CAC CA-9 Wirraway

Special Hobby, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

Special Hobby’s 1/48 scale Wirraway is available online from Squadron.com

Before the outbreak of the Second World War, Australia was looking for a new aircraft suitable for the roles of advanced training and ground attack, and eventually found one in the form of the licence-built NA-16, a predecessor to the famous Texan training aircraft.

A licence for the aircraft was bought, Australian designers improved the type to fit local needs and production was commenced in a newly-built state-owned plant. The mass-produced type received the name Wirraway, and was used for ground attack missions, precision bombing, patrolling and even enjoyed his few moments of fame in a fighter role.

Of course, it also served faithfully in pilot training not only during the war, but also in the years after the conflict. Because of the unexpected Japanese attack against the USA and its allies, the first batches of Wirraways saw combat deployment at the end of 1941, where they took part in the first fightings over Rabaul, Malaya and elsewhere too. 

The Wirraway in 1/48 scale

Special Hobby originally released this kit in late 2008, at which time it was reviewed enthusiastically on HyperScale by Simon Wolff.

Prior to this, I believe the only way to build a Wirraway in 1/48 scale was the vacform Sierra Scale Models conversion, based on the Monogram Texan kit. I still have the vacform parts cut out in a box somewhere!

As far as I can tell, the new boxing of Special Hobby's Wirraway is identical to the 2008 release, right down to the box art and the marking options.

The kit comprises 53 parts in grey plastic, 11 clear parts, 17 resin parts, 36 photo-etched parts on one fret, two parts printed on clear acetate film and decals for RAAF machines.

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Compared to the Special Hobby 1/32 scale Tempest that I had the pleasure to build in October 2016, this model looks more like a traditional limited run kit.

This is not necessarily a bad thing though. Although little luxuries such as fuselage locating pins are not present, the modest number of plastic parts are cleanly moulded and sprue attachments quite fine, so parts removal and cleanup will be pretty straightforward. You won't find the tall ejector pin towers that older limited run kits suffered from either!

In fact, surface textures are very subtly done - espcially the fabric effect on the fuselage - and trailing edges are nice and sharp.

The busy cockpit interior is generally well done, with a separate framework in which most of the cockpit elements are enclosed. Photo-etched parts are supplied for the instrument panels (clear acetate films are supplied for the instrument dials), Sutton Harnesses ans orher detail parts.

There are a few details missing in the cockpit, and a Scarff ring is included on the sprues but not mentioned in the instructions. This was often fitted.

The wings are supplied as upper and lower halves forfor the top and a full-span lower half. Each one-piece horizontal stabiliser is simply butted up against the empennage. I would recommend drilling and pinning these parts to reduce the risk of breaking them off during final assembly or painting.

The canopy on the real aircraft features two overlapping sliding sections, but the kit canopy is supplied in a single piece including the windscreen. I'll be replacing this with the Falcon vacform canopy designed for the Monogram T-6 Texan. Both sliding sections of the Falcon canopy may be posed open.

The resin engine is nicely detailed although the plastic propeller does not look right. All the resin parts are cast to a very high standard.

Two gun cowls are included - one with two gun troughs and one without.

The main wheels with smooth tyres are supplied in plastic, but CMK offers replacement resin items with block tread pattern. Two tail wheel options are offered.

Red Roo Models offered a multimedia detail and correction set for this kit, which included extra detail such as the gun sight, correct engine cowl, oil cooler, engine baffles, radios, tail plane, elevator fairing, rear gun, Scarff ring and hoist, storepedoes, HF trailing aerial mast, radio shelf and radios together with a comprehensive instruction booklet packed full of structural detail, camouflage and markings information, etc.

Hopefully Red Roo will resurrect this detail set with the re-issue of the kit.

Markings

The decal sheet is printed by Dead Design. Registration is perfect.

Markings are supplied for three wartime machines. All are finished in RAAF Earth Brown and Foliage Green with Sky Blue lower surfaces.

This is a nice kit of an interesting trainer and liaison aircraft, and it is very pleasing to see it reissued.

Special Hobby's 1/48 scale Wirraway is not presented quite to the same standard as their recent 1/32 scale Tempest, but it is cleanly moulded, features subtle surface features, effective use of resin and photo-etch and if you have a few kits under your belt you won't have any trouble with the absence of locating pins.

Just take your time aligning parts, test-fit frequently, and you'll have an attractive result.

Recommended.

Thanks to Special Hobby for the review sample.

Review Text and Images Copyright © 2017 by Brett Green
Page Created 25 May, 2017
Last updated 26 May, 2017

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