P-63C-5 in 1/72 by Toko, Operation Autumn Storm, August 1945

[Tom Hall]

Since the Ju-88 group build looks like one that I have no chance of finishing in time, I would like to enter this one, if I may.

I will build the Toko P-63A kit. Luckily, it includes the ventral fin for the P-63C-5. I will decide what to do about the canopy in due course. It's not as awful as one or two reviews make it out to be, but it may need a little grinding and polishing to deal with a bit of distortion or misplaced canopy frame. Need to examine photos.

I have to use some imagination about the markings. While it is easy enough to see which planes went to the VVS (see Joe Baugher's online lists of airframe serial numbers of US planes), it is not easy to find photos of Soviet P-63s of 17 IAP and 821 IAP of 190 IAD; 781 IAP and 940 IAP of 245 IAD; or 888 IAP and 410 ShAP of 128 SAD. These are the units that were arrayed against the Japanese in August 1945 that had P-63s. It looks as if I will need to buy some decals for the tail number, which will begin either "311..." or "444...".

I'm not sure I can devote the time needed for a model right now, but here goes.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Will be watching this with much interest as I have one in the stash.....Uniquely Soviet in a very American way!

[Tom Hall]

Took warp out of wing pieces; enlarged the wheel openings; enlarged the leg openings, changed the angle of the leg openings slightly and applied putty; filled lines in wing lower half in preparation for new aileron and flap lines later; attached wing air intake; started some ducts for wing air intake; made backing for landing light; removed trim tab from left aileron; installed fuselage ventral fin and fuselage air intake halves; filled indentation on left half of intake (because I am fairly sure it was just an oval plaque or decal that Toko mistook for an opening - purple arrow below).

[TonyTiger66]

Hope it's ok to follow this one? I too have one in the stash. I'm interested in Toko too as Im doing a Roden Lagg, and I think Roden took over Toko? Wonder if it will all go together nicely. Nice fix on the wing warp.

Best regards

Tony

[Giorgio N]

Very interesting subject, a build I have to watch ! I'm yet another modeller with the same kit in the stash, will be good to see what needs improving in this kit

[Tom Hall]

Well, a lot can be improved. Parkinson's Law: Work expands to fill the time available. For one thing, Toko has put a lot of access hatches on the surface. They stand a bit too proud and I am sanding a lot of them down. Toko also put some raised rivets on the aft fuselage. I removed them. The sheet metal work that Bell and Hudson (an American auto maker) did on these planes was excellent, and there were few or no raised rivets on P-63 skin.

[JOCKNEY]

Great subject, looks like it's going to need a lot of weight in the nose to stop it tail sitting !

Good luck with the build

Cheers Pat

[CliffB]

Unusually, it seems, I do not have one of these kits in my stash! Should still be good to watch though!

Cliff

[Tom Hall]

Jockney, you must be psychic. I had just been shopping for lead.

Toko instruct that a 10-gallon milk pail is to be placed in the nose. Or, maybe it is a 10-gram weight. Ten grams would be roughly a third of an ounce, or seven of my new split-shot fishing line weights. There is not space for seven in the nose; five will have to do. Removed some plastic from the hidden part of the ventral fin to reduce weight aft. Put in some duct for the dorsal air intake. Glued on a couple of guide blocks for the floor, which I have test-fitted at least 15 times. I have also filled the hole where the nose gear strut is supposed to be inserted. It's too far forward for where I want the floor.