One of the more interesting aircraft power plants under development during WWII was the Wright R-2160 42 cylinder, 2,500 hp engine. A large diameter contra-rotating prop was planned to deliver this mass of power. The Republic XP-69 was designed around this large engine and in  July 1941, two examples were ordered. A 3/4 scale mockup was inspected in June of 1942 by by May 1943, it was felt that the XP-72 would fill the requirements and so further development of the XP-69 was cancelled before a prototype was built.

One major change from the mock-up was to have been the inclusion of a 'bubble' canopy for better vision. There would have been a large intake below the wing with armament set at 2 .50 cal machine guns and a single 37mm cannon in each wing. It was estimated that a speed of 450 mph would be reached at 35,000 feet and it would take the aircraft 20 minutes to reach that altitude. With a fuel capacity of 700 gallons, range was hoped to be 1,800 miles.

This kit is of the version shown in the mock-up.

Upon opening the sturdy cardboard box, one finds the usual compartmentalized bag containing the kit parts. I found this particular kit to be one of the better molded Anigrand kits with little in the way of pinholes and other resin glitches. The wings, horizontal stabs and fin/rudder/aft fuselage are all a single casting. There are alignment pin holes in the wing roots for the wings and in the fin for the horizontal stabs. Unfortunately, the resin pins on the stabs are almost non-existent, appearing to either be short shot or broken away. Nonetheless, it is a nice thought.

The cockpit is Spartan with but a set and a control column. Apparently the XP-69 was to be flown like a P-38 and one has a wheel in place of the standard stick. The resin landing gear are quite sturdy and should hold up to the weight of the kit. An unusual feature is that the gear legs attach to the gear door and a bit down on the door is a stub axle for the wheel. Whether by design or just a short shot, these stubs are so short that there is no way you can attach a wheel to it. You'll need to make axles for it out of plastic rod or some other material. I suggest drilling out the old one, inserting the new axle and then filling the hole in the gear door. Wheels seem a bit generic, but should work well.

The kit has a contra-rotating prop. The blades are molded in left and right hand though I'm not sure which goes where (as in front and rear). A second set of props is provided so that you can make an XP-54 kit into the XP-68, which is apparently only differed by the engine/prop from the prototype XP-54. It is nice to have this included and adds some extra value to the kit.  The single vac canopy is Anigrand's usual quality. It seems that the frame lines on this one are more distinct than in the past, though I'd still like them to be proud of the surface to make it easier to mask. The builder will have to make the gun barrels and pitot tube from the resin rod sections provided. I'd replace them with plastic or metal tubing.

The instructions differ somewhat from earlier versions with one side of the sheet containing the exploded view and parts listing. The other has the markings guide a photo of the mock-up and historical section. A set of generic insignia is provided, which is more than adequate for this aircraft.

We have yet another fine prototype from Anigrand and I'm glad to see them. Anigrand kits are relatively easy to build and provide a superb basis for additional detailing. This one seems to be as good as the others and would be a nice introduction to the genre if you've never tried a resin kit.

US Fighters: Army - Air Force, 1925 to 1980s. Lloyd S. Jones, 1975, Aero Publishers

December 2006