Amodel 1/72 An-24 Coke Kit First Look

By Michael Benolkin

First Look

The Antonov Design Bureau developed a regional passenger aircraft in 1959 that was similar in design to the Fokker F-27 Friendship released a few years earlier. The An-24 (NATO Codename: Coke) shared a similar high-wing, twin-engined turboprop configuration, right down to the main gear being stowed in extended engine nacelles. A militarized version of the aircraft, the An-24T followed in 1967 with 164 examples being produced.

During the production of the An-24, further enhancements to the basic design were considered to enhance its military utility. The main difference was a change in the tail to accommodate a loading ramp to allow drive-on/drive-off cargo carriage as well as parachute delivery of cargo and personnel. This updated design was designated An-26 (NATO Codename: Curl). The An-24 remains in service today with several airlines as an effective commuter aircraft.

Amodel of Russia has released a nice 1/72 scale rendition of the Antonov An-24. This is a nice follow-on to their nice series of An-26 kits released previously ( look here).

Molded in light gray styrene, this kit is presented on 14 parts trees plus two additional trees of clear parts. With 157 parts for a 1/72 scale project, I listed this kit at an Intermediate skill level since there will some parts clean-up and dry-fitting required to get a clean build. While there doesn't appear to be any significant design problems, there are loads of small parts that will require care and experience to assemble without undue frustration.

Assembly of the kit begins in the cockpit. The flight deck is nicely appointed and will give the casual observer looking through the windows something nice to see. The interior of the main cabin is next, and there is no interior provided, not that you'd see it through the port holes in the fuselage sides. In fact, the kit provides windows and a length of strip styrene to block the windows from the inside. You might consider just painting the inside of the main cabin black and leaving out the window blocks so you can see light from the opposite side windows when glancing at the right angle, just as you would with a full scale aircraft taxiing by.

The tail section and landing gear are next and these are simple yet sturdy subassemblies. These are followed by the engine nacelles and this kit accurately captures the three engines of the An-24RT or An-24RV. That's right, three. The An-24R series not only has the two turbo-prop engines, but it also has a small turbojet engine in the starboard nacelle to serve as an auxiliary power unit (APU). This 'APU' can also create around 2000 pounds of thrust for some additional 'push' during take-off.

The wings are going to be fairly long after assembly. They consist of a center section and two outboard sections that attach outboard of the engine nacelles. While simple liquid cement should build a strong wing, I plan on using a Plastruct I-beam for a main spar just to make sure the three wings sections stay together while being handled. With the wings and tail section installed, it is now time to fill any seam lines and gaps before painting.

Markings are provided for two versions:

• An-24, 46415, Aeroflot, Russian Federation
• An-24, 46745, Aeroflot, Soviet Union

In addition to the distinctive aircraft markings and national insignia, the decals also provide a nice array of aircraft maintenance stenciling as well.

This is a nice little kit that will build into a unique subject with a little patience and skill. The AMS modeler will have fun with this project and have a colorful airlifter for the effort.

My sincere thanks to HobbyTerra for this review sample!