I’ve just started a 1/72 Cessna 337 Skymaster kit I’ve had laying around for a while and a few questions about the type have entered my mind:
The kit is set up to represent a fixed gear version. The wheels are molded with streamlining spats as single pieces. How common are Skymasters with fixed gear compared to those with retracting gear?
What era in the type’s development would fixed gear represent?
What are my options in the way of 1/48 or larger scale kits of the type? I’m familiar withTestors 1/48 O-2 and an old Academy 1/48 civilian 337, but I’ve heared their both pretty rough kits. I’d definitely be looking to do a civil version of it.
Hi there, Im not too sure on this but i think that the diferent versions have diferent numbers, the fixed gear one being the 336 and the retractable one being the 337. if i am wrong no doubt someone will correct me . hope this helps. Greg
Hi, Upnorth. I built the Testors kit as a FAC aircraft a few years ago. It’s a bit sparse on detail but the end result looked close enough. The push me pull you seems to be gathering support nowadays as a warbird with a few coming onto the scene, I think there was one in Oz in last month’s Aeroplane Monthly.
I presume it’s the Airfix kit in 1/72nd you’re building? Go on, you can admit it,
‘I’m a modeller & I build Airfix kits despite the controversy on FSM’s forum!’’
All the best, Pete
The only thing that I can remember about the 337 is that if you lost the front engine LAND because the rear one would overheat and then you would end up with either a fire or a deathly hush. Now wether this only affected 337s in hot climates (Alice Springs) or was world wide don’t know.
Dai
Thanks for the links Vermont, I’ll definitely look them over.
The kit I’m building was put out by Arii as part of a 1/72 series of light aircraft, I also have the Beech V-35 Bonanza from that series waiting to be built.
I’d like to take a shot at modifying Testors O-2 into civilian appearances.
I’ve always liked the looks of the Skymaster, its such a unique looking bird from most angles and I think a real eye catcher at airports. Its aircraft like that that really make me wonder why civil aircraft kits don’t have a bigger place in the modeling market than they do.
Thanks all, I’ll post a few pictures of it when its done (and the Bonanza too).
Hi Upnorth. glad i wasn’t giving you bogus info there. i used to work on light civil stuff but never had anything to do with the “skymonster” cept pulling one out of a hanger once, i also have heard of the rear engine overheating when overworked. good luck with the kits, if they go together as well as their Cessna 172 you shouldn’t have any major probs. one thing that i did with that kit was to build it with the wheels that where supplied and put the floats under a tiger moth (always fancied doing one since seeing the one done by Ray Rimmel in wings magazine).i also built that Bonanza and it is a nice little kit too, i am looking out for another to build as one that i have worked on ( G-ARKJ )looking forward to seeing those pics. Greg [8D]
Hi Upnorth: differences between 336 and 337 have been mentioned above, but regarding the 1/72 kit itself (I think it has ben issued under several brands in the last 15 years!), if it is the same issued several years ago under “Minicraft” brand , the main landing gear may well represent a retracting version with all the doors closed, as they should be once hydraulic pressure gets up to normal. The only modifications the kit needed was to remove the aerodinamic fairings of the wheels and add a front wheel well door, the only “open” landing gear door when engines are running. Regarding Testors 1/48 kit, if you want to end up with a model woth of, you will REALLY have to do several modifications to it, including complete interiors, wheel wells, clear parts and reducing those gargantuan surface rivets located all over the plane. I assembled an O-2A version out of it, but extensive scratchbuilding had to be performed in order to make it look decent. Marco
My understanding that the quickest way to get your self in trouble with a Mixmaster was to loose the rear engine on a hot day, fully loaded, early in the take off roll, from a 3000 ft or less runway. The only indication to the pilot was a rise in manifold pressure back to field barometric. If you didn’t catch it quick and continued to attempt to take off, you were going to visit the weeds off the end of the runway. Saw that happen once.
P.S. I also learned (after maintaining one for a couple of years) the Air Force was the only one who could afford to keep the darn things.