Heller P-39Q Airacobra 1:72

[kruaxi]

Heller 1:72. P-39Q Airacobra. Co-belligerent italian air force. 4th Stormo, Galatina's airfield (Lecce), november 1944.

Scratchbuilt internal and wheels bay. Some others little fix.

 

[Airframes]

Nice one !

 

[muscogeemike]

Another manifestation of the P-39, wonderful. I would be interested to hear from French and Italian pilots who flew this airplane. What did they think of it compared to other planes they flew during the war?

 

[Lucky13]

Beautiful build mate!

Btw, what's that weird, very odd, light phenomenon you have in the pics?

 

[A4K]

Looks like an orb, or did you get a water drop on the lens?

Great work mate. Not a fan of the type generally but it does look good in that scheme!

 

[Gnomey]

Nicely done!

 

[Wurger]

Looking very nice.

 

[kruaxi]

Thanks.
About those strange images... i don't know...

For italians P-39, from Wiki:

In June 1944, the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force (ICAF) received 170 P-39s, most of them -Qs, and a few -Ns (15th USAAF surplus aircraft stored in Napoli-Capodichino airfield) and also at least one -L and five -Ms. The P-39 N (without the underwing fairing for 12.7 machine guns) had engines with about 200 hours; a little newer than the P-39Q engines with 30–150 hours. A total of 149 P-39s would be used: the P-39N for training, while newer Qs were used in the front line.
In June–July 1944, Gruppi 12°, 9° and 10° of 4° Stormo, moved to Campo Vesuvio airstrip to re-equip with the P-39s. The site was not suitable and, in three months of training, 11 accidents occurred, due to engine failures and poor maintenance of the base. Three pilots died and two were seriously injured. One of the victims, on 25 August 1944, was the "ace of aces", Sergente Maggiore Teresio Martinoli.
The three groups of 4° Stormo were first sent to Leverano (Lecce) airstrip, then in mid-October, to Galatina airfield. At the end of the training, eight more accidents occurred. Almost 70 aircraft were operational, and on 18 September 1944, 12° Group's P-39s flew their first mission over Albania. Concentrating on ground attack, the Italian P-39s proved to be suitable in this role, losing 10 aircraft to German flak in over 3,000 hours of combat.
By the end of the war, 89 P-39s were still at the Canne airport and 13 at the Scuola Addestramento Bombardamento e Caccia (Training School for Bombers and Fighters) at Frosinone airfield. In 10 months of operational service, the 4° Stormo had been awarded three Medaglia d'Oro al Valore Militare "alla memoria".

 

[A4K]

Forgot to ask - did you sand the raised wing panel lines and rescribe them? Looks that way in the pics.

 

[kruaxi]

Forgot to ask - did you sand the raised wing panel lines and rescribe them? Looks that way in the pics.

I rescribe some, on wings and fuselage. Leaved untouched others.

 

[A4K]

Thanks mate!

 

[otftch]

Nice work. Love the fuel tank details.
Ed

 

[LA2019]

Cool build!

I've always wanted to build P-39. This may be the motivation I need.....

 

[muscogeemike]

Cool build!

I've always wanted to build P-39. This may be the motivation I need.....

Jump in partner - I currently have 14 P-39/400/63 variants in 1:72 and 1:48 on the shelves and will undoubtedly do more, I love this plane!

 

[Matt308]

Very nice.

 

[Wayne Little]

Looks pretty good to me...

 

[Theron]

Great work! looks great!