Eduard 1/48 P-39 L/N 345th FS

Started by Tom Bebout · 18 · 6 years ago
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    Tom Bebout said 6 years, 5 months ago:

    What the hey, lets do another addition to this group build.

    In fact I may do this as a twofer, as it applies for this Group but could count for the Nose Art Group Build. I'm doing the markings of the only P-39 that carried the sharksmouth nose art in the Mediterranean. This A/C was flown by Major Charles Hoover, the Squadron Cmdr, from August through December 1943. Got credit for 1 1/2 kills flying this P-39. The kit plastic looks good and includes a good amount of cockpit detail.. Better yet being a ProfiPack, a canopy mask and photo etch detail is included. I built an AM P-39 several years ago but it was Eduard plastic molds and don't remember having any real issues. So here we go.

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    Tom Cleaver said 6 years, 5 months ago:

    One thing you have to do with the Eduard P-39 is sand down the wing trailing edge from inside BEFORE ASSEMBLY to get it right - it's way too thick otherwise. The one glitch of the kit.

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    david leigh-smith said 6 years, 5 months ago:

    Very much looking forward to this, Tom - I love those 'Profipack' kits.

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    Tom Bebout said 6 years, 5 months ago:

    TC I've read articles from other modelers that have built this kit mention the same issue , I'll give it a go. And David, God knows I didn't need another kit for my seemingly ever increasing stash; but saw this at a show for $15. Too much temptation to resist, apparently I'm rather weak in the area of passing up a good bargain.

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    david leigh-smith said 6 years, 5 months ago:

    Tom, regarding temptation and bargains at model shows - you'll always find free cheese in a mousetrap...

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    Paul Barber said 6 years, 5 months ago:

    'Let's take the cheese!'

    Fantastic Tom, as ever looking forward to seeing your work!

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    Craig Abrahamson said 6 years, 5 months ago:

    Gotta love any kit that includes photo-etch AND a canopy mask set, right..? 🙂

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    David A. Thomas said 6 years, 5 months ago:

    Thomas, you are a man after my own heart. There's no repaying you guys for making this GB so fantastic. Hard to quantify what I've learned from it. Collectively, we've told a story. And a P-39 is a great addition.

    Thanks, friend!

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    Tom Bebout said 6 years, 5 months ago:

    Took a break from eating some cheese to spend some time at the bench. As the saying goes construction begins with the cockpit, and this one is no exception. Several small parts are included and they usually make me nervous because one has to use tweezers to attach them. And if you hear a ping count that part a AWOL forever. So far no real issues have occurred, all of the cockpit was hand painted using Model Master acrylics.

    I used the instrument decals then applied the photo etch over them. You have a couple of options with the photo etch instrument panel based on which P-39 version you want to build. The kit also includes decals for 5 different aircraft, quite a bonus as the rest will go into the decal stash. Almost worth the price of the kit to get those decals. After assembly I covered the cockpit with my home brew wash of 50% water,50% Future/Pledge mixed with some Tamiya brown acrylic to a color hue I liked. More progress will be posted later.

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    david leigh-smith said 6 years, 5 months ago:

    She's looking smart, Tom. The instrument panel is a great piece of work - very sharp, you gouda love it.

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    David A. Thomas said 6 years, 5 months ago:

    David, the puns...you pickpocket you...

    Very nice work on the cockpit as usually, Tom. Really nice stuff.

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    david leigh-smith said 6 years, 5 months ago:

    David, you'll often find a pun in my posts if you look Caerphilly.

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    Tom Bebout said 6 years, 5 months ago:

    David LS, your gouda love it is a very sharp comment as I'm additionally smoked as well.

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    Louis Gardner said 6 years, 5 months ago:

    Cheese Louise the office is really looking sharp !

    You're the man Tom ... and a plastic model building machine.

    I'll be following along with the build.

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    David A. Thomas said 6 years, 5 months ago:

    Well, I had the bleus but coming here cheesed them all a-whey...