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The P-39 family last came to the fore in 2018, and with new kits available in two of the major scales it seems to me that such a widely-used aeroplane deserves a bit more attention. So how about another STGB? All Airacobra versions and derivatives are eligible, so that includes the Kingcobra and the Airabonita. Who's interested? 1. @2996 Victor (host) 2. @Corsairfoxfouruncle (co-host) 3. @TEMPESTMK5 4. @Richard Humm 5. @exdraken 6. @81-er 7. @Marklo 8. @silverfox63 9. @HarryHobbyin 10. @Wez 11. @Richard Humm 12. @Dave Klaatu 12a. @ModelingEdmontonian 14. @Matt B 15. @vppelt68 16. @zegeye 17. @LorenSharp 18. @Tim R-T-C 19. @wellzy 20. @Erwin 21. @Chuck1945 22. @ColonelKrypton 23. @RC Boater Bill 24. @neil5208 25. ?

I guess this could technically class as my first Ready For Inspection! Over the past few months I've been working on creating skins for the P-400 in the video game War Thunder. It's been a long journey learning as much about the aircraft and its history as I have about digital texture creation and the skills required. I don't class myself as a professional at this but I do hope that you enjoy the result of many hours of work. The P-400 in War Thunder isn't the best in terms of being an accurate 3D model but it's all I have to work with. On opening the spoilers you will find a profile view, screenshot and link to download and read about each skin. Bell Airacobra Mk.I Bell P-400 Bell P-39D-1 Bell P-39D-2 I welcome all comments, advice, corrections, and hope you have enjoyed what you have seen! - Dan

P-39Q Upgrade Sets (for Arma Hobby) 1:48 Eduard Arma Hobby recently launched a brand-new tooling of the P-39 Airacobra in a growing range of variants, and it’s a well-detailed model, but as usual, you can always improve on injection-moulded parts by using other mediums. Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner, and this batch are suitable for most P-39Q variants. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE), 3D SPACE, and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Upgrade Set (491477) Two frets are included, one nickel-plated and pre-painted, the other in bare brass. A complete new nine-part layered instrument panel and centre console with three levers; trim wheel; gun cocking handles; the extensive radio box, plus other details for the floor and rear bulkhead; making up two more boxes and adding more details on the cockpit sidewalls. There is also an entire pilot seat that is folded up to form the chassis, adding extra strengthening layers to critical areas, and the diagonal strip across the back of the base. Externally, the kit oleo-scissors for the main and nose gear legs are replaced by more in-scale parts, the belly-mounted intakes are given new in-scale doors with a mesh insert at the rear, and a filler cap for the drop-tank is also supplied. Going back inside again, a rear-view mirror and ring sight are fitted to the windscreen from inside, with paired handles fixed to each of the kit doors after removing the moulded-in nubs. SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Decals (3DL48196) The Eduard SPACE sets use new 3D printing techniques that lay down successive layers of different colour resin, creating highly realistic almost full complete panels that are supplied on a decal sheet. They can depict metallic shades, plus glossy, satin, and matt colours too, which really ups the detail on everything they print. In addition, a small sheet of nickel-plated and pre-painted PE is included for the aspects of the set that lend themselves better to this medium, such as seatbelts and rudder pedals. The kit seat is upgraded with four-point belts with a comfort pad under the buckle, followed by a complete replacement of the moulded-in instrument panel facets, first removing the kit details, using five new dial decals, and adding PE cocking handles to the gun breeches. The cockpit sidewalls, floor and aft bulkhead are given eight decals, plus several PE parts, adding a rear-view mirror and ring sight to the windscreen frame to finish the set. Seatbelts STEEL (FE1478) These belts are Photo-Etch (PE) steel, and because of their strength they can be etched from thinner material, which improves realism and flexibility in one sitting. Coupled with the new painting method that adds perceived extra depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE. As well as the four-point crew belts, you also get a comfort pad for under the buckle of the harness. Conclusion Another raft of upgrade sets that are specific to the P-39Q variant of the Airacobra, adding detail and colour of extremely high calibre. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Hello Gents, Here's my ninth and last completion of 2024, Hasegawa's Bell P-400 Airacobra in the markings of the 67th Fighter Squadron based at Henderson Field (and later at its satellite field known as the "Cow pasture" on Guadalcanal in 1942: The kit was fairly straightforward in the Hasegawa manner, I did't much like the representation of the wing and cowl guns - the former seemed too big and the latter too small, also the spinner gun looks more like a scaled-up .50cal than a 20mm Hispano; the 'car-doors' fit okay but kept popping ajar, resulting in some unlovely glue marks and the transfers - god, don't get me started on the transfers - didn't like hot water (broke up) didn't like cold water (broke up) and weren't all that keen on warm water (broke up). I spent ages mixing an off-white for the wingtips and spinner to match the white of the transfers on the sheet only to find the white was vaguely translucent and became darker and greyer when applied to the kit. However apart from that I enjoyed it, it was a nice relatively hassle-free build and it cost me a smidge over £20 delivered from Models for Sale. It may have been an original release and perhaps the age of the decals gives a bit of excuse for their poor performance, I used the Eduard mask set and Quickboost resin exhausts, apart from that it was OOB. I used Colourcoats US Equivalent colours for the outside - Du Pont Dark Green, Dark Earth and Sky which are distinctly different to the MAP colours but only if you put them next to each other. In fairness to Du Pont they made a better colour match of the RAF colours than some model paint companies I did the interior in Bronze Green and was going to use the same for the landing gear but after seeing some contemporary colour photos on the Asisbiz site I used Olive Drab for the landing gear. I finished with AK Ultra Matte varnish as a shiny plane on Guadalcanal felt like it might be wrong somehow. Thanks for your attention, Cheers, Stew

Looking back through the GB Archives, the P-39 last came to the fore in 2018. Such a widely-used aeroplane deserves a bit more attention, so how about another one? All Airacobra versions and derivatives are eligible including the Kingcobra, and the Airabonita. Let's start a list 1. @2996 Victor (host) 2. @Corsairfoxfouruncle 3. @Marklo 4. @Richard Humm 5. @ModelingEdmontonian 6. @exdraken 7. @TEMPESTMK5 8. @wellzy 9. @81-er 10. ?

So I'm in another city and away from my Ventura for a bit and decided I needed a simple little project to keep me out of trouble. I reviewed my stash on scalemates.com and decided a little $5 Academy Airacobra kit I picked up at the London, ON show in October might be suitable. I did a little searching and discovered Canada had one of these planes for evaluation in 1941 and crashed it in the Gatineau Hills across from Ottawa, where I grew up. Here's the plane flying.... ... and here's the plane after the pilot failed to switch from an empty gas tank to a full one. A write off. So I could model AH621 in its glory but at least a couple other people on the planet have already done that. Someone even made and sold decals for it. So it seemed I should do the crashed version instead. I've modelled a crashed Hurricane and Ventura, so why not? I seem to pick the underdog planes and do them in a crash. Based on crash photos I marked up a diagram for cuts. Here's the kit I am working with. Turns out the previous owner had assembled the cockpit and fuselage... without paint but with a huge chunk of putty in the nose because this is a tricycle landing gear plane. Seems he also included decals for the Mongolian air force. Here you can see what was assembled... including one landing gear door closed. This triggered a deep desire to disassemble all of this. Not sure if that was the right way to go. Unlike the Ventura restoration, I didn't want to go slow and soak in IPA. Acetone had worked wonders in the late stages of Ventura disassembly so I used it here, rubbing it along seams with a q-tip. As of last night when I had started (after drinking a stout and assembling the dough for a kugelhopf sweet bread) I was doing well separating the fuselage but then caused some nasty damage where plastic ripped along the nose and tail where the bonds were stronger. So the fuselage was still fused at nose and tail where both were damaged, and the middle was nicely separated. Cue regret and annoyance until I returned to it this evening. I decided to accept the ugly butchery and focus on making cuts according to my diagram. Perhaps the cuts would help me get the putty out and separate the plane pieces. It worked. Here you can see the rudder, second cockpit door, and nose cowling cut off. You can also see the cut along the tail around the radio access panel, and the chunks of putty I was able to remove. So mood is lifting. The crash photos show the tail was bent quite sharply. In order to facilitate the bend and overlapping panels in the photo, I cut the tail on both sides around the radio access panel, and I cut around the top panel as well. However the plastic is too thick to allow for a realistic fitting of these cut pieces together into a "crunched tail". So, out comes a file and I ground away on the edges on the two pieces of fuselage to bevel them thin. Then I assembled the pieces for a dry fit mockup to approximate the crash photo. Not a bad rough start! I need - a stronger tail bend - build a forward doorframe that gets ripped away from the fuselage (in the photo the door is ripped off and on the ground like my mockup above) - remove access panel in nose - thin out and damage nose cowling pieces - open nose piece and add a mulched up reduction gear mechanism showing I'll also work on the majorly deflected elevators and the sheared wing and aileron. Looks like my relaxing little quickie is moving along 🙃

This is the Eduard 1/48 P-39 Airacobra. Very, very, very BAD kit, but I've improved most mistakes (I suppose). I used an Quinta Studio decal and CMK engine and armament set. Thanks for looking, Serge

Hello Britmodellers, The 'Civvy Street' group build hosted by Rob Arnehov was a bit tricky for me, as I have no specific civilian kits in my stash. Therefore, some fighter planes were turned into racers; The PM Model Sea Fury T-61 was converted into the Reno racer "Little Chief", while the HobbyBoss P-39Q became Airacobra '95' in the last Cleveland-held National Air Race. The Mistercraft Caudron C.714 underwent some heavy surgery to become the Caudron C.561. Thanks for watching! Luka

Hi Friends! Hasegawa 1/48 Kit Painted Gunze 424421 Corba of the most famous Soviet ace Alexander Pokryshkin, before the transfer of the aircraft to the Soviet VVS The aircraft served in the 16-th GIAP in the spring-summer of 1943, carried the number "13", later "130" The universal kit led to the modification of the K-1. On the Kuban Cobras the nose wheel was still of the old type And on Soviet Сobras there were no radio boxes behind the pilot's head Enjoy watching!

Hi my friends, During last south hemisphere summer I built this nice kit by Eduard. Good fit in general, not the recent Eduard standard, but after all a decent P-39. Only issue were the cockpit's doors. I tried to keep the left one closed as the records of war time use to describe, but the transparent separates piece didn't fit OK the fuselage, so I kept them open. I always like to add pilot figures to my kits, and for this Airacobra I used a USAAF Tamiya pilot (I name him 'Lio Messi', as his face resemblance the argentine idol, lol). Used Lio Messi also on my last 'Flying Tiger" P-40B. The cammo on this particular unit, the 46th FS, part of the 15th Pursuit Group, was used in the spring of 1943 when the fighter were deployed to Kanton Atoll in the Phoenix archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. Due to the conditions on the island, almost completely lacking vegetation, new Airacobras were repainted in the combination of the sand color on the upper and side surfaces while the lower surfaces were sprayed in light blue. Cheers to all, happy modelling! Cris.

Brengun is to release a 1/144Bell P-39K Airacobra kit - ref. BRP144011 Source: https://www.facebook.com/oxygino3dart/photos/a.205098073155516/726743720990946/?type=3&theater Box art V.P.

ABK Models - ex A.B.&K hobby kits link - is reported working on new tool Bell P-39 Airacobra kits in the three main scales 1/72, 1/48 & 1/32. Source: https://www.greenmats.club/forums/topic/8609-abk-hobby-kits-p-39-aircobra/ 3D renders in progress. V.P.

Eduard's well known P-38Q with again Eduard steel seatbelts. First the actual plane and profile drawan with a French artist. Here our box art; one of old boxings of Eduard. despite of its age;decals impressed me. The interrior;

See here (incl. pics): http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=234928833 and http://www.aeroscale.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=12837 V.P.

I have a nasty habit of doing WIPs and never showing off the end result, so for the first time, an RFI. the kit was the Eduard 1/48 dual combo P-39 Airacobra Bella. this has the privilege of being my first and second Eduard build. Paints used were mainly Mr Hobby for all major external surfaces, with details being either Vallejo or Tamiya. Apart from things like exhaust stacks, all applied with the airbrush. This was also my first attempt at weathering, though restricted to pre-shading and some exhaust and radiator staining. I found the kit to be challenging as some parts were not clearly defined on the instructions and the lack of locating lugs on the fuselage made alignment tricky whilst holding all the internals together. One improvement I would recommend would be to include an idea of nose weight. I added a 5g wheel trim weight plus six ball bearings to each airframe which just about was enough provided the wheels were glued in exactly the right position. Still, they didn't sit on their asses. On with the pictures. Thanks for looking.

Time to stress myself out a little and go in a different direction, East. This is going to push me a bit further along the line of learning as there are going to be a number of firsts here. 1) Something in Russian service 2) Something that has a lot of etch 3) Two kits at the same time 4) A first attempt at weathering what is going to cause all this? Bella I made a start by opening the box, deciding it was too much and putting it back in the cupboard. I then made a second start by opening the box, unwrapping the sprues and washing everything. So, what is in the box? A glossy instruction sheet Some packets containing etch, A soddin' great decal sheet (the most hateful part for me) 2 sprues for the wings 2 for odds and sods 2 fuselages 2 clear sprues and some masks. quite a bit to get my hands on as they say. As I have not made anything other than factory fresh finishes I will have to decide how to approach a war weary look. A bit of time on you tube may be in order for this one. Hopefully a start will happen this week, mainly with pre painting the cockpit bits before sticking things together.

This one was built from an initial Eduard boxing (2000) so I added their etch set to it and CMK exhausts, the heavy weathering was guided from reference of the same aircraft, these things got real dirty over in the Guadalcanal.

Well I've had a idea for this GB for a little while but I have been more keen since I acquired Eduard's lovely P-39 Dual Combo pack. It was a very interesting and innovative aircraft for it's time and was really liked (the Soviets loved them) or hated. It was pretty useless above 17,000 ft but devastating at lower altitudes when in use by the Soviets. Nearly 10,000 were produced and was used by 8 different countries during and after the war. I would also like to include the P-63 Kingcobra in this build as well although very similar they didn't share any components, but it is really the ultimate expression of the P-39 design. They built 3,300 of them and they were used by 4 countries, though the majority were used by the Soviets even to the early 50's (they were even given a NATO code name "Fred") There was a Navy tail sitting prototype, Airbonita as well as a couple of swept wing prototypes as well. For me if this gets up of course i'll be building a RAAF one. ok, I'd better start a list.... 1, trickyrich - host 2, SleeperService 3, vppelt68 - co-host 4, Arniec 5, old thumber 6, Stew Dapple 7, S48 8, Knight_Flyer 9, Joss 10, zegeye 11, Ronan71 12, dazdot 13, MadNurseGaz 14, gingerbob 15, Caerbannog 16, EricP 17, franky boy 18, modelling minion 19, John Thompson 20, TEMPESTMK5 21, Basilisk 22, Avereda 23, TonyTiger66 24, Thud4444 25, rob85 26, Corsairfoxfouruncle 27, Antonie 28, Wellzy 29, 30,

Hi, I voted for this group so can't sit and wach only.... My entry is an Academy Cobra with some aftermarkets. Don't know if I finish it on time (I have B-25 and P-47 in progress), but it will be a good start. My intentions are to do a P-400 variant and WAHL EYE II camo.

Right then, despite not having finished my F-105 (nowhere near finished!) I am going to commit myself with my entry to this STGB with an example of Eduards excellent P-39 range of kits, but not actually a P-39, no I'm going to build a P-400. Now I'm sure you all already know that that P-400 is the designation given to P-39's which were built for export to Britain but were subsequently taken over by the USAAF as they needed everything they could get their hands on to help stem the tide of the Japanese advance across the Pacific, but if you didn't you do now! Still not 100% sure which airframe to go with as the option I would really like to do (from the 67th FS with a big shark mouth design) isn't included in the options for this boxing so I'm not sure whether to go aftermarket for decals or masks or just build one of the ones from the kit, and then get another with the correct markings, anyway here are the ubiquitous box and contents shots.... As you can see everything is still sealed tightly in it's original packing, and has a masking set on the other side of the bag with the clear sprue in it. Here are the two marking options given in this boxing; My second choice is the one on the right which is also the subject of the box art, still wearing it's RAF camouflage scheme but with US Army markings and a nice shark mouth design. Now I know that the P-400's retained a lot of British equipment but does anyone know if they still had RAF Sutton harness' or if they used American ones? Thanks for looking in and as usual all comments and criticisms are gratefully received. Craig.

Hi! I just wondered why the Airacobra, Kingcobra and the early Typhoons had car-like side-doors? It probably made entering the cockpit easier, but since when was creature comfort a driving force in fighter design? Furthermore, pilots didn't seem to like it and it made bailing out rather more difficult than easier. Nevertheless, it was fashionable with aircraft designers at some time and there must have been some perceived advantages. But which? BTW, how many designs used such doors? I can only think of the Bell fighters (including the Airabonita?) and the Hawker Typhoon (including Tornado). Do you know any other? Any ideas welcome!

My first aircraft completed since January last year, and my first model completed since a semi-enforced hiatus since the beginning of October. Went together pretty easily, and the decals were great. The build stalled early in the year (I was having problems getting a good finish with the pale blue undersides). A few fumbles at the end due to lack of practice (managed to get glue on one of the door windows - doh), but looks OK from a distance. Finished in brush painted Italeri and Tamiya acrylics and made grubby with some cheap kids' watercolour paint. Thanks @Ed Russell for the advice way back on Australia Day 2015! Happy New Year to all! And some photos outside in the early morning sun.

Hello All! Happy holidays and all the best in the new year. Thought I'd post some pictures of the subjects I got done this year. The B-17 is Revells in 1/72. Seen before. All the rest are 1/48. The Airacobra is Eduards weekend addition. The Hurricane and Stuka are both Airfix kits. Enjoy the pictures and all comments are welcomed. All the very best in the new year. Don Junis