Valom 1/72 Saunders Roe A.29 Cloud

The Saro Cloud was a British passenger amphibian flying boat designed and built by Saunders-Roe as the A.19 and later produced as the A.29 for the Royal Air Force for pilot and navigator training.

Following on from the success of the A.17 Cutty Sark the company designed an enlarged version designated the A.19 Cloud. It had room for a crew of two and eight passengers and like the Cutty Sark was a twin-engined monoplane flying boat with two engines strut-mounted above the wing. The design allowed for flexibility in engine fits and a four aircraft were sold to private operators with different engines fitted.

First flown in 1930 the prototype was fitted with two 300 hp (224kW) Wright J-6 radial engines. The Air Ministry ordered a prototype and 16 production aircraft for the Royal Air Force as pilot and navigator trainers. There was room for a crew of two and the former luxury cabin was replaced with chart tables for training six navigators at a time.

A.19/1

Prototype registered G-ABCJ with 300 hp (224 kW) Wright J-6 radial engines, sold in Canada as CF-ARB, but returned to Saro in 1934 for use as an engine test bed. It was fitted with 340 hp Napier Rapier IV engines and an auxiliary aerofoil behind and below the engine nacelles. It was loaned to Jersey Airways in 1935 before being withdrawn from use in 1936.

A.19/2

Special variant powered by three 215 hp Armstrong Siddeley Lynx IVC engines and registered G-ABHG. Due to problems with the engine installation it was re-engined with two 425 hp (317 kW) Pratt & Whitney Wasp C radials before delivery. It was also fitted with an auxiliary aerofoil above the engines and twin fins and rudders to improve directional control. Sold to Imperial Airways in 1940 as a crew trainer but damaged beyond repair in 1941 and scrapped.

A.19/3

Prototype for the Royal Air Force with serial K2681 and powered by two 340 hp (254 kW) Armstrong Siddeley Serval III radials. It was followed by sixteen production aircraft for the RAF, numbered K2894-2898, K3722-3729, K4300-K4302.

A.19/4

Registered G-ABXW with 300 hp (224 kW) Wright J-6 radial engines. Named 'Cloud of Iona'. It was operated by British Flying Boats Ltd for joy-riding and charter flights, and briefly trialled a service between Glasgow and Belfast. In 1935 it was operated by Spartan Air Lines, and later used by Guernsey Airways until lost off Jersey on 31 July 1936.

A.19/5

Powered by two Armstrong Siddeley Serval III and registered G-ACGO. First flown in 1933 it went on a sales tour of Europe and was sold to the Czechoslovak State Airline as OK-BAK and re-engined with Walter Pollux radials. The fuselage is preserved at the Kbely Aircraft Museum, Prague

Here is another delightful subject from our friends at Valom. I have to admit this is one of those subjects I thought would never be kitted, but am quite pleased that it was. As you can tell from the historical section, this is the A.19/3.

Typical of Valom, the sprues have a number of parts that are not appropriate for the variant being kitted. The plastic itself is very nicely molded with a bit of excessive mold line on a few pieces, but otherwise typical for the upper end of the genre. Also typical is the need to drill a few holes and make some bits out of stretched sprue or wire.

The cockpit is the usual mix of plastic and etched brass with the latter material being used for instrument panels and belts, for example. Acetate instrument sheets are also provided to back up the brass panels. The cabin in this version is basically just a seat and table. As this kit is the British military option, you will use the supplied cowlings and the engine nacelles that are on more robust pylons. This version uses just one set of props. The resin engines are a bit different and you get four bombs with pylons to place under the wings if you so desire. I had thought that the large radial etched bits were for the engine pushrods, but these are for the outer portion of the wheels (the inner is solid).

The wheels have separate hubs and tires, which makes painting easy. Looking at the instructions, the kit is designed for gear down, but building it raised should not be an issue for those who may wish to try it. This aircraft was a true amphibian so the gear was used on standard landing fields. The wing floats are nicely done and should be sturdy. I found that the use of resin fuselage halves was a neat way to handle the detail and rather unexpected. A real benefit to many of us is that this one is quite light on bracing with only a bit used on the tailplanes.

Instructions are well done and have several superb drawings to help with parts placement. Both markings options are in aluminum lacquer with only the serial numbers being different between the two. The decal sheet is very nicely done and should pose no issues at all.

This is not your usual kit subject and should be a real delight to those who like to model 20's and 30's aircraft in general and airliners in particular. It is a kit that anyone with some experience in short run kits and the patience to build them should find to produce an excellent model.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saro_Cloud