++ **** DONE: 1/48 P-63C - Military Conflicts of the 1950's

[T Bolt]

User Name: T Bolt
Name: Glenn
Category: Advanced
Kit: Hi Tech Bell P-63C Kingcobra
Scale: 1/48th
Accessories: None, Kit comes with lots of Resin and PE


I'll be building this in the kit decals of P-36C 311697 G.C 2/6 Normandie-Niemen, Than Son Nut, Indochina, 1950

I won't be starting in on it until I finish up my current group guild entries so that will give me some time to find out more about it as I don't really know a lot about this one, only just collected a few pictures and profiles off the internet so any help with info about it would be welcomed.

 

[T Bolt]

I haven't found a picture or profile of the actual aircraft but did find some that look to be from the same squadron. By the looks of the aircraft in the photo I'll be doing a very worn natural metal finish on it.

Edit :Now that I look at the photo more closely I can just see the nose of aircraft "V" as the last one in the line at the far left of the photo.

 

[fubar57]

Nice subject Glenn. Looks like you have some weathering ahead of you...

From "P-39 Airacobra" by Ivo Pejcoch

 

[T Bolt]

You da man George!!!

 

[Wurger]

And here a couple more...

The P-63c "V"

The P-63c "B" crashed...

And here both of them in a line..

The pic source: -Enpa- ENPA Cap Matifou Kingcobra avion 1

 

[Capt. Vick]

Great subject!

 

[JKim]

Never heard of Hi Tech so this should be interesting. Looks like you'll have some latitude in the exhaust weathering between really heavy and fairly light.

 

[T Bolt]

Great pictures Wojtek, thanks!

John, not sure it they are still around but Hi Tech kits are limited run kits. the few I've built have vacuform canopies and a lot of resin. The plastic is usually limited to the larger parts and have nice surface detail although the parts are very thick and heavy.
I'll take pictures of what's in the box and post them when i get a chance.

 

[Airframes]

Not sure about this one, but some Hi Tech kits, as far as I know, where enhanced Monogram mouldings, with additional resin, PE etc etc.

 

[T Bolt]

Sure this one is not ex-Monogram Terry. extremely thick parts with very large sprue attachment points. The wing parts are so thick that when they are glued together they will be solid. Deffently old school limited run technology.

 

[Wildcat]

Interesting subject Glenn!

 

[T Bolt]

I went looking for a kit review of this model (couldn't find one) but found a discussion on another forum about which was the best P-63C kit, MPM or Hi-Tech, and the upshot of the whole thing was that they were two of the most terrible kits ever manufactured, The MPM kit winning my a hair due only to the fact that it was not as detailed and therefore had less parts.
I began to feel panic set in until I remembered that I had built the MPM kit years ago and although it was not easy, I didn't remember it being harder than other limited run kits that I had built and it turned out pretty good, so I took a close look at what was in the HighTech box.

As you can see the plans are crap

The plastic is rather rough and thick, especially the wings but it has some nice engraved panel lines that are much better than the MPM kit

I tried to show the surface texture in this picture. Every thing has a sort of pebble texture so the whole thing will have to be sanded down

The resin looks nice, I just hope it fits in the plastic

The PE also looks real nice

 

[T Bolt]

The PE also looks real nice

The metal props are a bit rough and will need some clean-up

The decals look good

Here's the MPM kit I built quite a wile ago. There was quite a bit of filling and sanding but it came out alright but you can see that the MPM panel lines were so faint that the wash wouldn't stay in them and can hardly be seen. The HiTech kit looks much better in that respect.

So I haven't been scared away yet and will make a start after I get the Avia and Mustang finished.

 

[Crimea_River]

Looks like you have your work cut out for you Glenn.

 

[Wurger]

Agreed.

 

[Wayne Little]

Interesting choice Glenn, by the look of it you have some work ahead of you...

 

[T Bolt]

Well if you want to build a P-63 there are not many options and all of th bad which is a shame as its one of the the small number of WW2 US Air Force fighter types that were mass produced.

 

[Wayne Little]

Sure you will do a good job on her mate!

 

[Airframes]

Good review there Glenn. That surface finish might not need sanding down - a couple of coats of primer, before the paint, would probably make it smooth enough. The Airfix Buccaneer and some other kits I've done had a similar surface, but were fine once primed.

 

[T Bolt]

I taped together the main assembly and did not find any bad fit problems---for an old limited run kit anyway. Everything seems to line up ok although there will be quite a bit of filler to blend in the seams---as expected. The good news is that the resin cockpit insert fits between the fuselage halves beautifully without any trimming of thinning.
That review I read really had me worried but it looks as if the main components should go together well.