SleeperService Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 Hi Unconventional Peeps. For this GB I shall be starting the Eduard P-39 as a P-39N of the Italian AF, the last user to take them on (I hope I'm right). I may break with tradition by actually finishing it within the GB time period but, TBH, my record is poor. Here's where I'm starting: The Italian service monograph is an excellent reference even including a very good build of the Eduard kit. The eagle eyed amongst you will have clocked that there appears to be two of everything. Well I had planned a RAF Airacobra for the RAF Centenary GB but it never got going as my health stumbled. I will try and do both here instead. I 'needed' the Ultracast exhausts and I love their stuff more than I hate etched brass seat belts. So added a pair of seats to the order. The SBS props are, like everything SBS, beautifully executed and offer all the Airacobra options except the 11ft 7inch one I need. Hmm..... 🤔 Looking through the monograph the Italian aircraft sit very nose high compared to the RAF ones even allowing for ammunition. I suspect the nose leg was lengthened or the oleo was pumped up to give adequate clearance for the larger prop on bumpy fields. Fortunately the monograph has a solution 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 welcome aboard, I'm so glad you could join us for this. And another of those lovely Eduard P-39's, I think we may almost have their entire release set...maybe. I hope this GB helps you back into the modelling seat, we/I have missed you from the GB's, so hopefully this is the one to get the whole, Mojo back on even keel! Those are some nice extras you have , plus a book I haven't seen before on the Italian P-39's!!! Good luck with the build, I'm sure you'll be fine and complete it in plenty of time...else I can offer some help if needed... but not too much as you might enjoy it. Hopefully hanging out here with this GB is what you need to get you back into the drivers seat. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted August 27, 2018 Author Share Posted August 27, 2018 1 hour ago, trickyrich said: I hope this GB helps you back into the modelling seat, we/I have missed you from the GB's, so hopefully this is the one to get the whole, Mojo back on even keel! Those are some nice extras you have , plus a book I haven't seen before on the Italian P-39's!!! It's been a bit of a year so far, not helped by my shoddy mental health. I am starting to feel better though. If you're tall, brunette and female whipping is good. If not then not so good The monograph is very nice indeed ISBN 88-86815-85-9. As the unusual GB-Meister how about a GB for GB non-finishers?? Bit like KUTA but run over six months to encourage all us sloths?? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted August 29, 2018 Share Posted August 29, 2018 I know one thing you sense of humor is still very healthy........I just noticed one of you "tabs"....I had to stop myself from laughing out loud! It's still giving me the giggles.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted September 9, 2018 Author Share Posted September 9, 2018 A very modest start as my planned model-making marathon has been cut short by an unwelcome visit from Mr Migraine. But I did get a little done. Pathetic I know. Bulkhead holes drilled out. Masked transparent armour setting nicely. First two bits of much etched done. Taped major bits together to see where fit issues most likely. Bonus was the state of the leading edge. Rather rounded and deep methinks. Certainly much too blunt as shown by..... Thanks to the owner for a very model-maker friendly paint job When I get over my current handicap (black and white vision and can see about 1/8 of normal I shall get Ms Milliput out and run some along the inside of the leading edge. Right now it's time for a very dark room..... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted September 9, 2018 Share Posted September 9, 2018 ooo that's no good, the leading edge and the Migraine! Hopefully the migraine sorts itself out. Just don't get confused and put the wing in a dark place and Ms Milliput........ That wee little bit of PE for the cockpit......well I've knocked mine off already once.......I'd add it as late as you can! The nose wheel well you'll find "interesting", isn't this models greatest feature! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted September 10, 2018 Author Share Posted September 10, 2018 13 hours ago, trickyrich said: ooo that's no good, the leading edge and the Migraine! Hopefully the migraine sorts itself out. Just don't get confused and put the wing in a dark place and Ms Milliput........ That wee little bit of PE for the cockpit......well I've knocked mine off already once.......I'd add it as late as you can! The nose wheel well you'll find "interesting", isn't this models greatest feature! It won't be as bad as the time I sprayed oven cleaner under my arms instead of deodorant! Ex-Girlie had been using it to clean something and put it in the bathroom cabinet. I just grabbed the can that was where the deodorant should have been. Duly noted the part is now blutacked to the monitor. Thanks for the heads up on the nose wheel well. Hopefully the wing mods can help there too. I've been looking on the Interweb and noticed that the old Monogram kit seems to have got the wing right. Those people were way ahead of the rest! Found a good shot HERE that shows the problem very well. Migraine now gone and 90% recovered from, only way to deal with them is a dark room and, hopefully, sleep for me. Thankfully nowhere near as common as they were once. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted September 10, 2018 Share Posted September 10, 2018 that would have brought a tear to the eye! My uncle once used his wife's hair removal cream instead of hair cream!! I can't remember the result but the ensuing conversation would have been interesting. He didn't have much to start with either. I'll compare the wing to the Special Hobby one as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted September 10, 2018 Share Posted September 10, 2018 Great to see that you have made a start but really sorry to hear about the migraine, I know how debilitating they can be as both my dad and wife suffer from them. Hope you are able to get a bit more done soon. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted September 16, 2018 Author Share Posted September 16, 2018 Thank You for the Good Wishes and interest from a migraine free SS There has been somewhat erratic progress as befits my reputation. Here you are: After much studying of good sharp photos and looking at the Detail and Scale plans I believe I have nailed the wing issue. I then checked my theory against @Tailspin Turtle's blog post HERE and I'm certain that the wing is 1.5mm too narrow. That may not seem a great deal however I have decided it needs addressing because All the extra needs adding in one place between the two parallel panel lines on both surfaces The blunt leading edge causes the front of the centre section to be too low making the profile all lumpy where it should be much smoother The mod puts the main wheels 1.5mm back matching photos and making it a bit easier to stand on all three legs The photo shows where I have cut the upper and lower wings and where I made an unavoidable error while sanding. I sanded the lower port wing then switched to the other changing hands (ambidextrous you see, usually an advantage). I then attacked THE SAME WING AGAIN and had caused a bit of a dip before I noticed. Repairs underway and note to self; Olga Kurylenko is very distracting. This picture shows rather more frustration than the above. The nose wheel well will be 'interesting' they said, 'it'll be fun' they said. You great big fibbers you. The major internal plastic bits are a complete PITA to fit and align. I ended up gluing one piece at a time to the floor and letting it set really solid while taped together as above before moving onto the next part. As of now I've the piece you see to go in next then two others and I can then stop sobbing. I have a surprisingly large amount of lead to get in there somewhere as well...... I've also thinned the inner cockpit faces and will replace the detail in 3D form as I think I'll be leaving the doors open on this one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Owww!! you're not making life easy for yourself!! Nice link even though it was for the Airabonita, hopefully you're not trying to build that. Nice chopping work though. Glad you like the nose wheel well, Beelzebub worked overtime to ensure everything fitted nicely! You're lucky I had to go through the same exercise twice! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted September 17, 2018 Author Share Posted September 17, 2018 18 hours ago, trickyrich said: Owww!! you're not making life easy for yourself!! Nice link even though it was for the Airabonita, hopefully you're not trying to build that. Nice chopping work though. Glad you like the nose wheel well, Beelzebub worked overtime to ensure everything fitted nicely! You're lucky I had to go through the same exercise twice! Yes, that's true but the Airabonita wing plan has the P-39 outline and I trust @Tailspin Turtle utterly. I hope to get an RAF Airacobra (originally planned for RAF Centenary GB) done as well so I'll have to face another. I got myself another P-39 kit and an Airabonita may well feature somewhere down the line but not in this GB. That would be silly. Thanks for the compliment as well. Much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 Hmm... Out of curiosity, I just compared the three 48th kits again, and the basic wing outline agrees extremely well between them. I did note that Hasegawa's wing seems to sit slightly differently (a little further back, if I remember right), but that wasn't the thing I was pursuing just now- shall have to come back to it. Anyway, I certainly wouldn't take a Detail & Scale 3-view as "best reference", and while I have very high regard for Tommy, the drawing you reference is very basic. I'm still looking for a Bell-originated wing drawing that gives some dimensional information... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tailspin Turtle Posted September 19, 2018 Share Posted September 19, 2018 On 9/17/2018 at 2:36 AM, SleeperService said: Yes, that's true but the Airabonita wing plan has the P-39 outline and I trust @Tailspin Turtle utterly. Uh - that may have been more of a sketch. It was in my early if not pre-Illustrator period, too, not to mention I can't find the original so I can't be sure how rigorous I was about it. However, I have the data and some Bell drawings so If you can wait a day or so, I'll have one to the standard you expect from me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted September 19, 2018 Author Share Posted September 19, 2018 I gratefully acknowledge your superior knowledge gentlemen. D&S plans like any other are always taken with a pinch of salt by myself. Lacking factory information and access to the real thing I have resorted to using decent photos to check alignments and so forth. As the cockpit will need attention for a while I'll await further information which will be sincerely appreciated. Looking at the photos HERE and HERE the wing tip certainly differs and the Hasegawa looks nearer to me. The other issue is the centre section behind the nose wheel bay. Hasegawa seem to have got this better than Eduard. The cowl openings at the centre section rear should be ignored as the kits assemble differently here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tailspin Turtle Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 For what it's worth, for my best guess at the P-39 planform size and shape, go to http://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2018/09/bell-p-39-wing-planform.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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