Professional Model's 1/48 scale
Pilatus PC-6 Turboporter

by Markus Wuellner

HyperScale is proudly supported by Squadron.com

The company Professional Model from Czech Republic released this kit a few years ago. The box contains all necessary parts for both basic variants of this classic STOL-aircraft, the piston-engined Fairchild UC-23 Peacemaker and the turbine powered Pilatus PC-6 Turboporter. The three-piece fuselage, the wings, tail-surfaces, landing gear and interior are well cast and bubble-free resin parts. All doors and windows are produced separately which enables them to be displayed in an open position. A nice photoetched fret containing small detail-parts like antennas, cockpit instrument panel and flap-hinges is also included. The front cabin window is made from clear vacform material. Optional markings for eight a/c (USAF, CIA Air America, Thailand, France, Israel, Australia, Switzerland and a civil German aircraft) are also part of the kit.
 

Unfortunately the wings came in one piece and the control surfaces are not separately cast. Since I wanted to display my Turboporter with flaps down, I had to duplicate the trailing-edge-flap-section of both wings. I used a selfmade silicone mould and casting resin to get an extra set of flaps and ailerons. The mid-section of the double-slotted flaps was made of elliptical stryrene rod sanded to shape.

To reproduce the fabric sunshades on the inside of the front cabin window, I used thin brass wire for the rails and the attachment-rings. The fabric was made from aluminium foil.

On first sight the appearance of the boxshaped Pilatus is quite simple but when it comes to details the aircrafts exterior is surprisingly busy. There are lots of blade antennas, wire antennas, crew steps, door handles, engine drains, static dischargers, beacon lights a.s.o.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 

Thumbnail panels:

I always liked the distinctive 3-tone camouflage of Aussie Army Turboporters.

Out of the marking options, of course this challenging paint scheme was my choice.

I can recommend this kit to everyone who has a fair amount of experience in resin-modelling and who is interested in aircrafttypes which are slightly off mainstream.

Special thanks to our friend Andy Binks (IPMS UK) for providing hundreds of indispensable walkaround photos taken during his Australia trip in 2007 at the Australian Army Museum.

Model, Images and Text Copyright © 2008 by Markus Wuellner
Page Created 02 January, 2008
Last Updated 02 January, 2008

Back to HyperScale Main Page