Minicraft 1/144th Boeing 314A “Dixie Clipper”
This Minicraft kit has been around forever, under several brand names, (Airfix, etc.) It is a very simple kit, aout 73 parts, with little filling, and pretty good fit considering it's age. I have two. I had come across this picture from Life magazine, of the Clipper in WWII camo, and decided to see if I could pull it off. At the time I started, I didn't know there was a specific kit for this version, albeit, it's turns out to be one of three kits in a "presidential package". I was fortunate enough to come across the decal sheet for this version, and was able to pirate the I.D. numbers as well as a few other markings. The "camo" decals just looked too neat to me, so I didn't use or need them.
Upon reading the history of this particular aircraft, I found it was used to fly FDR to a meeting with Churchill in Jan. '43, equipped as a "communication center", covering over 11,000 miles over U-boat infested waters. Although in "USN" markings, it had a Pan Am crew. It was probably the first aircraft used in the manner of "Air Force One".
