Czech Masters Resin 1/72nd Curtiss R3C1/C2 By Pedro Nuno Soares

The Curtiss R3C1/C2 (the C1 stands for the wheel version and the C2 for the float version) was the mount chosen by the US Army and US Navy teams to challenge the 1925 racing season (read Schneider and Pulitzer races) thus benefiting from concentrating all the development efforts on just one type of aircraft for the two teams.

This sleek and very photogenic aircraft was conceived as a plywood monocoque wooden structure encapsulating plywood bulkheads, joined together by 4 longerons, powered by a Curtiss V-1400 750 hp in line engine. The single step floats on the R2C3 version were also made of wood, and there are photos of at least one of the float planes that were converted from the land based R3C1 showing the tail skid, which in reality was integrally moulded with the fuselage, still in place, which eliminated the need to fit it again when backfitting the aircraft to its land version.

Following the success of the R3C1 that won the 1925 edition of the Pulitzer race, the R3C2 went to win the 1925 edition of the Schneider trophy, held in Baltimore, with Lt.. Jimmy Dolittle (later of Tokyo raid fame) winning the race and breaking up a series of records in the process, that included not only the fastest average speed for a Schneider race held until then (232.6 mph) but also the best time for the 100 km and 200 km distances.

The Kit

Although not a new kit but a revamped re-issue, the first impression one gets out of CMR Curtiss R2C1/C3 kit is one of general moulding quality, proof that the master makers at CMR spared no efforts in creating a little jewel of a model, as exemplified by the microscopic but superbly rendered exhausts.

The resin shows no bubbles and all the parts are very cleanly and sharply molded.

The wing skin radiators are very sharply represented, even though I feel they should have just a slight bit more of volume. I fear that once under a coat of brass paint the detail might be obscured…

There's not much by way of cockpit detail, but then again the opening is so small that not much will be visible, once the kit finished, but I find it odd that a proper seat is not provided in the kit, this being replaced by a small resin square attached to the cockpit floor. I have never seen a photo of the R2C cockpit, but I'd expect the pilot to have something more comfortable than this, especially when I read that the seat belts were of the lap and shoulder variety…

The span and length dimension scale spot on with published dimensions.

Differing from the original issue the kit now comprises what looks like an injected plastic windshield (there were 2 on my kit, one extra in case you lose one - a very nice touch) but in reality is a quite transparent resin item and is complemented by a set of beautifully printed transfers for Jimmy Dolittle's Schneider machine and for the R3C1, winner of the of the 1925 Pulitzer race, piloted by Lt Cyrus Bettis.

All in all I think this is a most fine effort from CMR that is highly recommended for all those interested in the subject matter.

My thanks to CMR for the review kit.