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P-43: the confused and the perplexed

Started by Kyle Koppos · 22 ≡ · ↻ 2 months ago

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Kyle Koppos said 2 months, 1 week ago:

This is the Dora Wings 1/48 Lancer. It is a nice kit with odd design choices.

This is the cockpit. The seat isn’t bad, but can be better. It is replaced with an SBS piece. The control stick looks to be 1/72. It is replaced with a spare. The instrument panel has a decal instead of film to put behind the PE face. Again, not bad, just odd?
3 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Kyle Koppos said 2 months, 1 week ago:

This is the kit engine (top) compared to an Aires (bottom). How can they look so radically different? No idea
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Kyle Koppos said 2 months, 1 week ago:

The kit has fiddly engine bearers. I’ve had certain modelers that are related to me by blood, name withheld, tell me it is one of the most frustrating things they’ve ever attempted.

Instructions show what i think is the exhaust collector system, but it is not included.

It is truly not the most fun thing to assemble. The cherry on top is, it is also completely pointless, as the engine is fixed to the cowling, and the cowling is fixed directly to the fuselage. Neither the engine or cowling ever touches the supports, and the supports (that the modeler spends significant time assembling) is never seen again.

Confounding.
5 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Tom Cleaver said 2 months, 1 week ago:

That instrument panel looks pretty good to me. P-E with a piece of flim behind it doesn't look very realistic.
Tom Cleaver said 2 months, 1 week ago:

Regarding the engines, once you put them inside the cowling you won't notice the differences, which is why I can never figure out the engine dweebs who think stuff they can't see is important.

I present some photos of my P-43 as proof.
4 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Tom Cleaver said 2 months, 1 week ago:

Don't waste your time on parts you will never see. The model builds up fine without any of them.
John vd Biggelaar said 2 months, 1 week ago:

Great start on this entry, Kyle @kopperhed
Your modifications are clearly an improvement over the kits original ones.
Spiros Pendedekas said 2 months, 1 week ago:

Excellent start, my friend @kopperhed! I agree with our friend @tcinla, decal IPs look better behind the PE cutouts than film. Equally importantly 😁, my modeling approach is "If You Can't See It, I Won't Build it"😁😁
Kyle Koppos said 2 months, 1 week ago:

I agree, trust me. The problem is this work was done before i figured that out. At least with the lancer, it has no spinner so the engine can be seen
Carl Smoot said 2 months, 1 week ago:

Things could be worse. You could try the Classic Airframes version. Believe me, you do not want to. I had to add a plug into the fuselage behind the cockpit because the fuselage was not long enough. The landing gear wells shed more resin dust than was used to make them in the first place, just so they would fit in the wings. Still, it continuous to occupy a spot on my display shelf as I consider it a win to have beaten it into submission.

Looking good so far Kyle (@kopperhed). Think of it as a patience building exercise! 🙂
Seamus Boughe said 2 months, 1 week ago:

In my decades of building scale models I have noticed quite a few phenomenons exclusive to this hobby. This is one of them. When I want to build something other than the usual Mustangs, Messerschmitts, Spitfires, etc, I end up with a kit that is always confusing, confounding, and somewhat of a b***h to put together. Seeing what you are up against kind of reminds me of my time wrestling with a HiPM Arado 196. Got it together though. However, it gave me a case of PTSD. Carry on brother, you're doing great so far.
Kyle Koppos said 2 months, 1 week ago:

Thanks, sir. Any Hi-PM kit is a monster, you have my admiration
Kyle Koppos said 2 months, 1 week ago:

I assume at this stage the aircraft didn’t have shoulder harnesses, so i only added the lap belts
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Seamus Boughe said 2 months, 1 week ago:

I believe your assumption to be correct. I am currently working on the old Monogram P-40B and trying to whip it into shape. I have decided to make it into an AVG kite. In my research on the p-40B and the AVG, I have come across several citations noting that exported American aircraft were only equipped with lap belts. I don't know much about the Lancer, but I do know they were exported to China. So it is probable that the Lancer only had lap belts at that time. Nice work on those lap belts. Are they scratch or did they come with the kit?
John vd Biggelaar said 2 months, 1 week ago:

The lap belts do look great, Kyle @kopperhed
Are they PE?

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