Platz is a relatively unknown Japanese manufacturer in the U.S. This kit was released earlier in resin and white metal, but this styrene kit is much better detailed. There are 2 gray sprues and a clear windscreen that are well molded, and the parts fit together well. The instructions are 5 blown up illustrations that are clear and straight forward with FS color callouts. The small parts, props and engines are quite exceptional in 1:144 scale. There are many optional antennas, lights and other parts to build a variety of C-46s. The engraved panel lines are very fine and well molded. There was a short shot on the left side of the upper rudder that was corrected with thin sheet styrene and putty,

I back dated mine to a C-46A by filling the starboard rear jump door. Tail number 396742 was a CBI veteran and also flew with Buffalo Airways in Alaska until a few years ago. The C-46 Commando served in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and with Air America and many civil cargo airlines. 

I elected to use decals for the windscreen and cabin windows, but I did use the clear navigator bubble. There is an option of plain or gunport cabin window decals, a nice touch. There is a well detailed cockpit for this scale that can be further detailed if one uses the clear windscreen, but I liked the consistent look of the gray decals.

Construction was straightforward but the detailed engines with pushrods and magnetos and delicate landing gear required patience and careful alignment. Cowl flaps are in the open position that would be the case for an aircraft on the ground. There was no putty required at all.

Painting was done with my Pasche H-3 airbrush with Model Master FS 34067 Olive Drab over FS 37163 neutral gray.

The de-icer boot decals were easy to apply and eliminated tedious masking and painting and looked real. Red fuel caps were cut from decal material with a punch and die. The rest of the decals were from an IPMS decal sheet and decal scrap bin.

A fine coat of slightly lightened olive drab was misted over the upper surfaces to show slight weathering. Using a small soft brush with black/brown pastels, slight exhaust staining was applied aft of the exhaust stacks. The model was finished with a nylon thread radio antenna wire.

The Commando was completed in 18 enjoyable hours, and I would highly recommend it to any experienced modeler only because of the very small scale.

 Squadron C-46 Commando in Action.

H. Davis Gandees

28 May 2026

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