Reviewed by Rodger Kelly
 

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FirstLook

Cutting Edge Modelworks CED 48146 - P-39 Airacobra #4 provides marking for five different P-39s, one –D and 4 –Qs. All airframes are in the standard Olive Drab and Neutral Gray finish with differing individual squadron-applied markings applicable to the their theatre of operation.

• P-39D #30 of Lt J.T. Evans of the 110th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (TRS) based at Gusap strip, New Guinea. This machine sports “door art”, white spinner, tail and wing leading edges as well as the early USAAC tiles on the wing under surfaces and the plain white star on a blue circle background national insignia.

• P-39Q #151 of Lt William “Stubby” Gambill of the 363rd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group whilst based at Tonopah, Nevada prior to the Group’s deployment to Europe. The 357th didn’t always fly the familiar red and yellow checkered P-51s! These markings provide the squadron insignia (great if you want to build an “Old Crow” P-39 as flown by Bud Anderson!) as well as the short-lived red-bordered national insignia for a white tailed machine with a red band around it’s nose. Cutting Edge are unsure if the Squadron insignia was “handed” so they have hedged their bets and provided two right hand facing ones and one left hand facing one – your choice!

• P-39Q #151 “Gooseneck”. No, not a misprint! These markings depict the above aircraft later in it’s career. This time it sports a red tail in place of the previous white one, yellow serials, white pilot and crew chief names and a white goose.

• P-39Q-5 “Snooks 2nd”of 2nd Lt William A. Shomo, 71st TRS 82nd Tactical Reconnaissance Group based in New Guinea in 1944. This machine sports a yellow spinner, white tail and wing leading edges. The national markings on this aircraft are also different in that they are the transition between the earlier simple ones but prior to the blue border being added to the white bars. Decals are also provided for the various scripts and titles applicable to this machine. These markings provide the modeller with the chance to model a different aircraft flown by William Shomo other than the more familiar P-51 normally associated to him.

• P-39Q “Little Sir Echco” of the 82nd TRS based in New Guinea in May 1944. Again, this aircraft is finished with white tail and wing leading edges. It also sports a white band around the nose and a white spinner. If you need an excuse to hang a drop tank on your P-39 then this option provides you with a shark mouth to put it.

The package provides a beautifully printed full-colour, double-sided, A-4 sized sheet to show the placement for each decal. Also included is a comprehensive sheet of notes giving details of each aircraft as well as a colour cross reference to matches for Olive Drab and Neutral Grey to the more popular modelling paints.

This is an excellent, well thought out sheet that spans the P-39’s service career. It is very relevant to Australia and my bet is that all of the Pacific-based machines depicted on the sheet flew in Australian skies prior to the deployment to the New Guinea theatre.

Recommended!
 

Thanks to Cutting Edge Modelworks for the review samples..

Review Copyright © 2002 by Rodger Kelly
This Page Created on 11 February, 2002
Last updated 22 July, 2003

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