1/72 Academy P-39Q 
"Snooks 2nd"

by Will Hendriks
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This is the Academy kit of the P-39Q Airacobra finished as it appeared in the markings of the aircraft flown by 1st Lt. William Shomo, 71st TRS, 82nd TRG, New Guinea, 1944. Shomo later won the Medal of Honor while flying the P-51 in the Pacific Theatre.

The kit was built basically out of the box. Only seatbelts made of masking tape were added as well as stretched sprue gun barrels for the underwing .50 cals.

Like many of the latest Academy kits the fit of this kit is superb, no filler being used during construction.

The interior is Testors ModelMaster Acryl Interior Green 35151, drybrushed with a little zinc chromate yellow to pop out the detail. Knobs and switches are picked out with various Citadel acrylics.

The airframe is airbrushed with Gunze acrylics lightened about 10% for scale, Olive drab over Neutral Grey, with the tail Flat White. 

The decals are from the kit and went on beautifully. Future was used as a gloss coat and also while applying the decals as a setting solution. The result is no carrier film is visible. The model was then given a final overall coat of Future and when cured for several days the model was weathered with artists oils and pastel chalks, mostly a mix of Raw Umber and Black. A few light coats of Testors ModelMaster Acryl Clear Flat were then sprayed overall to kill the shine and seal everything.

This is a fine little kit, a good build straight out of the box with great scope for superdetailing. The Academy range of 1/72 model kits are a great value with good detail and excellent quality for the money. I look forward to the new 1/72 P-38's from Academy with great anticipation.

Will