The Unofficial Airfix Modellers' Forum

I have some weird and wonderful Cessna O-2 kit - I'll attempt to build it but I have no usable windscreen or decals.

Sounds intriguing. Any idea who the manufacturer is. And what scale?

All the best.

Greg

Hi Greg - I think it's a knock off of the Airfix 1/72 kit. Actually the parts don't look bad but the clear sprue is practically unusable.

I'll post some pictures later.

So this is the kit I have - I love that spelling of Cessna!



These are the sprues I have - I'm missing most of the gear so I'll have to do this one wheels up.





And this is the windscreen - it's pretty bloody awful but I should be able to use it.



I also have no decals for this kit, so I'm either going to have to cobble something together, or build a civil aircraft. I was thinking of buying something else, but have you seen the prices of Cessna kits on ebay!!! Most O-1 kits are pushing £20, and I've seen an O-2/Mig-21 Dogfight Double kit with a BIN price of £45-00!!!!

Cheers

Stuart

Looks like a challenge. Not 100% sure but it looks like the Arii kit. I will have a look to see if I have spare decals to suit.

All the best.

Greg

Thanks Greg!

Judging by that windscreen alone, I wouldn't be surprised if this is the old Airfix O-2, Stuart Those e-bay prices for the Bird Dog and the O-2/MiG-21 DD kits are bonkers IMHO but, of course, old collectables are worth what peeps are willing to pay for them. Not me for certain!

I wonder if the Sesna spelling is to sidestep trademark/copyright issues? If not then it's a hell of a blooper for a company producing model aircraft kits!!

ShaunW wrote:Judging by that windscreen alone, I wouldn't be surprised if this is the old Airfix O-2, Stuart Those e-bay prices for the Bird Dog and the O-2/MiG-21 DD kits are bonkers IMHO but, of course, old collectables are worth what peeps are willing to pay for them. Not me for certain!

I wonder if the Sesna spelling is to sidestep trademark/copyright issues? If not then it's a hell of a blooper for a company producing model aircraft kits!!

I was thinking it might be the Airfix kit Shaun - It feels like one. The screens borderline but should be ok - I'm certainly not paying £25+ to replace it!!!!

It's daft really, all Cessna kits seem to catch a high price, unless you want to build an A-37.

The spelling did make me laugh, BUT you might be right about the copyright.

Cheers

Stuart

I have checked the sprues of the Airfix Arii and Eidai kits I have in the stash. The Arii and Eidai kits appear to be from the same molds. hope this helps.

All the best.

Greg

hi stuart it is the Arii kit ,you could do a what if with floats i think that would look cool unless the O-2 was used at all with floats ,greg might be able to inform you if that was ever the case.edit just found a red cessna 337 with floats on google images
cheers craig

As far as I can find out no US military 02 was used on floats. I am however more than happy to be corrected if anyone knows different. There has been (as Craig has pointed out) conversions of civil 336/337s into floatplanes. And very fine they look too.

All the best.

Greg

Stuart,
I have the Airfix kit and since I am planning on doing mine in Rhodesian markings my US markings are surplus.

I am in the States but if you want them I can try and get them in the mail on Monday. Just PM me your snail mail.

Wow that windscreen reminds me of some 1960s era hasagawa kits.

Hi Gents,

Sorry for the lack of progress/updates - I haven't sat at the bench so to speak in over two weeks - and I'm on hols on Friday, so it might be a DNF from me, we'll have to see.

Philip - Thanks for the offer! To save you postage, lets see if I can get the darn thing together first (it's a sod of a fit) - If I can then yes, that'd be great!

Cheers

Stuart

No worries Stuart. I for one know that real life can get in the way of the important stuff like bench time :-) I will consider your comments about the poor fit as a heads up for when I do mine,

All the best.

Greg