P-63E Kingcobra

Dora Wings, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

Special Hobby’s Mirage F.1B/BE is available online from Squadron.com

The Bell P-63 Kingcobra was an American fighter aircraft developed by Bell Aircraft in World War II from the Bell P-39 Airacobra in an attempt to correct that aircraft's deficiencies.

Although the P-63 was not accepted for combat use by the United States Army Air Forces, it was adopted by the Soviet Air Force.

Dora Wings is part of the Ukranian AMG Group. Whereas the AMG label has released some classic fighters including the Hawker Sea Fury and Jumo-powered Messerschmitt Bf 109s, Dora Wings has focussed on more esoteric types (see Luke Pitt's review of Dora Wings' recent 1/48 scale Gee Bee Racer).

With only 13 of this variant ever built, the P-63E Kingcobra certainly qualifies as esoteric!

This is not the first P-63 Kingcobra to appear in 1/48 scale. MPM from the Czech Republic plus Hi-Tech and Fonderie Miniatures from France released P-63A and P-63C kits around 20 years ago. These kits were typical limited run kits of their day - lots of preparation of the fairly primitive plastic parts and plenty of fit challenges.

However, this is the first time that a P-63E has been kitted in 1/48 scale, and Dora Wings' offering is indeed a century better than the older releases.

Dora Wings' 1/48 scale P-63E Kincobra comprises 114 parts in pale grey plastic, ten parts in clear plastic, 21 photo-etched parts on a single fret, self-adhesive die-cut masks for the canopy and markings for six aircraft.

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Thumbnail panels:

Although I would still classify this as a limited run kit, the quality looks very good - at least the equal of the AMG Jumo Bf 109s.

The plastic parts are well moulded. Panel lines are crisply recessed and consistent throughout. Rib tapes on the fabric rudder are subtly done.

The major parts feature alignment aids including locating pins and tabs.

There is a bit of fine flash on some of the small parts, but generally the presentation of the plastic is very good.

The cockpit is comprehensively detailed and includes photo-etched harness straps and other smaller parts.

The one-piece plastic instrument panel with its raised bezels and switches should look great after careful painting.

I am pleased to see plastic tyres here, as opposed to the vinyl tyres included with the Bf 109 kits.

Nose weight is not mentioned in the instructions but you will certainly need it. Fortunately, there is plenty of room in the forward fuselage.

Flaps, ailerons, elevators and the rudder are all separate parts and may be posed to taste.

Drop tanks for the wing and centreline fuselage, bomb racks, gun pods and what I assume to be a bulbous ferry tank (although I belive this only applies to the even rarer two-seater) are all included.

The clear sprue provides a canopy with two separate access doors and wing and tip navigation lights. The doors may be posed open if you wish. The parts are clear and free from distortion.

The package is rounded out with a useful set of die-cut, self-adhesive canopy masks.

Instructions are supplied on a simple eight-page document made from two folded A4 sheets. There are 47 clearly illustrated construction steps. A third folded A4 sheet provides the painting and marking guide.

Markings

The decal sheet is printed by Decograph from Ukraine. The decals are fairly flat in finish.

Registration and printing look good, athough I am not convinced by the style of the stencil serials. To be fair, though, the serial on the restored example at the Pima Air Museum sports this font. The Insignia Blue is a little pale too (probably okay for faded markings though). The insignia themselves are ever so slightly off - the top of the star's horizontal arms should be in line with the horizontal bars, but they are just slightly higher.

Markings are supplied for US machines and two from Honduras. All are finished in overall natural metal with black wing walks and anti-glare panels.

This is a good looking and well detailed kit of an interesting subject.

Dora Wings' 1/48 scale P-63E Kingcobra is cleanly moulded, features crisply recessed surface textures, useful photo-etched parts and the inclusion of canopy masks is a nice bonus.

If you have a few models under your belt you won't have any trouble with this kit. Just take your time aligning parts, test-fit frequently, and you'll have an attractive and quite unique result.

I do hope that we will eventually see a P-63A and P-63C, with their much wider selection of marking possibilities, in the AMG range too.

Thanks to AMG for the review sample.

Review Text and Images Copyright © 2018 by Brett Green
Page Created 13 March, 2018
Last updated 14 March, 2018

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