The Little World

There were a number of choices of livery for this Douglas aircraft kit.

I chose the Republic Of China version as it was a presidential transport for a number of decades – replacing a previous DC-3. It is hard to find positive evidence on the net about the Academy decals but the actual plane itself is preserved in Taiwan at their air force museum.

Unfortunately it carries a mixture of markings and finishes quite a bit different from the kit – but in the end you can get a compromise.

The aircraft was the personal plane for Chiang Kai Shek and his successors – named Zhongmei using letters from his name and that of his wife.

I’ve experimented with this model by leaving the four three-bladed propellers still instead of replacing them with clear plastic discs. It looks good, but I’ll see what the effect is in the cabinet with the other airliners. A tarmac build with landing gear out would have required a massive internal weight that would have endangered the plastic struts.

Delighted with the build – Academy, like Italeri, always deliver results.