1/32 Bell P-39 Airacobra Mk1

[harvy5]

28 minutes ago, pacificmustang said:

Any further details Harvy?  I had not noticed this before.  Are they clear lights?

No, lights are blue. I'm just going to work, but I'll look at it this evening. They had RAF type seat belts .

Edited May 2, 2017 by harvy5

[Devcon 1]

Looking very good, I have one scheduled for a winter build so am collecting extras for it. A bit pricy but would you recommend both the Eduard PE sets.

 

I like what you've done with the extra openings.

 

 

[pacificmustang]

1 hour ago, Devcon 1 said:

Looking very good, I have one scheduled for a winter build so am collecting extras for it. A bit pricy but would you recommend both the Eduard PE sets.

 

I like what you've done with the extra openings.

 

 

Gday Devcon

Definitely the cockpit interior as you get the placards for the doors, and the instrument panel.  I have not used much out of the exterior set at all, really just the surrounds to the removable panels.  I am fiddling with the flaps at the moment, but am undecided as to wether I will use them or not

 

Bruce

[pacificmustang]

Fitting the wings, I was a little perplexed as previous dry fits had shown them to be an exceptional fit.  I realised the ends of the wheelwells, parts H40 and H41 were the culprits, so I cut them away with a razor saw

IMG_2095 ,

For anyone else making this kit, I would advise leaving them off and cutting their locating tabs off on parts B10,B3,A3 and A17 (the well side parts)  Once the wings are added , you can then slot them into place.

 

I found once the end parts were removed, the wings fitted with no problem at all, in fact, almost filler free!

IMG_2096  ,

IMG_2097 by ,

This kit has received its fair share of assaults on the net for its poor fit.  I'm not finding much in the way of poor fit.

Its certainly not Tamiya quality, but its unfair to expect every kit to be.  The people whinging about these kits seem to me, to be the modellers who have never mastered the fundamental skills of modelling, nor understand how important these skills are

Skills that allow a modeller to overcome these problems when encountered.  Sorry. rant Off.  Normal programming resumed.

 

Thanks for continuing to watch

 

Bruce

 

Edited May 3, 2017 by pacificmustang

[spitfire]

2 hours ago, pacificmustang said:

I found once the end parts were removed, the wings fitted with no problem at all, in fact, almost filler free!

That's handy to know.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[harvy5]

For Airacobra Mk.I you must modify the nose,guns barrels and propeller.

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and light

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[pacificmustang]

First off, abig thanks to Harvy5 who pointed out the lights in the above photos, when I went back and looked at the ones I had they are indeed evident. I had missed them, so Thanks Harvy

I also came across this photo showing afew details that needed to be added

P-39 -601 Sq  ,

evident are the type of gun sight used on the Mk1, that light! the front gear indicator and the recognition flare chute

So these were duly added to my kit from bras tube and plastic rod, although I think I got the positioning wrong.  Note to self, you need to hav the pics in front of you when drilling the holes

With that done, the openings were masked up, and I made  to get ready to head to the paint booth

IMG_0002  , on Flickr

Rather reluctantly I glued the nose armament door shut, I was just not happy with my detailing in there, and to top it off the .50 cal Ammunition canister looked out of alignment

I used the kit doors to keep overspray out of the wheelwells. The front wheelwell was masked with a bit of foam cut to shape.  Alclad primer will follow

IMG_0003  , on Flickr

 

 

 

 

 

[Martian]

A different take on the Airacobra and I rather like it.

 

Martian

[Norman]

Get some paint on that baby !!!!

 

Looking very nice so far

 

Cant wait to see one in ''British'' colours 

 

Cheers

[Calum]

Progress Bruce. I like it. Looking forward to seeing the paint............ 

[tonyot]

Looking Great Bruce,.......can`t wait to see it painted,

Cheers

           Tony

[pacificmustang]

Gday All, and thanks for all the kind comments, well I put down the medium sea grey on the undersides using Xtracolour, then looking at this photo, dfecided RAF airacobras did not have the US underwing ID lights fiited

P-400-RAF  , on Flickr

so the kit lights had to go.  The clear parts werent a bad fit,regardless, I skinned them with punched plasicard discs and then filled any remaining gaps with CA glue

IMG_0006  , on Flickr

I decided to do something new and followed a youtube builder's (scale-a- ton) lead and mottled white over the MSG.  This will be followed by darker greys as a kind of pre shade

IMG_0007  , on Flickr,

Thanks for continuing to look in

 

Bruce

 

 

[pacificmustang]

and then darkened MSG was added

IMG_0008 by ,

before a blending coat of thinned MSG was added

IMG_0009  ,

HGWs Sutton harness was fitted to the kit seat, which was then installed before the canopy was attached

IMG_0010 by ,

I should add a wash to weather them a little, I think

With all openings masked Xtracolour Ocean Grey was added, again with a few lightened squiggles and mottles

IMG_0011 by ,

 

[Devcon 1]

Great looking cockpit, enjoying your build as it goes along. Got the same kit with some extras lined up for the winter.

 

Picked up some great build tips from you. Thanks John

[Devcon 1]

Ooops, must be an age thing as I'd forgotten I'd said something similar a while back, thanks though about the Eduard tip.

[Calum]

Cockpit looks really good Bruce. Whats that mark on the left wing? Tape over not quite dry paint?

 

[Mr B]

Looking very spiffy mate....

 

love the underside painting.....

 

hope pe to see it done up soon

[pacificmustang]

On 28/05/2017 at 9:10 PM, Calum said:

Cockpit looks really good Bruce. Whats that mark on the left wing? Tape over not quite dry paint?

 

just a bit of rough paint Calum, Ive buffed it out now, thanks for pointing it out

I found a set of masks for RAF airacobras done by LF Models through Hannants

They are made for the revell kit, but also fit the KH kit without too much adjustment

masks on-1  ,

Once applied, the dark green was sprayed using White Ensign's RAF Green.  She was barely dry when impatience got the better of me and I carefully removed the camouflage masks

She looks good in RAF colours!

colours on-1  ,

 

[Norman]

Looking Beaut Mate !

[pacificmustang]

Thanks Norm, done anymore on the valentine?

[Norman]

Hi Sooty  

 

Yep tracks n some more bits on, but its on hold with the remainder as ive made a start on painting the man cave , i finished sanding what the plasterers didnt !, managed the cutting out today and will get first overall coat of white on in the morning as the electricians are coming to finish up in the p.m !!!! whilst that will enable me to more clearly do a good second coat it is beginning to look more n more habitable, my unbuilt and built models will soon have a new home after 12 months of storage !!!!!!!....cant wait to be re united !!!! 

 

[matteo44]

Great work 

[Courageous]

Great work so far Bruce. I built one of these using the old Monogram kit many years ago and what you're is miles better than my effort.

By the way, I think you need a new razor saw. 

 

[pacificmustang]

I decided to paint the markings on using a Maketar mask set which mirrors the RAF and RAAF schemes Special Hobby provide in their kit, 

I first applied the serial numbers with no problems

serial -1  , 

Feeling emboldened, the maks for the national markings were placed, the hardest part being ensuring everything was symmetrical

by ,

Maketar have not provided handed fin flashes so the builder will have to mask this themselves, fairly easy for the fin flash, but annoying all the same

next, the white areas were sprayed in

by ,

I really should have applied white as an undercoat for the entire roundel to ensure good colour density as I required a few coats of the red and blue over the darker camouflage colours,  Next time.  The white areas were then masked

red down-1  ,

and the red applied.  I used Gunze Red Madder with a touch of tamiya Hull Red.

red was masked and the blue applied.  This is where a white undercoat would have been handy

blue down-1  Bruce Anders,

The blue was Tamiya Royal Blue darkened with black.  I held my breath and removed the masks........and was reasonably pleased with my efforts. 

underside roundels-1  ,

masked  roundels-1  ,

There is somer bleedthrough, but i will touch this up/hide it with washes!

 

[Calum]

Some sweet paint there Two kits . Love the masked markings

 

My only minor criticism is the darker outline on the edges of green, it looks particularly noticeable on the nose an right wing 

 

Edit: just looked at the photos of RAF Airacobras on the first page and they show a similar paint outline -  nice attention to detail.

Edited June 5, 2017 by Calum