1/48 Eduard P-39N Aircobra

[sunray]

Here is my go at this kit.  I have had this kit for a while and after seeing the state of the box I thought I had better build it before the box falls apart.  As I do most of my aircraft kits as inflight displays that's what I am going to do with this one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You do get a pilot with the kit which makes a change but I have decided to use an Aires resin pilot.  I have used an Aires pilot before for an Eduard Spitfire Mk. IX, both the fit and detail are excellent, so I got one for this build.
 

   

 

 

 

I am just waiting for the some more aftermarket items to be delivered, an Eduard masking set and some resin exhausts.  After studying the kit instructions I decided to tackle the rear part of the cockpit first.  Using a razor saw I carefully removed the body and seat of the resin pilot from the moulding.  The body only required a tiny amount of cleaning up. 

 

 

 

The reason I started with the pilot first is because, I wanted to use the angle of the seat as a reference point for the angle of the bulkhead just behind seat.  I couldn't use the moulding on the fuselage halves as they weren't very good.  Once I was happy I glued the rear cockpit together.  I added bits of scrap plastic to the parts to give it a bit more strength and to keep them a lined while the glue was curing.

 

 

 

 

 

Next I moved on to the mount.  First I decided where the hole is going to be drilled to take a brass bolt.  The good thing about this kit is that there is loads of space so the hole went right in the middle of the wing.  I drilled a small hole then I drill one the diameter of the bolt.  Doing it this way I think it makes a tidier job and allows for any errors just incase the hole is in the wrong place if I have overlooked something.

 

 

 

 

I use brass bolts because I have lots of them that's the only reason.  So with the bolt in place in the plastic I use epoxy to make a good bond.

 

 

 

[sunray]

I received the two aftermarket bits I have been waiting for, the mask set and the resin exhausts.

 

 

 

The instructions for the photo etch of the instrument panel, just tells you how to construct it from just the photo etch.  But looking at it I thought it would be a bit awkward to attach it to the cockpit so I decided to use the kit instrument panel as well.   I removed it from the sprue and I removed the moulded detail ready for the photo etch.  I also used the photo etch as a template as some of the plastic had to be removed as well.
 

 

To attach the photo etch I used PVA and I also added plastic feet to the base of the panel.  This is to make it stronger and more stable.

    

 

Also on the cockpit I added the mask for the interior glass.  When I test fitted the cockpit assembly into the fuselage there was a gap on one side at the rear, so to fill the gap I added some plastic shims, because the gap was too big for filler.  Plus it would have been a pain sand down so in went the shims.

 

 

My next job was to add the gun barrel to the spinner.  I looked at the kit barrel but I decided to make my own.

 

For the barrel, I used a syringe needle cut to size with my Dremel using the kit part again as a template.  Then using a drill and a jewellers reamer to make hole for the new barrel.

 

 

I glued the barrel in place with CA glue and I made the rest of the prop.

 

 

Next I moved to the wing assembly.  I attached the landing light as per the instructions.  I would normally paint the back of the light silver but I find it never looks right.  So this time I had an idea of using aluminium foil as the backing for the light.  I just glued a small piece to the upper wing half above the light.
 

 

 

I didn't glue the foil to the back of the light itself and this is the effect I got.
 

 

Checking reference photo's I noticed that this kit hasn't the signal lights so I made my own.  I drilled three holes in the wing.
 

 

Then I made clear lens from a clear plastic packing from a blister pack using a hole punch.

 

 

 

To colour the lens I used coloured ink.

 

To finish inside the wing I added a few grills then I glued the wings together.

 

 

Before I painted the cockpit interior, I added a few levers made from copper wire with a blob of CA glue at one end for the handle.  I did this instead of using the kit parts because I know I am going to do a few dry fits to get the pilot in the right place and I didn't want to snap one.  With that done I painted the cockpit interior and weathered it with an oil wash. After more dry fits I attached the cockpit to a fuselage half.  Then more dry fits, this time with the pilot, I attached the instrument panel and added the gun sight minus the glass.

 

 

 

 

 

The pilot fit wasn't too bad, as all I had to do was to file the inside of his boots a bit to enable the pilot to sit flat in the cockpit.
 

 

 

I am going to display the P-39 slightly climbing and banking to the left.  So I positioned the pilots head so he is looking up into the bank.  That is the plan anyway.

 

 

Before I glued the head in place I checked that the canopy would fit.  Just to be on the safe side.

 

 

When I was happy I glued the head using CA glue.  The arms were a bit more difficult but to help, I drilled into the arms and added pegs made from copper wire.  I then drilled holes into the torso.  This helps with moving the arms and holding them in the right place until the CA glue cures.

 

 

    

 

While that was drying I glued the fuselage together.  There were a few gaps but they were easily filled and sanded.  Now I came across a bit of a problem.  When I dry fitted the wings to the fuselage I was surprised by a few more gaps.

 

 

 

To get around this I glued the wings to the fuselage ensuring the alignment was right.  To fill the gaps I decided to use plastic shims because I thought the gap was too wide for normal filler and the shims make a stronger joint.
 

 

 

There was also a bit of a gap at the nose but that again was easily sorted.

 

On a good note though.  The pilot is an excellent fit.
 

 

 

 

 

[sunray]

I am having a break from painting the pilot at the minute but I have had a busy day so far.  The kit control column won't reach the pilots right hand which I knew when I attached the arm.  I could of put a cut in the elbow and bent the arm.  But instead I made a new column from copper wire that would reach.  Its a bit oversize but I think I can get away with it.

 

 

 

 

Then I moved my attention to the wing.  I cut off the excess plastic with small scissors and then sanded the shims down.  To be honest I am rather pleased with the result.
 

 

 

The wheel wells were the next job.  For these I used Blutak to fill the void and glued in the covers.  I had to add a piece of small plasticard as a filler piece for the ones in the wing but the nose wasn't too bad as normal filler did its job.

 

 

 

 

The elevators were a bit of a loose fit so I added copper wire pegs to hold the elevators in place and I glued and filled as normal.

 

Well I have finished the pilot.  I first filled the gaps between the arms and the torso with CA glue.  Then I sprayed him with Tamiya XF-1 Matt Black.  Next I used Vallejo Model Color to paint the uniform as I find its very good paint to brush paint with.  All I do then is paint from low to high.  In other words, the face, then hat and finally goggles. So the last thing I painted on the body was the harness.  Also I find that by using a matt black primer coat it aids in adding shadow around harnesses, etc.  Once done I finish off with Citadel washes.
 

 

 

 

 

I seated the pilot in the cockpit stuck down with CA glue.  Once that was done I painted the control column and in that went.  The last job for the cockpit was to add the glass for the gun sight.

 

 

 

 

Now for the canopy which comes in three parts.  The main canopy and two doors.  I painted and weathered the inside of the doors and I test fitted as normal.
 

 

The doors themselves I found weren't the best fit but the canopy to the fuselage was.  So what I did was to attach the doors to the fuselage with Tamiya Extra Thin first ensuring the upper part of the door was flush with the canopy.  This meant that the lower part of the door was slightly proud of the fuselage.  The canopy was just used as a guide and wasn't attached.  Once the doors were in the right position I removed the canopy in case the glue fogged the canopy.  I did it this way because I thought it would be easier to sand the lower part of the door flush with the fuselage, which it was.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sunray]

With the canopy attached I then added the Eduard mask.  I have a few jobs to do so the mask will help protect the "glass"  from scratches.

 

 

 

 

I decided to replace the kit pitot tube with a homemade as its just one of those parts that in crying out to snap.  So tho make mine I used a syringe needle and pin cut to size.
 

 

Then I used CA to attach to the wing.

 

 

I had the same feeling about the guns.  So this this time I used brass tubing.  Cut to size and glued together with CA glue.  The only problem I had with these was that the holes in the wing where slightly too big.  To get around this I used homemade filler made from Tamiya Extra Thin to hold the barrels and then CA glue for a permanent fit.

 

 

 

I brought some resin exhausts but comparing them to the kit ones I needn't of bothered.  The only plus was that I didn't have to drill out the exhaust pipes.  So since I had them I might as well use them.
 

 

I used a razor saw to remove them from the block and sanded them down.
 

 

And I attached with CA glue.
 

 

To me the gap at each end of the exhaust looked too big so I added two small bit of plasticard to reduce the gap.  I wiped the P-39 with Tamiya X20 to give it a clean before the paint and one went the primer followed by the pre-shading.
 

 

One thing I did notice but its too late to sort was that the right-hand door wasn't as flush as I wanted.  But hay ho its not such a bad thing and I can live with it.
 

 

 

The stand I am using to hold the P-39 while I am painting is a set of cheap sets of "Helping Hands" (used for holding wires, etc while soldering).  I removed the clamps and magnifying glass.  The bolt fits nicely in one of the joints and works a treat.  I also primed the prop.
 

 

Now for the paint.  I used MRP paint as I find its excellent stuff.  So I sprayed the under surfaces Light Grey and the upper surfaces Olive Drab not forgetting a white tip on the tail.
 

 

 

 

 

 

And that's it so far.  As soon as I post this I am off to my shed to sortout one bit of overspray and to paint the prop.

[Josip]

You certainly know what you're doing.

Still, having recently completed one I'd really rather see that quality of work on the Hasegawa kit.

[sunray]

3 hours ago, Josip said:

You certainly know what you're doing.

Still, having recently completed one I'd really rather see that quality of work on the Hasegawa kit.

Thanks Jasip.  I know what you mean about the quality.  I was surprised with the gaps at the wing roots and the thickness of the wing trailing edges.  I will be posting an update tomorrow with any luck.  I have sorted out the over spray and I must say I love the MRP Paint.

[sunray]

Looking at the colour references for the kit and a few other illustrations I managed to find I didn't have the right shade of blue for the spinner.  I sprayed with the closest shade of blue I had and I sprayed the blades with polishable metalizer paint.

 

 

So I started to polish the blades and I must have got a tiny bit of aluminum paint on the spinner.  As luck would have it, it actually toned the blue paint down and added ware to the spinner at the same time.

 

 

I would love to say it was my idea but it was a fluke.  The photo doesn't pick it up too well but it has.  Once I had finished with that I gave everything a few coats of varnish to seal and protect the paintwork ready for the decals.

 

 

 

This is the first time I have properly used Eduard decals and I liked them.  They are a bit delicate I found but they go down really well.  All I used was tap water then Micro Sol to seal.


 

 

There are blisters on both sides of the fin which I thought would be a problem when I added the serial number but I was wrong.  With a few applications of Micro Sol the decals settled down beautifully.

 

 

 

 

 

Then I gave it a few more coats of varnish.
 

 

 

 

 

 

I used and oil wash I mixed for an earlier build to do the weathering and I added a bit of chipping here and there.  For the exhausts I thinned down Tamiya Matt Black and lightly sprayed them and the spent case ejection holes on the undersides for the guns.  Then I gave it a few coats of flat varnish to tone everything down.  With that done I removed the canopy masks and attached the prop.
 

 

 

 

 

One of the downsides of the kit apart from the fit is the leading edge of the wings as they are much too thick.  I could of sanded them down but that will be for next time....
 

 

 

 

[Josip]

Looking pretty good and colorful. 

The problem with this kit is that it Is half short run and has some needless quirks.

Check up how mine turned up.

[sunray]

16 hours ago, Josip said:

Looking pretty good and colorful. 

The problem with this kit is that it Is half short run and has some needless quirks.

Check up how mine turned up.

Thanks mate,  There are one or two things to do such as add the aerial cable and make the stand when the weather calms down.  I have already had a look at your P-39 and you have done an excellent job on that.

[ModelingEdmontonian]

On 2/7/2019 at 4:15 AM, sunray said:

make the stand

would love to see her on the stand, if you have any pics? 😋

[sunray]

On 8/10/2022 at 8:26 PM, ModelingEdmontonian said:

would love to see her on the stand, if you have any pics? 😋

Believe it or not I haven't touched the P-39 or anything else for that matter, since my last post and I haven't made the stand yet.  I do most of my work in my shed and I am afraid my shed needed some attention which I have nearly finished so hopefully model production will resume in a few weeks.

[ModelingEdmontonian]

2 hours ago, sunray said:

Believe it or not I haven't touched the P-39 or anything else for that matter, since my last post and I haven't made the stand yet.  I do most of my work in my shed and I am afraid my shed needed some attention which I have nearly finished so hopefully model production will resume in a few weeks.

Well I hope you post some photos when you get 'er done! She's a beauty, and I'm quite interested in how you do the stand with the bolt... might be a technique I want to employ in case mine in 1/72 ends up a tail sitter 😋

[sunray]

On 8/15/2022 at 1:51 AM, ModelingEdmontonian said:

Well I hope you post some photos when you get 'er done! She's a beauty, and I'm quite interested in how you do the stand with the bolt... might be a technique I want to employ in case mine in 1/72 ends up a tail sitter 😋

I have done a few 1/48 and 1/72 kits using this method and they are all on this site.  All I do is router a bit of scrap wood and use a piece of brass tube as the support.  I put a bend in the tube so you can have it climbing or driving and glue it all with CA glue.  For jets I use acrylic rod.  I have put a few links below of a few examples.  The best thing I like about mounting the kits this way is because its cheap🤣  Anyway I hope these help?

 

1/72 Airfix P-38F Lightening

 

1/72 Airfix Pucara

 

1/48 Airfix Spitfire Mk1 

 

1/48 Testors Cessna O-2A Skymaster

 

1/72 Vampires Take Flight