Croco 1/72 YAU-22A

During the Vietnam war, Beech was involved in several projects for the USAF with some of them based on their line of light aircraft, most using the fuselage of the various models of Bonanza available at the time. The most successful was the QU-22 an intelligence gathering aircraft of which 33 were built. Less successful was a light attack COIN aircraft, the YAU-22A. Only one was built and tested. The prototype of this low-cost close-support version used a Bonanza A36 fuselage and Baron B55 wings. The aircraft had three hardpoints and generally carried a variety of rocket pods, though I'm thinking that it was also able to carry a light machine gun pod.

Croco has released some very interesting types over the years. This one is the second based on a Beech Bonanza fuselage, so it provides some commonality with their previous QU-22 offering. The molding on the resin parts is quite good. You get a well appointed cabin with seats, control wheels, instrument panel and rudder pedals. The fin and tailplanes are butt joins as is the fin fillet. Cowling is hollow so you can cram weight into it as this one has a short wheelbase.

Wings are left and right sides with a lower center section to help thing line up. You are provided with two sets of vacuform parts. The kit provides a three blade prop with separate blades. Landing gear is reinforced with wire so no worries on it warping under the weight of the kit. Inner main gear doors are normally closed so those are not provided. Each of the six pylons have anti-sway braces. A set of rocket pods are provided so you can display your model fully armed.

The aircraft was minimally marked with just tiny insignia, a serial number and USAF logo on the fin. You are provided the YQU-22 sheet for insignia and serial along with a H-43 sheet for the USAF logo. Instructions are two exploded views which are more than adequate to build the kit. Look at the parts layout image to see what they are like. For painting, a web search will locate a couple of photos to help in this regard.

If you like to build the different and unusual, this kit is for you. They are definitely for experienced modelers, but the end result will be something really neat for your display shelf.

January 2024