US Navy NC-2A Mobile Electric Power Plant

Skunkmodels Workshop, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

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Skunkmodels Workshop seems to have taken a shine to the deck tractors and mobile servicing equipment that is found on the decks of the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carriers as this is their fifth release in 1/48 scale.

This time it is the NC-2A Mobile Electric Power Plant (MEPP) which is a four-wheel, self propelled, three-cylinder diesel-engine-powered service unit. The front axle is driven by a 28-volt DC, reversible, variable speed motor and the unit is steered by the two rear wheels, and is easy to manoeuvre in congested areas (yeah right, I’m betting that it takes a whole lot of practice!). The AC and DC power cables are stored in a compartment near the driver. It delivers 115/200-volt, 3-phase, 400-hertz AC, and 28 volts of DC to the aircraft. All controls, both propulsion and electrical power, are located on three panels located in front and to the right of the operator's seat. The MEPP is designed for air transport and is provided with tie-down rings and forklift channels. The MEPP is designed primarily for use on aircraft carriers.

Reference on the NC-2A is very thin on the ground. I spent considerable time on the net searching for background information and images to check the kit parts against and to try and find out some history of the equipment but found very little indeed. Significantly, I could not find any contemporary images of the equipment and I only found a few images of from the mid ‘80s and it was painted yellow, not white. The written reference I found was confined to a couple of official US Navy publications only and it is from this that I have lifted the above description from.

Firstly, you get two complete NC-2As and two decal sheets in the box. Each NC-2A kit comes on two sprues and each comprises 42 parts in all.

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The moulded detail of the vehicle is excellent and you can really just build, paint and weather what is in the box and be rewarded with an excellent representation of the real thing but as is the norm with any kit there is always room for extra detailing.

The instructions are of the exploded-view pictorial type contained on a single page. The painting/decal placement instructions are via colour drawings on the back of the box that the kit comes in. The paint instructions are keyed to the Gunze Sangyo range.

There is a small but comprehensive decal sheet included too (manufactured by CROSSDELTA). The markings are quite comprehensive and two different serial numbers are provided so as your kit will not carry the same one. The decals are thin and well printed and have a minimum of carrier film surrounding each subject.

Packaging is via a flimsy cardboard end-opening box.

A well moulded addition to the Skunkmodels Workshop range of carrier deck equipment

Thanks to Lucky Model for the samples

Review Text and Images Copyright © 2012 by Rodger Kelly
Page Created 25 July, 2012
Last updated 25 July, 2012

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