Bell XP-59A, modified Hobbycraft 1/48 kit

[jeaton01]

I've been working my way through the early jets and this is the most recent completion.  I used a True Details resin interior, cast a nose weight for it from lead, and made a vac form canopy as the XP-59A had a different canopy with a flat upper contour and opened to the right side somewhat like the Mustangs before the D and K.  The insignia were painted on using masks cut with a Silhouette Cameo vinyl cutter, as were the canopy masks except for the windscreen and the little eyebrow window above it.  There is no clear coat.  Model Master enamels were used and I found that it required a new skill to get the soft blend between the grey and the OD seen in photos.  Not unlike what is seen on tricolor USN WW II schemes.  When the paint was well cured I sanded the model with 2500 sandpaper and that looked like the weathering in photos to me.  The airplane operated off of dry lake beds and got lots of maintenance due to the very short inspection intervals on the engines, which were early Whittle W-1A derivatives from GE.  The main landing gear legs are a bit long, didn't figure that out until the photos.  I promise when I have let the model age a little I will fix that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 8, 2017 by jeaton01
mispelled word

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Excellent build  Ive always liked the lines of the airacomet. To bad it didn't have the performance to match. I remember reading once about one of the test pilots for the Airacomet. He would put a gorilla mask and a tophat on then buzz other planes. He liked to see or hear how they tried to explain to ground control or superiors the strange thing they saw. 

[Alpha Delta 210]

Lovely build of a rarely modelled subject.

 

I really like the simple, yet effective weathering technique.

[invidia]

nice looking build

[polo1112]

Beautiful work !

[jeaton01]

Thanks, everyone.  Much appreciated.

[72modeler]

19 hours ago, jeaton01 said:

I've been working my way through the early jets and this is the most recent completion.  I used a True Details resin interior, cast a nose weight for it from lead, and made a vac form canopy as the XP-59A had a different canopy with a flat upper contour and opened to the right side somewhat like the Mustangs before the D and K.  The insignia were painted on using masks cut with a Silhouette Cameo vinyl cutter, as were the canopy masks except for the windscreen and the little eyebrow window above it.  There is no clear coat.  Model Master enamels were used and I found that it required a new skill to get the soft blend between the grey and the OD seen in photos.  Not unlike what is seen on tricolor USN WW II schemes.  When the paint was well cured I sanded the model with 2500 sandpaper and that looked like the weathering in photos to me.  The airplane operated off of dry lake beds and got lots of maintenance due to the very short inspection intervals on the engines, which were early Whittle W-1A derivatives from GE.  The main landing gear legs are a bit long, didn't figure that out until the photos.  I promise when I have let the model age a little I will fix that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You are right. I think either the oleos are molded in the extended position, or the struts are too long, as the Airacomet had a definite tail-low sit when on the ground. Not familiar with this kit, but looks to me like the oleos need to be compressed.

[bryanm]

Very nice - I have one in the stash.  Operating from a dry lake bed would sandpaper the paint pretty effectively!