Trumpeter 1/72 Antonov An-2 Colt/Y-5

TRUMPETER 1:72 ANTONOV AN-2 COLT/Y-5
'INBOX Review'

Reviewer: Richard Stracey (rec.models.scale)

ANTONOV AN-2 COLT TRUMPETER 1/72 # 1602 / 1606 / 1607

I have seen two Colts; the first was many years ago when I was driving along minding my own business deep in the bush in the Awash district of Ethiopia when I saw some distance off an AN-2 parked. I naturally stopped and walked towards it when a man appeared next to the aircraft and started shouting at me. I took no notice and took a couple of pictures before going closer. The guy then started to take pot shots at me with an old Lee Enfield rifle. Deciding that maybe I didn't really want any close up pictures I continued on my way. The next time I did get my close up pictures at Archerfield, Brisbane when I inspected Barry Hemple's aircraft and this time no one tried to shoot me! It is a pretty solid looking machine looking more like a Carthorse than its NATO name of Colt. The first of over 20,000 AN-2s flew on August 31st 1947 and have been produced in the Soviet Union, Poland and over 1,500 in China known there as the Nanchang Y5 or Harbin Y5. The Soviet nickname is Annushka (Little Annie) or more appropriately, Kukuroznik (Corn Eater/Harvester) The AN-2 is powered by a 1,000hp Shvetsov Ash62M radial engine, has a length of 12.74m (without floats) and a wingspan of 18.18m has a crew of two and accommodates twelve passengers. Any AN-2 can be converted to floatplane form taking 80 man hours that includes a reversible propeller. The first one few on 31st July 1951. The floats are 24ft long, have a draft of 2ft and results in a reduction of 600lbs in pay load. They have been used in just about every role imaginable and exported to many countries. A few have been fitted with turboprop engines being known as AN-3s.

The Chinese company, Trumpeter has produced three kits of the Colt. They are basically all the same kit, one on wheels, one on skis and one on floats.

The first, number 1602 is for the standard wheeled version that can be made as an AN-2 or a Chinese Nanchang Y5 which, since the Y5 is simply a copy of the AN-2, is the same except for the markings. It consists of eighty parts on three sprue in crisp grey plastic plus one sprue of thirteen clear parts all sealed in cellophane bags although the clear parts are included in one of the bags but with no harm to the surface. Detail is fine and restrained and the cockpit detail adequate for this scale with perhaps only seatbelts needing to be added. The assembly is standard and, for those who are nervous about making biplanes, simple. The only tricky part may be the attachment of the ailerons and flaps that are attached by means of 26 hinges (A40) twelve underneath and fourteen on top. As with most biplanes it is easier to paint the model before adding the top wing. Decals are provided for a Polish Air Force AN-2 "9261" in three colour camouflage over sky blue and a PLA Y5 "080" in all over white with red and blue trim.

The second kit number 1606 is for a Polish or Soviet AN-2V (or AN-2M as it was known in Poland) on floats and so includes an extra sprue (E) of thirteen parts for the float undercarriage and also a two part clear plastic stand. The wheeled undercarriage is also included being part of the common sprue. Trumpeter provides two types of water rudder (E6 + E7) but dosen't advise which should be used. Decals are supplied for Soviet Navy "17" in all over sky blue (?) or A Polish Air Force "612" in green over sky blue. The red waterline stripe will have to be painted as no decal is provided.

The third kit number 1607 is for a Polish Air Force AN-2 on skis and as such includes an extra sprue (E) consisting of ten parts for the skis however; again, the standard wheeled undercarriage is also included on the common sprue, There is only one decal option for Polish machine "657" in the standard green over sky blue.

All three kits come in stout boxes with good artwork. Their eight page instruction sheet includes a sprue map; four views of each decal option and quote Gunze colours. Although Trumpeter refer to the interior colour as Sky Blue I suspect it should be that strange turquoise colour which is available from Xtracolour as X629 Soviet Blue Green. Pavla provide a paratroop cabin + detail set #U 7235, resin cockpit detail set # C7237 and vacform canopy # C1237 and Extratech photoetch set # 72044. Bluerider and others make a good variety of decals. Scale Aircraft Modelling V20 No.9 0f November 1998 features the AN-2. Bilek/ Italeri also make an AN-2. Bilek kit # 952 and 954 on skis and Iteleri a gun ship # 009. In conclusion, a nice kit of an important aircraft at a reasonable price with many colour schemes for the military or civilian modeler. RHS/07

RHS/07

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