Judging by the steady stream of Airacobra sheets, someone at AeroMaster must like the P-39!  Aeromaster 48-595 provides markings for five aircraft, four of them USAAF machines and a single Russian VVS example. 

First is 41-38338, a P-39D of the 36^th Fighter squadron (FS), 8^th Fighter Group (FG) based at Port Moresby New Guinea in 1942.  The aircraft is named “Nip’s Nemesis II” and was flown by Lieutenant Don “Fibber” McGee. 

The aircraft is in the standard olive drab over neutral grey scheme worn by P-39s with a yellow fin tip and spinner.  The markings consist of:

• “Door art” of a hand and arm clutching a Japanese aircraft.
• Yellow serial number, “Nip’s Nemesis II” titles, and individual aircraft letter “Q”.
• White four aircraft kill markings.

The second aircraft is the Russian VVS machine a P-39N, 42-9553.  It was flown by Major Mikhail Rents of 30 GIAP in the skies of Germany in the spring of 1945. 

Camouflage is the olive drab over neutral with a blue fin tip (with a thin white band which is supplied as a decal) between the blue and the olive drab) and spinner.  The markings consist of: 

• Yellow serial number for the fin.
• White 84 “Bort” numbers.
• White patriotic slogan which translates to “for my perished brothers”.
• Soviet aviator’s wings for both doors.

Next is another P-39N, serial number 42-8802 as flown by Lieutenant Roy Own of the 41^st FS, 35^th FG from Nadzab, New Guinea in October of 1943. 

The aircraft is in pained olive drab over neutral grey with a yellow fin tip and spinner.  It also wears the white-tailed theatre markings.  The individual markings consist of: 

• Yellow serial numbers, individual aircraft letter G, and “plane in squadron number” 76.
• “Door art” consisting of the seemingly obligatory nude female.
• Nose art of a tiger’s head.

The fourth aircraft is an early P-400, serial number BW 102.  The aircraft belonged to the 39^th FS, 35^th FG and was flown by Lieutenant Curran Jones from one of the many rough strips that surrounded Port Moresby. 

This option is finished in the “sand and spinach with light blue under surfaces” scheme with a blue fin tip and spinner. 

Markings are sparse but consist of: 

• White plane-in-squadron number 19.
• Nose art in the form of a red arrow with script “THE FLAMING” painted above it.
• Black BW-102 serial number.

The final aircraft is another P-39N as flown by Lieutenant Bill Fiedler of 68^th and 70^th FS, 347^th FG out of Guadalcanal in June of 1943.  The serial number is not known. 

A real plain Jane this one!  It is finished in Olive drab over neutral grey and its markings consist of: 

• White plane-in-squadron number 68.
• White skull and crossbones.

The appropriate national insignia is provided for each aircraft – a set for each one, and enough stencil data including wing-walks, for two aircraft.  An individual data block is also supplied for each aircraft with the appropriate serial number.  Curiously, the data block for the last option reads 42-18801. 

There are also sufficient propeller stencils provided for two of each type of aircraft fitted with the appropriate propeller.  To help you with this, the placement guide gives a very comprehensive discourse on which propeller (Aeroproducts or Curtiss Electric) was fitted to what model P-39. 

Decal placement is guided by a full-colour double sided A-4 sized sheet.  As well as showing decal placement it also provides a comprehensive list of references.  

The decals themselves have been printed by Cartograf.  They are all sharp, clear and in perfect register with minimal decal film. 

As per standard Aero Master practice, the placement guide and decal sheets are packed in a clear plastic zip-loc bag. 

The recommended kits are Eduard and Monogram. 

This is a very nice sheet from Aeromaster. 

Recommended.

Thanks to AeroMaster / Eagle Strike Products for the review sets

On-line sales are available from the AeroMaster Products / Eagle Strike Productions web site.

Review TextCopyright © 2003 by Rodger Kelly
This Page Created on 25 May, 2003
Last updated 14 August, 2003

Back to HyperScale Main Page