P-39 Q/N Airacobra 1:48 Hasegawa JT93

Plastic model aircraft kit: P-39 Q/N Airacobra 1:48 Hasegawa JT93

The Bell P-39 Airacobra was one of the most unusual aircraft designs of World War II. This American fighter was distinguished by its engine placed in the central part of the fuselage, behind the pilot's cockpit, which necessitated the use of a long drive shaft running under the pilot's legs and an innovative tricycle landing gear. This solution allowed for the installation of powerful armament in the nose of the machine in the form of a 37 mm cannon firing through the propeller hub.

The kit from the renowned Japanese company Hasegawa allows for the construction of the model in the N or Q versions:

• Version N: The first mass-produced variant with the V-1710-85 engine and an Aeroproducts propeller.
• Version Q: The last production variant, in which the 7.62 mm machine guns in the wings were replaced by two 12.7 mm machine guns mounted in underwing pods.

Although the Airacobra did not gain recognition in the air forces of the USA and Great Britain due to poor high-altitude performance, it became a legend in the Soviet Union's aviation. Russian pilots valued it for its durability, heavy armament, and excellent performance during low-altitude combat and ground support.

Kit characteristics:

• Precisely reproduced panel lines and surface details.
• Detailed cockpit and landing gear bays.
• Possibility to build the model with an additional fuel tank under the fuselage.
• High-quality decals for several marking options, including the aircraft of Lieutenant Bill Fiedler from the 70th Fighter Squadron (Guadalcanal 1943) and the aircraft of Lieutenant Clarence "Bud" Anderson from the 357th Fighter Group.

Kit for self-assembly and painting. Does not include paints or glue. Assembly requires separately sold modeling tools (including nippers, files, tweezers), paints, brushes, and glue for plastic models (e.g., Tamiya Extra Thin Cement). The photo shows a professionally assembled and painted model.