Digital Navy P-26A Peashooter

[smp]

I have a R.C flying buddy who is crazy about Peashooters, so I thought I'd build him one out of paper. It also solves the dwindling display space issue.


This is a nice kit and my first in 1/33 scale which I find I like much better than smaller scales. I am quite new to paper card modeling and I'm surprised at h ow addictive these things are. Good thing I can work on them in the air conditioned house, the shop gets way over 90 every day.


Here are a couple of progress shots of the first evening's work. BTW the interior isn't glued to the structure yet so the misaligned headrest isn't an issue.








sp

[Don Boose]

sp -

It looks like you are off to a great start. I wish you well on your build of this historic airplane and will be tracking this build.

Forum member palindrome also built one of the Digital Navy P-26s. His build thread may be of interest: Boeing P-26A Peashooter

He had some issues with the model, but it might have been because it was an early Digital Navy version distributed by PMI (the late Lou Dausse) back in the day: http://www.papermodelers.com/forum/478301-post12.html

Burning Beard built the same model with no problems. I haven’t been able to find a build thread, but you can contact him: http://www.papermodelers.com/forum/m...ing-beard.html

Chris Coyle built the Digital Navy P-26 in Philippine Air Force markings: Boeing P-26 Peashooter (finished)
Digital Navy 1/32 Boeing P-26 Peashooter

There have also been Forum build threads about P-26s by other designers over the years:

Llaut Mallorquin built the Fiddlers Green version: Boeing p 26 "peashooter"

Michael Stanley made an attempt at the Marek version: P-26 Peashooter

Curt Silvers (ashevilleangler) made a post in Michael’s build thread that included a pdf of his own excellent build thread for that model: http://www.papermodelers.com/forum/606886-post8.html

Michael then successfully built the same model in 1/100 scale: Flying recruiting poster from the 30's - P-26 in 1:100

Péricles Gomide Filho also built a 1/100 version of the Marek model: Digital Navy 1/32 Boeing P-26 Peashooter
It became a POTW: POTW for February 21, 2010

Another build of the Marek kit (one that was recolored by Ron Spencer) by Forum member wag: 1/33 Mareck/Old Troll P-26A

Forum member Monkey began a scratch build: P-26 Peashooter

Creosotewind scratch built P-26 that his grandson could wear like a costume: Homemade P-26s

Gil (Peashooter ) provided a link to a project to build a full-sized replica P-26: https://www.peashooter.net/

Don

[smp]

Wow Don. Thanks for all the links. I will check them all out as I am a rank newbie and this is all valuable information to me.

The first P-26 I had was the Wen Mac .049 powered plastic U-Control model back in the '60 as a kit. (What a lousy engine). I built a 1/72 one in plastic and I have the 1/32 scale version by Hasagawa half built in the box. I think this one will get finished first.
Thanks again for all the links
sp

[Lex]

Whoa Don that was quite a dig. Thanks for sharing and good luck to SP's build. It looks professional enough so far.

[Burning Beard]

Don, I built the Marek P26, also, I did not do a build thread. The Marak model has double bulkheads that glue together, not joining strips.

Mike

[Don Boose]

Thanks, Mike. I think some who have built Marek models have added their own joining strips rather than do the bulkhead-to-bulkhead join.

I tried to identify all the P-26 builds and relevant threads, but may well have missed some.

Don

[Burning Beard]

If I were to do it again I would make my own joining strips. Though bulkhead to bulkhead is a nice way of joining up difficult pieces.

[smp]

I ran into some fit issues, of my own making, and I think I will do the paper card punt and print another parts sheet and try again. I like that about these models, just reprint and move forward. Think I will do that after checking out all the links Don sent, might just prevent a 3rd reprint.
sp

[smithdr]

SP!


Looking great! I just love the P-26. Keep it up... Dan

[smp]

A newbie question or two before I push ahead and really mess things up.


The cockpit tub is built and then attached inside the cardboard structure and then the outer skin for that area is wrapped around and glued. The fuselage fore and aft of that section seem to be made into cone sections and slid onto the structure. I matched the lengthwise seam on the conical sections, only the first section aft of the cockpit seems a little small in diameter and a close fit cannot be obtained. Does one wrap the conical sections around the structure bulkheads as one is gluing the seam, or does one sand the structure down to fit an already completed conical section?

As a follow up question, Sanding the cardboard seems to flatten and spread the edges. Is this normal and acceptable or is there another method of smoothing and slightly reducing the size of cardboard laminated to printed cardstock parts?





In the above shot you can see where the rear section is just not quite big enough in diameter to mate with the cockpit skin on the bottom.

The join between the above rear section and the next longer aft section has gaps due to a poor job of cutting out the parts, so both will be reprinted and recut with greater care. I am concerned with repeating the poor fit to the cockpit skin section. Any advice on how to avoid that would be most welcome.
Thanks
sp