REVELL PEASHOOTER 1/72

This kit has been around for quite some time......many examples still out there for purchase...

...ummmm...it might be time to stop collecting "stuff" for this little model and build one....

...4 sets of decals...leaning to the Guatemalan plane...something different in a world of blue and yellow Peashooters...

...2 interior upgrade sets...one is for the AZ model but might work...Yahu Models instrument panels and windshields...

..Starfighter Decals rigging and resin interior upgrades...

...3 full kits with helpful yellow plastic..

...simple for sure....adding the aftermarket details will be fun...

Decision 1 was the choice between the Brengun PhotoEtch or the Starfighter Decals Resin upgrade sets...in the end, it will be both....

...the first example is this door for the open cockpit look...the Starfighter Decals door piece was missing from the sprue...so, it was an easy decision to go with the Brengun etch....

...no one will mistake me for a good model engine builder....hopefully, once this is installed and some touch up done, it won't be too bad...

.....the interior got the Starfighter Decals resin upgrade and the seat belts are from Eduard....

...the instrument panel is from Yahu and is slightly modified here...

...the two halves went together fine after some adjustments...then it was time to redo some rivets....good thing there are 8 Rosie the Riveter tools here in all sizes....these are not made anymore but other options like this are out there....I never miss an opportunity to re-rivet....

...can you say GREEN?...sure you can.....the Guatemalan P-26 is an easy paint job....this is Mission Models MMP-034 NATO Green

...the decals need to be cut out carefully because the backing is all in one piece and has to be removed before the decals can be used....

...time to rig this little dude with the Starfighter Decals wire rigging set......however, fit was an issue....

...the wires for the braces between the wheels were too short and replaced by stock wires and the wires for the wings, while cool with internal bracing, etc...clearly did not match up to the holes in the wings of the kit...not sure what to do about this...fill the holes and paint them over?

...a big improvement with the result up top.....with some careful pruning, it all went together just right.....the little holes will get filled with Mr Surfacer 500 and painted over...the bottom effect is not near as clean....

...the original version.....with way out of scale pitot tube and other kit items....time for changes

...this display of a real Peashooter shows the kit needs some serious pruning in three areas...the gunsight...the pitot tube.....the center post for the wing bracing.....all can be looked at and an improved Peashooter is planned.....

.....a few updates.......the gunsight should be more defined now and the center brace will be replaced with a slimmer piece...the pitot tube really needed cutting down....i knew the tube fix was coming all along but first wanted that Revell old kit feeling with a pitot tube 5 times scale....

... .8mm stock was used for the gunsight and the center post... .5mm stock was just too flimsy...i gave up trying to get a decent connection for the center post with just glue and drilled it out for the stock tube and it is much stronger now.......

...the slightly modified and improved version

...the nice looking fellow on the side is the Greek God Mercury...these were painted on by the Guatemalan pilots....the planes were classified as "trainers" so they could be sold by the US and were in service well into the 1950s in Guatemala....longer than any other nation by far....the National Air and Space Museum bought one of the last two there and rebuilt it for display....great info on the web about these planes...that's why the antenna got white paint on the end and the prop had no markings at all...