I am starting my first attempt at an aircraft model, and have chosen the Hasegawa 1:32 P26 Peashooter. I would like to include a figure or two in the display, preferably a mechanic and a pilot. The mechanic should be easy enough, any guy in coveralls would work. But can anyone recommend a source for a pilot in appropriate between-the-wars attire? I would like to pose him standing, so that I can still show off the open cockpit.
Thanks, George
Colorado Miniatures makes a 1/32 resin “Fying Tigers” pilot figure that can be converted to a pilot from that era fairly easily… The main conversion would be to remove the radio headphones from the helmet and to add a fleece collar and cuffs to the jacket… The googles are ok as is…
Any 1/48 pilot figures? Almost done with my P-26[H]
So here is the Colorado AVG figure you mentioned:
By radio parts to be removed, is that the round protrusions over the ears? If I sand those down would I want to be left with just flat material on the sides, or should there still be an opening or screen or something on the helmet there over the ears.
Sorry, I don’t know much about what this particular era’s aviators uniforms looked like.
Check out the Google Images using P-26, and other 20’s and 30’s planes as search words. Also use Air Corps or Army Air Corps to find pictures of pilots and aircrew. You can also use Google’s LIFE Magazine images. Use the same words for this using the photos from the 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s.
Right… The helmet would just have plain leather sides… No openings or anything else… Here’s a B-5 helmet, typical of that era…
Here’s a typical leather flightsuit for open cockpit aircraft.
Great! That looks do-able, and it seems like a good, crisp figure to start with. I have not seen too many 1/32 stand-alone pilot figures available out there other than this line you pointed me to. I’ll be scratching my head a bit to figure out how best to represent that fleece collar, but that is the fun part of mods and scratchbuilding. Thanks Hans!
Anytime, pard…
For the fleece, I’ve had pretty good luck with using putty (I use either Testor’s white or Bondo Red Glazing Putty) to turn A-2 jackets into B-3 jackets… Testor’s is probably better for this since you can apply it in a small bead and pretty accuarately… Bondo, I have to roll out… Anyway, I just lay a small bead around the collar and then kinda stipple it with a stiff-bristled nylon paintbrush. Then do the same thing with the cuffs & waistband… The white plastic Testor’s paintbrushes with the bristles cut to about a 1/4 inch work pretty well as a stippling brush/tool… If the Testor’s is starting to get a little hard before you’re happy, just moisten the brush with rubbing alcohol… Careful though, alcohol is a perfect thinner for Testor’s putty… For the Bondo, I use Testor’s liquid cement (pink labeled bottle) to thin it…
Also, in order to model the leather flight pants, you can probably get away with just adding a fleece cuff around the bottom of the trouser-legs too… You can turn the shoes into the fleece-lined flight boots with a little tissue & thinned putty. They aren’t that critical though, since they only wore the entire leather suit for winter flying or for high-altitude flights…
Oh yeah, one more thing… The square, flapped patch-pockets on the A-2 have to be removed as well… The B-3 jacket has different shaped slit-opening patch-pocket… Here’s the B-3:
Vs. the A-2
The pilot figure (Al Williams) from Monogram’s 1/32 F3F could be converted for such use, too, if you happen to have access to such a kit.
Regards,
Brad
Thanks for all the helpful suggestions and the pix. I ordered the Flying Tigers figure from Colorado Miniatures this mornning. Sounds like my pilot guy is going to be a small project all his own with the conversions that need doing, but I love the customizing part of the hobby. I’m sure I will be back with more Peashooter questions as the work get started.
No sweat, pard… USAAC/USAAF flight gear research and collecting is kinda my thing… I got a small fortune invested in the stuff, lol…