Jump to content
Playing in the Sandbox Group Build Sept 1, 2024 - Jn 1, 2025

1:32 P-400 Airacobra


Recommended Posts

Guys, thanks for your kindly words.  Very appreciate.  :D

 

New work in progress.  Thanks for watching.

 

9427370681_2ebf8ecbf4_o.jpg
I applied the Tamiya putty and super glue to do the seamless of fuselage.  Also airbrushed Mr. Surfacer 1200 to make sure having a smooth surface.

 

9427370577_e185a10f7c_o.jpg
Put the gun sight into the cockpit.  I cut a piece of clear sheet to replace original clear part on the gun sight.

 

9427370109_1a6886009f_o.jpg
Glued the canopy on fuselage.

 

9427370333_a49990eb08_o.jpg
Even though I adjusted and glued the canopy very carefully, I still found some gaps there.

 

9430138586_b19f70514f_o.jpg
Applied Tamiya putty on these gaps and sanded they smooth with fuselage.  Additional, there was a steel plate armor overlapping the windscreen.  I put a 0.1mm styrene sheet over there and made some rivets on it.

 

9427369193_2d03636e02_o.jpg
Assembled the ailerons, rudder, stabilizers, and elevators.  Also did the seamless work for them.

 

9427368727_6d4103286b_o.jpg
Put PE parts into the main landing bay.

 

9427368709_cf3da79eb5_o.jpg
Dry fitted PE parts with radiator air outlets.

 

9427368657_ff4338c4d0_o.jpg
The air intake for oil radiator was kind of short.  Put two styrene sheets to cover the end.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Updated.  Thanks for watching.

 

9475689188_dcbb0507a2_o.jpg
Client provided several aftermarket kits to replace original barrels.

 

9475689124_bdfd75dbb5_o.jpg
Even though there were some small details missing on this resin muzzle brake of 20mm cannon, it was still nice looking when I put it on this P-400.  I added a 1.55mm brass rod to extend the barrel.

 

9475688858_0e4bac328e_o.jpg
Prepared the propeller.  Each blade got a concave place, needed to fill with Tamiya putty.  When assembled the propeller hub, I found that the gaps were too big under the holes of blade.  Filled them and re-scribed these lines.

 

9475688688_1257afb93e_o.jpg
Dry fitted the propeller.

 

9472898151_b4649f21cc_o.jpg
There were two .50 machine guns on the nose of P-400, but there was no hole on the machine gun port.

 

9472898179_691eb10ffb_o.jpg
Drilled two holes and dry fitted with resin .50 MG muzzles.

 

9475687950_7ef5489834_o.jpg
P-400 had two .30 MG in each side of wing.  When I replaced original barrels by metal barrels, I put two pieces of styrene strip and drilled a hole in each styrene piece with measuring appropriate angle and direction for fixing metal barrels.

 

9475687554_cc44f816d5_o.jpg
Looked ok.  These barrels were straight and kept level with wing.

 

9475687644_accee525fe_o.jpg
Before I assembled the wing, needed to paint the air intakes of oil radiator and added some weathering.

 

9475686896_c748db1fbb_o.jpg
Assembled the wing.  Prepared for seamless work.

 

9475687908_b89dfa3444_o.jpg
I always love to scratch build the pitot tube.  Used 1mm brass rod and sanded the front part flat as a blade with electronic tool.  Then I cut a piece of 0.12mm brass sheet and welded the piece on the rod.  It was better looking than original pitot tube.

 

9472896981_cdf40a22b2_o.jpg
Client also provided a SAC metal landing gear set for this P-400.  The quality of this set was not very good.  The mold lines were visible and not small.

 

9475686568_45ea8cfeaf_o.jpg
I tried to clean these mold lines and surface of landing gears very carefully.  The piston parts needed to be sanded from 2000 to 12000 grit sandpaper for having a smooth surface.  And were ready to paint the chrome color.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

the damage has been done!  :)

 

Ha..ha..I guess I am digging a hole for some people to jump.

 

 

Brilliant build so far! Looking forward to further installments!

 

Thanks, efrick.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just read through this build

 

1 what fantastic modelling skills

 

2 what a great blog - excellent teaching skills!

 

May I ask has this kit been re-released by Revell, or is that something different? (I am rather ignorant when it comes to Aircobras...)

 

Is the kit basically accurate but needs extra detailing?

 

I always wanted to do a Russian plane...maybe one day :)

 

In the mean time I will continue to follow this thread ;)

 

Many thanks for sharing

 

Nick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just read through this build

 

1 what fantastic modelling skills

 

2 what a great blog - excellent teaching skills!

 

May I ask has this kit been re-released by Revell, or is that something different? (I am rather ignorant when it comes to Aircobras...)

 

Is the kit basically accurate but needs extra detailing?

 

I always wanted to do a Russian plane...maybe one day :)

 

In the mean time I will continue to follow this thread ;)

 

Many thanks for sharing

 

Nick

 

Thank you, Nick.

 

I think Matt answers your first question.  Thanks, Matt.

 

Most of this kit are looked accurate for me.  I compare the fuselage with some drawings, the kit fits most of drawings.  Also this kit is rich in surface details on fuselage and wing, such as panel lines and rivets.  Of course, few panel lines and rivets are not in correct shape or position.  Otherwise, the kit includes PE and resin parts for cockpit and exhausts, a plus.  The resin exhausts are looked great.  PEs can make the cockpit more detailed.  But when you look at the cockpit, some components of cockpit are not accurate if you compare with real cockpit, such as dimension and position.  They needs some amendments if you want to have an accurate cockpit.

 

 

 

Nick - Revell has reboxed the P-39D (which I believe was the initial SH release).

 

To my knowledge, that makes for five total P-39 releases: P-39D (US markings), P-39F/Airacobra Mk.I (also basically P-400) (RAF/RAAF markings), P-39N (in Soviet VVS markings) and P-39Q (US markings), plus the Revell -D. I just got the -F the other day and it's a pretty kit, probably the best short-run styrene I've seen. Based on the quality I cannot wait for the SH Fiat G.50 and Tempest V/II

 

Anzo - I'm totally saving this entire thread. May even copy it over to Word in the event that the internet destroys itself! Thank you for blazing the trail so effectively (and making it look effortless).

 

The resin barrels look a lot like Quickboost's set for the P-38?

 

Thanks for sharing the information, Matt. 

 

Wow~~saving this entire thread to Word is a big effort…  I am glad that you like this thread.   I just want to show these steps for my client to understand what I have done for him.  And actually, I skip many simple and bored steps, that may be the reason why you think it “so effectively and effortless”.  Ha…ha…

 

Yes, the resin barrels are from Quickbbost set for the P-38.   This P-400 has one 20mm cannon and two .50 MGs on nose.  The P-38 has same cannon and four .50 MGs.    It would be nice to have this set for P-400.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Updated.  Thanks for watching.

 

9542491778_45ec67fe97_o.jpg
Finally assembled the fuselage and wing together.

 

9539704937_2f23fa2b75_o.jpg
Before this step, the fitting was fine for everything.  But I was kind of surprised about these gaps.  They were not small.

 

9539704759_6cf10737ca_o.jpg
Used styrene sheets and Tamiya putty to fill these gaps.  After sanded the surface smooth, re-scribed the panel lines again.  Also airbrushed Mr. Surfacer 1200 to make sure having a smooth surface. 

 

9539704097_8bbaae740b_o.jpg
Put rudder, stabilizers, and elevators on fuselage.  Made sure that they were level and straight.  This kit included resin exhausts also.  Adjusted these exhausts to appropriate position. 

 

9539703871_d32e1946f2_o.jpg
To avoid the situation of tail touchdown, I put approximately 2 oz. fishing leads on nose.  This P-400 became kind of heavy. 

 

9542490552_4c29c99765_o.jpg
Put the cover of nose on.  The fuselage was ready for painting. 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

New in progress.  Thanks for watching.

 

9583388175_6382b76c17_o.jpg
Assembled the nose landing gear.  I also added some screws on landing gear by 0.5mm hexagon styrene rod.

 

9586178046_02b30778a4_o.jpg
Assembled the main landing gears.  Besides added screws, I made two break lines by 0.25mm metal wire and 0.5mm Ni.Silv tube.

 

9583387569_83c60c5f54_o.jpg
Assembled these complicated PE wheel doors.  Some steps from the Eduard instruction were not clear, it would be easier if compare with real wheel doors.

 

9586177332_723f859c7a_o.jpg
The bomb and fuel tank had some PEs too.

  • Like 3
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
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...