nicholassagan Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 I want to take on a project for a family friend who flew a Ryan PT-22 Recruit back in 2002 (the same bird that won best antique @ airventure in 1998, featured HERE: http://issuu.com/vintageeaa/docs/va-vol-26-no-12-dec-1998). Testor's has an old PT-20 kit that I can start with (unless anyone knows of a 22 kit??). If I go with the PT-20 kit, does anyone know of a Kinner R-5 engine upgrade maybe by quickboost or some other resin aftermarket? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
vince14 Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 (edited) In 1/72 there's the injection Special Hobby PT-22, whilst in 1/32 there's the resin Fisher kit. If money is no object, go for the Fisher kit. Vince Edited August 12, 2013 by vince14 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nicholassagan Posted August 12, 2013 Author Share Posted August 12, 2013 Wow! Thanks Vince! I might just do that, too! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nightiemission Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 I want to take on a project for a family friend who flew a Ryan PT-22 Recruit back in 2002 (the same bird that won best antique @ airventure in 1998, featured HERE: http://issuu.com/vintageeaa/docs/va-vol-26-no-12-dec-1998). Testor's has an old PT-20 kit that I can start with (unless anyone knows of a 22 kit??). If I go with the PT-20 kit, does anyone know of a Kinner R-5 engine upgrade maybe by quickboost or some other resin aftermarket? Mike West at Lone Star Models has a PT-22 conversion for the Testors PT-20/ST kit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nicholassagan Posted August 13, 2013 Author Share Posted August 13, 2013 YES!!! Thank you nightie! Do you know his handle here on the boards? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nightiemission Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 YES!!! Thank you nightie! Do you know his handle here on the boards? He has a website(Lone Star Models) but, I think he's on his way to the Nationals or already there. Cheers, Terry Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PA28Ace Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 Ten years late to the game... I built Testors' 1/48 PT-20 with the Lone Star resin PT-22 conversion kit and cockpit kit. I ended-up not using the Lone Star engine cylinders. The ones I did use were cut from another resin radial engine I had in my spares box. Also, I didn't like the instrument panels, so I scratch built my own. I cut the rudder off the kit and made my own because the lower part of the Testors rudder includes a rounded end of the fuselage, which is inaccurate. The conversion kit doesn't include the big carburetor scoop on the right side of the nose. I made my own, but I don't think I got the shape 100 percent right. You have to fabricate your own windscreen because the PT-20's are curved and the PT-22s are flat paned. This was supposed to be an easy, quick project between two bigger ones, but it took on a life of it's own! It does build-up into a cute little airplane! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnEB Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 Nice work. I have an old Testors kit, and I really should get around to building it. My dad did his primary training in a PT-22 in Hemet, California in 1943. An acquaintance owns one, (along with a Inline ST,I hope to get a ride in it soon. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PA28Ace Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 Hi John, thanks for the kind words! I can highly recommend the Lone Star resin conversion kit to do a PT-22. Hopefully that's still available. What did your dad end-up flying? I had a friend who flew B-24s out of Italy, who I think also flew primary in PT-22s at Hemet. He went on to BT-13s at Shafter in California, and advanced training in Cessna AT-17s at Marfa, Texas. What a step that must've been from the 'bamboo bomber' to the B-24! I built a Monogram 1/48 B-24 of his airplane (named 'Racy Tomato'), but unfortunately he passed away before I finished. He gave me most of his WW2 equipment including his A-2 jacket, '50 mission' hat, and other stuff. One thing I love about the modeling hobby is doing the research and replicating history to celebrate the vets and their service. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnEB Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 PA28 Ace Thanks for asking. My dad ended up flying B-17s in Italy. Got there just as the war was ending. I don't know where he did Basic Training, but he did AT-17s in Texas as well. For some reason before going to Italy, he spent some time in Spokane at what is now the civilian commercial airport, the former Geiger AFB. There he got some time in a B-25D. I don't know if it was a school or if he was there for some other reason and was able to some "heavy" twin training time. Too bad trainers, even important types from the war, have been neglected by kit companies. When I was a kid, all we had was the Airfix Harvard (with the long exhaust pipe) before the 1/48 Monogram T-6 came along in the late 70s. The Aurora 1/48 AT-6/SNJ was long before my time. I have a Squadron AT-17/UC-78/Cessna Bobcat multi media kit, but I'm too chicken to build it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PA28Ace Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 Interesting! Did he fly any missions? Anyway, I'm glad he got to come home. After U-boat crews, heavy bombers was the most hazardous military occupation of the war. I can't believe my friend Al flew 50 missions and survived it. Not even a Purple Heart! A follow on crew who flew his airplane after he went home went down in the Adriatic Sea with the loss of the whole crew. B-24s didn't ditch well. Yeah, I've thought about buying that Squadron Bobcat kit. I wish there was a decent BT-13 kit out there too. Like I need more kits...I've probably got enough to keep me busy for the next 200 years! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnEB Posted March 2, 2023 Share Posted March 2, 2023 (edited) I don't know if he saw combat. I checked the records at the National Archives when I was stationed in D.C. and couldn't find his name on any combat reports. I don't think he missed NOT seeing action. He did say the crews were very concerned about the emerging German jets. He died when I was in high school, and he never talked about it...and I was told never to ask. That is a pity because one uncle flew gliders in the Normandy, Southern France and Market Garden. Another was a bomber Navigator who was shot down and was a POW in Germany. Whether they saw combat or not, you have to admire them. Making it as a military pilot back then was an accomplishment... Edited March 2, 2023 by JohnEB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PA28Ace Posted March 2, 2023 Share Posted March 2, 2023 Wow! You had some pretty heroic relatives! Yes, those guys were really something. The WW2 generation have always my heroes and inspiration. I did my instrument rating with a WW2-trained B-24 pilot. He was super to fly with. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.