Eduard is probably best known for their extensive line of photoetch accessories and their excellent WWI aircraft model kits, but they have also released some very nice WWII aircraft kits. The series of 1/48 P-39 kits are among their best, featuring recessed panel lines, crisp molding and very good detail and fit. Certainly a good alternative to the aging Monogram kit. This one was built pretty much OOTB with photoetch seat belts/harness added. Model was painted with Model Master enamels and kit decals were used, with a little help from an ancient SuperScale decal sheet.
fantastic build.
joe
awesome![bow][bow][bow][bow]
Nice job, Rick ! Good choice of camo, also. Did you freehand or mask?
I really like the Eduard kits also. Got the P-39Q profi-pack waiting “in the wings.” Just looking for the right decal sheet so I can begin.
Well done !
What is the difference between the P-39 and P-400, I never heard of the P-400 until a little while ago. I didn’t even know it existed.
Nice job by the way. Well done.
Great looking build Rick. I’ve got an Airacobra in the to be built pile… here’s hoping it’ll turn out half as well as your bird!
Jimz66, the P-400 was basically the P-39 with a lighter armament package.
Rick, what technique did you use for your panel lines? It looks very nice. I have one of them in my stash. I bought mine simply because of the nifty teeth on that nose art. Maybe someday I’ll build it and it’ll look as good as yours.
I didn’t pick one up for some unknown reason. Are these kits still readily available?
Thanks all for the kind & generous comments.
Pix: I used heavy bond paper cut to the desired patterns as masks, tacked in place with some liquid mask. If you spray at an angle, away from the mask edge, you get a very subtle soft edge without the paint build up you get using tape. Me and my Paasche H aren’t quite up to all that work freehand, and it sorta replicates the way the real ones were factory painted.
jimz66: It’s a really long story, but externally the P-400 is very similar to the P-39F only with a 20mm nose cannon instead of the 37mm. They were built for export to France, but Germany defeated France before delivery. The British then picked up the order and the aircraft were built and painted in RAF colors, but the Brit’s cancelled out when the US Army wouldn’t allow the AC to be supercharged. The aircraft were then sent to Russia and to the USAAF fighter groups in Australia, New Guinea, and Guadalcanal. The P-400 designation signified an aircraft built to export spec’s, but used by the USAAF. The AC were delivered in the British camo schemes and gradually repainted in US Olive Drab/Neutral gray scheme.
Swanny: I used a Sakura “Micron” archival ink pen with a .005 nib. Just run it into the scribed lines, just like using a scribing tool. The black ink is a little stark on the lighter colored surfaces, but I tone it down with a little spray of Floquil Dust as a weathering aid. I also use a sludge wash on some models, very similar to what you have described on your web-site, but not on this particular model.
Melgyver: I think they are still available, although they were limited run kits issued in 2000. Great Models has them listed as available, but you never know with them. There were 4 kits issued, 2 as Profipacks with additional photoetch goodies, and virtually all P-39 variants could be modeled from these releases.
Rick that is a wonderful build, especially the panel lines, they stand out enough, but not too much!!!
Great work, Rick! You gotta love a fighter with a DOOR!
Great job!
mean lookin’ snake there!!![8D]
great build, thanks for sharing!![:)]
regards,
nick
Love that paint job! Awesome job.
Awesome! I hope mine turns out half that good!
Lee
Great job! Makes my old Mongram kit look really “dated” with the same markings. I thought this would be an appropriate one to make my #400 post on the P-400!
rjkplasticmod…I forgot… the canopy, Is it good…Because mine was warped. [banghead] But, the Eduards was nice. I got new one. Of course it was slow to get it…A 11/2 months!!!
That’s a great build, Rick! If it was sitting on an airstrip, it looks like it’s ready to take off! [:D]
Nice looking build you have there. I just got the Eduard Hawker Tempest (early) profi-pack. Now I have to add another kit to my ever growing wish list.
Thanks again everyone for your comments, makes an old dog happy.
Easyco : No problem with the canopy on this build. You can get the rare warped, missing or half-shot in just about any kit. Glad to hear Eduard was responsive, even if a little slow.
falcon039 : The Tempest was Eduard’s first attempt at a 1/48 WWII subject and it has a few problems OOTB. All are fixable, but be sure to check reviews or post queries on the Forum when you get ready to build it.