I just completed an AMT 1/48 scale Lockheed Vega. It was supposed to be Wiley Post's Winnie Mae NR-105-W. The model actually was of NC-105-W, the stock version of his Vega before closing up two windows on each side and installing large fuel tanks in the passenger cabin.

The decals were mostly unusable, so I made a what-if out of the kit. I salvaged some decals, raided my spares box, and made Winnie Mae II, N105. The kit boxing dates from about 1977. It went together well with only a little TLC.





Early Vegas had exposed engines and landing gear wheels. Research done by the National Advisory Council on Aviation (NACA) showed that airflow around uncowled rotary engines caused turbulents with a lot of resulting drag. Also, exposed landing gear accounted for some 70% of fuselae drag.
NACA cowls were custom designed for each aircraft, in the Vega's case, the front is round, but the rear is oval shape to match the shape of the plywood monocoque fuselage. Spats were also addedto the landing gear in an attempt to reduce some of the drag. They look pretty 'snazzy' to me even if they didn't have much effect.





I tried to design a paint job reminiscent of the styles used during the era from 1929 to 1935 or so, but slightly modernised.







The pilot (no co-pilot) sat in a small compartment above and to the rear of the engine. Access could be from the interior, or from a hatch in the roof of the canopy.



The Vega was designed as a small passenger aircraft carrying about six passengers. It was pretty fast for its time. Wiley Post was the most famous pilot of the Vega, but Amelia Earhart also had a Vega and flew the Atlantic Ocean in it.

I invite you to read more about the Lockheed Vega and Wiley Post.

Hi Richard,

That is a fine Vega! I love aircraft of the era. I think your paint scheme is very authentic.

Great work with new decals. I built AMT's F9F and P-36 and recall the decals, in new, were...well, let's just say disappointing.

Richard, great looking Vega indeed. A great reminder of a fantastic time in aviation history. I had actually forgotten AMT had done this kit. Anyway, great to see one built up.

Best wishes,

Ian

Thanks very much - it was a challenging undertaking, tthe kit was OK, but coming up with the paint scheme and markings was the haardest part.

The AMT 1/48 Stinson Reliant is currently available through 'Round 2" models.

The Vega I bought at a model show for the ridicu;lous price of $5 Cnadian.

Really nice build!! Love the subject. One question: How hard/easy would it have been to convert the kit to Post's actual aircraft?

Was the "Winnie Mae" a kit decal, or a DIY job?

Again, it's very nice to see this built up.

Hi Richard

Lovely job! It's great to see such a Golden Age classic that's all too often overlooked as a kit these days.

All the best

Rowan

The kit decals were for NR-105 -W. By checking photos on line, this was the aircraft which Wiley Post altered by adding extra fuel tanks in the passenger compartment, right behind the cockpit. Two cabin windows on each side were covered over. NC-105-W was the initial registration the 'C' meaning 'commercial'. I don't know what the 'W' was for. The kit is for a Vega as straight from the factory.

(The 'Winnie Mae' decal actually says 'The Winnie Mae of Oklahoma' and on the real aircraft is above the 'cheat line' on the fuselage, not below as I have placed it. This, the Lockheed decal on the tail and the N105 on the lower wing surface were the only decals I could salvage.)

Once modified, the 'C' became an 'R' for 'Research' Registration codes were not as strict as nowadays. The Spirit of St. Louis' registration was N-X-211, for example. Apparently, from what I've read, the only code that was official was N211, or N105 as the case of Post's Vega.

Later, Post's Vega was more heavily modified and by the last version all of the cabin windows were eliminated except one.

Thanks for the info about the decals. I must say I am very intrigued by this build. I almost always do military stuff, so I am wondering if this kit could be modified into a UC-101 in 1/48?





Whaddayathink?

Brian - judging by your work on the B 17 I think you could pull it off blindfolded with one hand - Cheers - Richard

The wheels and spats are moulded as one piece in the AMT kit. (kind of primitive) I suppose you could alter the landing gear assembly to accept a wheel instead of the wheel/spat part, you could do it. I did not take photos during the assembly of the kit, but I think it could be done - if memory serves, the bracing is in two pieces and the wheel/spat part is glued on by itself. Oh yes, and the kit had a tail skid - I used a tail wheel from my spares box.

BTW - there was one metal skinned Vega - a replica has been made and is in flying condition - it is painted and marked as a pre-war USAAF aircraft. I'm sure if you diid a search you could find it - yellow wings and all.

The one problem may be that the AMT kit is not currently in production, but maybe you could find one.

Oh, and one more thing - the engine is quite primitive, it is the relief of the front half of the engine and a flat face. The cowl covers the flat mounting surface which is glued onto the front of the fuselage. In the last photo you can make out the rather poor representation of the engine. (I wish I had taken a photo of the parts before I ssembled them)

If you do a search, be aware thet there was also a Lindberg 1/48 Lockheed Vega too - you may be able to find one, but the parts are different. The Lindberg kit is also out of production.

Richard, I did some searching on e-bay and I see the Lindberg kit there. It got a pretty good review considering its age! Looks like it's a better candidate for a military version because the wheel spats are separate. Thanks for your info.