Finally, the Vultee Vengeance appears in 1/48 scale: It is an A-31/-35 from
AZ Model of the Czech Republic.
On the bottom of the box are four-view color drawings of the individual aircraft for which markings are provided. Inside the box are four dark gray, low-pressure injection-molded part trees and a clear plastic canopy, as well as glossy decals for three aircraft. The decals are glossy and slightly off register.
Instructions feature a brief history, a parts map, a color list, and a symbol key. Assembly for both the A-31 and the later A-35 is described in 15 steps (no Step 9, though) with exploded drawings.
While the trees are labeled A–D, the parts are numbered helter-skelter over all four trees. Surface molding on the parts is good, but edges are irregular and require extra attention for a proper fit.
In Step 2, the legs of Part 11 did not reach the cockpit floor as shown on the drawings. In Step 4, you decide whether to install one gun (A-31) or two guns (A-35). The cowl and engine are assembled in Step 5, but there is no way to tell how the engine fits into the cowl.
Step 6 installs the assembled cockpit and tail wheel mount. There are no locators except for crosshatches on the fuselage interior. After much trial and error, I glued the fuselage together, then cut out the bomb bay doors to access the interior. That’s how I found a fit. The cockpit floor and the tail wheel mount did not fit the fuselage. The inside of the cowl flaps touch the front of the fuselage in just enough places to apply glue. Don’t bump it; it will break.
After leveling the wings’ mating surfaces by sanding, the upper and lower wing matched well. Again, since there are no locating pegs or tabs, the wings just butt up against flat surfaces on the fuselage sides. The wing roots must be filed or sanded to fit.
Drill out the dimples at the wings’ leading edges to mount the landing-gear struts; try for the same angles. The struts are weak and fragile due to the soft plastic. I reinforced them with steel tubing to help them bear the weight. The gear doors have indistinct curved edges and were difficult to glue to the gear openings.
Here’s something I’ve never seen: The landing gear’s oleo scissors mount to the inside of each strut, rather than on its front or back. The scissors are housed inside the gear spats.
I made an O-ring from a scrap of sprue for the aft end of the propeller shaft to keep the shaft in the model.
In steps 14 and 15, decide whether to mount the rear cockpit guns. I mounted my gun to the inside of the cockpit wall, deciding against trying to cut off the back half of the canopy.
I airbrushed the bottom surfaces with Aeromaster Warbird Colors light gray (No. 9070); sky would have been a better choice. Upper surfaces were sprayed with Floquil Military Colors brown dark earth and brown dark green. I followed with several coats of Model Master gloss clear lacquer to prep for decals. The interior is Testors zinc chromate enamel (No. 1184).
The decals were a challenge. They adhered, but the images were thick and did not respond well to solvents. I had to prick holes in them with a hobby knife and bathe them in Micro Sol to eliminate silvering.
I finished with several thin coats of Testors Model Master semigloss clear lacquer.
The model measures small for 1/48 scale; it probably is closer to 1/50 scale. Details like the exhaust pipes, canopy profile, wing joints, etc. don’t match the photos I’ve seen. My prime reference was Vultee Aircraft 1932–1947, by Jonathan Thompson (Flying Books, ISBN 978-0-913322-02-4).
This kit is for experienced modelers familiar with short-run kits. Still, I would be delighted to see AZ Model produce a BT-13 and a P-66.