XS Models 1/32
R3C-2 Schneider Trophy Winner

Background

[Editor's Note: We've updated this article with current pricing and ordering information.]

The years between World War 1 and World War 2 are considered the Golden Age of aviation. During World War 1, many nations entered aviation through their own research or through procurement of existing designs. During this era there were numerous breakthroughs in aerodynamics and engine technologies, and it was a race among nations to be the first on the block with the latest capabilities.

One of the more popular ways of showing off your technologies and designs were through one of several international air races. The Schneider race was one such venue. The Schneiders (and most of the air races of the day) were all run off water, so all of the air racers had to deal with the additional weight and drag of their floats.

The US Army and US Navy became participants in the air races with not only national prestige on the line, but also inter-service rivalries to contend with. One racer that would serve the Army and Navy was the Curtiss R3C. This aircraft won the Schneider Trophy in 1925 under the control of one Lieutenant Jimmy Doolittle, US Army, who would later lead the famous B-25 raid off the USS Hornet and over Japan in 1942. The R3C-2 placed second in the 1926 Schneider race with the Italians capturing first place. The R3C was also a contender in the other two big races of the day - the Bendix and Pulitzer.

The Kit

XS Models of Germany has focused their energies on air racing. They've produced the Hughes racer, the R3C-1 (land-based) and this R3C-2 floatplane racer in 1/32 scale. They've also produced a variety of conversions in 1/72 and 1/48 scale for the P-39 Airacobra 'Cobra I', 'Cobra II', 'Cobra III, and P-63 Kingcobra 'Flying Red Horse'. In addition, they have 1/72, 1/48, and 1/32 conversions for the F4U racer 'Joe' and P-51 racer 'Beguine'. Of course with the 1/32 line of R3C kits, they've also produced a 1/48 R3C-1 conversion to turn the Testors/Hawk R3C-2 floatplane into a land-based racer.

Molded in light tan resin, this kit consists of two hollow-case fuselage halves, solid resin upper and lower wings, a pair of floats cast in halves, struts for the floats and wings, tail feathers and propeller.

Details are included in photo-etch for the cockpit frame, instrument panel (blank), float walkways, and inspection panels.

The detailing on the kit surface is scribed, though some of the parts are showing flaws indicative of mold wear. In fact, one wing had a piece of mold that had adhered to the part when removed after casting. This is typical of limited run resin kits and will clean up quickly with some needle files. I couldn't find any bubbles in my parts.

One down side to the kit is the lack of an interior. While the cockpit opening is really small in the full scale aircraft and likewise on this kit, the only parts that go into the cockpit are a frame that appears to install ahead of the pilot and a blank instrument panel. No pilot's seat, flight controls, etc., are included, but these should be easy enough to acquire out of the spares box.

Another area that could be improved is the instructions. These are provided as photos of exploded diagrams, but the layout is vague. A modeler experienced with limited run kits will not have any problems working with this kit after studying the plans and doing some dry-fitting of the parts to become acquainted with the assembly.

The decal sheet has markings for several versions of this aircraft that come in different boxings. The version we are concerned with is aircraft number '3' in US Army markings.

Conclusion

I am pleased to see someone filling in the air racing void that the rest of the hobby industry has largely ignored. This Schneider trophy aircraft is a significant part of US aviation history at a time when Britain dominated aircraft technologies and the Italians were never far behind.

I would recommend this kit to experienced modelers that have worked with resin limited-run kits. I'm told by the importer that it can take up to 8 weeks for a kit to be delivered as each kit is cast in Germany as orders come in. Bear that in mind when you place your order.

This kit is imported into North America by RacePlaneDecals. You can get more information about this kit and other XS Model offerings by contacting:

Joel Robinson
RacePlaneDecals
2300 Coatsdale Lane
Matthews, NC, 29104
RacePlaneDecals@aol.com

My sincere thanks to RacePlaneDecals for this review sample!