Scale Aircraft Conversions | 32018: P-39 Airacobra Landing Gear (SH)
Reviewed by Chris Nicoll
This is another release from Scale Aircraft Conversions, for the Special Hobby 1/32 P-39Q. Unlike the set for the KH kit, which includes the main landing gear and nose gear as well as linkage and scissor links, the SAC Special Hobby set only contains the main landing gear and nose gear – no linkage or scissor links.
As with other SAC sets, this set of white metal parts is a direct replacement for the kit’s styrene landing gear. Unfortunately, also per the other sets, the detail is soft (as is the metal) and there remains the casting seam to be cleaned up.
The styrene parts from the kit are pretty sharp when compared to the SAC parts, and while they do have the molding seam to deal with, that is also resident on the SAC parts. It appears that the SAC parts would also use the styrene linkage and scissor links so there is no additional detail provided there.
As shown in the first picture above – the nose gear came bent, and the main gear also was not straight. VERY easy to straighten out, but does point to possible long-term weakness. If the modeler is looking for sharper detail, that is not provided by the SAC set. If it is strength you are looking for, I’m not sure that is provided either. For added landing gear detail either work with the kits plastic parts or go for one of the aftermarket photo-etch kits such as that from Eduard.
I do not think this is a matter of a poor-quality product and as a replacement for broken kit parts or to show damaged landing gear in a diorama, these parts would be very good to use. I think it is more a matter that styrene detail is getting better and better.
I will not be using these on my Special Hobby P-39 build and can only recommend if you want to show damaged landing gear or you have lost or broken the kits parts and want to go the white metal route.
I purchased this Scale Aircraft Conversions P-39 landing gear set on my own.
© Chris Nicoll 2018
This review was published on Thursday, January 18 2018; Last modified on Thursday, January 18 2018