1:72 Bell P-39Q Airacobra 75gal drop tank PRINT

Eduard 1:72 Bell P-39Q Airacobra 75gal drop tank

A printed resin set in 1:72 scale that adds a jettisonable drop tank of seventy-five gallons to a Bell P-39Q Airacobra model. It is not an aircraft kit but an accessory fitted to a model already built. The tank is a smooth body of revolution, on which the hardest thing to remove from a plastic part is the parting line running along its whole length; the printed part is in one piece and this problem disappears. Check the number of parts on the packaging.

The real subject

The P-39Q was the most numerous version of the Airacobra. The machine had an Allison V-1710 V12 engine placed behind the pilot, a drive shaft running under the cockpit to the propeller, and tricycle landing gear. Under the fuselage it carried a hardpoint on which either a bomb or precisely this jettisonable drop tank extending the range was hung. The tank is therefore common on Airacobra models and a fitting part of the type's configuration.

Building and painting tips

The printed parts are fragile; separate them with a fine saw or a sharp scalpel. Wash them in lukewarm soapy water before gluing and apply a primer. It is glued with cyanoacrylate glue (super glue). The tank is easy to paint, and precisely for that reason every irregularity shows on it, so it pays to go over the surface after the primer with very fine sandpaper. A metallic or glossy tank finish is well supported by a smooth base. Fit it at the very end of the build so that it does not break off while the model is handled.

Who the set is for

• Builders of the Bell P-39Q Airacobra in 1:72 scale.
• Modelers who want to build the model in ferry configuration with a drop tank.
• Those who want to avoid dressing the parting line on a plastic tank.
• Display builds where the cleanliness of the surface is judged.

This is an accessory, not a kit. The base model, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.