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Kitty Hawk Model 1/32 P-39Q/N


LSP_Kevin

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Well, having just read (re-read, actually - I've read it before I now recall) the pertinent sections of the documents Ron linked to above, I'm more confused than ever! It seems to me that any version of Bronze Green, Dull Dark Green, or Medium Green will get the job done. I was particularly fascinated by this passage:
 

Based on the analysis of a preserved Lend-Lease P-39Q-15, the inside of the wheel wells was painted in Zinc Chromate Yellow for the wing part and Olive Drab in the part overlapping the lower fuselage, apparently a result of separate painting of the subassemblies at the factory. The undercarriage legs and internal faces of wheel covers were Interior Green, with smaller actuating arms finished in Bronze Green. Additional piping and wiring was painted in Aluminium lacquer.


That would certainly make for an interesting model! Not sure which way I'm going just yet, but I've got an unused bottle of Vallejo's Bronze Green that I might take for a spin. It sounds, though, that it really doesn't matter all that much what you use, as far as the P-39 is concerned.

 

Hopefully some progress photos in the next update.

Kev

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I'm sure you're well aware of this Kev, but once they leave the factory and get into the exciting world of combat and maintenance and repairs, things get even more patchy! This even continues to this day, just have a look at any of our old D model chinooks... talk about patchy.... especially when you start putting F model parts on them, which are tan in colour. You're right, you pretty much can't go wrong with any colour choice. Does make things very interesting. I'm sure it drives the puritans nuts!!! :)

 

Craig

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Urs, Craig: thanks for checking in, fellas. Due to competing commitments, I didn't get as much done on this today as I'd hoped, but at least I've made a start. The instructions begin with the engine, and so did I.

 

There are quite a number of parts to the engine in this kit, and the first task is to remove all the ejectites from the inner surfaces of the main structural pieces:

 

sVrkDZ.jpg

 

Most can be snipped away harmlessly with a pair of sprue cutters, but there is one sitting right next to a locating hole, and this one needs a bit more care to remove. That's all done now, and I've got the parts all glued up and hardening off.

 

While I set those aside, I decided to tackle the exhaust stubs. These are a nightmare! There are 12 exhaust stubs on this version of the P-39 - 6 on each side. KittyHawk has broken each down into 2 separate parts, meaning that you need to assemble 24 of the little buggers! Not only are they tiny, but they're difficult to remove from the sprue, and awkward to clean up. Got 'em glued together, at least, but they'll need quite a bit of remedial work once the glue has dried.

 

h9WGSh.jpg

 

And after all that work, I'm not sure they're gonna look that great. This should be the first thing the resin aftermarket guys target.

 

I next turned my attention to the internal floor, and started checking out what parts I could glue to it that needed to be the same colour. I came across this little number:

 

kutCKb.jpg

 

An ejector pin mark right next to a nasty sink mark, and both neatly surrounded by fine raised rivet detail. Great. The ejector pin mark could pass for nondescript raised detail (in fact, I can't even be 100% certain it's not), but the sink mark has to go. I'll need to take care of that before proceeding, and it'll probably mean the end of those rivets, unfortunately.

 

That's where things are at right now. With so much detail at hand, figuring out the best build/paint sequence can be a bit tricky!

 

Kev

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I next turned my attention to the internal floor, and started checking out what parts I could glue to it that needed to be the same colour. I came across this little number:

 

kutCKb.jpg

 

An ejector pin mark right next to a nasty sink mark, and both neatly surrounded by fine raised rivet detail. Great. The ejector pin mark could pass for nondescript raised detail (in fact, I can't even be 100% certain it's not), but the sink mark has to go. I'll need to take care of that before proceeding, and it'll probably mean the end of those rivets, unfortunately.

 

That's where things are at right now. With so much detail at hand, figuring out the best build/paint sequence can be a bit tricky!

 

Kev

Hi Kev.  You might be able to save that rivet detail by using on of these vibrating tooth brushes.  Inexpensive, and found at your local drug or grocery store. I cut a small disk of wet-dry, and super glued it on the end of the vibrating brush.  When the sandpaper gets dull, just glue a fresh disk on top of it.   Ever use one?  Works pretty good.  HTH

 

photo-2_zpsqv3rrce5.jpg

 

Best regards

Patrick

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Hi Kev, if I may suggest: have you dry fitted the part in the cockpit? Depending on where it is located, the sink mark might not be visible.

Cheers and very happy to see some plastic finally getting cut... we're on page two already and that had me worried!

Cheers

Alan

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Hi Kev, if I may suggest: have you dry fitted the part in the cockpit? Depending on where it is located, the sink mark might not be visible.

 

Yeah, I probably should check that, though it won't be easy to do. In all likelihood, it won't be very noticeable even if it is visible, but I thought it only fair to point it out.

 

Kev

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Archer has a sheet with usefull rivets you can apply as wet transfer. Just use filler and sand the part. After that re-rivet it.

 

Thanks, Urs. Those rivets are actually much smaller than they look, and much smaller than the only Archer sheet I have (which I bought for the Fisher Ryan build). I don't think it would be worth reinstating them, especially if the part itself will hardly be visible, as Alan suggests. I'll see if I can test fit to see, but that won't be easy without glue.

 

Kev

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Well, at Alan's suggestion, I test-fitted the part in situ, to see if the sink mark in particular would be visible:

 

TYmd57.jpg

 

Not really! Here's another look through the open engine bay, just in case:

 

jY8qGD.jpg

 

On that basis, I'm not going to bother filling it.

 

Kev

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