Jump to content

1/32nd P-39F A53-6, 82 Sqn. RAAF 1943 - Finished


trickyrich

Recommended Posts

Gee this GB came around far too quickly for me. If I had sense I’d sit this one out and watch from the sidelines as I have too many builds on the go already....but where’s the fun in that.

 

For this GB I plan to build Special Hobby’s 1/32nd P-39F/Mk.1 monster in RAAF colours.

 

IMG_0771-L.jpg

 

The kit looks to be nicely done (though I have seen the are wing join issues)....... with a couple of resin extras.....gotta have extra resin!

 

IMG_0774-L.jpg

 

IMG_0775-L.jpg

 

IMG_0776-L.jpg

 

...with a couple of resin extras.....gotta have extra resin! :D

 

IMG_0773-L.jpg

 

I won’t be using most of the supplied decals, instead I’ll be using masks made for the model for all the main markings.

 

IMG_0772-L.jpg

 

The scheme will be the one supplied, FA-F A53-6, which unfortunately crash landed near Liverpool, NSW in 1943 and was scrapped re-crated and returned to the US 5th Air Force shortly thereafter. She is notable for her colour scheme and lack of information about it. There are very few photo’s of her and none in colour. She had Sky Blue under surfaces with a camouflage of Olive Drab and an unidentified Grey. The grey is thought to be either Dark Grey or Extra Dark Sea Grey or some other similar grey??? I’ll worry about that when I get to it.

 

IMG_1854-L.jpg

 

This will definitely be an OOB build for me as I just have some many other projects on the go at the moment, but it’s a build I’m really looking forward to.

 

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great choice Rich,..... I have an Aussie P-39 planned too but the lack of info about the colour scheme always puts me off starting it! I`ll be watching with interest mate,

Cheers

          Tony

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice choice Rich, and a real bigg'n to start with. That does look lovely and I'll eagerly watch on with the countless others as you progress through this build. Now I believe that Red Roo produced a book detailing RAAF P-39 colours, I don't have it myself however it may be a good publication to have on the side as you go along. 

 

Cheers.. Dave. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, stevej60 said:

Nice one Rich,apart from the intake cover fit issues which you've seen avery nice kit indeed.

...and now you know why I decided to build this one a bit later, you'll find all the issues for me.....and how to correct them!! :D

1 hour ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Nice choice Rich, and a real bigg'n to start with. That does look lovely and I'll eagerly watch on with the countless others as you progress through this build. Now I believe that Red Roo produced a book detailing RAAF P-39 colours, I don't have it myself however it may be a good publication to have on the side as you go along. 

 

Cheers.. Dave. 

I bought that book a couple of years ago when I got the Eduard Duo set, it's a good book. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Arniec said:

Great choice Rich. If I can make a comment? Replace the gunbarrels. They are crap in the kit. I have got a replacement set from profimodeller and they are great.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/346915-profimodeller-32143-p-39f-airacobra-mk-i-barrel-set

 

cheers,

and here I was planning it to be an OOB build!!!!  :wall:

 

but there again you know how much I like add AM bits!  oh evilBay...... :D

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well I’ve made a start on her......though I really should be finishing up other projects, The EBR & ZSU-57-2 are in a good place so I can put them aside for a bit.

 

I had forgotten I had these, I don’t remember buying them at all....maybe they were with the model? Plus I do remember buying some Eduard masks for her, now (thanks to Arniec) I have to get some gun barrels for her (is saw the kit ones, just complete rubbish, just round pieces of plastic!!).

 

IMG_1877-XL.jpg

 

Ok I started on the cockpit and nose well bay as with the Eduard ones. I’d forgotten how bad interesting the Special Hobby models were to build! After building lots of resin stuff nothing really surprises me quality wise with models now, but I have to say there are a lot of resin models which require less work to clean up than this one!

 

IMG_1879-L.jpg

 

Fit I’m finding isn’t the greatest with this model.

 

The IP is replaced with nice PE stuff so I could grind back the one plastic one. While I was at it I’ve added some wiring to the instruments, I’ll add more as I go along.

 

IMG_1878-L.jpg

 

The wings.......well they’re together! I’m going about this a bit differently to the instructions and common sense. The wings are together after first sanding back the trailing edges to make them less flat at the trailing edge! I also added the outer wheel well interiors before gluing them together.

 

IMG_1880-L.jpg

 

The outlets for the radiator/oil cooler don’t really fit!

 

IMG_1882-L.jpg

 

I need to fill the gaps with sprue and tidy up.

 

IMG_1881-L.jpg

 

Instructions have you fit the openings to the radiator and Oil coolers after the wings are fitted to the fuselage. But I can see this will cause problems with achieving a nice clean join here. So I’m fitting them now. This will give me a chance to clean up this whole area plus I can then fit the intakes ducting nice a cleanly.....hopefully.

 

It doesn’t look much but it’s taken me all day to do this, but I think it’ll make things a bit easier later on.

 

OK now completely off subject now, I checked out the Aust Plastic Modellers Society yesterday here in Sydney, they were having a swap meet, so of course I had to buy something!!! :D

 

This was awesome, I’ve never seen one before and for the price I couldn’t resist! She’s beautifully moulded and fully detailed, she’s going straight into the “must build” pile.

 

IMG_1872-L.jpg

 

She comes complete with two detailed engines and full cockpit!

 

IMG_1874-L.jpg

 

It was between this and an Italeri I/48th Eurofigher...and I just didn’t know what it was like so I bought her, the Gun barrel was a bonus I didn’t know was included. Can see some Friulmodel tracks coming soon! :D

 

IMG_1876-L.jpg

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanxs Rich for all the info on the wings. I wanted to start them soon. Now I will wait a bit and look at how you are doing. :D

Great progress by the way. 

 

Cheers, 

 

Edited by Arniec
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I soooo want to build the O-2A!!

 

I should get onto the wings this arvo, I need to do some packing around the joins with plastic before I do any serious tiding up.  I want to avoid as best I can using any filler, so I may do some cunning reshaping to hide the issues.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’ve made so good progress on her but I still haven’t painted anything yet.


First up the oil and radiator intakes, the fit was pretty average with gaps and low points, so this needed sorting out first.

IMG_1881-L.jpg

 

The larger gaps were filled with sprue and the low points with thin plastic sheet.

IMG_1894-L.jpg

 

IMG_1893-L.jpg

 

Once completely dry it was sanded back carefully. It worked a treat, the filler is just to fill in any small gaps and a couple of transitions between the thin card and the original plastic.

 

IMG_1897-L.jpg

 

The rear vents were give the same treatment, though these will be a little bit harder to get a nice smooth finish.

 

IMG_1892-L.jpg

 

IMG_1899-L.jpg

 

I started fitting or more test fitting the control surfaces, they weren’t the best fitting, one ended up being a bit short so I had to add some thin card to the end to make up for it.

 

IMG_1900-L.jpg

 

I really wanted to get the wings nice and smooth but halfway down the leading edge is the gun openings and a plate the covers them or rather holds the barrel shrouds. On the real thing this plate does sit proud of the wing, in 1/48thyou could have it flush, but 1/32ndit would be noticeable. The problem is as soon as you try to tidy up the wing join you start to remove it. I even tried hiding it under masks but it still looses definition.

 

So there was nothing for it but to replace it. I made masks of the shape required and transferred them to thin sheet. I could then safely smooth out the wings leading edge.

 

IMG_1891-M.jpg

 

Then it was just a case of carefully fitting them. They’re too thick at the moment, but I’ll mask off the edges and carefully sand them back to the thickness I’m after.

 

IMG_1898-M.jpg

 

Plus in a fit of madness I decided to build up the PE seat.....I hate PE!

 

IMG_1895-M.jpg

 

I’m slowly getting closer to painting the cockpit, I just need to not get distracted with other tasks.

 

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

thanks, I've given them a quick under coat, there are still some minor issues to fix, but the can wait till the wing is finally fixed to the fuselage. I've done a test fit and it doesn't look bad at all.

 

I've finally got some paint on for the cockpit and such, looks good, will get to do more tomorrow.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

it may be a result of me doing mine in a different order. if I'm correct you fitted yours once the wings were attached to the fuselage? Plus you had the intake ducts fitted as well, I did mine last...not the best decision! But it'll all sort itself out once the wings are attached.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Rich,

 

Looking nice, Like the way you sorted the intakes :D

 

Know what you mean about PE - Have a 1/32 Trumpeter TBF-1c

that has a bomb bay full:unsure: got to gain the courage to deal with it

 

Look forward to more

Regards

 

Alan

 

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lots of progress with this build. I seem to be building this one in parallel with the two 1/48thP-39’s. Not intentional but the work sort of crosses over and I’m at pretty much the same stage with all three builds.

 

Ok, I cleaned up the inlets and outlets for the radiator/oil coolers, I’m not too concerned about a perfect finish here as there’s more work required around these areas later on.

 

IMG_1902-L.jpg

 

IMG_1903-L.jpg

 

I replaced the models plastic prop shaft with some brass tube, I know it won’t be seen but it looks better.

 

IMG_1904-L.jpg

 

Not trusting my calculations at all I made sure she won’t be a tail sitter, there’s about 50gms here.......I just hope the U/c is up for it! I also fitted the cockpit to this side of the fuselage. It’s pretty much completed, the rest of it can be fitted later.

 

IMG_1905-L.jpg

 

The fuselage actually went together fairly easily, much easier than the Eduard ones! There’s filler required on the joins to tidy them up but nothing dramatic.

 

IMG_1917-L.jpg

 

There is a small gap/divot along most of the fuselage joins which is a bit annoying, but the moulding of the model wasn't that great to start with and all the edges were quite poor.

 

IMG_1916-L.jpg

 

While I was at it I made and fitted some grills for the insides of the inlets as they were open to the wing inside.

 

IMG_1919-L.jpg

 

Some of the work required to get the wings to sit correctly.

 

IMG_1918-L.jpg

 

I spent quite a bit of time test fitting the wing/fuselage joins, much as I did on the Eduard Duo. Buit it paid off, there are gaps, which I’ve filled with plastic strip, but the top wing/fuselage joins are very nice, hardly any step. 

 

IMG_1933-L.jpg

 

IMG_1932-L.jpg

 

IMG_1920-L.jpg

 

The leading edge join looks worse than it is/was. Just a light tough with the sanding stick some plastic to fill some gaps and that’s it.

 

IMG_1929-L.jpg

 

IMG_1928-L.jpg

 

The rear was the same.

 

IMG_1931-L.jpg

 

I’ve used filler on all the joins, they’ll just need a light sanding to finish them off, I still have the gaps at the rear of the wing to close up. The leading edge will need the most work, but that is minor compared to the Eduard builds.

 

IMG_1936-L.jpg

 

IMG_1937-L.jpg

 

Again with this build I’ll put her aside for a while, all the major work is done and I’m really happy where I’m at with her. I still have the Sabre Dog needing attention so I’ll move back onto her as well as complete the EBR and ZSU.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Gosh it has been a while since I updated this one!!!

 

Been a bit side tracked with other projects plus I have been away as well.

 

I have done quite a bit to her but most of it I forgot to take photos of!

 

The undercarriage is nearly done, everything was given a coat of interior green...

 

IMG_2040-L.jpg

 

..... before detailing. It looks quite good, I need to add some brake lines and such but it should look good when done.

 

IMG_2235-L.jpg

 

I had a play with the new gun barrels, they do look rather nice, much better that the original plastic ones.

 

IMG_2038-L.jpg

 

IMG_2037-L.jpg

 

I added some mesh to the outlets for the radiator/oil coolers. I’m not too such what they should have looked like but it fills in some black space.

 

IMG_2231-L.jpg

 

The cockpit is pretty much done so I could add the canopy, I’m only having the RHS door open so the LHS one is glued in place.

 

IMG_2232-L.jpg

 

The prop is done as well, I just need to add the gun barrel.

 

IMG_2234-L.jpg

 

She looks great and is very close to painting. I’ll probably start this when I get back from my work trip. I’ll be using some of my new favourite paint by Mr Paint for this hopefully.

 

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...