Accurate Miniatures 1/72 Curtiss P-6E
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Introduction
Many people think the Curtiss P-6E is one of the most aesthically pleasing
aircraft ever produced. Nay, in fact "pretty". I would tend
to agree with those people as the P-6E has all the classic lines that
make biplanes some of the best looking aircraft in the world.
I won't mention how the P-6E was the culmination in a line of successful
Curtiss aircraft during the 'twenties and 'thirties because it's been
mentioned many times. You can read all about that elsewhere. In fact,
the best resource would be the book Curtiss Fighter Aircraft: A Photographic
History, 1917-1948. While the Squadron/Signal In Action book is great
for a general feel of the Curtiss Army Hawks, the "Photographic History"
book delves into further detail on all Curtiss fighters, including the
P-series of aircraft.
The Kit
 When
I first read that Accurate Miniatures (AM) was going to re-release the
original Monogram kits (the P-6E is in a box with the Boeing F4B-4, which
will be covered next month) I held high hopes. Here was a chance to acquire
this release and have decals for all the Monogram kits I already own.
Unfortunately my dreams were dashed when it was realised AM contains only
one marking per kit. I feel they lost a perfect opportunity to cater to
the older modeler. I personally would have bought a couple of these if
there were more decal options available.
Be that as it may, the kit has lasted the test of time. In comparing
it with a Monogram 1973 release I have
there is no deterioration in the molds at all. Which is great since the
first release of this kit was in 1968. There have been other kits re-released
through time where the molds have suffered poorly. AM also includes the
original Monogram stand you could display the model on, as well as the
"caved-in-chest" pilot! ("Caved-in-chest" because
there's a nasty molding dimple evident in the original Monogram releases
right in the middle of the pilot's chest.)
There is one huge advantage to the AM release over the 1973 release
of the Monogram kit. The color of the plastic. The 1973 Monogram release
was molded in yellow so the plastic would match the color of the flying
surfaces of the "real thing". Not easy covering the yellow with
any other color. Thankfully, AM has released the kit in a typical grey
plastic which shouldn't be as difficult to cover (although I personally
feel that surfaces should be sprayed white before laying down the yellow/orange
of the flying surfaces).
 So,
for those whom haven't seen the Monogram release, there are 20 parts molded
in gray and a clear, injected windscreen that doesn't look that bad either.
Markings are for the same machine catered to in the Monogram kit - "Black
44" of the 17th PS - finished in the "Snow Owl" scheme
the 17th portrayed for the Cleveland Air Races (and one scheme always
overdone in the modeling world). Where the decals differ are, most imporantly,
they're brilliantly printed by Cartograf in Italy, and secondly, they
contain prop markings which the Monogram decals did not. The one area
they didn't improve on was the "owl claws" that were painted
on the wheel spats - both Monogram and now Accurate Miniatures have you
paint those on instead. (Thankfully the Olimp
kit provided those "claws" as decals with the release of
their injected kit.)
If you've never built a biplane because you were scared of the alignment
of the upper wing, the AM/Monogram P-6E (or F4B-4) should be one to track
down. With the center struts molded in-situ with the fuselage upper wing
alignment could not be easier. While you do need to be careful with construction
so you don't break those struts off, once you're ready to add the upper
wing it will be a piece of cake. Unfortunately since AM used the original
Monogram mold that also means there is no cockpit detail what-so-ever.
Monogram included the pilot figure so something would be stick in the
cockpit opening and they wouldn't have to worry about providing a cockpit.
So, this area needs lots of love and attention to those so desiring. Hopefully
some day someone will come out with either a resin or photoetch cockpit
for the kit as it sorely needs it (and the same resin and/or photoetch
could also be used for the many Monogram kits still in existance).
 Assembling
the kit couldn't be easier. If you don't want cockpit detail, paint and
add the pilot to one fuselage halve, glue the fuselage halves together
than add the upper nose piece (don't forget to add the propellor plug
before gluing the fuselage halves together). Glue the radiator to the
radiator housing add it and the outer halves of the wheels/spats and move
to the next step in the instructions. That step has you glue on the tail
pieces and the lower wing while the final step in the instructions has
you add the upper wing and interplane struts. Voila! One finished P-6E!
Now granted, hopefully you painted the fuselage/lower wing assembly separate
from the upper wing before adding the upper wing, but putting together
a biplane was never more easy.
Conclusion
It's wonderful to see the Monogram 1/72nd biplanes being re-released
(hopefully someday AM will follow up with the Curtiss F11C-2) since they've
been out of the modeling world for a very long time (over thirty years).
While you can occasionally find Monogram kits on ebay and in other people's
sales AM has provided an easy way to acquire these excellent kits. For
the time they were released the Monogram kits were extremely accurate
and very well molded. AM continues this tradition. My only regret is the
lack of extra decals - I suspect AM was going for the nostalgic factor
in releasing the Monogram kits with the same markings and only one scheme.
(Thankfully Starfighter Decals has released a sheet
of Curtiss P-6E markings.)
If you were looking for the Monogram P-6E (and F4B-4) then AM has come
to your rescue! |
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