NEARLY OUT FOR A GOLDEN DUCK

Jon Bryon plays a captain's innings with his testing build of a Classic J2F-6

- Jon Bryon

Grumman J2F-5/6 (OA-12) Duck

Kit No: 445

Scale: 1/48

Type: Injection moulded plastic with resin

Manufacturer: Classic Airframes

Grumman's J2F Duck stems from 1936 and traces its roots back to a series of amphibian aircraft made by Loening in the 1920s. This would be the first biplane I'd built since I was a kid, which added to its limited run nature, meant I approached this project with trepidation. I bought the excellent Ginter reference book on the Duck and made use of the Squadron Mini In Action publication. These would turn out to be essential because as it transpires Classic Airframes were a little confused as to what variant they were actually making.

This kit is billed as a J2F-5/6 (OA-12). However, OA-12 was the USAF designation for the J2F-6, so the differences are between the -5 and -6. References state that the only change was the engine, but careful study of photographs shows that this is not the case as the cowlings were different, with the -5's being shorter than the 6's. Moreover, the nose sections were substantially different, with the - 5 cowling sitting well proud of the nose, whereas they were flush on the -6, and the lower sides of the nose on the -6 flared outwards to accommodate some kind of vents. Lastly, the -5 had a prominent intake on top of the cowling, which is not present on the -6. Classic Airframes gives you a mishmash of the two versions, and for the later model you will have to scratch build the forward fuselage vents, and there are other inaccuracies, which I will get to in due course.