Product Review: Forces of Valor P-39Q
Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 2:30 am
It seemed to be a good idea to make a seperate thread for a review of the FOV P-39 so that it would not get lost in the other one. So here goes 
I got the P-39 today, and let me say that I am quite impressed! This is certainly Unimax's best 1:32nd scale aircraft to date. If you have the FOV Spitfire, P-51D or Bf-109G, there really is little in the way of comparison. This plane rivals the latest 21c offerings, as well as the more expensive Corgi and GMP planes.
The panel lines are smooth and there is no excessive riveting. The paint applications on my plane are pretty much perfect. There is very subtle weathering, but flat colors were used to give the plane a worn look without being in any way too excessive with the weathering. As you can see in the pictures below, there is a lot of small stenciling on the model as well.
The white prop blades are odd in my opinion. They are not accurate to the actual plane replicated by Unimax as seen in this photo:
However, I also uncovered this photo, showing an American P-39 with light-colored blades. Either way, they do not really bother me and are easy enough to fix.
Many of the parts are finely detailed, but the overall construction is quite solid. The fuselage is diecast, as are the wings. The horizontal stabilizers, engine covers cockpit canopy and propeller are plastic. The droptank is removable. The rudder, elevators, and alerions all move. On my plane the control surfaces are a tad bit loose, but do hold their position.
The cockpit doors open to reveal a somewhat detailed cockpit. The level of detail is not on par with that of the 21c FW-190F or even the P-51s, but its still not bad. The pilot figure seems to be fixed in the cockpit. This differs from the other FOV 1:32 aircraft where the pilots are removable. I haven't tried to actually remove the pilot and will not for fear of breaking something. No biggie in my opinion, however, as the plane also comes with a nicely detailed standing figure.
The undercarriage is the interesting part of the P-39. The landing gear ARE NOT retractable. They are set up very much like the BBI F-4 Phantom with seperate pieces. The nose gear completely detaches and the doors close. The main wheel struts are removed and then placed in the retracted position in their respecitve bays. Again, it is an interesting feature that I guess makes the gear stronger and less likely to break. You also have to position the gear just right so that the plane will sit correctly and not fall back on the tail.
Landing Gear placed in the down position:
Landing gear placed in the up position:
The engine panels are also removable and expose a highly detailed engine. The side panels are difficult to get into place, however, and are not a part that I will remove often. As can be seen in the other photos, the engine covers close up flush with the sides of the fuselage, maintaining the overall smooth look of the airplane.
So, there you have it: the FOV P-39Q! I am pleased with the plane and find it such an interesting choice for Unimax to pursue. As noted in my review, there are a few drawbacks, but overall these are small and it looks as though Unimax has made a winner. Those of you that get one, may very well be impressed
I got the P-39 today, and let me say that I am quite impressed! This is certainly Unimax's best 1:32nd scale aircraft to date. If you have the FOV Spitfire, P-51D or Bf-109G, there really is little in the way of comparison. This plane rivals the latest 21c offerings, as well as the more expensive Corgi and GMP planes.
The panel lines are smooth and there is no excessive riveting. The paint applications on my plane are pretty much perfect. There is very subtle weathering, but flat colors were used to give the plane a worn look without being in any way too excessive with the weathering. As you can see in the pictures below, there is a lot of small stenciling on the model as well.
The white prop blades are odd in my opinion. They are not accurate to the actual plane replicated by Unimax as seen in this photo:
However, I also uncovered this photo, showing an American P-39 with light-colored blades. Either way, they do not really bother me and are easy enough to fix.
Many of the parts are finely detailed, but the overall construction is quite solid. The fuselage is diecast, as are the wings. The horizontal stabilizers, engine covers cockpit canopy and propeller are plastic. The droptank is removable. The rudder, elevators, and alerions all move. On my plane the control surfaces are a tad bit loose, but do hold their position.
The cockpit doors open to reveal a somewhat detailed cockpit. The level of detail is not on par with that of the 21c FW-190F or even the P-51s, but its still not bad. The pilot figure seems to be fixed in the cockpit. This differs from the other FOV 1:32 aircraft where the pilots are removable. I haven't tried to actually remove the pilot and will not for fear of breaking something. No biggie in my opinion, however, as the plane also comes with a nicely detailed standing figure.
The undercarriage is the interesting part of the P-39. The landing gear ARE NOT retractable. They are set up very much like the BBI F-4 Phantom with seperate pieces. The nose gear completely detaches and the doors close. The main wheel struts are removed and then placed in the retracted position in their respecitve bays. Again, it is an interesting feature that I guess makes the gear stronger and less likely to break. You also have to position the gear just right so that the plane will sit correctly and not fall back on the tail.
Landing Gear placed in the down position:
Landing gear placed in the up position:
The engine panels are also removable and expose a highly detailed engine. The side panels are difficult to get into place, however, and are not a part that I will remove often. As can be seen in the other photos, the engine covers close up flush with the sides of the fuselage, maintaining the overall smooth look of the airplane.
So, there you have it: the FOV P-39Q! I am pleased with the plane and find it such an interesting choice for Unimax to pursue. As noted in my review, there are a few drawbacks, but overall these are small and it looks as though Unimax has made a winner. Those of you that get one, may very well be impressed
He should've never shipped it anyway. I definitely won't buy anything else from him, especially after trying to charge an extra $2 for insurance whilst shipping via UPS...as we all know the first $100 is free. 
, hate sellers that want to profit off shipping and insurance.