CAC CA-9 Wirraway

Special Hobby, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Glen Porter

Special Hobby's 1/72 scale Wirraway is available online from Squadron.com
 

A Brief History

Back in the bad old days, about 20 years ago, when MPM kits were much harder to build than they are today, they gave us a 1/72 scale CAC Wirraway. It had some shape issues, no interior to speak of, a vac-formed canopy, many parts that were so badly formed that they were unusable and inaccurate decals. None the less, I built one. It gave me a hard time as I expected and I had to borrow many parts from other kits including its rival from High Plane Models which I considered even harder to build. I did, however, end up with a model that did look like a Wirraway.

In 2008, MPM, under the banner of Special Hobby, gave us a 1/48 scale CA-9 Wirraway and it was a revelation compared to the old one but very much on par with what they are producing now. It did still have some faults though. It had the plexy-glass bit on the rear of the one-piece canopy, OK for a trainer but not a Bomber/Spotter and lacked the swivel seat of the Bomber/Spotter with no sign of the rear gun among others.

Last year, they told us that they had taken note of some of the criticisms and the next batch of kits would have some corrections done and that a 1/72 scale kit was coming based on those corrected moulds. This then is that kit.

The Model

Yes, its light-years ahead of the original MPM 1/72 scale kit. Now, I don't actually have the 1/48 scale kit and have only read reviews but it would appear one of the major criticisms was the rear seat being fixed rather than swiveling. This is not amended in the Braille Scale kit but shouldn't be hard to fix. Just ignore the mount frame and put the seat on a post. The Plexiglas rear is separate from the canopy in the smaller kit and there is an MG and mount although they don't look much like the weapons that were carried.

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There is no PE and only three resin bits in the 1/72 scale kit and therefore the 31 piece interior is all plastic which is good for me as I'm not a PE person. However, between the left hand cockpit frame and the outer skin there is a shelf running the length of both cockpits which carries what look like trim wheels. This is missing from the Braille Scale kit although it is in the quarter scale offering.

It is a short-run kit so most parts will require some clean-up of flash and there are quite a few ejector pin towers that will need to be removed but the only part I would consider replacing is the prop and even that could be used if necessary.

As I said above, there are only three resin parts, the cowl complete with 10 o'clock intake (a two piece plastic one is supplied on the sprues without the intake but not for use here), a very nice engine (which could use push-rod tubes if you are so inclined), and the front piece of the fuselage with the two exhaust pipes mounted on it. As you would expect from CMK, the resin is blemish free.

The clear parts, as mentioned above, has the rear part separate as compared to the 1/48 scale kit but if you want to display all of that lovely interior you will have to cut it open and it may be better to consider a vac-formed item but don't be fooled into thinking you can use a Harvard canopy, they are a different shape.

Instructions are as we've come to expect from MPM/Special Hobby, a history in Czech and another in English, a parts plan, 6 reasonably clear build diagrams and three pages of paint/decal instruction. Full colour P/D instructions can be down-loaded from the CMK web-site at www.cmkkits.com  There are a couple of alternative parts on the parts plan, the cowling as mentioned above and the gun cover for the aimed or unarmed version. Only the cowl is marked with a cross (not for use) and the gun cover for the unarmed aircraft is simply not mentioned in the instructions. Obviously, there are some other variants to come.

The 1/48 scale kit and other Special Hobby kits have recently come out in a new much stronger top-opening box. Not so the Braille Scale model. It comes in the very crushable end-opening item that starts to flatten out as soon as you look at it.

Don't get me wrong, I've been waiting a long time for this model and I'm NOT disappointed. It is still very buildable.

Now, where's the 1/72 scale Boomerang and I wonder if MPM would consider redoing some other early kits like the FW 190S and FW 190C-V18?

Kit purchased by reviewer.

Review Text Copyright © 2010 by Glen Porter
Page Created 16 March, 2010
Last updated 23 March, 2010

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