KH P-39 Airacobra

[belugawhaleman]

Nice work. It's a shame about KH as I really liked the looks of their Kingfisher kit.

Is there a more buildable P-39 kit in this scale?

[Peterpools]

Thanks Harv

Sure has been a struggle but I'm determined to finish, no matter what.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

[Peterpools]

Thanks Kai

Indeed, seems both kits have way more in common - just wish it was the good parts. Trying to look ahead and see what pitfalls are lurking around the corner.Appreciate the thumbs up on the photographs

Keep 'em comin

Peter

[Peterpools]

Thanks Carl

Just feels good to be in such good company and lots of help to climb over the obstacles.

Yup, know what you mean about the Kingfisher and it's on my must build list as for some strange reason, I have a fondness for the airplane. At this stage of the game, nothing surprises me about KH kits any more

Keep 'em comin

Peter

[Peterpools]

Thanks Ant

Much appreciated. I'm hanging in there and going to finish, no matter what.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

[Peterpools]

Thanks Gaz

She certainly is starting to look the part

Keep 'em comin

Peter

[Peterpools]

B'man

Much appreciated. KH chose the path and completely agree, it's a shame their kits have so many faults that could have been fixed prior to releases.  The Kingfisher is a must for me and i need to gather up the strength to tackle the kit down the road. Carl's points and warning are well taken and John B actually built one.

Only other 1/32 P-39 I know of is the Special Hobby kit.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

 

[Peterpools]

Seams and Putty Work

Just a quick update and very little accomplished this week as I had oral surgery and wasn’t feeling up to doing much of anything.

Fuselage: Continued filling and sanding the front cowl panels for a decent fit and I am now to the point of redoing the scribe lines that were wiped out, so that I could fit the six pieces together. I’m terrible at scribing and close to hopeless … see how it comes out.

The seam where the rollbar covers the front office needed some filler and hopefully that’s about all and the fit wasn’t that good as I used the door line as a guide.

The Wings: Both wings needed the MG panel covers fitted and the fit was typical KH, requiring two healthy cotes of Sprue glue and then a follow up with a few of Tamiya White Putty. Scribing is my downfall and after one attempt, I need to make repairs and figure something else out. In retrospect, I should have just left the panel covers off – shame on me. On the undersides of the wings, ammo bay covers were cleaned up and will be added in the open position (smart move), as I had enough of fitting and fussing with all the access panel covers. All the molded on MG’s were cutout and the holes drilled out for the MG barrels (Evergreen Tubing that is on order).

Flaps are going to be dropped as per the kit and KH did manage to find a way of imprinting 10 ejector pin marks (if I remember the amount correctly) to each set .. flap and underside of the wing: has to be a record of some kind and zero fun removing them.

Each aileron is moldered as a single part and even they needed some sanding to fit – why am I not surprised?

After working on this gem, it’s safe to say, this is the last KH kit I plan on building and I even now have the Kingfisher with AM up for sale – just no enthusiasm for their kits.

Thanks for checking in

Peter

 

 

[Martinnfb]

Slowly, but surely 

[GazzaS]

It's slow going Peter, but there are some time savers in the form of an electric toothbrush and CA. I've tried to make my scribing better and have seen some dividends...though I am still far from perfect.  Waiting only 15-20 minutes to be able to fix a fault...  or refix it... is much better than waiting overnight.

[Peterpools]

Thanks Gaz

How does the toothbrush come into play?

Peter

[GazzaS]

It's very simple, Peter.  All you need is a cheap electric toothbrush.   Double sided tape.  And sandpaper.  No fill is better, but the other stuff works too...you just have to replace it more often and deal with gum-up depending on what you're sanding.

 

Cut off all of the bristles of the toothbrush.  Attach two-sided tape to the flat face where the bristles used to be.  Attach your sandpaper.  That's the simplest bit.

The toothbrush only turns in a 20-ish degree arc.  So, you can shape your tape and sandpaper to get into nooks and crannies.  I use three grits of paper...  all no-fil, for most tasks:  340, 600, and 1200.  I have also used 2000 and 3000 for finer finishes.  Heck, I've even wet sanded, though the tape don't last very long.

 

It saves so much time...  you just won't believe it.

[Peterpools]

Thanks Gaz

Have a few electronic toothbrushes with replaceable heads - going to give it a try.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

 

[GazzaS]

2 minutes ago, Peterpools said:

Thanks Gaz

Have a few electronic toothbrushes with replaceable heads - going to give it a try.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

 

Good...  you're already half way there!  Enjoy!

[Peterpools]

Gaz

Fingers crossed

Keep 'em comin

Peter

[Kaireckstadt]

2 hours ago, Peterpools said:

Seams and Putty Work

 

Just a quick update and very little accomplished this week as I had oral surgery and wasn’t feeling up to doing much of anything.

 

Fuselage: Continued filling and sanding the front cowl panels for a decent fit and I am now to the point of redoing the scribe lines that were wiped out, so that I could fit the six pieces together. I’m terrible at scribing and close to hopeless … see how it comes out.

 

The seam where the rollbar covers the front office needed some filler and hopefully that’s about all and the fit wasn’t that good as I used the door line as a guide.

 

The Wings: Both wings needed the MG panel covers fitted and the fit was typical KH, requiring two healthy cotes of Sprue glue and then a follow up with a few of Tamiya White Putty. Scribing is my downfall and after one attempt, I need to make repairs and figure something else out. In retrospect, I should have just left the panel covers off – shame on me. On the undersides of the wings, ammo bay covers were cleaned up and will be added in the open position (smart move), as I had enough of fitting and fussing with all the access panel covers. All the molded on MG’s were cutout and the holes drilled out for the MG barrels (Evergreen Tubing that is on order).

 

Flaps are going to be dropped as per the kit and KH did manage to find a way of imprinting 10 ejector pin marks (if I remember the amount correctly) to each set .. flap and underside of the wing: has to be a record of some kind and zero fun removing them.

 

Each aileron is moldered as a single part and even they needed some sanding to fit – why am I not surprised?

 

After working on this gem, it’s safe to say, this is the last KH kit I plan on building and I even now have the Kingfisher with AM up for sale – just no enthusiasm for their kits.

 

Thanks for checking in

 

Peter

 

 

 

 

This is really a nightmare what you described!

I can fully understand you that enough is enough and that you decided to keep some panels open. 
Scribing and riveting isn’t one of my favorites too. 
When I built my Tamiya Corsair it was the first model where nearly no scribing or riveting was necessary due to it’s clever engineering.

What I hate too are ejector pin marks. I nearly got mad when I build my HK Lancaster. The flaps were full of them and they were quite visible. 
But Gary’s trick with CA glue and an old electric toothbrush makes work much easier.

So: continue with your awesome work, even if it’s the last KH!

[Peterpools]

Thanks Kai, much apprerciated

Yup, my last KH kit, just way too much unnecessary work do to their wonderful engineering and outstanding QC

Keep 'em comin

Peter 

[Kaireckstadt]

That reminds me of another model company…

[Peterpools]

Kai

Gee, who could that be? I'm guessing they went to the same engineering school and minored in QC

Keep 'em comin

Peter

[DocRob]

Looking mighty good Peter, well worth the fight and your result will be stunning.

10 hours ago, GazzaS said:

It's very simple, Peter.  All you need is a cheap electric toothbrush.   Double sided tape.  And sandpaper.  No fill is better, but the other stuff works too...you just have to replace it more often and deal with gum-up depending on what you're sanding.

Before you cut the bristles, you should check, if the head of the toothbrush is really moving or just mildly oscillating with a lot of leeway tolerance. I tried it with mine and what is sufficient for cleaning the teeth, was not enough for sanding. The paper actually didn't move on the plastic and I didn't apply force or used 80 grid paper.

Cheers Rob

[HubertB]

13 hours ago, Peterpools said:

Seams and Putty Work

...

 

After working on this gem, it’s safe to say, this is the last KH kit I plan on building and I even now have the Kingfisher with AM up for sale – just no enthusiasm for their kits.

...

Peter

 

In fairness to KH, Peter, although not the first released, I have it from Glen Coleman that the P-39 was the first they designed.

They got markedly better as time went by, but never, TBH, to the point of producing a Tamiya-like shake-and-bake kit.

The Kingfisher is fiddly in some places (like the über-fragile engine bearers, and the fiddly fit of them even if you do not break them when removing from the sprues and cleaning them, the fit of the cowling, or the under-par and therefore fragile main float location lugs), but it's much better in terms of overall fit then the Airacobra. And then, it's likely to remain forever the only Kingfisher in 1/32.

Some people like our own Ernie cannot praise enough the T-28, which is probably one of their best.

You're getting there, and doing a great job of overcoming the (mountain-high) hurdles. Keep it coming.

Hubert

[Peterpools]

Thanks Hubert

Very much appreciated the background information and an explanation of how the design issues worked their way into the kit. Trying to cope with the fit issues has driven me crazy and almost over the cliff. I can appreciate what KH's intentions were but to make the assumption that everyone wanted all the access panels off, is problem number one. And since they did choose that route, then at least engineer the kit so the panels could be installed in the closed position and actually fit. I'm willing to bet most modelers leave the panels open or off as they are well aware of the fit issues and extra work involved.

I love Tamiya kits with their incredible fit and engineering and am willing to pay for it. Even building their Mossie kit was an enjoyable build over a number of months. Complex yes, excellent instructions and parts actually fit. For me the fun in modeling is an enjoyable build without knocking myself out trying to get parts to fit. As with all my builds my favorite part is the air brush work and painting, at the bottom of my list is scribing.    

I know Ernie loves the KH T-28's and rightfully so. Not all their kits have major fit issues, but there are just so many that do from what I've read and seen on line, I normally avoid their kits.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

[Anthony in NZ]

Well from here she looks pretty darn good, but that's easy for me to say when I am only looking at a distance. I had only one KH kit (T-6) and didnt get far in as there were just too many issues with shapes, fit etc.  I am one who is always up for a challenge, but that one ended up in the bin with any useful bits clipped off the sprues to use on other kits.  Shame cos the T-6 is such an iconic plane.  I've seen others do superb builds of theirs...they are a better human than I!

hang in there buddy, you got this now!

[Peterpools]

Hi Ant

Got ya and much appreciated. I’ve more then a few times bailed out and removed the KH T-6 from an order. Believe me, if you’ve binned the kit, my fate would have been the same, just so much closer to the start. 
I’ve been following your FR.1 Wild Hair build on LSP and what can I say ... both brilliant and incredible. 

Keep ‘em comin

Peter

[Anthony in NZ]

12 hours ago, Peterpools said:

Hi Ant

Got ya and much appreciated. I’ve more then a few times bailed out and removed the KH T-6 from an order. Believe me, if you’ve binned the kit, my fate would have been the same, just so much closer to the start. 
I’ve been following your FR.1 Wild Hair build on LSP and what can I say ... both brilliant and incredible. 

Keep ‘em comin

Peter

yep we need someone to produce a new T-6 for sure!

Awww man, glad to know you are looking in my friend, the FG.1 Phantom sure is a mission at every turn to convert.  But I knew what I was taking on (kinda LOL) before I started, not like a KH kit which bites you unexpectedly

I still hope that when this Covid thing has settled I can come to Long Is to visit my friend and play with all his aeroplanes and we can catch up still!  Funnily enough he's just brought himself a T-6 

Keep up the awesome work!