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Does anybody know if there are any resin or PE details in the pipeline for the Vintage Fighter Series P-40 ? I’ve bought the kit but don’t want to build it without some way of correcting the shallow cockpit especially. Also the fabric-covered control surfaces could do with correction set. Anything on the grapevine ?
I’m in the same boat as you. I don’t want to start mine until the cockpit issue can be corrected. I suppose if it came down to it, I could scratchbuild something to correct it. But if a resin correction kit is being offered anytime in the near future, then it will be obviously much easier.
Scratchbuilding would be a little beyond my skills at the moment, but a resin cockpit would be ideal. I’m sure the kit has sold well, must be worth one of the resin detail people producing something. I definately won’t be using the kit drop tank, those rivets look bizaar ! I also read that Pearl Harbour period P-40’s didn’t use them anyway.
I want to build a Pearl Harbour defender, as its my daughter’s favourite film and I’ve promised her a model of Josh Hartnett’s plane ! She won’t recognise the cockpit inaccuracy, but I sure do !
Yeah, my scratchbuilding skills are moderate at best. I’ve pulled off some small things here and there before, but fixing this cockpit would definitly tax what skills I do have. Like you, I’d rather wait for a resin correction kit rather than find out if the skills I do have are equal to the task. My friend is a scratchbuilding nut. He actually looks for things to scratchbuild into his stuff. Myself, I do it when I really have to. I always take the resin and PE route for detailing whenever possible. Anyway, the problem is pretty well known, so maybe someone will pick up the ball and do it.
Doing the Pearl Harbor defender version ? That was a nice plane. Lots of luck on it and have fun. I’m sure your daughter will love it. True, she won’t notice or care about the cockpit, but you will. I’m the same way. Even if nobody can see it, if I know something is amiss with the model it will bug me to no end.
I’m going to do the AVG Flying Tiger version. I’ve loved the look of that plane since I was a kid. The nose on that P-40B was just made for that shark’s mouth. [:D]
Also, I hear that the next project that the folks at Vintage Fighters is going to put out is a 1/24 P-47. Imagine the size that bad boy will be ?! That project was contingent on how well the P-40 sold. It seems to have done well, so maybe we’ll have that at some point too.
Ted
I’ve just e-mailed Contact Resine in France to ask them if they might be intending to do a cockpit. I’ve seen their Fw190 1:24 cockpit and it’s a work of art ! I’ll post up their reply when I get it. Might be an idea for a few VFS P-40 builders to e-mail them too to give them an idea of demand.
I’ll buy a P-47 if they do a kit of that beast. My old eyes are no good for 1:72 any more and 1:48 gets worse every day so 1:24 is my salvation, I think. Just have to buy a bigger house when I run out of shelf space ! Have you heard the rumour about a 1:24 Mosquito ? Now that would be BIG !!
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I’ve just e-mailed Contact Resine in France to ask them if they might be intending to do a cockpit. I’ve seen their Fw190 1:24 cockpit and it’s a work of art ! I’ll post up their reply when I get it. Might be an idea for a few VFS P-40 builders to e-mail them too to give them an idea of demand.
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Yes, let us know when Contact Resine responds. I’d be very interested.
Have you tried using something called an “Optivisor” magnifying aid ? I have two of them. I also build ships models, and without my Optivisor it would not be possible. They fit over your head and can also be worn with eyeglasses. They are available in different strengths. It is the most valuable tool on my workbench. Squadron.com sells them. Here’s a direct link to them, if your interested.
Thanks for the tip about the Optivisor, I’ll look it up and get one.
Contact-Resine e-mailed me back today and said they are ready to do a cockpit and wheels for the P-40 and they will be released before mid-06. That’s such good news![:D] I won’t be starting my kit just yet, got a Tamiya Betty and a Norseman Glenn Miller crash plane to do first.