Beyond The Sprues
Current and Finished Projects => Physical Models => Aero-space => Topic started by: Brian da Basher on December 17, 2016, 10:35:24 PM
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(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0000.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0000.jpg.html)
The Bell P-39 Airacobra (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_P-39_Airacobra) is one of the most instantly recognizable aircraft of W.W. II due to its unique mid-engine layout and powerful propeller hub cannon.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/p39.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/p39.jpg.html)
Utterly forgotten today is the license-built Curtiss version, the ignoble P-39CC Curtiss Cobra.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0001.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0001.jpg.html)
Right on the eve of W.W. II Curtiss P-40 production was halted due to catastrophic pilot relief tube failures which were drenching the U.S. Army Air Corps. Until the problem could be sorted out, Curtiss was ordered to produce Bell P-39 Airacobras under contract.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0009.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0009.jpg.html)
OF course, the innovative folks at Curtiss weren't about to crank out some cookie-cutter aircraft. They were bound & determined to put their own unique stamp on things.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0005.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0005.jpg.html)
They took aim at the overly complex and sometimes dangerous Bell canopy & car doors which made egress in emergency problematic.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0002.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0002.jpg.html)
They discovered that by welding the car doors shut a`la NASCAR and replacing the canopy with one from the now-stalled P-40E design they greatly improved not only streamlining but pilot vision and safety.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0008.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0008.jpg.html)
The Air Corps Board was glad that Curtiss was ready to produce pursuits that wouldn't make the men wet themselves on missions and gave the new P-39 the go-ahead for mass production.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0003.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0003.jpg.html)
Unfortunately, mass production wasn't in the cards due to problems at all levels, from supply chain to tooling and only a handful of the new fighters were ever built. Designated the P-39CC for either Curtiss Cobra (to the G.I.s) or Curtiss Canopy (to stuffy officialdom), the unique fighters began dribbling out into service six months before the Pearl Harbor attack.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0004.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0004.jpg.html)
One of the P-39CCs would be assigned to a Capt. Sam Jones.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/Ken%20Berry%20Wake%20Me%20When%20the%20War%20is%20Over%20BW.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/Ken%20Berry%20Wake%20Me%20When%20the%20War%20is%20Over%20BW.jpg.html)
Capt. Jones grew up in bucolic small-town America having been raised in the farming hamlet of Mayberry.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/Mayberry_RFD%20title%20card.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/Mayberry_RFD%20title%20card.jpg.html)
With war looming on the horizon, Jones joined the army and soon found himself in the cavalry.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/Capt%20Parmenter%20F%20Troop%20BW.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/Capt%20Parmenter%20F%20Troop%20BW.jpg.html)
However, due to his physical prowess and incredibly acute eyesight he was soon transferred to the Air Corps which is how he found himself flying one of the new Curtiss-built P-39CCs in early 1942.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0007.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0007.jpg.html)
Capt. Jones's P-39 Curtiss Cobra was unique not only for the new canopy but also because it featured the latest in direction finding equipment topped off by an unmistakable ADF "football" antenna mounted just forward of the fin and rudder.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0010.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0010.jpg.html)
Unfortunately, this wouldn't prevent Capt. Jones from getting lost. Trusting in his advanced navigation aids and a little luck, he took off on the morning of March 3, 1942 headed for Maelstrom Army Air Base in Nebraska.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0011.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0011.jpg.html)
Capt. Jones's journey began with good weather promising a nice, easy flight.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0006.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0006.jpg.html)
Unfortunately, he became disoriented somewhere over the Delaware river valley.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0012.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0012.jpg.html)
After many fruitless attempts to get his bearings by adjusting the cutting-edge ADF, he had to admit he was well and truly lost.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0013.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0013.jpg.html)
Finally, recalling his time in the Boy Scouts, he remembered the legend of the lost chief Wild Beagle.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/Hekawi%20Chief%20Wild%20Beagle.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/Hekawi%20Chief%20Wild%20Beagle.jpg.html)
As the details of the apocryphal tale of the wandering Hekawi tribe came back, Capt. Jones's confidence rose and he became more certain of his course. He nosed his P-39 Curtiss Cobra in a determined direction.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0014.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0014.jpg.html)
Unfortunately the direction he chose was over air space that wasn't expecting him. When he overflew his old home-town of Mayberry, he got a welcome he wasn't counting on.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/Mayberrys%20Ack%20Ack.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/Mayberrys%20Ack%20Ack.jpg.html)
Capt. Jones immediately grabbed as much sky as he could given the limited high-altitude performance of the P-39.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0016.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0016.jpg.html)
He was just able to make it above the range of the ack-ack.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0015.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0015.jpg.html)
While this saved him and his P-39CC, nothing would save him from the publicity.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/Mayberry%20Metropolitan.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/Mayberry%20Metropolitan.jpg.html)
Capt. Jones flew to nearby Otis Field. Rather than risk having him getting lost again, the Air Corps assigned him there permanently and he spent the rest of the war protecting the skies over the Mayberry metropolitan area.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0017.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0017.jpg.html)
After the war, Capt. Jones's activities are mostly anonymous but for one notable exception.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/knbrrry%20F%20Trek.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/knbrrry%20F%20Trek.jpg.html)
As for the P-39 Curtiss Cobra, it has sunk into complete ignominy just like Capt. Jones. Once Curtiss worked out the P-40 pilot relief tube issues, they dropped license production of the Airacobra like a hot potato.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0018.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0018.jpg.html)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0019.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0019.jpg.html)
No Curtiss Cobras survived the war. Ironically the resolution of the P-40 pilot relief tube failures is well known in MBA circles as the case study in industrial production problem matrix metrics.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0020.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0020.jpg.html)
That the P-39CC is practically unknown today is a shame since the fact that no enemy ever attacked Mayberry by air is a glowing testament to the capabilities of the long-forgotten aircraft.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0021.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0021.jpg.html)
Brian da Basher
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Subtle improvement on the P-39, great!
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This all started with a venerable 1/72 Heller P-39 Airacobra I picked up on the cheap a while back (your box art may vary).
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/Heller%2080271%20P-39%20box.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/Heller%2080271%20P-39%20box.jpg.html)
While this one's been around a while, it's a nice kit of 1960's vintage.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/Heller%20P-39%20sprues.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/Heller%20P-39%20sprues.jpg.html)
I was surprised to learn many considered this the most accurate 1/72 P-39 kit until recent new releases by other makers.
I was also surprised to learn that mine was missing the front canopy. However, I never let small things like that stop me and luckily a Squadron vac P-40E replacement canopy was a decent fit (thanks a million, hamsterman!).
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_xprog_01.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_xprog_01.jpg.html)
Don't mind the crazing caused by CA, this new canopy will be tinted. I also fashioned an ADF "football" from leftover kit parts and sprue. I didn't want this P-39 getting lost. Oops...
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_xprog_02.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_xprog_02.jpg.html)
The rest of the build was pretty straight-forward although I don't think this kit was designed to be built gear up. I had to plug a few holes in the underside with more leftover bits. The final mod was leaving part of the sprue pour gates on the wing leading edge to serve as .50 cal. m.g.s.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_xprog_under.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_xprog_under.jpg.html)
The wing root had a gap which needed filled. Tamiya putty squeegied with acetone did the trick here like it worked on the car doors.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_xprog_upper.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_xprog_upper.jpg.html)
After this it was off to the paint shop. The old hairy stick was used along with lots of acrylic Model Masters OD. I used light OD on the flying surfaces to give them a different tone like I saw in period photos of this iconic aircraft.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_upper.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_upper.jpg.html)
The canopy was tinted in Testors Gold and the underside was done in Light Sea Gray with Polly Scale Italian Gray on the bottom of the ailerons and elevators. Exhausts were painted in Model Masters Jet Exhaust and Gunmetal was used on the guns. The prop blades were left in natural silver plastic as that much better approximated the look better than anything I can manage.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_under.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_under.jpg.html)
Decals were a mix from spares. The big under-wing U.S. ARMY is from a Monogram P-36 and the stars 'n' meatballs on the wings were from a P-40 sheet by FCM. The fuselage ones are leftover from goodness-knows where as were the tail codes.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0022.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0022.jpg.html)
That cool shark's mouth was swiped from another fine Heller product, their SAAB 21 twin-boom fighter.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0023.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0023.jpg.html)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0024.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0024.jpg.html)
It took me five days to put this together and I had a blast building it!
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0028.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0028.jpg.html)
It's insteresting how colors like Olive Drab can look so different given the vagaries of lighting conditions. Here's two shots taken only a moment apart that illustrate this nicely.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0027.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0027.jpg.html)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0026.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0026.jpg.html)
While doing the deep research this project required, I was pleased to discover that Ken Berry is still going strong at age 83.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0025.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0025.jpg.html)
I'm sure he can out tap-dance me. At any rate he's bound to carry a tune better than I do.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0029.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0029.jpg.html)
I hope you enjoyed the story of the P-39 Curtiss Cobra and reading a little more lost history.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/P-39CC/P39CC_0030.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/P-39CC/P39CC_0030.jpg.html)
Brian da Basher
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:)
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Top job my friend, a subtle whif with a backstory that not everyone will get but will be appreciated by those who do! Nice work with the camo and markings, a very fetching mix.
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How did you research to find out about all this ?
Mayberry had heavy AA guns, never would have guessed. :icon_surprised:
Appreciate your likeness of P-39CC, would not see it elsewhere. Excellent paint scheme. :)
P-40 relief tube failures. Hmmm; have to web search that.
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How did you research to find out about all this ?
Mayberry had heavy AA guns, never would have guessed. :icon_surprised:
Appreciate your likeness of P-39CC, would not see it elsewhere. Excellent paint scheme. :)
P-40 relief tube failures. Hmmm; have to web search that.
Yes I believe the local Juke box factory converted to building them as part of mobilisation and at any given time they had about a regiments worth on the test range.
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... catastrophic pilot relief tube failures ...
;D Great stuff as always BdB :)
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... catastrophic pilot relief tube failures ...
;D Great stuff as always BdB :)
There was a story in the 90s about the loss of a USAF F-16 due to the pilot having to relive himself. Apparently the tube couldn't be accessed without removing his harness and when he did so he inadvertently flipped it over the sidestick controller, which deactivated autopilot and put the aircraft into a spin. By the time he had managed to get the harness back on it was too late to recover the spin and he had to eject.
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There was a story in the 90s about the loss of a USAF F-16 due to the pilot having to relive himself. Apparently the tube couldn't be accessed without removing his harness and when he did so he inadvertently flipped it over the sidestick controller, which deactivated autopilot and put the aircraft into a spin. By the time he had managed to get the harness back on it was too late to recover the spin and he had to eject.
Details? Sounds a bit like a urban myth to me.
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It was a story I heard in the OR's mess when I was in a Uni regiment in the early 90s, if I recall the bloke who relayed the story was an IT geek who was communicating with on the internet with US military friends at the time.
I did a quick search and found:
http://articles.latimes.com/1991-03-23/local/me-542_1_air-force (http://articles.latimes.com/1991-03-23/local/me-542_1_air-force)
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It was a story I heard in the OR's mess when I was in a Uni regiment in the early 90s, if I recall the bloke who relayed the story was an IT geek who was communicating with on the internet with US military friends at the time.
I did a quick search and found:
[url]http://articles.latimes.com/1991-03-23/local/me-542_1_air-force[/url] ([url]http://articles.latimes.com/1991-03-23/local/me-542_1_air-force[/url])
details including the exact jet in question here (http://www.f-16.net/aircraft-database/F-16/airframe-profile/2698/)