Gary Brantley Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 (edited) This is another, much older build that I finally got around to photographing a few years ago. This model must've been built sometime in the 1990s, I really should've kept decent build notes back then. A few years ago, I took it and several other models (see the Bell AH-1S Cobra) to another small-town airport, the Coffield Regional Airport in Rockdale, Texas, about 20 miles away. The airport used to belong to a local millionaire, H.H. Coffield, and he had lot’s of cool WWII planes out there, including B-25s and C-47s. I thought the old hangar had a cool, “classic” look to it and used it for a background. The model’s first release date, according to the instructions, was 1969, then 1983 and ’89. It must’ve really been somewhat “state of the art” in 1969 with lot’s of cool detail and features. I added a little bit of wiring/tubing and tried my hand at dirtying up the landing gear and belly. It is done in Soviet Air Force markings and colors and represents one of over 4,000 Airacobras turned over to the Russians on Lend-Lease terms during World War II. Paint is Humbrol and ModelMaster enamel, applied with the Paasche Model H. Decals came with the kit. As to comments that it might be just too clean for the Russian Front, there’s this: “Too clean? Da, IS clean. Clean due to heroic efforts of Sgt. Alexei Nadgudunov, crew chief. Sgt. Nadgudunov was awarded Hero of Soviet Union medal for his efforts to maintain aircraft even in most-forward positions of front against German fascists in Great Patriotic War! Wielding high-pressure water spray, Nadgudunov beat back worst conditions that Mother Russia could provide. Sgt. Nadgudunov stated that even in harsh circumstances of combat, Soviet aircraft could go to war in presentable condition! VVS General Dimitri Klekov said Sgt. Alexei Nadgudunov exemplified efforts of patriotic Russian comrade citizens and soldiers in war against the fascist invaders.” 😉 Although I'd change several things if I were building another, this one turned out to be a fair “four-footer” I guess. Thanks for taking a look, and all comments welcomed! Gary Edited August 28, 2019 by Gary Brantley 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toryu Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 Aw, these nostalgic feelings I get seeing your model, Gary! I built one back in 1978 (!!) in 67th FS livery - not the kit's 'Hell's Bells' but with my own decals. It desperately looks for some restaurative effort. It's by far not as refined as yours! Cheers, Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted August 28, 2019 Author Share Posted August 28, 2019 38 minutes ago, Toryu said: Aw, these nostaligic feelings I get seeing your model, Gary! I built one back in 1978 (!!) in 67th FS livery - not the kit's 'Hell's Bells' but with my own decals. It desperately looks for some restaurative effort. It's by far not as refined as yours! Cheers, Michael Man, I'm so glad she brought back pleasant thoughts Michael! 😀 It's amazing just how long some of these kits have been around isn't it? I guess modelers in the future will say that about our newest kits now. Thanks for the compliment my friend! 🍻 Sincere thanks also to those who have "liked" the model! It's so appreciated. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Dyck Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 (edited) Hi, old kit , but superb built. I especially like your photography with real light. Perfect. You nailed it. all the best Andy did you also made the pic’s from the hangar in the background? Edited August 28, 2019 by Andy Dyck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted August 28, 2019 Author Share Posted August 28, 2019 34 minutes ago, Andy Dyck said: Hi, old kit , but superb built. I especially like your photography with real light. Perfect. You nailed it. all the best Andy did you also made the pic’s from the hangar in the background? Hello from Texas Andy! Thanks for the kind words, much appreciated. 🍺 The hangar is at the airport in Rockdale, Texas, where all these P-39 pics were made. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMCS Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 Niiiice 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy Smith Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 8 hours ago, Gary Brantley said: It is done in Soviet Air Force markings and colors and represents one of over 4,000 Airacobras turned over to the Russians on Lend-Lease terms during World War II. Paint is Humbrol and ModelMaster enamel, applied with the Paasche Model H. Decals came with the kit. and 4000 P-39's.... plenty of colur schemes, that are only now being documented. I really suggests a read through this http://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/board/index.php?topic=1714.0 and then this https://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/pages/lendlease/p-39/p-39.html 8 hours ago, Gary Brantley said: As to comments that it might be just too clean for the Russian Front, there’s this: the idea that VVS planes looked dirty and badly maintained is cold war assumptions.... there are now lots and lots of photos of VVS aircraft, like many WW2 aircraft, many didn't last long enough to get tatty, and many photos show a roll of fabric on the wing where it got walked on. this maybe on types with plywood wings, I've seen it on Yaks and Lavochkins. And aircraft justdon't work well if dirty and badly maintained. I'm sure there are exceptions, but I've seen a lot of VVS models that assume otherwise. A look thrpough the linled pages will show clean and well maintained aircraft. Neat job on an old classic, I doubt the bomb, again, the common story is "the Russian used them as tank busters" er, then why did the 2nd https://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/pages/lendlease/p-39/misos/pokryshkin.htm and 3rd , https://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/pages/lendlease/p-39/misos/rechkalov/rechkalov.htm highest scoring VVS aces mainly fly the P-39.... see also http://acepilots.com/planes/soviet_p39_airacobra.html Quote Tank-Busting Myth Numerous sources in aviation history describe the Soviet use of the P-39 as a tank-buster. Since this did not happen how did the myth get started? Certainly that big cannon firing through the propeller suggested the possibility of such use, although typical anti-tank guns were of much larger caliber. In the prologue, James Gebhardt persuasively suggests that poor translations may have contributed to the confusion. A common Russian air operation of the war was "prikrytiye sukhoputnykh voysk," literally translated "coverage of ground forces." To Western readers, such words implied close air support, i.e. trooop-strafing, tank-busting, and other direct support of the infantry. But on reading the extensive, and readily available, Russian sources, it is clear that "prikrytiye sukhoputnykh voysk" meant establishing air superiority in an area, protecting the ground pounders from bombing and strafing by German airplanes. hope of interest, and perhaps to spur you onto another sometime neat model @Gary Brantley, PS also not widely know, the P-39 and P-63 served on in the VVS until the early 50's, being excellent advanced trainers for jet pilots due to the tricycle undercarriage configuration. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted August 28, 2019 Author Share Posted August 28, 2019 1 hour ago, RMCS said: Niiiice Thanks a lot Rich! 🍺 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted August 28, 2019 Author Share Posted August 28, 2019 24 minutes ago, Troy Smith said: and 4000 P-39's.... plenty of colur schemes, that are only now being documented. I really suggests a read through this http://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/board/index.php?topic=1714.0 and then this https://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/pages/lendlease/p-39/p-39.html the idea that VVS planes looked dirty and badly maintained is cold war assumptions.... there are now lots and lots of photos of VVS aircraft, like many WW2 aircraft, many didn't last long enough to get tatty, and many photos show a roll of fabric on the wing where it got walked on. this maybe on types with plywood wings, I've seen it on Yaks and Lavochkins. And aircraft justdon't work well if dirty and badly maintained. I'm sure there are exceptions, but I've seen a lot of VVS models that assume otherwise. A look thrpough the linled pages will show clean and well maintained aircraft. Neat job on an old classic, I doubt the bomb, again, the common story is "the Russian used them as tank busters" er, then why did the 2nd https://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/pages/lendlease/p-39/misos/pokryshkin.htm and 3rd , https://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/pages/lendlease/p-39/misos/rechkalov/rechkalov.htm highest scoring VVS aces mainly fly the P-39.... see also http://acepilots.com/planes/soviet_p39_airacobra.html hope of interest, and perhaps to spur you onto another sometime neat model @Gary Brantley, PS also not widely know, the P-39 and P-63 served on in the VVS until the early 50's, being excellent advanced trainers for jet pilots due to the tricycle undercarriage configuration. Thanks for the wealth of information Troy! Nearly all of it is new to me and interesting as well. The tidbit about the type serving as trainers for jet pilots was especially neat; and it does make perfect sense. So, there is no known photographic example of a bomb-carrying Airacobra? That is good to know for future reference. Thanks for the kind words as well! 😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted August 28, 2019 Author Share Posted August 28, 2019 Troy, I have a P39 question you may well be able to answer. In schematic technical drawings if the plane, there appears to be multiple fuel tanks in each wing. Are there actually tanks beneath each of what appears to be those filler caps on each wing? If so, did each have to be filled individually? Must've taken some time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy Smith Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 2 minutes ago, Gary Brantley said: So, there is no known photographic example of a bomb-carrying Airacobra? That is good to know for future reference. Hmm, in VVS service, don't know, but given it's main use, unlikely. Glad the links were of interest, I've been very impressed by the amount of information that has become available from Russia, but old myths trundle on, and as the build was an old one, thought some newer research would be of interest, glad it was. Note that the Eduard P-39 Bella VVS dual combo set https://www.eduard.com/eduard/bella-1-48.html has decals based in the work of Michal Sekula. The info on the postwar use of the P-39 came out of this book, good read, the profiles are not very good though! https://www.helion.co.uk/lend-lease-and-soviet-aviation-in-the-second-world-war.html of course as Lend Lease types that should have been handed back, paid for, or scrapped.... cheers T 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fubar57 Posted August 29, 2019 Share Posted August 29, 2019 Great job on an oldie. I did mine as a "Zebra" training aircraft, the fore-runner to the "Pinballs" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Law Posted August 29, 2019 Share Posted August 29, 2019 Excellent build Gary. You can see it is an old Monogram kit by the raised panel lines. This makes me wonder what other gems you have install for us. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted August 29, 2019 Author Share Posted August 29, 2019 10 hours ago, fubar57 said: Great job on an oldie. I did mine as a "Zebra" training aircraft, the fore-runner to the "Pinballs" Thank you fubar! I'd love to see that Zebra! 😀 9 hours ago, Greg Law said: Excellent build Gary. You can see it is an old Monogram kit by the raised panel lines. This makes me wonder what other gems you have install for us. Much appreciated Greg! Heh, heh, I do have a few others that haven't been seen here. In fact, there are a few in the cabinet that have never "stood in front" of a camera. (and yes, I think they're all Monogram models too 😉) Perhaps it's time for another trip to the airport? Thanks for the kind words my friend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fubar57 Posted August 29, 2019 Share Posted August 29, 2019 This was from my brush painting days... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted August 29, 2019 Author Share Posted August 29, 2019 Hey fubar, that is soooo cool! 😎 The first time I've seen that particular scheme; that's just very neat! Looks like some danged good brush work from here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREG DESTEC Posted August 29, 2019 Share Posted August 29, 2019 Great rendition of the "Iron Dog" Gary 👍 The Monogram kit still rocks 🎸 Cheers Greg 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted August 29, 2019 Author Share Posted August 29, 2019 32 minutes ago, GREG DESTEC said: Great rendition of the "Iron Dog" Gary 👍 The Monogram kit still rocks 🎸 Cheers Greg Thanks so much Greg! 🥃 Darn tootin' they rock! 😉 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh G Posted August 30, 2019 Share Posted August 30, 2019 Great job, VVS P-39s rock, read Red Star Airacobra very good 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted August 30, 2019 Author Share Posted August 30, 2019 7 hours ago, Josh G said: Great job, VVS P-39s rock, read Red Star Airacobra very good Hey Josh, thanks for looking her over! 🍻 I appreciate the comment man! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREG DESTEC Posted August 31, 2019 Share Posted August 31, 2019 On 8/29/2019 at 7:12 PM, Gary Brantley said: Thanks so much Greg! 🥃 Darn tootin' they rock! 😉 I believe those old tools are still great to build. I have a few Revell and Monogram kits of that vintage that I plan to build. Thanks for sharing Gary 😁 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted August 31, 2019 Author Share Posted August 31, 2019 My pleasure Greg! Like you, I still have several Monogram kits I'd like to finish, especially the rest of the Century Series in my stash; F-102, F-105 and F-106. I have a Monogram F-14A that's been in the kit locker since the late '80s. I've been tempted to start that one a few times but rumor has it that it's a true b*tch to build. I know there are more modern kits that would be much more enjoyable. Probably save myself a lot of frustration that way. 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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