In Box Review of MPM 1/72nd Scale
Curtiss XP-55 Ascender Fighter
Kit no. 72020
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
I got my kit in trade with a modeler in Warsaw, Poland years ago.
Copyright: 1993
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
I got my kit in trade with a modeler in Warsaw, Poland years ago.
Copyright: 1993
HISTORY:
The Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender (company designation CW-24) was a 1940s United States prototype fighter aircraft built by Curtiss-Wright. Along with the Vultee XP-54 and Northrop XP-56, it resulted from United States Army Air Corps proposal R-40C issued on 27 November 1939 for aircraft with improved performance, armament, and pilot visibility over existing fighters; it specifically allowed for unconventional aircraft designs.
A highly unusual design for its time, it had a canard configuration, a rear-mounted engine, swept wings, and two vertical tails. Because of its pusher design, it was sarcastically referred to as the "Ass-ender". Like the XP-54, the Ascender was initially designed for the Pratt & Whitney X-1800 engine and had to be redesigned when that engine project was cancelled. It was also the first Curtiss fighter aircraft to use tricycle landing gear.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter
Manufacturer: Curtiss-Wright Corporation
First flight: 19 July 1943
Status: Cancelled at flight-test stage.
Number built: 3
The Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender (company designation CW-24) was a 1940s United States prototype fighter aircraft built by Curtiss-Wright. Along with the Vultee XP-54 and Northrop XP-56, it resulted from United States Army Air Corps proposal R-40C issued on 27 November 1939 for aircraft with improved performance, armament, and pilot visibility over existing fighters; it specifically allowed for unconventional aircraft designs.
A highly unusual design for its time, it had a canard configuration, a rear-mounted engine, swept wings, and two vertical tails. Because of its pusher design, it was sarcastically referred to as the "Ass-ender". Like the XP-54, the Ascender was initially designed for the Pratt & Whitney X-1800 engine and had to be redesigned when that engine project was cancelled. It was also the first Curtiss fighter aircraft to use tricycle landing gear.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter
Manufacturer: Curtiss-Wright Corporation
First flight: 19 July 1943
Status: Cancelled at flight-test stage.
Number built: 3
THE KIT:
MPM is based in Prague, Czech Republic.
The kit came in a flimsy, badly-crushed shrink-wrapped end opening type box. I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find it's way past one of the end flaps to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box art shows a XP-55 flying above the clouds. It is dark olive-drab over a neutral-gray undercarriage. It has a black spinner and propeller blades with yellow tips. The serial number on the rudder sides is a white 278846. It is the second prototype USAF 7X, 1944.
A side panel says the kit is a limited-run injection molded model. MPM's address in Prague and MADE IN BOHEMIA appear.
MPM is based in Prague, Czech Republic.
The kit came in a flimsy, badly-crushed shrink-wrapped end opening type box. I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find it's way past one of the end flaps to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box art shows a XP-55 flying above the clouds. It is dark olive-drab over a neutral-gray undercarriage. It has a black spinner and propeller blades with yellow tips. The serial number on the rudder sides is a white 278846. It is the second prototype USAF 7X, 1944.
A side panel says the kit is a limited-run injection molded model. MPM's address in Prague and MADE IN BOHEMIA appear.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains one pale-gray tree in a sealed clear cello bag with 2 brass PE frets and a photo negative in a stapled shut cello bag with a stiff white card, the decal sheet and a vacuformed canopy in another cello bag and the instructions.
The instructions consists of a single-sheet folded in the center to create 4 pages in 8 1/2" x 12" page form.
Page 1 has the history of the XP-55 in Czech, English and German.
Page 2 & 3 have the parts trees illustrations and 6 assembly steps.
Step 6 shows that a nose weight is needed to prevent the model tail-tipping.
Page 4 has a 2-view of 2 schemes.
1. The box art scheme (already described above)
2. The 3rd prototype USAF 25 IV, 1944, in same color scheme as the box art scheme, but with no anti-glare panel. Spinner is dark olive-drab. It has the yellow serial no. 278847 on the sides of the rudder.
The pale-gray tree holds: wings, fuselage, landing-gear legs, wheels, propeller, spinner, seat, wing fins and ends, cockpit floor, nose conard wings, nose tip etc. (36 parts)
This kit contains one pale-gray tree in a sealed clear cello bag with 2 brass PE frets and a photo negative in a stapled shut cello bag with a stiff white card, the decal sheet and a vacuformed canopy in another cello bag and the instructions.
The instructions consists of a single-sheet folded in the center to create 4 pages in 8 1/2" x 12" page form.
Page 1 has the history of the XP-55 in Czech, English and German.
Page 2 & 3 have the parts trees illustrations and 6 assembly steps.
Step 6 shows that a nose weight is needed to prevent the model tail-tipping.
Page 4 has a 2-view of 2 schemes.
1. The box art scheme (already described above)
2. The 3rd prototype USAF 25 IV, 1944, in same color scheme as the box art scheme, but with no anti-glare panel. Spinner is dark olive-drab. It has the yellow serial no. 278847 on the sides of the rudder.
The pale-gray tree holds: wings, fuselage, landing-gear legs, wheels, propeller, spinner, seat, wing fins and ends, cockpit floor, nose conard wings, nose tip etc. (36 parts)
The first brass PE fret holds: the nose-gear compartment walls and door etc. (6 parts). Also included is the photo negative.
The second brass PE fret holds: the dashboard, main gear doors, front landing gear doors, foot pedals etc. (16 parts)
The clear vacuformed canopy (1 part) and the decal sheet complete the kit contents.
This is one neat prototypal U.S. fighter and it is highly recommended.