Hasegawa 1/48 P-400 Airacobra

[Wurger]

The arrow is pointing a stencil for the hatch of the Radio transmitter-receiver/First Aid compartment. The access panels were on both sides of the fuselage.

 

[fubar57]

Many thanks, it looks like its always on top of the fuselage stripe as well. And for the first time I notice other stenciling as well. I'm thinking, because it's a new aircraft to the RAF ground crew, the stenciling would be left in place. Anyhoo...filled in some divots and added the elevators.

In the meantime, off to investigate the two small inlets underneath. As seen in the photo, the red arrow points to a small step, located on both sides. Placing the inlet on these interrupts with the placement but that's how the instruction say they should be. To me they look like stops. I'll be back................and we're back. The rear should be angle down.

Geo

 

[Crimea_River]

Good work Geo and good info from Wojtek.

 

[Gnomey]

Looking good so far Geo!

 

[fubar57]

Thanks gents. Started the painting, nothing to show as it's almost the same color as the plastic. Anyone one have thoughts about the wheel hubs...

A) pretty sure this is the same as the strut, B) what little can be seen sure looks like aluminum to me, a far better photo in Post#32 seems to confirm this. And now, C) this photo and the one in the other post seem to be interior color. My books, internet and other builds don't help much as there are many combinations.

Geo

 

[Wurger]

And all is clear methinks....

 

[fubar57]

Gawd Wojtek, I wish I had your reference library. Many thanks but here's one more for ya before I commence. I was just heading downstairs to start painting the topside colors when I looked at the great photo in Post#34 you sent for reference. The instructions call for Dk. Green and Ocean Grey(though some say mixed grey) upper and Med. Sea Grey lower...

...all is good until we get to your photo and look at the lower rear fuselage. The "A" arrows point to what I'm assuming is MSG. The "B" arrow pointing to what looks like a darker color, running up the rear of the rudder. Am I missing something here as I'm pretty sure it's not caused by light and shadow.

Geo

 

[Wurger]

I'm afraid it's the trick of the light. Here you are three more images of the UF_O taken with another directions. I have enlarged them and used a little bit of the Gamma correction for the two last shots. The MSG can be seen in them. The rudder is just dirty at the bottom.

 

[fubar57]

Merci, good enough for me. Off to the paint cave...............

Geo

 

[Wurger]

My pleasure... and a couple of images than can be useful too.

 

[Airframes]

Nice work so far Geo, and great support from Maj.Gen. Prof Dipl Eng Wojtek !
A number of photos I haven't seen before, showing some good detail.

 

[fubar57]

Thanks Terry. There's a few new to me as well. Painting the fuselage band, wheels, and other little bits, pix later. Hopefully, this will be the last time I ask for info; is the arrow pointing to a patch, like those used to repair bullet holes and is the color similar to roundel red?

Thanks in advance.

Geo

 

[Airframes]

It certainly looks like a doped fabric patch. Whether this is covering a damaged area (unlikely on a new aircraft, but not impossible), or an aperture, like the flare tube on Spitfires, I don't know, not having seen much of RAF Airacobras.
If it is doped fabric, then it'll almost certainly be the same dull red colour as used on gun port patches, similar to, but perhaps a bit darker, then the roundel red.

 

[fubar57]

Much obliged Terry. It starts.....Bottom MSG is Tamiya and the top OG is Pollyscale. I sure miss this brand of paint, my supply is dwindling.

Geo

 

[Wurger]

Generally I don't think it is a fabric patch. A such patch would be of more regular edges while these in the enlarged image look like being jagged what is more distictive of brushing. There was a round aperture for lifting or anchoring/grounding.It can be noticed in pic showing the starboard as well. It seems that it was painted area including the thing that blinding the opening. In the enlarged images panel lines running there and the Sky band can be seen through the paint. As far as the colour is concerned ... I would say the green camo one is just as likely as the red one. However , comparing the colour to the camo green and the red paint of the fin flash , the red dope is very possible. If you have a look at the entire image showing the line of P-39s you may notice that the UF_N standing behind the UF_W ( she was still having the origin blind ) had it more rounded with the light colour ( Sky S type ) for the blinding cap. Looking at the enlarged shot I would say the UF_O had the cap lost and the techical crew could have made it temporarily and stuck there either a small round piece of paper or fabric as the blind stopper. The large pic shows its irregular surface that is more characteristic for paper one than for the canvas patch. Also it seems that the coat of the aperture area could have been damaged because of some reason ( see these scratches in the colour image ) and the crew could repair this and the entire area was painted with the red or green paint. Anyway wich colour you use it's up to you only.

 

[Airframes]

I was just about to make a similar comment. The close-up pic shows the panel line running through the 'patch', and there are other darker marks on the lifting hole on the second and third aircraft in pic 2, post 67.
Either the hole was covered to prevent dirt entering, or perhaps it made a heck of a whistling noise in flight, if left open !
Looking at it again, I'd say this temporary cover is hurriedly cut, thin fabric, doped in place almost certainly with the same fabric and dope used to cover gun ports, the dope acting as the adhesive. It might even be thin cloth or paper, maybe the cotton '4 x 2' used to clean gun barrels for example, probably originally white, where the dope has made it semi- translucent, hence the panel line appearing through the material.

 

[Wurger]

All you have said sounds good my friend. However I'm still doubting it is a fabric patch. Just I'm not convinced it was done in a such way. If it would be done in a such one , the thickenss of the canvas patch would be noticed. I would say the patch was made to the round hole only. Or the patch material was very very thin. But please have a look at the third kite in the line of the P-39s. It is the UF_N. Undoubtedly she got the blind cap in solid Sky colour. Aparently the cap was taken from another plane or just got the solid painting because it doesn't fit to the right edge of the Sky band. But the aperture is still outlined with the dark colour with the stencil "LIFT HERE" at the dark background at its top. The UF_O has the stencli overpainted or covered by the patch but still it can be noticed in the enlarged shot. If the entire patch would be made of ( even thin ) painted fabric it wasn't so transparent. I would say it would cover it smoothly. Also I agree on the dope as the adhesive. However I would like to pay your attention to that the P-39s was of a quite shabby uniform. In the case there would be a difference between the colour of the patch at its edges and the shade of the areas next to them that were of the Sky coat and would be overpainted with the red paint as the glue. The similar effect we can see in the pic with the Spitfire that had the red patches stuck at the wing leading edges.. Unless the patch of the P-39 is quite recent addition. But even though the difference between the shade of the patch edges and areas overpainted with the red paint should be noticed.

 

[fubar57]

Thanks for the input guys. First coat of green is on and of course, I notice that I am missing some on the port nose where my hand was holding the model while painting.

Geo

 

[JKim]

OOoh... looks good Geo!

 

[Wurger]

Yep..