Has there ever been a kit in 1/48 for this plane?
I hate that there is no good kit of the Beech 18 kit in 1/72 or 1/48, not even a vacform that I know of. How can this be?? Battle Axe did do one a few years ago in 1/48, but if you know what Model 18’s are supposed to look like, you won’t go there. Comet did a box scale Super 18, the tall cabin G-18 in the 50’s and I think it is the best one ever done. No wheels or interior, but the shape is very good. If you can find it.
A quick search on the net seems to indicate that Hobbycraft sold one, but I can’t find any info.
I have an unbuilt kit that is from a Turkish company called Pioneer 2. It’s 1/72 and looks like a nice model in it’s own way.
I’m not picky- I tend to like a model if it’s a hard to find subject and I’m sure it’s better than I am.
The two marking choices, which don’t matter since the decals are gonners, are 1956 JSDF (Maritime), and 1945 USAAF 1st Air Commando- Calcutta.
Pioneer 2 is currently beeing sold as PM. So you might want to search under that name.
Maybe I’m just too fussy, but I have both of the 1/72 kits and the AT-11 version, and have even done a bunch of work on them, but haven’t got them where I want them to be. The C-45 has nose shape problems, and I can’t remember what it was about the AT-11 that was bothering me. Maybe I just have too many references.
I’ve got the PM C-45 in the stash, it’s pretty rough. It will fill the spot on the shelf I have set aside for it but it will probably never be better than a “five-footer”.
I think the Hobbycraft 1/72 Beech 18 is pretty good.Granted their is little interior detail but the engine are pretty nice.The Battle axe Beech 18 has received some pretty bad reviews . 
ICM is supposed to be coming out with a 1/48 C-45F sometime in the near future. Judging by their latest, the LaGG-3/5, it should be a great kit. With their low price point, I’ll pick up at least 2.
Cheers,
Alex
I’d love to have a kit in 48th. I know an aquaintance with a private air strip who has one of these on loan from the gov’t at the field. Access to tons of reference shots. And the plane is just “plane” cool!
There a really cool video of one landing at last years Lee Bottom fly in on the Nodor News website.
We’ve got 5 different twin Beech models at Pima…2 UC-45s, 1 AT-7, 1 AT-11, and an S18D. It is a slick bird, and I’d love to have a gaudy civvy one to go next to my 1/48 staggerwing. Here’s the site for the ICM C-45.
[link]http://www.icm.com.ua/en/eshop/id111[/link]
The russian translated roughly:
“To one of the most known planes-long-livers in history of world aircraft by the right is Beech 18. It was issued in set of variants within 32 years, and separate copies are maintained to this day!
First plane Beech Model 18A has risen in air on January, 15th, 1937 With 1940 orders for the Air Forces of army of the USA have begun. Transport variants of the plane have received name С-45. Updating C-45F on 7 passengers was made with 1942 (all 1137 copies are let out).
Planes S-45 F were applied” --translation2.paralink.com
Not much about the kit itself, though. ICM is famous for doing many variants of a common airframe.
Future ICM releases:
[link]http://www.aeroscale.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=3504[/link]
I’m excited about their Hs 126 as well!
Cheers,
Alex
HK, PM inbound!
Cheers,
Alex
I’d wait for the ICM kit.
I wanted to take a battle axe to the 1/48 Battle Axe kit while building it. Darn near ran out of putty. Only the dark Sea Blue scheme saved me from follwoing through with the axe. It masked a lot of “challenges” that would have apeared on a NMF or anything lighter.
HK,a few shots of my Hobbycraft Expeditor (Beech 18 built OOB ). A little hard to find the kit now…
Nice build. Is that 1/72?
Id there was a decent 1/48 kit of the Beech 18 I’d be first in line to purchase. My Dad used to fly these when he was an airmail pilot in the 60"s & early 70’s. I was able to go on many night time flights with him. Fond memories I would like to re-create in a model.
Dennis, beautiful. Skipper, please share any stories or photos etc. We all who like the lesser knowns as far as the model manufacturers are concerned, are starved for info. Welcome aboard.
HK, yes. The 18 is the Hobbycraft Canada 1 / 72 scale kit. Have one more in my stash and have been unable to find anymore at the local HS or swap meets lately.
I am a huge Beech 18 fan and would jump on a new 1/48 kit… several times over. The 1/72 Hobbycraft builds that people have posted look nice (especially that RCAF scheme - WOW!), but it’s apparent that the kit does indeed have major “nose shape issues.” No fault of the builders, of course! [;)]
My employer has a forlorn old Beech E18S that greets me when I arrive at work each day. An old cargo hauler, it has the raised roof and pointy nose of the later models, and was converted to three-blade props at some point - still a beautiful aircraft.
If I am ever in the market for my own plane, the Twin Beech will occupy the top of the list, along with the Spartan 7W Executive.
Kevin
Kevin, the 3 blade props were an option on G-18’s according to an old beech sales brochure I have. A question, why was there no F-18?
That would be an interesting what if! Quad .50s in the nose maybe?
Would they have the performance without supercharged engines to be a fighter?