The Modelling News: Kittyhawk’s new Airocobra makes it's first built up debut...

Kittyhawk's new 1/32^nd scale P-39Q Airacobra is coming in July, and now there is A built up kit to go along with the box art, five different markings, the plastic and everything else you would need to look at before you think about getting this kit yourself or not....

Kittyhawk’s latest 1/32^nd on the P-39Q

Bell P-39Q Airocobra

Kittyhawk models

1:32^nd scale

Code: KH 32013

Release in July

The guys at Kittyhawk are striving to get the finishing touches done on their next big 1/32^nd kit – the Bell P-39Q Airocobra. Used by many countries in WWII and even beyond this unusual subject has always attracted modellers who like their engine in the back, propeller and guns in the nose and their car door properly opened!

Specifications:

Bell P-39Q Airocobra

National origin United States

First flight 6 April 1938

Introduction 1941

Primary users: United States Army Air Forces, Soviet Air Force & Royal Air Force

Produced: 1940 – May 1944

Number built 9,588

Unit cost 50,666 USD in 1944

Variants Bell XFL Airabonita & Bell P-63 Kingcobra

The P-39Q was the last version of the Airacobra to roll off the production lines at Bell. It was also the version which was built in the largest numbers, 4905 P-39Qs being built before production finally ended.

The principal difference between the P-39Q and earlier version was in the fighter's armament--the four wing-mounted 0.30-inch machine guns were replaced by a single 0.50-inch machine gun mounted in a fairing underneath each wing. The ammunition capacity of the underwing guns was 300 rounds per gun. The two fuselage-mounted 0.50-inch machine guns with 200 rpg, plus the hub-mounted 37-mm cannon with 30 rounds, were retained. The replacement of the four wing guns was generally applauded by American pilots, most of whom thought that the 0-30-inch guns of the earlier versions were too light to be effective and it wasn't worth the extra fuel needed to carry the 4000 rounds of 0.30-inch ammunition. However, the Russians, who got most of the P-39Qs built, usually had the underwing gun pods removed.

We now have the info on the five schemes that are included inside the box in this release.

P-39Q, GC111/6 "Travail" Armee de L'Air, La France Combattante.

P-39N-1-BE, 9 Grouppo, 4 Sttormo, Italian Co-Belligerent AF, June 1944

P-39Q, 1st AE, 213th GvIAP, C/O of 1st AE Assistant 1st Lt. M.I.Orlov

P-39Q-5-BE 1st AE,30th GvIAP, 6th IAK.CO of 1st AE 1st Lt.A.P.Filatov, 1945

..And lastly this AAF version Airocobra P-39Q/N "Snooks" of the 2nd unit 71st TRS, 82 TRG from the 5th Air Force.

And here are the sprue shots of the last test kit before production

The new built up pictures of the kit – what to expect so far…

The undercarriage doors look detailed as do the posable flaps with nice interior detail.

The front office looks detailed like such an open I.P. should

The engine was the Allison V-1710-85 (E19) of 1200 hp, the same powerplant that was used in the P-39N. You can see th Kittyhawk on in the rear can be opened up.