In Box Review of Matchbox 1/72nd Scale
Beech AT-11 "Kansan" Trainer & Utility Aircraft
Kit no. 40201
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1995
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1995
HISTORY
The Beechcraft Model 18 (or "Twin Beech", as it is also known) is a 6- to 11-seat, twin-engined, low-wing, tailwheel light aircraft manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. Continuously produced from 1937 to November 1969 (over 32 years, a world record at the time).
Over 9,000 were built, making it one of the world's most widely used light aircraft. Sold worldwide as a civilian executive, utility, cargo aircraft, and passenger airliner on tailwheels, nosewheels, skis, or floats, it was also used as a military aircraft.
During and after World War II, over 4,500 Beech 18s were used in military service—as light transport, light bomber (for China), aircrew trainer (for bombing, navigation, and gunnery), photo-reconnaissance, and "mother ship" for target drones—including United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) C-45 Expeditor, AT-7 Navigator, and AT-11 Kansan; and United States Navy (USN) UC-45J Navigator, SNB-1 Kansan, and others. In World War II, over 90% of USAAF bombardiers and navigators trained in these aircraft.
In the early postwar era, the Beech 18 was the pre-eminent "business aircraft" and "feeder airliner". Besides carrying passengers.
Its civilian uses have included aerial spraying, sterile insect release, fish seeding, dry-ice cloud seeding, aerial firefighting, air-mail delivery, ambulance service, numerous movie productions, skydiving, freight, weapon- and drug-smuggling, engine testbed, skywriting, banner towing, and stunt aircraft.
Many are now privately owned, around the world, with 240 in the U.S. still on the FAA Aircraft Registry in August 2017.
SPECIFICATIONS
Role: Trainer and utility aircraft
National origin: United States
Manufacturer: Beech Aircraft Corporation
First flight: January 15, 1937
Introduction to service: 1937
Primary users: United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, Brazilian Air Force
Produced: 1937–1970
Number built: 9,000+
Unit cost: U.S. $78,050 in 1952
The Beechcraft Model 18 (or "Twin Beech", as it is also known) is a 6- to 11-seat, twin-engined, low-wing, tailwheel light aircraft manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. Continuously produced from 1937 to November 1969 (over 32 years, a world record at the time).
Over 9,000 were built, making it one of the world's most widely used light aircraft. Sold worldwide as a civilian executive, utility, cargo aircraft, and passenger airliner on tailwheels, nosewheels, skis, or floats, it was also used as a military aircraft.
During and after World War II, over 4,500 Beech 18s were used in military service—as light transport, light bomber (for China), aircrew trainer (for bombing, navigation, and gunnery), photo-reconnaissance, and "mother ship" for target drones—including United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) C-45 Expeditor, AT-7 Navigator, and AT-11 Kansan; and United States Navy (USN) UC-45J Navigator, SNB-1 Kansan, and others. In World War II, over 90% of USAAF bombardiers and navigators trained in these aircraft.
In the early postwar era, the Beech 18 was the pre-eminent "business aircraft" and "feeder airliner". Besides carrying passengers.
Its civilian uses have included aerial spraying, sterile insect release, fish seeding, dry-ice cloud seeding, aerial firefighting, air-mail delivery, ambulance service, numerous movie productions, skydiving, freight, weapon- and drug-smuggling, engine testbed, skywriting, banner towing, and stunt aircraft.
Many are now privately owned, around the world, with 240 in the U.S. still on the FAA Aircraft Registry in August 2017.
SPECIFICATIONS
Role: Trainer and utility aircraft
National origin: United States
Manufacturer: Beech Aircraft Corporation
First flight: January 15, 1937
Introduction to service: 1937
Primary users: United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, Brazilian Air Force
Produced: 1937–1970
Number built: 9,000+
Unit cost: U.S. $78,050 in 1952
THE KIT
Matchbox was an old prolific model company based in the UK. They manufactured all manner of model subjects in the popular scales. I believe they have gone out of business.
This kit came in a blousy tray and lid type box, that is held shut with round circles of scotch tape and is not shrink-wrapped.
The box is 4" too long and 1 1/2" too wide, creating a letter L void around the parts.
The box art shows a Kansan flying over a shore line. It is over-all white with a black anti-glare panel and stripe down the whole sides of the fuselage. Above the stripes the words "FORCA AEREA BRASILEIRA". There is a small black number 28 on the side of the nose, just before a red vertical stripe that is the propeller warning.
On the side of the rudder is T-11 over 1528. The rudder flap has a red and yellow vertical bar on it.
One side panel has one-paragraph histories of the Kansan in 4 languages, including English.
Matchbox was an old prolific model company based in the UK. They manufactured all manner of model subjects in the popular scales. I believe they have gone out of business.
This kit came in a blousy tray and lid type box, that is held shut with round circles of scotch tape and is not shrink-wrapped.
The box is 4" too long and 1 1/2" too wide, creating a letter L void around the parts.
The box art shows a Kansan flying over a shore line. It is over-all white with a black anti-glare panel and stripe down the whole sides of the fuselage. Above the stripes the words "FORCA AEREA BRASILEIRA". There is a small black number 28 on the side of the nose, just before a red vertical stripe that is the propeller warning.
On the side of the rudder is T-11 over 1528. The rudder flap has a red and yellow vertical bar on it.
One side panel has one-paragraph histories of the Kansan in 4 languages, including English.
The other side panel has a suggested paint color listing of Revell brand hobby paints. Copyright of the kit is given as 1995. Kit was made in Turkey, printed in Germany by Revell. Followed by general information about the kit in 7 languages, including English.
WHAT'S IN THE KIT
This kit holds 3 chalk-white trees and a clear tree in a sealed clear cello bag, the decal sheet and the instructions.
The instructions consists of a single-sheet folded in the center to create 4 pages in 12" x 8 1/2" page format.
Page 1 begins with the history of the AT-11, over international assembly symbol explanations and a suggested paint color listing in 7 languages, including English.
Page 3 and 4 gives a total of 14 assembly steps.
Page 4 is the painting and marking guide. It shows a 4-view of the box art scheme (already described above) and an illustration of the decal sheet.
Trees are not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions. Only smaller parts have part number tabs next to them on the trees.
The first chalk-white tree holds the fuselage halves (2 parts)
This kit holds 3 chalk-white trees and a clear tree in a sealed clear cello bag, the decal sheet and the instructions.
The instructions consists of a single-sheet folded in the center to create 4 pages in 12" x 8 1/2" page format.
Page 1 begins with the history of the AT-11, over international assembly symbol explanations and a suggested paint color listing in 7 languages, including English.
Page 3 and 4 gives a total of 14 assembly steps.
Page 4 is the painting and marking guide. It shows a 4-view of the box art scheme (already described above) and an illustration of the decal sheet.
Trees are not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions. Only smaller parts have part number tabs next to them on the trees.
The first chalk-white tree holds the fuselage halves (2 parts)
The second chalk-white tree holds the wings and motors (6 parts)
The third chalk-white tree holds: propellers, elevators, rudders, bulkheads, steering yokes, DF football shaped antenna, main wheels, tail wheel, landing gear legs etc. (35 parts)
The clear tree holds cockpit and cabin windows (13 parts)
The decal sheet completes the kits contents.
There are no crew figures. Detail is both raised and engraved. Flaps are all molded solid.
Recommended.