New kit from RS models - 1/72nd Bell P-39D/L/N/Airacobra I

[Horr!do]

Here is some fotos of new kit from RS models. Its famous Bell P-39 Airacobra in 1/72nd scale.

In this November release this boxes:

Airacobra I

P-39D

P-39L/N

This kits release in this November and first you see in Telford model show 2012 on RS models stage in Hall 2H(2467/2468).

RS models soon release other versions like P-39Q-5/10/15(three blade), P-39Q-25(four blade) and P-39F/P-400.

[John]

Nice!

J

[Dave Swindell]

That's one for the shopping list!

[clift]

Look pretty sweet!

[J.C. Bahr]

Hubba, hubba, hubba! (Dang my wallet is really starting to scream at me!)

[Mustango70]

I just wonder about those overlapping panels on the fuselage.On the real aircraft they are all flush panels.

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Ooh! Very nice indeed!

However... a very minor point. As I understand it the camouflage on "Evelyn" was RAF Temperate Land Scheme - albeit very faded and patched.

[Chuck1945]

I just wonder about those overlapping panels on the fuselage.On the real aircraft they are all flush panels.

Thats the first thing that caught my eye. Those raised cowl panels look like additional armor had been added, quite off-putting.

[Ed Russell]

This looks quite good apart from those apparently one scale inch armour panels - I hope it's an optical illusion as the real panels are dead flush - I have rubbed my finger over the join on a real one! There is a need for a decent 1/72 Airacobra but this may not be it - final judgement reserved for when we see the final plastic.

Edit - I put the question to the company and here is the response (edited for grammar)

Dear Ed,

Please note these are not armour panels, but panel deck for weapons.

See photos or original aircraft in museums, is clear to see, (there) is some (overlap) over the next panel. Every aircraft is some(what) diferent.

The photos plastic parts are big, in 1/72 it is not (so noticeable).

With regards Robert

It's good to see another manufacturer at least engaging with the customers. A big +++ to RS Models

NB - The panels stand out in this one

http://wnyaerospace.org/?page_id=4

Edited November 3, 2012 by Ed Russell

[Ed Russell]

Panels looking less flush

and

[Horr!do]

model http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=234929336

[CPNGROATS]

May have to get a copy of this one....!!

Cheers,

ggc

[Learstang]

Good news! Mr. Schneider (Robert Schneider = RS) does some nice work. Nice to see the "D" get covered (with the 20mm nose cannon, as opposed to the 37mm used on later models like the "L", "N", and "Q"), as the Soviets used them quite a bit. On the sovietwarplanes.com site, there's been quite a bit of discussion about the "D"'s and Airacobra I's in Soviet service, including "White 36", which is covered by this Airacobra I release. Looks like I'll be adding another "Kobra" to my collection.

Regards,

Jason

[Nick Millman]

The discussion on the soviet warplanes site is interesting but appears to have missed two significant details which are clues to the colour scheme. When the aircraft were repainted in Day Fighter scheme (DFS) the new upper surface colours extended under the tailplanes. In the Temperate Land delivery scheme (TLS) the under surface colour sweeps up to the tailplane with the serial number painted on the Sky segment. Therefore if aircraft in Soviet markings show this demarcation they are probably still in the delivery TLS (dark green, earth & sky) rather than DFS (dark green, ocean grey, sea grey, medium).

[Learstang]

That's an interesting point, Nick. I have to admit I'm more familiar with the U.S.-supplied Airacobras than I am with the British ones. I think I'll link to this post in the sovietwarplanes.com thread, with your kind permission.

Regards,

Jason

[Nick Millman]

That's ok Jason. I'm not a member of that forum or I would have posted the comment there.

Regards

Nick

[Daniel Cox]

Hi All,

I'm sorry to say that those raised panels are a misinterpretation of the cowling panels found on Airacobra aircraft.

On occasion it can appear in some photos and in person that the engine and nose gun cowlings stand proud of the rest of the airframe. This occurs on Airacobra aircraft when the cowls are not fastened properly and can be seen on extant airframes with functional engine and nose cowlings today when the panels are not closed properly.

Please note that the P-39Q as fished out of Lake Mart-Yavr in Russia during 2004, had its cowlings properly affixed (i.e. smooth) as it was brought up from the water. The picture that Ed has kindly pointed to shows this airframe at a later date and following subsequent removal/s of those cowlings (note the absence of fasteners).

This stand off of the cowling panels in period pictures appears only when the cowl is not fully closed on the lower edges and is not uniform across all edges of those panels as the stand off appears on the sprue shots of the P-39 kit as kindly shown by Horrido.

Bell P-39L Smooth

Bell P-39D raised lower edge due to cowl not being closed completely.

Bell P-39C Smooth, excepting NACA's test items on the nose!

Bell YP-39 Smooth

Bell XP-39 Smooth

Cheers,

Daniel.

[occa]

That pretty clears things up Daniel, lets wait how this is depicted with the AZ kit

Edited November 11, 2012 by occa

[Peter AZmodel/Admiral]

That pretty clears thing up Daniel, lets wait how this is depicted with the AZ kit

Dear Occa, believe in our P-39 from AZmodel that's right. No such "mountain-mines".

[Learstang]

That's a shame about those panels - the rest of the kit looks quite nice. Very nice to hear from Mr. Muzikant that AZ are going to be coming out with an Airacobra, hopefully with at least one choice of Soviet markings.

Regards,

Jason

[Ed Russell]

I have had a chance to look at the kit in the flesh and the raised panels are not nearly as bad as they look in these pictures. I had envisaged cutting them out and thinning them down but I don't think this drastic surgery is necessary. However looking at the fine build here

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234932342-p-39l-airacobra-172-rs-models/?hl=airacobra

you can see it could be improved a little.

I will try a simple scribe along the edge to delineate the actual panel and then some mild work with a fine sanding stick. I'll post it here once I have had a go at it.

My initial impressions of the kit are that it is excellent.

[PFlint]

special Thanks to Ed Russell for the link to the video--it was very informative.

[Ed Russell]

As I thought, it's easy to fix.... I scribed the line using a piece of Dymo tape as a guide.

This picture shows the scribed and sanded panel on the fuselage half at the top and the unmodified one at the bottom. The modified panel is flush with the fuselage skin. I tried a few different camera angles and settings to make it more obvious that there is no raised effect but the optical illusion persists that the panel is still raised.

i can't find any decent P-39 plans (suggestions welcome) but initial comparison of the RS kit to photos shows that it looks quite good. Once the model deck is clear i'll go further with this one.

Edited February 10, 2013 by Ed Russell

[Michael louey]

i can't find any decent P-39 plans (suggestions welcome) but initial comparison of the RS kit to photos shows that it looks quite good. Once the model deck is clear i'll go further with this one.

Hi Ed,

I wonder if the 'Detail and Scale' plans are any good? They are usually very accurate in their notes about required fixes to kits.

Regards

Michael

[Ed Russell]

I wonder if the 'Detail and Scale' plans are any good? They are usually very accurate...

Apart from the airscoop (minor fix} it looks a good fit.

Edited February 11, 2013 by Ed Russell