Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Thanks for the info Peter. It's still bigger than I thought though, even though the pilot is a titch!
***DONE: Bell p-39N Airacobra 42-18393 "Millie" 350th FG 346th FS Group Build
- Thread starter ozhawk40
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- Thread starter
- #62
ozhawk40
Master Sergeant
Hi
Okay - works continues on the build, but I thought I'd share with you some more information I have on the pilot of Millie. Soon after selecting this P-39 I discovered that Al (Shuford), the pilot had prepared an Oral History in conjunction with the University of North Texas about his experiences in service. With the kind permission of both the Director of Oral History UNT and Al himself, here is his interview.
I have posted his story in the "stories" section, so here's the link. If you have a few minutes to spare, it is well worth the read.
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/stories/lt-shuford-alexander-mto-p-39-p-47-pilot-350th-fighter-group-20709.html#post558458
And here is the intro.
Okay - works continues on the build, but I thought I'd share with you some more information I have on the pilot of Millie. Soon after selecting this P-39 I discovered that Al (Shuford), the pilot had prepared an Oral History in conjunction with the University of North Texas about his experiences in service. With the kind permission of both the Director of Oral History UNT and Al himself, here is his interview.
I have posted his story in the "stories" section, so here's the link. If you have a few minutes to spare, it is well worth the read.
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/stories/lt-shuford-alexander-mto-p-39-p-47-pilot-350th-fighter-group-20709.html#post558458
And here is the intro.
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Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Great background peter, and what a find! It's marvellous to have more than just a picture of the subject being modelled, grand work mate!
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
I agree, nicely done!
109ROAMING
2nd Lieutenant
Good stuff Peter
- Thread starter
- #66
ozhawk40
Master Sergeant
A small update today. First off, I have been working on the cockpit and knocking that into shape. Eduard provide a photo etch panel, which is very good, however parts can be a little "two dimensional" in places. One of those areas is the gun backing plates, next to the cocking handles. The buffer recoil pads are held in the cylinder at the rear, and these are missing, so I added them with tiny pieces of stretched sprue.
I also re-painted the seat dull aluminium, as the manual and other photos I have show this. Added the Eduard etch belts and attached it to the floor. I haven't finished details yet, but it's getting there.
Cheers
Peter
I also re-painted the seat dull aluminium, as the manual and other photos I have show this. Added the Eduard etch belts and attached it to the floor. I haven't finished details yet, but it's getting there.
Cheers
Peter
Attachments
looking good Peter
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Nice work Peter, it's going to look the biz when done mate!
dirkpitt289
Master Sergeant
Great looking office. Ya know I spent the better part of last night bending PE and building the cockpit for my HS129 and it looks NOTHING like that. I felt good about mine till now. Thanks... 
109ROAMING
2nd Lieutenant
Nice work Peter
- Thread starter
- #72
ozhawk40
Master Sergeant
Thanks guys.
Dirk - I'm a total newby when it comes to photo etch. This is the second model I have used it with. You could not believe the frustration and concentration it took to get those seat belts to come together and (well you might
) play right!
Some things are so impossibly small, I give up. Then return to them another day. Half the battle is arming yourself with little small techniques to get the job done. At the moment, I'm having trouble with the very small pieces that require folding. The only way I could manage it was to cut one tab off the item and fold it still on the foil. If I detached it completely and try to fold, sure as eggs, I'd lose it! And I won't even mention what I've stuck together with CA by accident. Fingers, mats, tweezers, toothpicks, dremel, shirt and oh yes - my knife!
I had to redo the rear deck after I mucked up the radio wiring harness with too much CA.
Well - all I can say is if things start getting pear shaped, walk away for a spell and think.
Cheers
Peter
Dirk - I'm a total newby when it comes to photo etch. This is the second model I have used it with. You could not believe the frustration and concentration it took to get those seat belts to come together and (well you might
) play right!Some things are so impossibly small, I give up. Then return to them another day. Half the battle is arming yourself with little small techniques to get the job done. At the moment, I'm having trouble with the very small pieces that require folding. The only way I could manage it was to cut one tab off the item and fold it still on the foil. If I detached it completely and try to fold, sure as eggs, I'd lose it! And I won't even mention what I've stuck together with CA by accident. Fingers, mats, tweezers, toothpicks, dremel, shirt and oh yes - my knife!
I had to redo the rear deck after I mucked up the radio wiring harness with too much CA.
Well - all I can say is if things start getting pear shaped, walk away for a spell and think.
Cheers
Peter
B-17engineer
Colonel
Looks great Peter! Keep at it!!
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Nice Peter!!
I've found that half the job in dealing with pe is looking for the dam things when they fly off the tweezers!
I've found that half the job in dealing with pe is looking for the dam things when they fly off the tweezers!
kgambit
Tech Sergeant
Good progress Peter!8)
- Thread starter
- #79
ozhawk40
Master Sergeant
Thanks Guys
Moving on, I've just about finished the prop as the first photo shows. I will finish with some small chipping and a coat of matt. The Aeroproducts propeller's were usually painted a shade of grey from factory, not black, however the photo of Millie clearly has a black prop, so my guess is that it has been replaced with an overhauled unit, which would make sense since Millie was bellied in when serving in North Africa and later repaired.
These Eduard kits have a choice of three different options, so unless building the box versions, it could be difficult to choose which.
The first 166 P-39Ns were fitted with an Aeroproducts propeller having a diameter of 10 feet 4 inches. Beginning with the 167th P-39N, the Aeroproducts propeller was enlarged to 11 feet 7 inches in diameter, an increase of six inches.
So Millie had the larger prop, being later than ship 167. This equates to part C23 of the Eduard sprue.
The specs are as follows:-
Model: A632S-C1
Overall Diameter: 11'7"
Minimum Blade Angle: 28 degrees
Maximum Blade Angle: 63 degrees
Eduard have produced the prop blades individually and they have no locating pins to lock in the incidence to the correct angle, which is a issue for me, as I am too used to making Tamiya, Airfix, etc where you don't get a choice!
Anybody got a favorite (easy) technique for this? Otherwise I'll go the eyeball method to set this up. 8)
Other photos show the dry fitting for the doors. Yes - there is a fit issues as the top of the doors stick out, which has been a common issue with these kits, pointed out in several reviews of the Eduard kit. One maker has gone to the trouble of cutting the doors in half to make them fit! Oh no! Others leave them open to display the inside. The remedy apparently, is to slim down the interior bulkheads, so I'll give this a go and let you know.
Cheers for now
Peter
Moving on, I've just about finished the prop as the first photo shows. I will finish with some small chipping and a coat of matt. The Aeroproducts propeller's were usually painted a shade of grey from factory, not black, however the photo of Millie clearly has a black prop, so my guess is that it has been replaced with an overhauled unit, which would make sense since Millie was bellied in when serving in North Africa and later repaired.
These Eduard kits have a choice of three different options, so unless building the box versions, it could be difficult to choose which.
The first 166 P-39Ns were fitted with an Aeroproducts propeller having a diameter of 10 feet 4 inches. Beginning with the 167th P-39N, the Aeroproducts propeller was enlarged to 11 feet 7 inches in diameter, an increase of six inches.
So Millie had the larger prop, being later than ship 167. This equates to part C23 of the Eduard sprue.
The specs are as follows:-
Model: A632S-C1
Overall Diameter: 11'7"
Minimum Blade Angle: 28 degrees
Maximum Blade Angle: 63 degrees
Eduard have produced the prop blades individually and they have no locating pins to lock in the incidence to the correct angle, which is a issue for me, as I am too used to making Tamiya, Airfix, etc where you don't get a choice!
Anybody got a favorite (easy) technique for this? Otherwise I'll go the eyeball method to set this up. 8)
Other photos show the dry fitting for the doors. Yes - there is a fit issues as the top of the doors stick out, which has been a common issue with these kits, pointed out in several reviews of the Eduard kit. One maker has gone to the trouble of cutting the doors in half to make them fit! Oh no! Others leave them open to display the inside. The remedy apparently, is to slim down the interior bulkheads, so I'll give this a go and let you know.
Cheers for now
Peter
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Heinz
Captain
Great work mate!
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