Anigrand 1/72 C-17A Globemaster III, previewed by Kenn Hamm

KIT:	Anigrand 1/72 C-17A Globemaster III
KIT #:	AA 2077
PRICE:	$196.00
DECALS:	options
REVIEWER:	Kenn Hamm
NOTES:	resin with metal landing gear

The Boeing (formerly McDonnell Douglas) C-17 Globemaster III is an American strategic airlifter manufactured by Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. Operators include the the United States Air Force, British Royal Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, and the Canadian Forces Air Command. NATO also has plans to acquire the C-17. The C-17 Globemaster III takes its name from two previous heavy lifter aircraft, the C-74 Globemaster and the C-124 Globemaster II.

In recent years the size and weight of U.S. mechanized firepower and equipment have grown, which has significantly increased air mobility requirements, particularly in the area of large or heavy outsize cargo. The C-17 can airlift such cargo close to a potential battle area.

The C-17 is powered by four fully reversible, F117-PW-100 turbofan engines (the Department of Defense designation for the commercial Pratt and Whitney PW2040, currently used on the Boeing 757). Each engine is rated at 40,440 lbf (180 kN) of thrust. The thrust reversers direct the flow of air upward and forward. This facilitates a decreased rate of ingestion of foreign object debris as well as reverse thrust capable of backing the aircraft. Additionally, the C-17's thrust reversers can be used at idle-reverse in flight for added drag in maximum-rate descents.

The aircraft is operated by a minimum crew of three (pilot, copilot, and loadmaster). Cargo is loaded onto the C-17 through a large aft door that accommodates both rolling stock (vehicles, trailers, etc.) and palletized cargo. The cargo floor has rollers (used for palletized cargo) that can be flipped to provide a flat floor suitable for rolling stock. One of the larger pieces of rolling stock that this aircraft can carry is the 70-ton M1 Abrams tank.

Maximum payload capacity of the C-17 is 170,900 lb (77,500 kg), and its maximum gross takeoff weight is 585,000 lb (265,350 kg). With a payload of 160,000 lb (72,600 kg) and an initial cruise altitude of 28,000 ft (8,500 m), the C-17 has an unrefueled range of approximately 2,400 nautical miles (4,400 km) on the first 71 units, and 2,800 nautical miles (5,200 km) on all subsequent units, which are extended-range models using the sealed center wing bay as a fuel tank. These units are informally referred to by Boeing as the C-17 ER. Its cruise speed is approximately 450 knots (833 km/h) (0.76 Mach). The C-17 is designed to airdrop 102 paratroopers and equipment.

The C-17 is designed to operate from runways as short as 3,500 ft (1,064 m) and as narrow as 90 ft (27 m). In addition, the C-17 can operate out of unpaved, unimproved runways. The thrust reversers can be used to back the aircraft and reverse direction on narrow taxiways.

The 1/72 Model Census put online petitions out for the C-17 to be kitted several years ago, and mine was one of the first signatures to be added. When I heard that Anigrand, whose kits I had been following for a year or two thanks to so many of Steve Van Aken's reviews, I was excited. I began saving up in preparation for my first Anigrand order. I can't tell you how great it is that Anigrand is making these big birds. I hope they keep going, maybe with the big Antonovs or a C-5? I'm game!

The fuselage comes with the same kind of fore and aft fuselage interlocking feature seen on the C-124 Globemaster II and XF-12 Rainbow kits. The fuselage also has internal bracing to give it even more rigidity. The wings are molded as top and bottom halves, to which you add the flap hinge fairings, pylons, and wing tip extensions. There are also two large parts for the main gear housing both port and aft, which can of course be displayed gear up or gear down. The main and nose landing gear chasses are metal, with resin wheels. The vertical fin and high tail planes are molded separately, as whole parts. The wings, tail planes, and fin attach by molded pins that are roughly 1/8 in diameter. Test fitting and sanding will be required to get a good clean fit, as my first attempt to test fit the fuselage discovered that the pins were a little off, so some adjusting may be needed. The fuselage halves joined is just over 28 inches long, with a wingspan of about 28 or 29 inches as well. Total length is probably around 32 inches from the tips of the tailplanes to the nose.

The engines come in six pieces each, with the top and bottom of the nacelles, inlet fans, exhaust nozzle, and a wing spoiler on each side. The inlet fans have the 'standard' look to them, not unlike you would see in, say a inlet fan on a Hasegawa A-10 or something similar, though more sanding will be required here too. In fact, I see the engines as being a lot of work because my kit has one nacelle that looks like an extra blob of resin might have stowed away on it.

The cockpit is rudimentary, and there will be a seam from the windshield bottom basically enclosing the general outline of the cockpit area, as the canopy includes all of that area. I suppose it makes it easier for working on the cockpit with any scratch-built detailing you may add to it, and does give a larger part to mask than just the windows themselves. The cockpit comes with two pilot seats, side consoles for both seats, two control sticks, instrument panel, center console, and two loadmaster seats. All these parts are plain in appearance, especially the control sticks. Given the size of the windows, you may be able to see into the cockpit pretty well. No decals for the cockpit are included.

In terms of the quality of my kit's casting, I would say that I have been luckier than most. I see several issues that will require my attention, but none that even my intermediate level skills can't handle, albeit with care and attention to detail. I see bubbles on the gear housings on both sides, behind the front landing gear opening, in the cockpit, wing edges, and right at the tail of my fuselage, though those bubbles should be invisible once painted, so long as I don't get too aggressive with the sand paper. My vertical fin and tail planes need some sanding, but are remarkably bubble free. I am even luckier when it comes to breakage. Only some of the internal fuselage ribs were broken, perhaps due to the landing gear being stored in there, and then shaken around over its long journey. None of the smaller pieces, like the flap hinge fairings and engine nacelle wing spoilers seem to have suffered any damage.

I took a photo of the big parts with a measuring tape so you could get an idea of the size of this kit.

Not being an expert builder, yet, this kit will remain in my growing collection until I feel ready for it. However, I had to get it now, as they report there are only going to be 250 made. I don't know if that is all they cast or not, but I wanted to make sure one of them was in my garage.

The markings are for one aircraft, a C-17 marked as 90058 from the 62nd Air Wing, out of McChord AFB, Washington. Needless to say, that was a nice bonus for me! The fuselage is listed as 'blue grey' overall with black on the de-icing panels. The interior is 'mid grey' with light blue cushions on the pilot seats. My only complaint about the scheme is it seems like Anigrand cut a corner with the banner on the tail, requiring you to paint on the yellow green banner and the top and bottom black strips. The decal for McChord is only in black and white, as are all the other decals, save for a pair of American flags for the tail that are spot on register, and making the oversight of the banner that much more confounding, given that it is a nearly $200 kit.

If you can still find one, buy it. Don't hesitate, or you will be buying it on Ebay later for many times the original price. You will need to reserve a decent amount of shelf space, but with decent skills and some experience in resin, you will have a centerpiece for your collection.

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