Modelling the Pilatus P.C. 7 Mk II "Astra"

Modelling notes:

There are about 20 changes which have to be made to the Aeroclub Pilatus P.C. 9 to complete it as an Astra. The plan view supplied has been numbered with all the changes marked on it. See the GALLERY . These numbers also correspond to the listed paragraphs below.

1) The cockpit as supplied in the kit is reasonable and could be left as is, although some changes were made when local avionics were fitted. This involves size and positioning changes of certain instruments. The cockpit interior colour is mostly green, similar to Humbrol 78.

Two white metal seats are supplied with etched parts. They can be built as per instructions but with the headrest sidepanels omitted. The front seat has bigger canopy breakers fitted than the rear seat and these have to be added using plasticard. The seats make up into very good replicas and are little works of art all by themselves. The seats are semi-gloss black all over with olive drab seat harnesses. The seat cushions are olive drab while the handle for the ejector seat between the pilots legs, is black and yellow.

2) The SAAF specified longer propeller blades than the ordinary P.C. 9 propeller for its Astras. On a 1/72 scale model this is hardly noticeable and after experimenting with a Spitfire propeller, I decided to use the Aeroclub item, suitably modified. As supplied, the propeller has square tips, which have to be rounded to look authentic.

3) On the starboard side of the fuselage, just behind the propeller, there is a curious bump on the fuselage. This houses a compressor for the cockpit air conditioner. Another smaller bulge is to be found on the nose closer to the canopy, the function of which I have not been able to deduce.

4) The exhausts shape differs from the P.C. 9 but by using a sharp knife, these can be altered to the correct shape. Surprisingly the exhausts are not symmetrical, the port exhaust pointing slightly down and the starboard exhaust pointing slightly up.

5) Under the engine there is a V-shaped air inlet with what looks like an aerial in the narrow opening of the V. This inlet assists engine cooling.

6) There are two other inlets forward of the wing, low down on the starboard fuselage. Both are V-shaped with the bigger one closer to the nose and the smaller one closer to the wing.

7) The kit has no nose wheel well or doors and the shape of these have to be cut into the fuselage before assembly. The front wheel is not completely covered by the nose wheel door and is visible in flight, even with the undercarriage retracted. The wheel well was left blank as I have as yet been unable to photograph the inside of this area. The doors were cut from plasticard and their shapes and sizes were taken from the plan.

8) The P.C. 9 kit has an outlet duct in front of the canopy. This was sanded off as it does not appear on the Astra.

9) The main wheel doors are bulged to take the low pressure, wider main wheel tires, these being fitted for rough field landings. The shape of these can be seen on the drawing. Wheels from the spares box were used to replace the white metal wheels. The main wheel doors only open shortly after take off to allow the wheels to retract and then close again. Plasticard was cut to the correct shape of the wheel doors, they were modelled shut and then body putty was used to build up the bulges. When the undercarriage is lowered, landing lights fold down from the main wheel wells.

10) A number of aerials are fitted, mostly to the underside of the aircraft. Two small aerials are found directly under the fuselage. The front one is offset to port and the other is mounted on the centerline.