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Anigrand Kit #AA-2028 1/72 Scale XC-142A Review & Build

Last updated: Landing gear, fairings, decals, completing the aircraft - May 4, 2015

The Aircraft:
The XC-142A was an experimental V/STOL cargo aircraft designed and built by Vought Aeronautics which first flew conventionally and vertically in 1964, and then first made a full transitional flight from vertical to horizontal in January 1965.

This aircraft was billed and built as a "Tri-Service," aircraft, meant to be used in various configurations by the US Navy, the US Marines and the US Air Force.. With either a vertical take-off and landing or short take off and landing capability, and with decent weight lift capability, there was significant initial interest. A total of five aircraft were built and tested.

Vought built the aircraft in response to a US Military request for bid and proposal. In January 1961, an agreement between the three military branches was reached to seek a project under the overall leadership of the Navy's Bureau of Naval Weapons and the Tri-Service Assault Transport Program. The ultimate requirement was for a 10,000 lb payload, an operational radius to 250 miles, a cruising airspeed to 250–300 knots and a maximum airspeed to 300–400 knots. The Marine Corps stated that the fuel load could be reduced so that the maximum gross weight would not exceed 35,000 pounds, as long as a 100-nautical-mile (190 km) radius was maintained.

Vought teamed with Heller and the XC-142A proposal won the bid and was awarded a contract to build five prototype aircraft in 1962, targeting the first flight for 1964. The design was initially known as the Vought-Ryan-Hiller XC-142, but when Vought became the LTV (Ling-Tempco-Vought) this naming was dropped in favor of the LTV XC-142A.

The five aircraft were built, the first flight deadline was met, and the resulting five aircraft were extensivly tested. The first was delivered to the US Air Force in July 1965. During the testing, a total of 420 hours were flown in 488 flights. The five XC-142As were flown by 39 different military and civilian pilots. Tests included carrier operations, simulated rescues, paratroop drops, and low-level cargo extraction.

One aircraft was lost as a result of a failure of the drive shaft to the tail rotor, resulting in the death of three test pilots. Before being corrected, various incidents of this same problem resulted in several other hard landings, damaging two of the other aircarft.

As a result of this, and also due to the higher than expected down draft of the engines when canted for STOL landings or in full-VTOL mode, the US Navy dropped out of the program.

In early 1966, while US Air Force tests were still underway, and after the Navy dropped out, the Air Force asked LTV to make a proposal for a production version of the aircraft, which would be named the C-142B. With the Navy out of the program, the absence of the Navy carrier compatibility requirement dramatically reduced the empty weight of the aircraft. Other changes proposed for the production version included a streamlined cockpit, a larger fuselage, upgraded engines, and simplified engine maintenance. US Military testing of the remaining XC-142A prototypes ended. A single aircraft was turned over to NASA for further research and testing. This program continued until May 1970, with that aircraft perfroming may other flights and testss which were beneficial to later programs.

Specifications:

Crew: 3, two pilots plus a loadmaster
Capacity: 32 fully equipped troops or 24 litter patients and four attendants
Payload: 10,000 lb
Length: 58 ft 1 in
Wingspan: 67 ft 6 in
Height: 26 ft 1 in
Wing area: 534.5 sq ft
Empty weight: 22,595 lb
Max. takeoff weight: 44,500 lb (STOL)
Powerplant: 4 × General Electric T64-GE-1 turboprop, 2,850 hp (2,126 kW) each
Maximum speed: 431 mph at 20,000 ft
Cruise speed: 288 mph at sea level
Combat radius: 470 mi
Ferry range: 3,800 mi Service ceiling: 25,000 ft
Rate of climb: 6,800 ft/min

The Kit:
This aircraft is unavailable...to my knowledge...in any scale in a injected modled plastic kit. The only kit I could find for it is this 1/72 scale kit by Anigrand, and it is a complete resin kit.

Anigrand makes a number of kits like this, that have historical significance, but are not mass produced by the large injected molding companies.

My onw interest in this particular kit is high as my father was the lead dynamic engineer on the project. Dad worked at Vought and LTV for almost 50 years, starting in 1950. He worked on the F-7 cCutlass, the F-8 Crusader (where he was a lead engineer) the XC-142A, and the A-7 Corsair II, where he was a principle engineer. He later went on to work on numerous other aircraft and missile projects. I already have a really nice display of the other three aircraft (F-7U, F-8E, and A-7E) that Dad worked on, but I wanted to add this aircraft to the mix, even though it was never put into production. My Dad was close to a couple of the pilots that died in the crash...I remember as a young child when that occurred and the impact it had on him.

Anyway, this model has two large fuselage halves, three parts to the wing (a center section for the pivot and two outer sections), the vertical stabilizer and two horizontal stabilizers, and numerour other parts for the landing gear, the props, the cockpit, etc.

As with all resin kits, there is some sanding and filing necessary to remove the left over from the tooling for the moldings.

The kit has a very simplistic instruction sheet, but decent paint scheme, and a decent set of decals to show the aircraft as a prototype paint scheme.

Here's how it looked out of the box:

The Build - Painting the fuselage, wings,and stabilizers and assembling them - April 28, 2015

I began by carefully sanding and filing the major pieces of the fuselage, wings, and stabilizers, and then painting them. I painted them all the neutral gray I intend to use for the grey portion of the aircraft and will come back later and add the necessary white, red, and black portions.

Once this was completed and dried, I began assembling parts. I first did the wing section, gluing the two outboard sections to the center pivotiing area.

I then assembled the tail, with vertical stabilizer and the two horizontal stabilizers.

Using the glue for the resin models requires either a very sticky (and thin) immedate set...which is good for places where the glue will not simply run off the part, or a longer setting glue that is mixed together to create the bonding.

The longer setting glue requires the parts to be set-up (even jigged) so they can set....so this takes some time.

Anyhow, once these parts dried, I then glued the fuselage havles together, and then glued the tail section onto the fuselage. I ended the session by dry fitting the wing to the fuselage.

It's looking pretty good.

In the next session, I will complete the fuselage and the cockpit, and then paint the entire fuselage in its correct coloring.

The Build - Pivoting wing, canpoy, painting aircraft, cockpit - May 1, 20155

I began this session by attaching the pivoting wing to the aircraft so that it will be able to travel through its motion once the aircraft is complete. The wing had a spar on it that fits into a groove to allow for this. I then began painting the aircraft in the various colors it was seen in as a prototype. This started with the white.

While the white paint was drying, I decided to mask off and paint the canopy. This canopy is rather involved with lots of different panes.

I then painted the canopy and while it dried I wnet back to the fuselage to paint the other colors found in the prototype color scheme. The tail, wing tips, half od the horizontal stabilizers, and the area under the cockpit to the nose are all in insignia red. The leading edges of the wings are in black as is the nose of the aircraft just forward of the canopy.

The canpoy was dry fitted in the one picture above because I had not done the cockpit yet. I did so now.

This included the cockpit floor, the two flighjt seats, the control panel and two sticks for piloting the aircraft.

Nothing real fancy about this cockpit, but it is all in place and went together well.

I then added the front cover panel for the wing, which covers the forward part of the wing when it is in the full orizontal position, but opens to allow the wing to travers into the vertical.

Once that was on, it was time to glue canopy over the cockpit...and take a couple of pictures of those in place.

She's looking pretty good at this point.

In the next session I hope to add the landing gear and the decals and complete the model.

The Build - Landing gear, fairings, decals, completing the aircraft - May 4, 2015

I started this session by adding the landing gear to the aircraft. These needed to be painted and then glued together. Care had to be taken, particularly on the long main gear struts. But they came together alright.

Then it was time to glue the fairings on each wing's underside. There were three to the side, and they were well marked and went together nicely.

With this done it was time to assemnle the props for the four main engines and for the tail stabilizer rotor.

I found that the kit only included a total of 13 of a total of 16 required main prop blades. There were three too many propellors for the tail rotor, so I figured that is where the mistake was made.

< I ended up hand fabricating the three additional props. I took left over props from a spare part 1/72 scale helicopter and cut them down to size and formed them appropriately, approximating the shape of the included blades. I then then painted and added them to the prop hubs like the rest, and then glued each assembly to the respective engines.. I think they turned out pretty good.

Then it was time to add the decals to the model. There are not that many, but they are very distinctive. This marking scheme is for the first ptototype aircraf, numbered 25921, which is marked on each side of the vertical stabilzer. The number "1" is on each side of the aircraft fuselage, behind the cockpit. NASA had its own distinctive markings and paint scheme, but I am building the aircraft for the military configurations as seen during the testing.

With that complete, it was time for the final touch up paint work, the dull coats, and then the final pictures.

First the standard views of the aircraft. I placed some of them with the wing rotated down for horizontal flight, and some with it rotated into the full vertical position for VTOL.

...and then several photos of various positions and details of the aircraft:

There you have it. The Vought XC-142A Prototype, Tri-Service aircraft. Dad, if you are looking on from above...this one's for ypou.

1. May 10, 2015 complete the 1/72 scale US Air Force F-22 Raptor Fighter
2. May 20, 2015 Complete the 1/72 scale US Air Force F-35A Lightning II Strike Fighter.
3. May 28, 2015 Complete the 1/72 scale US Navy E-2D Advanceed Hawkeye AEW&C Aircraft
4. Jun 04, 2015 Complete the 1/72 Scale Russian SU-35 Fighter.
5. Jun 15, 2015 Complete the 1/72 Scale Russian TU-160 Blackjack Bomber
6. Jul 02, 2015 Complete the 1/72 Scale Russian Tu-95 Bear Bomber
7. Jul 18, 2015 Complete the 1/72 Scale US Air Force B-2 Spirit Bomber
8. Aug 04, 2015 Complete the 1/72 Scale US Air Force B-1B Lancer Bomber

The completion of the PLAN Carrier group was centered on the already completed Trumpeter's 1/350 scale PLA Navy's Aircraft Carrier CV-16, Liaoning, (in addition to the other escorts already completed) included Mini Hobby's PLAN Guangzhou, DDG-168. I recently pre-ordered a 1/350 scale model of the PLAN Type 071 LPD, Yuzhao Class, announced by Trumpeter and due out in October, 2013. I will end up adding two of those, probably LPD-998 Yuzhao and LPD-999, Jinggangshan, add the PLAN- DDG-139, Ningbo, and the PLAN DDG-115, Shenyang, along with the PLAN Weifang, FFG-550 and thus build a PLAN ARG.

The completion of the US Carrier Strike group was centered on the completed Tamyia's 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-65, (in addition to the other escorts already completed) included Trumpeter's, USS Freedom, LCS-1, Dragon's USS Preble, DDG-88 and Hobby Boss's USS Texas, SSN-775. When a 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-80 (or any Gerald R. Ford Class) is released from Trumpeter, Tamiya, Dragon, or whomever else, I will add it to this group along with another AEGIS Cruiser. Whichever Ford Class coms out in 1/350 scale, I will build it as the USS Enterprise, CVN-80.

The completion of the US ARG was centered on the Gallery's 1/350 scale USS Iwo Jima LHD-7, it also included the 1980s refit of the World War II Iowa class battleship, Tamiya's 1/350 scale, USS New Jersey, BB-62, also, Gallery's 1/350 scale USS New York, LPD-21, Cyber Hobby's USS Independence, LCS-2, Bronco Model's 1/350 scale USS Coronado, LCS-4, a Flight IIA US AEGIS class destroyer based on Trumpeter's 1/350 scale USS Lassen, DDG-82, and a Ticonderoga AEGIS cruiser...all of these models which I already own.

The completion of the UK Group featured the Airfix 1/350 scale HMS Illustrious, R06 as its center piece until a 1/350 scale Queen Elizabeth carrier is released. When that happens, I will add that carrier to the group as its centerpiece. The Royal Navy CSG will also include two Airfix 1/350 scale Daring Class DDGs (one of which is already completed), two Trumpeter 1/350 scale Type 23 HMS Duke class Frigates, and the Hobby Boss 1/350 scale HMS Astute SSN. One day, when a 1/350 scale HMS Ocean LPD comes out, I will use it to start building a Royal Navy ARG.

The completion of the French CSG is centered on Heller's 1/400 scale Charles De Gaulle, R91, the 1/400 scale Heller French De Grasse, D612 DDG, which is an ASW DDG, the French Aconit D612 FFG and Gueprattet F714 FFGs, both of which are Lafayette class frigates. These four vessels round out my French CSG. As soon as a French Robin class nuclear sub, like the French Pearle S606 SSN is released in 1/350 or 1/400 scale, I will add that to the group. Also as soon as the Forbin D620, Horizon class anti-air DDG is released in 1/350 or 1/400 scale, I will purchase two of them and replace the De Grasse with them.

The completion of the Japanese JMSDF group was centered on Fujimi's very finely detailed, 1/350 scale Hyuga, DDH-181. It is escorted by Trumpeter's 1/350 scale DDG-177, Atago, an AEGIS class DDG and the JMSDF, DDG-174, Kongo class, Trumpeter’s 1/350 scale DDG-111 a Takinami Class DDG, and by the 1/350 scale SS-503 Hakuryu, one of Japans new, very modern and capable AIP Diesel Electric submarines. As soon as a DDG-115 Akizuki in 1/350 scale is released, I will add it to this group. When a 1/350 scale JS Ixomuo is relased, I will readd it to the group. The Izumo callss is a larger, more capable VTOL carrier that Japanese is building to compliment the Hyugas. The Izumo is also more capable of embarking F-35B strike fighters if ever necessary.

The completion of the Russian CSG is centered on Trumpeter's Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, the Russian Kirov Class nuclear battle cruiser (CGN), the Petr Velikiy by Trumpeter, the Russian Slava Class cruiser, Varyag by Trumpeter, the Trumpeter 1/350 scale Udaloy II DDG, Charabanenko, a Hobby Boss's Akula II class SSN, and the new Yasen class Russian SSN, all in 1/350 scale.

I completed Heller's 1/400 scale Foch, the Clemenceau Class carrier that was sold to the Brazilians in 2000 and in 2002 was refitted and became the < ahref="http://www.jeffhead.com/modelbuilds/bra-a12.htm">Brazilian CV, Sao Paulo, CATOBAT carrier. This is the start of a Brazilian group, though the Type 22 DDGs and other FFGs the Brazilians use are not available at present.

Then, again, once the models are available, I'd like to build an Italian Carrier Strike Group centered on the Cavour and their Horizon DDGs, a Spanish Carrier Strike Group centered on the Juan Carlos and their F-100 AEGIS FFGs, an Australian Strike Group centered on the new Canberra Class LPD and the Hobart class AEGIS DDGs, and an Indian Carrier Strike Group centered on either the Vikramaditya or their new ADS Carrier, the Vikrant, and their Kolkata class DDGs and Shivlak class FFGs would also be nice.

Years more worth of work!

You can see all of these actual carriers, read their histories and specifications at my site:

WORLD-WIDE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS