RAF C-17 Globemaster III

A-Model, 1/44 scale

Reviewed by Jason Cameron

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(from Anigrand’s website)

In 1980, the USAF found some of the C-141s had major structural problems as a result of heavy use. In response, McDonnell Douglas elected to develop a new aircraft using the YC-15 as the basis. McDonnell Douglas won the contract to build its proposed aircraft, by then designated the C-17A Globemaster III. Development problems and limited funding caused delays until the late 1980s. By the mid-1990s, most of the problems had been resolved. The first C-17 squadron was declared operational by the U.S. Air Force in January 1995. In 1997 McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing. The US DoD and Boeing are considering further follow-on orders to take total 222 aircraft by 2010. In 2000, the UK Defence Secretary announced that the RAF would lease four C-17s for giving the RAF true strategic capabilities. The first C-17 was delivered to the RAF in 2001. In RAF service the C-17 has not been given an official designation due to its leased status, but is referred to simply as the C-17.
Additional News:

(26 July 2007) LONDON (Dow Jones)--The U.K.'s Ministry of Defence said Thursday it plans to buy another C-17 transport aircraft from Boeing Co. (BA) to help enhance the operational effectiveness of the armed forces.
The new plane, which is due to go into service in late 2008 or early 2009, will boost the U.K.'s C-17 fleet to six planes.

I bought this kit at Meteor Production’s Open House from Chris Mikesh of Nostalgic Plastic.  It apparently was received in the States on Friday and I had one in my hand by Saturday.  While this isn’t my first purchase of an Anigrand kit, it is the first time I bought one of their large transport kits. 

Overall, I was very impressed with the casting and the engineering of the kit.  The resin quality is excellent with no obvious warping of parts.  Pinholes were nowhere to be found and there are no casting blocks to saw away.  The parts approach the quality of a limited run plastic kit and surpassed what I expected to find.  There is almost no flash and fine scribing is in evidence everywhere.

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

However, the kit is 100% resin which means the cockpit glass and the landing gear are resin.  The cockpit glass is cloudy but at least the piece encompasses much of the surrounding fuselage.  The landing gear is, in my mind, the weakest part of the kit.  The kit is simply too large and heavy to be made of resin.  I would say that any manufacturer of limited-run kits that casts resin landing gear might better serve their customers by casting them in metal instead.  This isn’t a slam on Anigrand exclusively.  My Special Hobby 1/48 X-15 has resin landing gear and it broke repeatedly.

One area that needs attention is the attachment points for the wing.  There’s no way the joint would last using the as-supplied attachment points.  I would guess that the designers of the kit thought of this and it would be very easy to stick in a hollow brass rod in the fuselage and use solid brass rod in the wings without any modification to the fuselage.  Similar comments would be true for the empennage as well.

The instructions are simple and straightforward with an exploded view to guide you.  The decals have some issues: they only cover one plane (there’s only five planes in service) and the formation lights are done in yellow, not the correct lime green.  Also, it may be my eyes but the “Royal Air Force” font looks too lean as compared to pics I found online.

I am very excited about this kit.  I look forward to reinforcing the wing attachments and somehow making new landing gear for the plane.  The visual impact of the finished kit promises to be stunning and I can’t wait to get started.

If you have conquered a resin kit before, this kit will not present any new challenges to you.  I recommend this kit without reservation.

Purchased with reviewer's own funds