Shelf of Doom Hobbycraft P-35A

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
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So, for my final completion of 2025, I decided to pull this old one off the “shelf of doom” and finish it up over the last couple of weeks. This is the Hobbycraft 1/48 P-35A kit that I started apparently sometime in ‘07 or so before being sidelined for whatever multiple reasons. Anyways, I finished assembly and painting and now it is completed at last. The decals fought me hard, as I had neglected to seal them in a zip lock bag and they dried out. Unfortunately I didn’t coat them with Micro Scale Liquid Decal Film until after I had already lost the tail numbers to shattering. The remaining decals that I did coat, didn’t want to play well with setting or solvents to get them to snuggle down properly, and in the end they still silvered and/or look rough. I was able to use some numbers and letters from my spare decals to cobble together the tail markings, but again, those weren’t the best either. And wanting to get this done by today shows. Time deadlines are not conducive to best results in this hobby. I finished this in the markings of the 34th Pursuit Squadron in the Philippines in late 1941/early 1942 during their gallant but doomed defense of the islands. Weathering is based off of multiple photos of P-35A’s from that time.

Thanks for looking, comments and critiques are welcome… :wink:

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Agree that the decals are a little compromised but the plane looks really good. The paint and weathering are well done.

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Thank you MrB. Just one of those things. Put it on the shelf and lesson learned… :confused:

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I agree with mrb—plane looks good! Maybe one of those “someday” kits where a new set of
decals appears and you can dress it up good

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Looks good! I feel your pain about the decals. I’ve had some old ones shatter while soaking. Kinda puts a damper on your enthusiasm!

Gary

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Nicely done, Stik! I like your paint wear. There are pictures of those P-35s and you can see paint wear as bad as on Japanese aircraft later in the war. The climate was so bad, they looked like someone took a wire brush to them.

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Having just gone through a decal ordeal with one of my B-24s, I feel that pain.

But from the Shelf of Doom to this result (even after this many years) is a nice accomplishment. Your weathering is spot on for a South Pacific aircraft - it was hell on paint in that environment.

Kudos on your P-35A.

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Inspiring and amazing work.

That looks amazing to my older eyes.

James

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