In Box Review of Croco 1/72nd Scale
Avia-51 Tri-motored Air-liner
Kit no. CMD 7222
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2021
MSRP: 49.55 Euro ($59.13) at the Aviation Megastore in the Netherlands.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2021
MSRP: 49.55 Euro ($59.13) at the Aviation Megastore in the Netherlands.
HISTORY:
The Avia 51 was a 1930s Czechoslovakian six-passenger commercial transport, designed by Robert Nebesář and built by Avia. The type was uneconomical in use and only three were built.
The Avia 51 was a three-engine high-wing cantilever monoplane designed for the Czech national airlines CLS It was built with a duraluminium- monocoque fuselage and a fixed tailwheel landing gear. Powered by three Avia Rk.12 radial engines, two were fitted into the leading edges of the wing and one was nose-mounted.
It had a two-man flight deck and an enclosed luxury cabin for five or six passengers which was not large enough to stand up (5 ft 1in), but did have a separate lavatory compartment, it also had three luggage and mail compartments.
The Avia 51 entered service on the Berlin-Prague-Vienna route, but with only a small passenger capacity it proved uneconomical to operate. In 1937 the aircraft were sold to the Estonian government.
One appeared operating for the Spanish Republican Air Force in the Spanish Civil War, and it was reported that the other two were lost at sea when the freighter carrying them to Bilbao was sunk.
The Avia 51 was a 1930s Czechoslovakian six-passenger commercial transport, designed by Robert Nebesář and built by Avia. The type was uneconomical in use and only three were built.
The Avia 51 was a three-engine high-wing cantilever monoplane designed for the Czech national airlines CLS It was built with a duraluminium- monocoque fuselage and a fixed tailwheel landing gear. Powered by three Avia Rk.12 radial engines, two were fitted into the leading edges of the wing and one was nose-mounted.
It had a two-man flight deck and an enclosed luxury cabin for five or six passengers which was not large enough to stand up (5 ft 1in), but did have a separate lavatory compartment, it also had three luggage and mail compartments.
The Avia 51 entered service on the Berlin-Prague-Vienna route, but with only a small passenger capacity it proved uneconomical to operate. In 1937 the aircraft were sold to the Estonian government.
One appeared operating for the Spanish Republican Air Force in the Spanish Civil War, and it was reported that the other two were lost at sea when the freighter carrying them to Bilbao was sunk.
THE KIT:
Croco is based in Riva, Latvia. They manufacture resin models, some with PE frets, all in 1/72nd scale.
The box art is on a separate sheet that is glued to the hinged top of the box. It has a red border with white: Avia-51, Scale 1/72, Project-Leonid Shilin (author) and Mike Dolgov (master). There is a black line-drawing of Croco’s logo, a crocodile, with Only best accessories. A color side profile of the Avia-51 is shown against an all-white background.
It is overall dark-green above a light-grey bottom. It has a wide red fuselage band with black number TA-003 on the band. The rudder flap has horizontal bars across it. A red one at the top, yellow one in the center and dark-blue below.
Croco is based in Riva, Latvia. They manufacture resin models, some with PE frets, all in 1/72nd scale.
The box art is on a separate sheet that is glued to the hinged top of the box. It has a red border with white: Avia-51, Scale 1/72, Project-Leonid Shilin (author) and Mike Dolgov (master). There is a black line-drawing of Croco’s logo, a crocodile, with Only best accessories. A color side profile of the Avia-51 is shown against an all-white background.
It is overall dark-green above a light-grey bottom. It has a wide red fuselage band with black number TA-003 on the band. The rudder flap has horizontal bars across it. A red one at the top, yellow one in the center and dark-blue below.
I copied a brighter copy of this box art off the internet, to better see the colors and markings.
This kit comes in a sturdy, brown cardboard box that has a hinged lid with tuck in flaps. It is not shrink-wrapped and it is blousy. It is 3” too long and 2” too wide.
It contains 61 light tan resin parts and 7 clear vacu-formed parts. The vacuformed parts are side windows and the cockpit canopy. There is an extra canopy included.
Resin parts consist of the fuselage roof and sides, passenger compartment floor, fuselage door, rudder, elevators and their flaps, cockpit floor and a rear wall, pilot seats, passenger seats, dashboard, control yokes, wings, landing gear legs , fenders and wheels, engines, cowling parts and propellers.
It contains 61 light tan resin parts and 7 clear vacu-formed parts. The vacuformed parts are side windows and the cockpit canopy. There is an extra canopy included.
Resin parts consist of the fuselage roof and sides, passenger compartment floor, fuselage door, rudder, elevators and their flaps, cockpit floor and a rear wall, pilot seats, passenger seats, dashboard, control yokes, wings, landing gear legs , fenders and wheels, engines, cowling parts and propellers.
The instructions consists of a single-sheet printed on both sides. Each side has a exploded drawing for assembly purposes. Sheet is folded to fit the box.
There are no crew or passenger figures.
There are no crew or passenger figures.
Detail is very good. There are pour lugs to remove.
A small decal sheet is included that has the fuselage code TA-003 on it. The wide red fuselage band the code is on has to be painted and the horizontal bars, red at the top, yellow in the center and dark blue at the bottom will also have to be painted. The decal does not include these.
A small decal sheet is included that has the fuselage code TA-003 on it. The wide red fuselage band the code is on has to be painted and the horizontal bars, red at the top, yellow in the center and dark blue at the bottom will also have to be painted. The decal does not include these.
This is a neat little transport aircraft.
I wish to thank Croco for this review sample.
Croco can be reached at:
I wish to thank Croco for this review sample.
Croco can be reached at: