Bell P-400 Airacobra 'ProfiPACK'

Inside the box you will one clear and two medium grey-coloured sprues. The surface detail is via engraved lines and fasteners, but no structural rivets. Although this kit is now getting on a bit, it is still sound and the best option for the type in this scale. Although the die-cast nose weight found in the original releases is no longer included, you do get a fret of pre-painted photo-etched and die-cut, self-adhesive paint masks. The construction of the kit remains basically the same, you now have the etched for the instrument panel (or you can use the supplied decal over the moulded plastic detail) and there are belts for the seat and various details and placards for the cockpit interior. The intakes at the wing root leading edge have etched screen to go inside and you have etched matrices for the rear of the radiators as well. Oddly there are no replacement etched parts for the radiator exhaust flaps, nor for the compression linkage on each oleo leg. The clear parts are also upgraded, with an internal frame for the additional armoured glass inside the windscreen plus a rear-view mirror and the access doors also now have the option of an etched overlay inside in place of the moulded detail. The die-cut masks include those for the main and tail wheel hubs, access door windows and canopy elements, plus the walkway at each wing root 

Markings
The kit offers five decal options:
• 'Yellow Y', 80th FS, 8th FG, Port Moresby, New Guinea, autumn 1942
• 'White 13', 67th FS, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, November 1942
• BX183, 80th FS, 8th FG, Port Moresby, New Guniea, December 1942
• AP356, 'White W', flown by Lt Edward J. Kurt, 35th FS, 8th FG, Milne Bay, New Guinea, 1942-43
• 'White 13', flown by Lr Eugene A. Wahl, 39th FS, 35th FG, Port Moresby, New Guinea, summer 1942
The large decal sheet is printed by Eduard and has perfect register and colour density. It includes all the unique markings for each options plus a selection of national insignia and a full set of airframe stencils.

Conclusion
Although now nearly two decade old, the Eduard P-39/P-400 series is still the best option for the type in 1/48th scale. This upgraded re-release is well worth adding to your collection and so is highly recommended to all USAAF modellers and Airacobra fans. 
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Our thanks to Eduard M.A. (www.eduard.com) for the review sample, UK modeller can obtain this kit from Hannants here.