1/48 Bell P-39L Airacobra, 81st FG North Africa

December 27, 2020 · in Aviation · · 9 · 2.9K

Built in 2015.

kit, painted with Gunze and Tamiya paints, the Azure is from Model Master.

Some discussion about the camo paints of these planes. As far as I know they were initially built for and delivered to the Brits but not liked there. When the US started action in and was in the need of fighter aircrafts, the were sent there. So RAF European camo overpainted in desert colours, additional camo added...?

In the end my dad followed the Eduard painting instructions.

The model shows an a/c of 91st FS/81st FG in Tunisia September 1943.

Reader reactions:
7  Awesome

19 additional images. Click to enlarge.


9 responses

  1. Fine build and finish. And you even did a great job on closing those doors. Don't see many of them closed. All good.

  2. My first thought was exactly as Bob said, those are some fine results! Love the effect of the mismatched panel paints. The subtle weathering and effects are spot on. Thanks for sharing this old build.

  3. Very nice work on this and a great result.

    My one disagreement with the painting instructions would be repainting the lower surfaces. That's just too difficult to do with an airplane on its gear "in the field." That's not a complaint about the model - which is really nice - just a difference of opinion with Eduard, which is a continuing issue for me, with some of their painting instructions (like coming down on the side of OD/NG for 357th FG Mustangs, rather than British Dark Green/Sea Grey Medium, despite the fact everyone ever involved in repainting 8th AF airplanes who I interviewed stated clearly that RAF paints were used because US paints were unavailable in the UK).

  4. This is a really nice Airacobra, Reinhard!

  5. Really Beautiful, I really like the P-39. I mean good or bad, it just looks cool and some of the features for better or worse are really cool. I love the sedan door, and mid engine along with the center firing cannon. That one looks really good, beautiful paint work on it.

  6. Very fine build, Reinhard.
    The P39 was an exceptional build with its centre placed engine.

  7. Really like both these builds. the standard of finish is superb.

  8. Your dad did a nice job on this. Definitely one of the more interesting P-39 schemes.

  9. Both of those two builds posted are beautiful as always!

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