat belts, landing gear torque links, cooling flaps, etc. The usual stuff.
Paint: Testors Model Master Dark Sea Blue FS15042; Gunze Flat Black, Flat White, Interior Green, Tire Black; Tamiya XF-69 NATO Black; Alclad Aluminum, Magnesium, Steel; Floquil Flat
 

Weathering: None. I'm starting to like my models clean and without tar in the panel lines. Besides, when the second prototype XF15C had these markings, it hadn't flown very much.

Improvements/Corrections

  • Scratch built the inner main landing gear door retraction mechanism

 

All the splendid (?) details of the build (and a lot of off-topic stuff) can be found here (Part 1) and here (Part 2). Enjoy the pictures!

 

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All right, that's enough of that. On to the next project!    :)  :)  :)

 

Cheers,

Bill

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16 hours ago, David H said:

You know, A Ryan Fireball would make a nice companion piece, LOL

 

-d-

 

Well, I have an MPM Ryan F2R Dark Shark kit...that's about as close as I can get.

 

Cheers,

Bill

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12 minutes ago, Beard said:

PS. I see you've worked-out how get Flickr to work.

 

Well, I think I figured out a workaround anyway. I still wish it worked the old way, it was a lot easier.

 

Cheers,

Bill

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3 hours ago, Buzby061 said:

A great representation of something that ended up in an aeronautical cul de sac.

 

Pete

 

And it's still there, I think. The surviving prototype used to be at the Quonset Museum in Rhode Island, but that shut down after a partial roof collapse. The XF15C will go to the Hickory Air Museum in North Carolina, I believe, but it hasn't shown up on their web site yet. I hope it doesn't go to that big warehouse where they keep the Ark of the Covenant, or we'll never find it again.

 

Cheers,

Bill

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On 12/20/2017 at 11:33 AM, Navy Bird said:

 

Well, I have an MPM Ryan F2R Dark Shark kit...that's about as close as I can get.

 

Cheers,

Bill

Yeah, the F2R was one of those planes that shoulda been a success, but the GE Turboprop installation weighed so much that the performance improvement just wasn't transformative enough.

 

But it sure looked cool.

 

If you build one, let me know. You can borrow my books.

 

-d-

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6 hours ago, David H said:

If you build one, let me know. You can borrow my books.

 

-d-

 

Thanks - I was thinking that 2018 might see a dual "Shark" build, with the Ryan XF2R-1 Dark Shark (injection, MPM) and the Douglas XA2D-1 Skyshark (resin, Anigrand). That would be an interesting WIP, eh?

 

Cheers,

Bill

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Dayum, that's one Bonkers looking bird! You've done a super job on it and I agree, that less weathering is better* particularly in cases like these.

I'd like to see your Dark Shark parked next to it one day too!

Huh, I wonder where they were going to squeeze in an arrestor hook?

Under the jetpipe might be asking for damage, behind is presumably a no go because of, well, jet... Hm. Possibly a sting?

 

 

*(Also because I'm no good at it!)

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15 minutes ago, Gazontipede said:

Huh, I wonder where they were going to squeeze in an arrestor hook?

Under the jetpipe might be asking for damage, behind is presumably a no go because of, well, jet... Hm. Possibly a sting?

 

Good question! For some reason, the surviving prototype has the arresting hook installed, but all the period photos I've seen of prototype #2 (which is the one my model depicts) do not seem to show one. To my knowledge, the prototypes never did any carrier qualifications or anything like that.

 

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It looks like the jet exhaust is designed to pass through the yoke of the hook when it's deployed. I guess - but what do I know?   :)

 

Cheers,

Bill

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18 minutes ago, Navy Bird said:

 

Good question! For some reason, the surviving prototype has the arresting hook installed, but all the period photos I've seen of prototype #2 (which is the one my model depicts) do not seem to show one. To my knowledge, the prototypes never did any carrier qualifications or anything like that.

 

It looks like the jet exhaust is designed to pass through the yoke of the hook when it's deployed. I guess - but what do I know?   :)

 

Cheers,

Bill

Yeah, upon reflection, that should work. I initially had a gut feeling that deploying/raising the hook through the jet stream might have caused trouble.

I guess that as there were other in-service aircraft that used a similar arrangement, there'd be no problem that couldn't be ironed out in testing... Mr Sea Venom I'm looking at you! :huh:

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