Aerocraft Models Cessna O-2A Skymaster Brass Undercarriage (for ICM) 1:48

[Mike]

Cessna O-2A Skymaster Brass Undercarriage (for ICM)

1:48 Aerocraft Models

 

 

To my immense joy, ICM have recently released their brand new tooling of the quirky Skymaster in 1:48, which we reviewed here recently.  Immediately on seeing the main gear leg there were some concerns about strength, as the styrene part is scale-thickness, so necessarily thin.  Ali at Aerocraft had the same feeling, and has been busy at work creating this set to replace the kit parts in tough brass to alleviate our concerns.

 

The set arrives in an unassuming ziplok bag, with three parts inside, all made from brass.  The main gear “bow” that supports the airframe, running under its width from one wheel to the other, the short nose gear leg, and a length of brass tube that forms the axle between the two sides of the yoke, holding the kit wheel in place.  For this review I’m comparing the kit part with the replacement brass part, and as part of this I have nipped the kit part from the sprues, which showed just how flexible it is, and was something of a shock.  The brass bow is immensely strong by comparison and of the same dimensions, with the curve captured exactly, as are the two pips on the top surface that locate it under the fuselage.  While I was testing the styrene part, a mild flex led to it snapping in half, presumably at a weak-point where two wave fronts of hot styrene had met, the results of which you can see below along with the six sprue gates you'd have to remove and make good without damaging the part.

 

 

Preparation of the brass part will involve removal of the casting gate with a file or a motor-tool at very low speed.  The moulding marks on the top and bottom of the part should be similarly easy to remove using a small file with sanding sticks used to smooth it out once the task is complete.  The little nose gear leg has its oleo-scissor moulded in, which is one of the benefits of brass casting.  Again there are a few fine lines and a pouring stub to remove, then check the tubular brass axle will fit through the holes, which is 0.8mm across.  You may need to gently twist the axles or ream them out slightly to ensure a good smooth insertion, which is best done before any paint is applied.

 

Conclusion

This is an absolute must for anyone that intends to rest their finished model on its gear, and even if you’re planning an in-flight pose, you should consider it for its strength during construction alone.  It’s not expensive by any stretch of the imagination, and guarantees resilient gear legs for years to come, providing you use either super-glue or epoxy to attach it to the plastic.

 

Extremely highly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of