This kit is 7 or so years old. One of the earlier WNW kits.
I had always had this in mind to build, and I had always preferred the Japanese option in the box. When this build came around I knew I would try to get hold of one.
Then the news began to roll in from New Zealand that all was not well with WNW to say the least. Some of those key engineers and designers, and the on-site leadership team of the company were quoted on FB and modelling sites last week, as they revealed that the company would not be carrying on. They are unemployed. Many reasons have been put forward for this - all of which will become clear over time. Or won't. It is a great shame that we will lose, at very least in its current form, a producer of fantastic kits. It is a greater shame for the families of the folk who now have no job to go to. I hope they are rapidly employed by other companies. They are the bearers of a great deal of know-how and skill. And that is all I want to say on the current position of the company.
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That said, for obvious reasons there has been a huge rush on WNW kits from stores and online sellers since the shocking news. Luckily, I had ordered this just before 'panic buying' to rival the recent 'toilet roll wars' kicked in. Today it arrived - to my relief I have to say - the post has been, understandably, very slow here. I also have to admit it wasn't the only WNW kit I bought this fortnight.
So I am very pleased to have got a copy of the kit, and will do my best to finish it to a decent standard for this GB. It is a learning process I am looking forward to.
The plane itself was first flown in January 1917 as the Salmson 2-A2, but sent back for redevelopment, not to be seen again until April of that year. 2200 were ordered from the French company Salmson and another 1000 under licence to other factories in France. The Tokyo Artillery Arsenal and Kawasaki Shipworks built approximately 600 licensed and unlicensed planes between 1920 and 1927. These were known as the Type Otsu Model 1 Reconnaissance Aircraft.
The Otsu 1 saw service over Siberia in 1922 and China in 1931. It featured silver and clear doped linen and polished aluminium panels.
I am fairly sure I won't start this straight away. I'd like to clear some backlog and get a couple of other planes done for the group first. I have another one plane due for this group - a lot more basic than this one. Not a WNW kit, I hasten to add. Anyway I'll keep looking out for the next package!
