Monogram 1/48 OA-4M & P-39

Sal.
I haven't built the P-39 since it's original release. But, best I can remember, the only problem I encountered was where to put enough weight to keep it from tail sitting.
As for the OA-4M. I don't recall anything out of the ordinary, other than typical funky looking weapons. But, Hasegawa saved the day on that problem. I too am an A-4 nut. I like ALL of the older planes that lasted longer than they were suppose to. Skyhawk, Skyraider, Invader and others.

Randie

I built the Monogram 1/48 P-39 almost 20 years ago!! The version I built at that time was that: You have option to built a P-400. It came with a full gun bay interior, a nice decent cockpit and the engine cover behind the cockpit can be shown opened to show the engine(molded with the fuselage). Like Randie said, you will have problem in putting nose weight, unless you build the gun bay door closed in order to hide the weight. I also encountered few fitting problems, mainly some putty is needed between wing root and fuselage and sanding may needed between left and right fuselage. Overall, it was a fine kit, especially it was designed in the 70's(or even 60's).

I built the AO-4M last year. It's a good kit - I don't remember any major fit problems. If you can find a set of aftermarket decals your good as gold.

I never built the OA-4M, but I have built a couple of the P-39's. A state of the art kit when released and still holds up pretty well. No major fit problems and I built mine closed up so I could add enough weight to avoid tail sitting. Does have raised panel lines, but overall detail is very good. The newer Eduard kit is superior in most respects, but the Monogram is still a decent build.

salbando;
well the P-39 was the only game in town but Eduard came out with their run with recessed panel lines and has the interior details a little bit better but the Revellograms will make into a very nice kit too if you don't mind the raised panel lines, and the OA-4M is a run off of the old A-4E/F and like all Monograms ( Revellograms ) kits produced in the late 70's to early 90's they have raised panel lines and it too will make into a decent kit if you don't mind the raised lines but if you take a little more time to re-scribe the panel lines and you'll be happier

Thanks guys. I'm ashamed to say this but I may have to give that panel re-scribing thing a try. Never have done it before and I'm getting back into this modeling thing.

Hey salbando;
the trick for rescribing is take your time, and use the panel scriber from Squadron or Bare Metal Foil's, also prescribe the lines with a hobby knife this will make scribing easier, and for the rounded panel line like refueling recepticals is a pin vise with a cut sewing machine needle

72cuda,
Thanks for the tips!

I built the P-39 years ago and it was a great little kit for it's "time". I put weight in the ammo box and made a littlle "donut" of lead to go in the spinner to help with keeping the nose down. I think I put a pretty good chunk of lead behind the instrument panel too.

I built the P-39 a few years ago, too. As I recall, it didn't need much putty. I rescribed the panel lines; Micro Mark has a nice scribing tool. There was a PE detail set for it, too, at one time. It took a good deal of lead shot to keep it on the nose wheel. One set of markings for it was of a P-39D that was based in the Aleutians, which was what I used because it has the 37mm cannon in the nose rather than the 20mm of the P-400 version.

Rocketdude,
Were those decals that came with the kit or were they aftermarket?

Sal

What's the model # on that P-39?

Over

Salbando,
They were the kit decals. It also has markings for a Guadelcanal 'Cobra, and a Lend-Lease Russian bird, along with the P-400.
Trowbridge,
I think the kit we're all talking about is #5213; it took a bit of digging to find the instruction sheet, and the detail set sheet was with it. It was True Details P-39D detail set #26015. Good Luck and Have Fun!
Rocket

Ive been meaning to get the eduard kit for the P-39...Just always seem to get distracted by every thing else at the LHS!

Salbando,

The Monogram OA-4M is a good kit and fits very well. There are aftermarket wheel wells, open air brakes(fuselage and wing), and seats (Aires). I do not know of any cockpit tubs for the two seater. Edward did, or does, make a photo-etched brass cockpit set for a two seat trainer(TA-4 F/J).

I got a template kit by Tri-tool from Sqaurdron as well as a scribing tool. They work very well, but as said before you MUST be patient and take your time. The oval shaped inspection plates on the top of the wing are a real pain to rescribe.

Just think, by the time you finish you Monogram kit Hasagawa will announce the release of an OA-4M, and hopefully the TA4-F/J. I just finished converting a Monogram A-4E/F into an M varient, and it was announced that an M will be out this summer. Go figure! Enjoy the kit. It is a good build and makes a nice model. Find aftermarket decals because the kit decals are worthless. Skyhawks forever. rangerj