1/48 Minicraft Cessna 172 Review/Preview

Don Stauffer

Only one thing bothered me when I built that kit.  It has a beautiful engine, but they warn that if you build it with the engine, there will not be enough room for nose weight, and you will need to put a strut under the tail to hold it up.  I wanted to have my cake and eat it too.  I crammed the engine with weight, and found a few other places inside the cowling to stick some weight.

I sort of succeeded- it will sit properly but just barely.  Any table incline at all and it won't sit right, or if anyone walks by it bounces back on its tail.  Minicraft needs to start thinning out the aft fuselage! It doesn't need to be that thick.  But a great kit.  The Minicraft kits released in the last couple of years are great- much nicer than their earlier ones.

 

 

LOTS of weight needed!!!

I'm working on a pair...Esci and Italeri(both are the same kit), although, different molds than this topic, they're still 172s and I can't imagine they're all that different.

I crammed lead all over the place...in the engine, behind the engine, side walls, nose piece, and a few pieces on the firewall behind the IP.

Just painted it all black...can't see it unless you go searchin. One of em coulda used just a touch more, it'll tail sit, if you put it on it's tail...lift the tail up about 2-3mm and it goes to it's nose...the other, no problem!

I found a fix for that.  Get the pontoon version!! 

It is a nice kit.  Went together well, and fairly-detailed for what it is.  The engine is very nice.  Could probably use some wiring if you display it with the cowl open.

Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas

Hi Don!

 As to thinning out the fuselage , You can say that again . I did find a way though . I put some washers under the dash , floor ( forward and in the engine ) , which is hollowed out to the max . I clipped up a washer and gooped it in there . I don't like stand posts either .

       This has always been a problem even with Monogram's Piper Tri-Pacer, So I learned ways , Like you to weight them puppies down ! .  T.B. 

Only one thing bothered me when I built that kit.  It has a beautiful engine, but they warn that if you build it with the engine, there will not be enough room for nose weight, and you will need to put a strut under the tail to hold it up.  I wanted to have my cake and eat it too.  I crammed the engine with weight, and found a few other places inside the cowling to stick some weight.

I sort of succeeded- it will sit properly but just barely.  Any table incline at all and it won't sit right, or if anyone walks by it bounces back on its tail.  Minicraft needs to start thinning out the aft fuselage! It doesn't need to be that thick.  But a great kit.  The Minicraft kits released in the last couple of years are great- much nicer than their earlier ones.