BY BILL ENGAR

​EYE IN THE SKY:  ATLANTIS #H279 -- 1/128 LOCKHEED (CONSTELLATION) WV-2 "WARNING STAR" US NAVY EARLY WARNING RADAR PICKET AIRCRAFT -- PLASTIC ASSEMBLY KIT -- 57 STYRENE PARTS MOLDED IN SILVERY PLASTIC -- PAINT AND GLUE REQUIRED FOR ASSEMBLY, NOT INCLUDED -- RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 14 AND UP -- 11.25" IN LENGTH, 12" WINGSPAN WHEN ASSEMBLED -- ATLANTIS STAND INCLUDED -- MSRP $24.99 -- MADE IN USA

Atlantis' 1/128 WV-2 (Constellation) is formerly a Revell kit.  It was originally released in 1956 as a Constellation airliner and a year later in its WV-2 radar picket version with addition of upper and lower radomes.  While the kit has seen some sporadic re-releases as an airliner-only up until the 1980's, in its military WV-2 form, it was formerly very rare.  We were very happy to see this model available again!

That's vintage Revell artwork on a box with Atlantis' recently redesigned logo.  We like the new look!

In 1/128-scale, the Atlantis WV-2 is fairly close to 1/144-scale and can be displayed with your collection of airliner or military aircraft models in that scale or it will fit in just fine with the rest of your Atlantis "Box Scale" kits.  Revell was known for intricate details in its models and this one has some nice features.  Common for the era, there are quite a few rivets.  It'll go together like a conventional airliner model kit.

This model goes together the same as any airliner or multi-engine aircraft model from the era.

Landing gear is fixed; you make the choice whether or not to build it stowed or deployed.  You can use the "Atlantising" stand with either option.  The "meatball" logo on the decal sheet can be placed on the stand if you like (note the slot in the lower radome for the stand mount).

There are remnants of deleted airliner windows in the fuselage sides.  These probably won't show under the layer of dark-gray (almost black) paint that the WV-2 version will wear if built like the box art.

We anticipate that the builder will find this is a typical vintage-build.  There will be a little flash to clean up.  Some minor sinkholes will be encountered.  As is typical for the era, some parts might need a little trimming or putty for a close fit.  A space of 70 years has passed between the time this kit was first tooled and Atlantis' 2026 release so this kit is definitely not state-of-the-art.  However, you can sense the high level of hands-on craftsmanship that went into this tooling that is missing in our current world of CAD-engineered model kits.  That's part of the appeal of these vintage kits.  Plus, Atlantis always does an outstanding job cleaning up tooling, making cool boxes, adding to and enhancing vintage decal art, and providing collector-grade instruction sheets--all at crazy-low prices.

Atlantis has high-quality decals.  I don't think we've seen a sheet yet that doesn't look better than the original vintage releases.  

Revell caught the elegant curves of the WV-2/Constellation's wings.  We like that the landing gear wells on those wings have some actual depth.

The WV-2 did have a few round windows on the fuselage sides but these were apparently not depicted by Revell when they modified the passenger version to make the military version of the model.  The instructions note this and suggest drilling holes in the fuselage to simulate these windows.

Our suggestion is to use online references to determine where the windows are supposed to go (we include pictures in our bonus features).  Use a push-pin to make a divot exactly where you want the center of the window.  Start with a very small drill bit to drill a pilot-hole at the divot; this should prevent the bit from "wandering."  Use progressively larger bits to enlarge the hole to the correct size.  We like to use a pin-vise to hold the bit for perfect control.  We've also successfully enlarged pilot holes to the desired diameter with a #11 X-Acto knife.

Wheels 'n props show detail that is typical of a 1950's Revell model kit

The landing struts are nicely detailed.  Front wheels should cant towards each other a little at the bottom (we'll provide pictures).  That's the thimble-style nose radome to the far right.

Many classic Revell kits had some unanticipated details.  We really like the pilot figure in the WV-2!  Interestingly, Revell only included one pilot; sorry, no copilot is included.  His perch is a simple tab inside the left fuselage half and he is to be positioned waving out the window!  Yes, the Connie/WV-2/C-121 did have opening side cockpit windows.  These were obviously not opened in flight.

One of our favorite features is this happily waving pilot figure.  This guy is TINY at 1/128-scale!!!

The pilot is seated on this tab below the port-side window with his arm out the window.

This view provides a good view of the rivets and their extent and some of the nice details such as the engraved door and access panel details.

The kit does not include any cockpit "glass."  If you want to simulate windows, we'd recommend using Testors Clear Parts Cement and Window Maker  to fill the openings with a transparent film that will nicely represent a window.  Don't forget to add a little weight to the nose if you plan on displaying the model on its landing gear.  The instructions do mention this and a thin "Y" tail prop is included just in case you forget.

Radomes are on a sprue with the tip tanks

Engine-fronts may need a little cleanup and adjustment of that prop shaft hole.

A very nice extra is the Atlantis stand included with this kit!

We noted that the engine nacelles had offset prop pin holes.  This probably won't be noticeable on assembled model.  There are a couple options to deal with this.  You could stretch some kit sprue and glue a piece in the hole (see our B-24 article if you're unfamiliar with sprue stretching).  With a nice plug glued in place (and some time to let the glue dry), simply use a push-pin to mark a center-location and drill a centered hole.  You might want to use a piece of dowel to back the glued-in plug, otherwise you might push it right out of place with the pin when making the pilot hole.

Instructions show a model built by the late, great Andy Yanchus with some suggestions regarding painting and windows.

This side of the instruction page includes vintage artwork and English-only descriptions of the assembly steps.

This kit hasn't been available in many years and we were so happy that Atlantis has brought it back!  Those of our readers who've built (and enjoyed) many Atlantis kits will find no surprises here.  It'll be a "vintage" experience all around with a little bit of flash removal, a swipe of modeling putty maybe, and some adjusting needed as in moving the prop pins--or not!  There's no reason why this model couldn't be an enjoyable weekend build or the contest modeler could put in more effort if desired.

We give this kit an enthusiastic Four Thumbs Up!

SPECIAL THANKS TO ATLANTIS MODELS FOR PROVIDING THIS KIT FOR US TO REVIEW AND ENJOY!

BONUS FEATURES:
THE WV-2 WARNING STAR

​Most casual observers will know that the WV-2 is based on the military version of the Constellation airliner.  The "Connie" is widely acknowledged as one of the most beautiful aircraft ever to fly.  Howard Hughes played a significant role in its initial design.  As majority stockholder and controller of TWA, Hughes provided specifications and requirements to Lockheed as a baseline to create the Constellation.  Design of the aircraft commenced just before World War II.  After an initial order of nine airliners, Hughes ordered 40 more after the War.  Up to this time it was the most planes ordered at one time by an airline.

Lockheed's Constellation airliner was created by Lockheed starting in 1939 based on requirements by Howard Hughes for TWA.  The first airliner wasn't delivered to TWA until after World War II.

As World War II began, the Constellation airliners in production were appropriated and converted for military use as the C-69.  The streamlined aircraft was faster than Japan's A6M Zero.  However, development troubles with the C-69's Wright R-3350 engines delayed delivery.  Once issues with the engines were worked out, the higher-priority B-29 program took most of the available engines. Douglas' C-54 used older, proven engines and the U.S. military preferred to purchase this aircraft during the war.  As a result, only a handful of C-69's were delivered by the end of WWII.

The C-69 looks great from any angle.

Just a few C-69's were delivered by the end of WWII.

Postwar, the few C-69's deployed and those that were never finished were quickly converted back to passenger airliners in the form of the L-049 Constellation.  Lockheed struggled to compete with Douglas with its upgraded L-749 Connie.  Ironically, Lockheed took the updated L-749 Connie back to the USAF as the C-121.  The Air Force bought a number of these and the U.S. Navy followed suit.  Two L-749A's were purchased to create the PO-1W, an experimental Airborne Early Warning and Control radar surveillance aircraft (AWACS). 

This PO-1W prototype has a smaller ventral radome.

Lockheed worked with the USN to tweak the design.  Even though the radomes were placed near the aircraft's center of gravity, larger tails were needed to maintain stability.  The L-1049 "Super Constellation" was better suited to the Navy's requirements and 142 of these were ordered for what became the WV-2 Program.

PAINT COLORS FOR THE WV-2

Eventually the Navy WV-2 aircraft were assigned the Air Force's EC-121 designation.  The Air Force acquired and used a number of these Early Warning aircraft originally purchased under Navy contracts.  Overall colors for the early WV-2's were Navy Blue or less common, a very dark gray.  "Engine Block Gray" might be a good place to start.  You could mix your own by adding a small quantity of flat white to gloss-black.

Here's a color chip for "Engine Block Gray"

Early WV-2's were seen mostly in Navy Blue.

This "Willy Victor" has a white top.

The WV-2/EC-121 AWACS hardware required a lot of electricity and this generated heat.  As time went on the color scheme changed in part due to these considerations.  A white top was added to the navy-blue airframes to reduce the sun's heating of the fuselage.  Eventually the aircraft were painted light gray.

Here's a later US Navy EC-121 with more of the fuselage top painted white.

The USAF also flew the EC-121.  Note the scheme here is an overall light-gray.

The EC-121 performed its mission effectively through the 1970's with both the USAF and USN.  The Navy replaced it with the E-2 Hawkeye.  This aircraft had the distinct advantage of being carrier-deployable.  Unlike the Navy, the Air Force stuck with an airliner airframe (Boeing 707) on which to base its next AWACS platform as the E-3 Sentry.

This Air Force EC-121 has an overall natural metal fuselage.  Radomes were fiberglass or composite materials, never metallic.  On this aircraft, they'd be painted light-gray with the front surface black in the same sheen as the leading edge deicer boots.

Atlantis Models' WV-2 "Warning Star" depicts an early version of the aircraft.  After the WV-2's were redesignated EC-121's in 1962, they continued in service along with the Air Force versions for nearly a couple decades.  Other than paint, the aircraft didn't change much over its career so you could probably build later versions if you want from the Atlantis kit.  At 1/128-scale, it's close enough to 1/144 that you could probably use decals intended for 1/144 models.

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