LTD 1/48 CAC Boomerang
The origins of the Boomerang can be traced in late 1941, when Lawrence Wackett, manager and chief designer of Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) examined the possibility of designing and building a new fighter aircraft, a first for Australia's aviation industry.
The emerging design, designated as CA-12, used the wing, tail assembly, undercarriage, and center section of the Wirraway in combination with a new forward fuselage to house the larger Twin Wasp engine, which gave it a stubby appearance.
The proposal was presented to the Australian Government, which promptly gave its approval, authorizing an immediate order for 105 “Boomerangs” (as they were named shortly thereafter).
Though the engine's performance was adequate at low altitudes, it fell rapidly above 15000 ft, so, the fact that the plane rarely engaged in aerial combat came as no surprise.
As it stood, the Boomerang was agile, easy to fly, with good range, sufficient armament and could withstand significant battle damage. While it might have never been recorded as having destroyed any enemy aircraft, it performed well in the light ground attack role, used by Army co-operation squadrons, often replacing the lightly armed Wirraway. It was also used for artillery spotting, aerial supply drops, tactical reconnaissance, and anti-malarial spraying. In total, 250 examples were built.
RAAF No. 5 Squadron flew Boomerangs in New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Borneo Campaign, also in the close support role, with marked success. Flying in pairs (one to observe the ground, the other to observe the air around them), their tasks included bombing, strafing, close infantry support and artillery spotting.
This the 1996 1/48 Boomerang mold of the now defunct LTD.
https://modelingmadness.com/review/allies/aus/penboom.htm
Happy Modelling!
Excellent build, Spiros!
Thanks my friend @blackmopane!
Nice work on one of the more usual aircraft of the war. Stubby-looking little thing!
Thanks my friend @gkittinger!
Looks great, Spiros (@fiveten), especially considering the small size of the model. LTD kits can be very challenging, but you have certainly elevated the kit.
Thanks a lot, my friend @gblair!
Yours is a great build of a challenging kit, Spiros. Nothing easy or simple about getting this fine a model out of the bits provided in the LTD box. Congratulations!
Thank you kindly, my friend @brummbaer!
Well done Spiros. Mine became landfill when I got to the clear parts
Thanks a lot, my friend @blackadder57! Yup, those "transparencies" are way less than acceptable.
Turned out very well, Spiros. @fiveten
Thanks a lot, my friend @jdtruby!
Another beauty added to your collection, Spiros @fiveten
Considering this short run kit, your skills definitely tackled it to transform it into a wonderful Boomerang.
Thank you so much, my friend @johnb!
Congratulations on building that kit - nice work!. I have the LTD Boomerang, started it a couple of times, now it resides in my junk drawer. I lost interest in it when the Special Hobby CAC-12 came along.
Thanks so much, my friend @chasbunch!
Indeed, the SH kit is way better than the LTD in every respect, accuracy icluded.
Looks good and I learned about an aircraft that I knew almost nothing about. Modelling is a great way to explore an interest. Great job Spiros.
Thank you so much, my friend @robgenev665!
I had forgotten about the LTD Boomerang, but it all came back to me.
There were worse kits than the LTD's. You have done a great job on this one.
Thanks a lot, my friend @billkoppos!
Love it, great work Spiros (@fiveten).
Despite living in Australia now (I'm an English expat), I don't know much about the aircraft that the RAAF used during the pre and post war era's. So seeing the odd RAAF plane pop up here and there is a bit of a surprise 😀
Thank you do much, my friend @scottiya!
Excellent work on what is obviously a difficult kit, Spiros, and an interesting background to boot.
Thank you kindly, my friend @chinesegeorge!
Again a very rarely seen model. Very nicely built. Straight up very interesting information about this lesser known aircraft.
Thank you very much, my friend @milantesar!
Nice looking Boomerang Spiros despite the kit handicaps. There use to be some official photos in the 5 Sqd hanger in the 60s.
Thanks a lot, my friend @firelockg!
Well done build of a little known plane , Spiros. Nice article as well.
Thank you kindly, my friend @gelleb18!
“Stubby” is the word, Spiros @fiveten. Another fine piece of work.
Thank you so much, my friend @eb801!
Great job on a nasty little kit mate. I built one years ago and, in the end, put it in a crash diorama because it had so many flaws. I called the diorama "My Boomerang won't come back".
You've done a fine job here.
All the best, Paul.
Thanks my friend @paulwoodyvanacker!
Yup, a nasty little kit...
Great job, Spiros. Those LTD kits were tough. I managed to finish the Yak-9 (poorly).
Thanks so much, my friend friend @j-healy!
For some reason I missed this one. It's a really excellent result on what always looked a bit too short for an aircraft.
Thank you kindly, my friend @christopher! Indeed, a short, stubby aircraft.
Nice job, Spiros!
Thanks a lot, my friend @gwskat!
Nice work, Spiros!
Great looking pint sized fighter.
Thank you so much, my friend @georgeswork!
@fiveten, Now that's something we don't see everyday! 😃 What a gorgeous lil' fighter, Spiros! 👍 Great job on the model, my friend! 👏
Thank you very much, my friend @garybrantley!
@fiveten Thats beautiful Spiros! Never seen a motorcycle that looks like that ;). Nicely done!
Thank you so much, my friend @bikequeen!
Very nice piece of work, Spiros!
Thanks for sharing this build as well as the story behind this aircraft.
Greetz
Thank you kindly, my friend @alfred!
Spiros, great job on this LTD kit. You have made a great looking Boomerang.
Thank you so much, my friend @v1pro!
Oh Man! Great job with a difficult kit. There is a reason why LTD is defunct.
Thanks so much, my friend @jsummerford!