HobbyCraft 1/48 scale
YP-59 Airacomet

by Roland Sachsenhofer

YP-59 Airacomet

HobbyCraft's 1/48 scale Airacomet is available online from Squadron

With well balanced proportions and rather conventional in layout, the P-59 Airacomet did not seem to be a revolutionary aircraft. One detail may have stumped people at the time though: there was no propeller…

The P-59, “US First Jet”, was first flown in 1942. Flight evaluations soon revealed rather poor performance that resulted in only about 50 Airacomets being built. With the more powerful P-80 in readiness, the P-59 was destined never to see front line combat.

My model shows one of the few P-59 evaluated by the US Navy in 1944.

You have to take time building this HobbyCraft kit. Time to scratch most of the cockpit interior, as there is nothing as a seat, a stick and a wrong positioned dashboard. You have to take time to fill gaps and seams resulting from the multi-version concept of the kit. Building instructions call for the modelers intuition in some steps.

On the other hand, I was pleased by the good fit of the parts and the subtlety of the cockpit glazing.

If you are interested in the building process, please take a look at the JAM forum.

As ever, remarks will be appreciated: ro.sachsenhofer@gmx.at

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Model, Images and Text Copyright © 2011 by Roland Sachsenhofer
Page Created 30 December, 2011
Last Updated 30 December, 2011

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