Greetings, all.
This will be a retro build. I am aiming for as much of a period build as possible. In order to do that, I have to lock away everything - and I mean everything - including the air brush and CA and anything that would not be available to a casual builder in the Fifties. The kit’s provenance is from eBay. Although all parts are present, the parts are separated from the sprues and the sprues themselves are missing. The cutting away was not careful enough to avoid “dishing” the plastic so right away I have a quandary about using putty, because if I use any putty I will need to prime the surface afterwards. Already, my first rule is about to be broken, I think. Also I am planning to use internet research in addition to the old Profiles book to decipher the details. I guess that is more “bending the rules” than breaking them. Really the only way to do this right would be from a sealed box, but that is not available so here we are in a modified retro build.
Box art may be by John Steele. No! I am wrong. The box art is by Jo Kotula!!
“Josef ‘Jo’ Kotula was born in Poland. He emigrated at 6 months of age with his parents to the U.S. His father worked as a Pennsylvania coal miner. Self-taught as an artist, Kotula became widely known for aviation art.
‘Jo was a master of handling sunlight on bare aluminum,’ according to the American Society of Aviation Artists, which inducted him into its Hall of Fame in New Jersey in 1999. His cover illustrations for Model Airplane News started in 1932 and continued for 38 years. His art also adorned the boxtops of model airplane kits.
He illustrated U.S. Air Force training manuals, acquired a private pilot's license in 1936 and often delivered his work by air to clients around the country. His talent was such that it appeared in national magazines like the Saturday Evening Post, Collier's, Newsweek and Popular Science.”
(Biographical Details of Jo Kotula courtesy of the internet)
I have photographed the instructions as well - a simplified assembly sequence. This will be fun to build. Note that the aircraft can be displayed either in flight or on ground with wheel chocks and a mechanic figure.
Aurora Kit No. 121: 1/48 Boeing P-12E
- speedgraflex
- Moderator
- Posts: 9759
- Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2017 11:08 pm
- Location: Santa Monica, California
Aurora Kit No. 121: 1/48 Boeing P-12E
Bruce / SPEEDGRAFLEX
- Medicman71
- Elite Member
- Posts: 9791
- Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2014 9:32 am
- Location: Houston, Tx
Re: Aurora Kit No. 121: 1/48 Boeing P-12E
Wow that's cool! Some really old school instructions.
Mike
Sponsored by Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Saab, BAE, and Dassault
Sponsored by Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Saab, BAE, and Dassault
Re: Aurora Kit No. 121: 1/48 Boeing P-12E
This is going to be good!
To make each build less crappy than the last one. Or, put another way, "Better than the last one, not as good as the next one!"..
- speedgraflex
- Moderator
- Posts: 9759
- Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2017 11:08 pm
- Location: Santa Monica, California
Re: Aurora Kit No. 121: 1/48 Boeing P-12E
TGIF, Mike! Thank you so much for reply! Indeed those are old! I think it would be fun to compare this kit’s tooling with the later Hasegawa version. As far as I know, Hasegawa is the most accurate version of the subject in 1/48 scale! Whoops. No! Classic Airframes!!!Medicman71 wrote:Wow that's cool! Some really old school instructions.
TGIF, Lyle! Thank you so much for your reply! I was really happy when I saw the pieces of this kit. It’s an early tooling and the details are sharp!!LyleW wrote:This is going to be good!
Hey I need decal help. I can handle the stripes on the wing and fin, but I need “U.S. Army” and thr older National insignias!!! S.O.S. I checked “Yellow Wings,” “Sprue Boys,” “Evil Bay,” but no joy, no joy.
Bruce / SPEEDGRAFLEX
- Stikpusher
- Moderator
- Posts: 18968
- Joined: Sat Apr 05, 2014 8:37 pm
- Location: Ceti Alpha 5
Re: Aurora Kit No. 121: 1/48 Boeing P-12E
Oh wow, this is gonna be a neat one to watch. As far as the US Army underwing and star cockade decals go, try looking for some sheets for pre war/early war types: P-35, P-36, P-39, P-40. Those should have something that you could use.
I love that photo of the real thing. That pilot looks like he is concentrating on holding his close separation position from the photographer’s aircraft.
I love that photo of the real thing. That pilot looks like he is concentrating on holding his close separation position from the photographer’s aircraft.
"Surely I have made my meaning plain? I intend to avenge myself upon you, Admiral. I have deprived your ship of power, and when I swing 'round, I intend to deprive you of your life."
FLSM
FLSM
- jeaton01
- Elite Member
- Posts: 2096
- Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2020 9:20 am
- Location: Northern California
- Contact:
Re: Aurora Kit No. 121: 1/48 Boeing P-12E
This should be fun, Bruce. Maybe you could use white glue and tint it somehow for the gaps. Too bad the sprues are gone, chips from them could be used. I was not aware of a 1/48 Hasegawa P-12E, though I do have such an animal in my collection in 1/32.
- speedgraflex
- Moderator
- Posts: 9759
- Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2017 11:08 pm
- Location: Santa Monica, California
Re: Aurora Kit No. 121: 1/48 Boeing P-12E
Stikpusher wrote:Oh wow, this is gonna be a neat one to watch. As far as the US Army underwing and star cockade decals go, try looking for some sheets for pre war/early war types: P-35, P-36, P-39, P-40.
Mr Airfix has these, so I shot the lock off my wallet.
Bruce / SPEEDGRAFLEX
- speedgraflex
- Moderator
- Posts: 9759
- Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2017 11:08 pm
- Location: Santa Monica, California
Re: Aurora Kit No. 121: 1/48 Boeing P-12E
John! You are correct. I meant Classic Airframes! I have another Yellow Wing short run kit made by them as well. My apologies. Great suggestions above. Sincerely. Maybe I can find some old sprues from another kit in a similar dark green. What a great idea!jeaton01 wrote:This should be fun, Bruce. Maybe you could use white glue and tint it somehow for the gaps. Too bad the sprues are gone, chips from them could be used. I was not aware of a 1/48 Hasegawa P-12E, though I do have such an animal in my collection in 1/32.
Bruce / SPEEDGRAFLEX
Re: Aurora Kit No. 121: 1/48 Boeing P-12E
What a fantastic idea, really back to the past!
Again, a true out-of-the-box idea, that only you Bruce can come up with! :-)
Wonder when Revell came with their first plastic glue?
Curious to see how this project evolves!
- Kari
Again, a true out-of-the-box idea, that only you Bruce can come up with! :-)
Wonder when Revell came with their first plastic glue?
Curious to see how this project evolves!
- Kari
---
On the bench:
Tamiya F-4B Phantom II 1/48
Kinetic F-16A (new tool) 1/48
https://www.facebook.com/GrundAsk-Scale ... 721218708/
On the bench:
Tamiya F-4B Phantom II 1/48
Kinetic F-16A (new tool) 1/48
https://www.facebook.com/GrundAsk-Scale ... 721218708/
- speedgraflex
- Moderator
- Posts: 9759
- Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2017 11:08 pm
- Location: Santa Monica, California
Re: Aurora Kit No. 121: 1/48 Boeing P-12E
Thank you for writing, Kari!KSaarni wrote:What a fantastic idea, really back to the past! Wonder when Revell came with their first plastic glue?
Curious to see how this project evolves!
- Kari
I was planning to use a plastic welding agent. As butanone dissolves polystyrene and many other plastics, it is sold as "model cement" for use in connecting parts of scale model kits. Though often considered an adhesive, it is actually functioning as a welding agent in this context.
From the Batman project:
I use Tenax 7R which is repackaged by Micro-Mark as “The Same Stuff.” It actually melts the parts together and dries within a few minutes. If you grew up using the old models glues this is a game changer. You just put the pieces together and brush the glue onto the seams (it is like water). If you apply a little pressure it will actually create a little bead along the seam that you can sand and a lot of times you do not even need to use any putty.
I guess I should look for vintage glue, but I kind of hit a wall with every kind of tube cement I could find from Humbrol to Testors, so I guess this means another concession on my part.
Online research, which I know, what a bummer, I can’t find any source for color photos from the time period or after that. I am still searching, though. Does anyone have any photos?
Bruce / SPEEDGRAFLEX