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Czech Master Resin 1/72 Boeing Model 40C |
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Introduction
I summarized the history of the Boeing Model 40 series in the First Looks review of CMR's earlier kit of the Boeing Model 40B-4 in the May 2008 issue of this magazine. Boeing built 38 of the Model 40B-4 but only ten of the Model 40C. The 40C was essentially a 40B-4 powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp rather than the R-1690 Hornet; the designers and operators of the 40C gave up some power for some fuel economy and a slight weight reduction. The big visual difference between the two models is the headrest on the 40B-4, which the 40C did not have. Another, lesser, visual clue is the 40C's large, one-piece curved windscreen vs. the 40B-4's small, three panel windscreen.
The Kit
As with the nearly identical originals, CMR's 40C kit is nearly identical with the earlier 40B-4. The four pages of 40C assembly instructions are a slight redrawing and re labeling of the 40B-4 instructions. The 40C kit instructions include a Parts Map, which the 40B-4 did not have. Personally I find this a great convenience when building a model. The immediately most apparent difference between the two kits is that this one is cast in a dark, olive-green resin rather than in CMR's previous standard pale cream resin. CMR says this color change was made in response to customer requests and a seller must satisfy his customers.
There is a lot more written and graphic material with this kit than there is with the earlier one. There are 25 full pages, of which four are in color along with six of reference photos; the earlier kit had only 12 pages of instructional material. It's all good, useful material that never leaves you guessing and explains the airplane well in the context of its time and circumstances. A serious modeler can never get enough of this kind of material; kudos to CMR for providing it.
For the bean counters: The kit has 38 parts beautifully cast in the new green resin, 23 parts - struts and such - cast in a black, extra-strength resin, four parts cast in clear resin - which never is (I'll cut replacements from CD covers for my model) - two frets of PE by Eduard, which include 58 detail parts, 13 of which are pre-painted along with a sheet of Eduard die-cut masks. The decal sheet is printed very sharply, clearly and in perfect register, provides markings for the four liveries detailed on the four pages of instructions for colors and markings.
If you have both the 40B-4 and 40C kits you can chose to have two quite different liveries or two that are nearly identical.
Conclusion
Czech Mater Resin's release of this kit of the Boeing Model 40C adds another jewel to their already sparkling crown. I suspect there will be future re releases of both kits with colorful liveries beyond those of the Boeing Air Transport, Pacific Air Transport, United Air Lines family. Western Air Express had, perhaps, the most colorful color scheme of all the airline operators of the type. Stanavo's executive transport was the wildest of all the Being 40s with its bright red, white, blue and silver finish along with its spinner, long-chord engine cowling, and enormous wheel pants. Other colorful 40s were operated by Cities Service Petroleum, National Parks Airways, Western Canada Airways, &c.
My thanks to CMR for providing the review kit. Hannants http://www.hannants.co.uk/ have it for £39.60 ($62.00) plus shipping. Buy one; you'll like it.
Go to http://www.cmrmodels.co.uk/ to see the entire line of Czech Master Resin kits.
References
I used the same references as those cited in the May 2008 issue linked above.
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