1:32 P-400 Airacobra

[Anzo]

This is a commission to build a P-400 Airacobra.  Kit is Special Hobby 1:32 Airacobra Mk.I/P-39F, but I need to build her as a 67th Fighter Squadron P-400 Airacobra BW-146 “Whistlin Britches".  Thanks for your watching.

 

Special Hobby 1:32 Airacobra Mk.I/P-39F. I am going to build her as a P-400 Airacobra.

 

Client provided lots of aftermarket sets for the P-400, including Eduard PE sets, mask set, resin gun barrels, metal gun barrels and metal landing gear.

 

Some panel lines and rivets were shallow, even disappeared. For better result after wash, I re-engraved all panel lines and rivets on wings and fuselages.

 

 

 

 

Finished panel lines and rivets on fuselages.

 

Finished panel lines and rivets on wings.

 

The seat of original kit was simple and bare. I replaced it by Eduard PE seat. This PE seat looked detailed and nice. Total was 14 parts. I also added two 0.5mm brass rods at both sides of seat for seatbelt attachments.

 

Completed these complicated seatbelts.

 

Dry fitted seatbelts with seat.

 

http://www.deepbluemodel.com/

[Anzo]

The instrument panels of PE were painted, but still looked flat.  Therefore, I added some buttons on them by varied wires and styrene rods.

 

Added switches on left and right instrument panels as well.

 

I amended original pieces of instrument panel by styrene sheets to make them more close to P-400 cockpit, also added some wires in the back.   

 

Due to back of instrument panel was visible, needed to add varied wires and meters over there. 

 

Assembled machine guns and pedals.

 

Eduard PE set provided many details for cockpit, but some of them were too thin or too small.  Therefore, I used styrene rods and varied brass rods to rebuild them.

 

I found there was no radio sending unit in the most photos of P-400, decided to leave the rear deck of cockpit empty.  Besides drilled all rivets on rear deck, needed to amend the two small holes at the end of rear deck.

 

Only added few metal wires on right inner well.

 

Besides added metal wires on left inner well, I also added several components from scratch to replace some Eduard PEs, because the size of these Eduard PEs just looked not right.

 

There was an air scoop on each side of fuselage.  It would be looked more real if the air scoop had a hole.

 

Tried to make two air scoops from scratch.  Cut a slot on 7mm styrene sheet.  Used 0.003 brass sheet for the material of air scoops.  I took a round head engrave tip and pressed the brass sheet on styrene sheet slowly.  A nice bump showed up then.

 

Sawed the bump into half.  And ground the half bumps slowly and became two air scoops.

 

Put new air scoops on each side of fuselage.

 

P-400 usually opened right door only and closed left door.  Therefore, next was dry fitting for left door with canopy.  Tried to dry fit and amend both without any gap.

 

After cleaned these clear parts, polished these clear parts with coarse, fine, finish compounds and modeling wax.

 

One of aftermarket sets was Montex Super Mask.  This set included masks for inside and outside of the canopy.  It was very convenient.

 

I also added canopy frame bar by 0.6mm styrene rods and 0.5mm styrene strips.  Screws on frame bar were made by stretched sprue.

 

Put PEs on both doors.  Other small PE parts would put together after painting color.

[Anzo]

Thanks Martin.  I am glad to join everyone here.

[PAnderson]

Nice job so far Anzo. Welcome to the forum. Great detail.

 

Paul

[theseeker]

Excellent start, great attention to detail and welcome.

Rocky

[Chris S]

Now there's an aircraft you never see enough of . Great work on the cockpit and the panel lines/ rivets . Looking forward to this

 

Chris.

[Daywalker]

Fantastic work so far, love the extra touches you are adding.  WIll DEFINITELY watch this one!

[Dave J]

Hi Anzo!

 

Glad to see that you took up my invite! As mention before... Fantastic work! Booked marked for future reference.

[rkranias]

outstanding detail work.  watching this one!

[Jamme]

Really great start, Anzo.

Cheers,

Jamme

[Anzo]

Hi guys.  Thanks for all your warm welcomes and kindly comments.  Hope you enjoy my WIP.  I am painting the cockpit now.  Will share update soon.

[Matt_]

Nice clean work... looking forward to seeing some more.

 

Matt

[Mikester]

Really nice work!

[Anzo]

Thank you, Matt_ and mikester.

 

Updates here.

 

Before painting the cockpit, needed to assemble nose wheel bay and dry fit with fuselage.  I also added pipes and hoses instead of PE parts.

 

This time, I mixed Gunze Hobby Color 48 field gray, 405 olive green and 61 gray for the color of cockpit.  Airbrushed the seat.

 

Glued PE seatbelts on the seat.

 

Used small knife to remove some paint for chip effect.  Then I washed the seat with gray oil paint.  Additionally, used soft pastel to make light tone on the seat.

 

 

Airbrushed the cockpit.

 

Painted colors on details.

 

Washed the cockpit with gray oil paint.  Next, I painted silver on floor for chip effect, also used white color pencil to raise the edge of each component.  Same, use soft pastel to make light tone and dust effect.  

 

Same steps for right inner wall.  

 

 

 

Same steps for left inner wall.

 

 

 

Airbrushed black on instrument panel.  Then painted the details of bottom panel.  

 

Washed these PE instrument panels, and painted the switches and buttons on them.   Additionally, I cut several pieces of clear sheet and put them behind these PE instrument panels.  It would look like glass of gauge on instrument panel.

 

All of gauges were printed on same piece of PE.

 

I cut them due to real instrument panels were separate.

 

Put every component of instrument panel together finally.

 

 

Painted the machine guns and finish the front wall.  Also made weathering on pedals.

 

Put everything of cockpit together.

 

 

 

[Wingco57]

That is very very very nice,

Great work

Cees

[alpinestar]

Fabulous cockpit work Anzo! Really liking this!

 

And a big welcome to the group, looking forward to seeing more of this.

 

Chris.

[theseeker]

Excellent pit and outstanding finishies.

 

Rocky

[swingr1121]

This is looking incredible!

[Anzo]

Thank you to all of you.  I am glad that you like the cockpit.   

[coolboxx]

That looks Magic! very tidy with that just used look great start,,and Welcome

 

Darren

[Dave J]

Awesome looking pit! Really looking forward to the next update.

[mikec]

Greetings Anzo;

 

 

..... Welcome to the LSM group of model builders. 

 

 

 

 

 

Very nice....................... .... Looking good.

 

 

 

Mike

[Anzo]

Thanks for your nice words and welcomes.

[Anzo]

Updated.  Thanks for watching.

Airbrushed the cockpit color on doors, also added PEs and painted the details.

 

Made a little bit weathering on doors.

 

Finished the rear deck of cockpit as well.

 

Airbrushed the cockpit color on inner of canopy.

 

After washed the inner of canopy, added chip effect.  Additionally, put a mirror sticker on the mirror PE.

 

I made the partition by 0.1mm styrene sheet instead of original piece in the turbo air intake behind the cockpit.  Original piece was too thick.

 

Adjusted the position of cockpit carefully, then put both fuselages together.

[harvey boyer]

Looking VERY good !.............Harv