During the war, the USAAS was looking for a more powerful trainer. Rather than build an all new plane, it was decided to re-engine the standard JN-4A/D with a new 150 hp Wright built Hispano engine. Strengthening was required to install this new engine and fuel capacity was increased to allow for the additional thirst of the new engine. All the JN-4Hs were built by Curtiss, who produced 929 of them from January 1918 until the Armistice. After the war, a rather substantial number were converted to bomber and gunnery trainers. These were assigned to specialized training groups that provided initial training in the fine arts of aerial bombing, gunnery and other specialties.
 

THE KIT

For the overall kit, there is little more that I can say that wasn't true of the original JN-4A article. This particular kit seems to be the JN-4S kit but with instructions that tell you where all the bits and pieces for the gunnery version are to go. Options on this one are as pretty well confined to how you want to paint the aircraft as in terms of construction, both markings versions are identical.

As with the previous kits, the instructions are very good and give a nicely detailed rigging diagram, a real necessity for an aircraft like this. The kit decals are superbly printed and offer two options. First is the box art aircraft from 1919 in overall OD with large wing insignia. The other is mostly a linen color with an OD nose and upper forward fuselage. This is a 1921 scheme and uses the smaller roundels and larger fuselage serial number.

CONCLUSIONS

Though this one may be a touch more difficult to build since you have to chop off the nose, the resultant model should be most impressive. Recommended only for those with a few WWI types under their belts due to the extensive rigging required.

REFERENCES

Curtiss Aircraft  1907-1947 by Peter M Bowers, 1987, Naval Institute Press

Kits courtesy of Olimp Models. Visit their website for more information on these kits.