1/72 Academy P-39

by Bill Bunting

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This is Academy's  very nice P-39N/Q kit.  I used Verlinden's detail set for the kit. The overall quality is good with nice surface detail and finely engraved panel lines.  Some details are simplified such as the cockpit, landing gear and shallow main wheel wells. The Verlinden set adds a resin cockpit, gun bay, engine, radio compartment and control surfaces.  There is also a photo-etch sheet that adds flaps and landing gear detail and doors.  The photo-etch also has the access panels for the engine, gun and radio bays BUT these are etched the wrong way around!  they are for the right side of the aircraft and the open bays are on the left.  One day I will use these pieces as patterns to build panels out of plastic sheet.

Click on images below to see larger images

  

The resin parts fit quite well.  The big complication was that the gun bay insert reduced the amount of space for adding weight in the nose.  I used lead and smashed it thin and then folded it into little squares to fit in the nose, under the seat and behind the seat.  I filled every space I could forward of the main gear and it just barely sits on the nose wheel, but it does.  This was an enjoyable project and the first time I have done surgery on a kit, I usually build 'out of the box'.

Cheers!

Bill 

Photos and text © by Bill Bunting