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All text and pictures by Twinman
(George Lumpkin)
While I will admit that I own a VQ P-38,
I decided to compare the only two ARF. P-38 kits on the market. This was made
easier, when a buddy of mine, called me to tell me that he had taken delivery
of the new KMP P-38 ARF. Due to job duties, I have been unable to fully complete
my P-38, but loaded it up and off to the buddy's location for a look see for
both of us.
Below is the comparison of the two vastly differing kits.
What I found, or believe in my opinion, is that
the two kits are aimed at different modelers.
The VQ kit is directed toward the scale modeler crowd. In that
it includes the only working fowler flaps, which I am aware of, on any ARF
kits on the market, and there are a scale four of them. It also has actual weathering
of the finish. (Though some do not like this touch) Much attention is paid to scale details on
the model and extra features are included as detailed below. The main structures
are completely hand built of balsa and plywood.
The
KMP is, in my opinion, aimed at the flier crowd, who are less concerned about
scale appearance and details. From the ground, it also appears to be the unmistakable
P-38 in the air. It is also less expensive and of mostly composite construction.
|
| |
VQ |
KMP |
| Delivered price |
$649.00 |
$535.00 |
| Drop Tanks |
Yes |
No |
| Retracts |
Optional |
Standard |
| Tire sizes |
Two large, one small |
Three, same size |
| Engine Air Scoops |
Std |
Not Included |
| Panel Lines |
Std |
Not Included |
| Flaps |
Four Fowler |
Two conventional on Inner Wing |
| Number of wing joints |
Two |
Five |
| Construction of booms |
Balsa and Ply |
Composite |
| Hinges |
Nylon Piano Style- Installed |
CA- not installed |
| Landing
gear doors |
Standard |
Not
Included |
| Machine
Guns |
Five,
not installed |
Not Included |
| Pilot Figure |
Standard |
Not Included |
| Scale Prop Spinner |
Std.-
For Three Blades |
Not
Included |
| Landing Gear |
3/16" Wire two coils of wire |
3/16" Wire One coil of wire |
| Gear Finish |
Bare Wire |
Plated Wire |
| Spring Loaded Oleo Struts |
Two for main, one for nose |
Not Included. |
| Elevator Counterbalances |
Std. |
Not Included |
| Colors available |
White, silver, Army, Bare |
Silver |
| Covering material |
Sticky Plastic |
Plastic, molded color |
| Boom Construction |
Built up wood |
Composite |
| Firewall thickness |
10mm or 13/32" |
3/16" or 4.76 mm |
| CENTER SECTION COMPARISION |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
VQ Center Wing section Center.Pilot pod bolts around the
center of the wing section.Note the
two of four flowler flaps. |
|
KMP Center Pod and Center
Wing section. This part contains part of the wing structure. |
| FLAPS COMPARISION |
| |
|
|
|
|
VQ Fowler Flaps
|
|
KMP Center wing section and conventional flaps.
Note, the CA hinges are not secured |
| RADIATOR INLET COMPARISION |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
VQ Radiator inlets are recessed and colored. |
|
KMP Radiator Inlets are not colored and flat |
NOSE GEAR DOOR COMPARISION |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
VQ from
landing gear doors and included spring loaded oleo strut for smaller front tire. |
|
Bottom
of KMP Center pod. This is a taped on plastic cover. There are no landing gear
doors included, even though retractable landing gear is. This cover must be
cut out for the landing gear operation and bolted to the pod. Note parting line. |
| GEAR DOOR COMPARISION |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
VQ complete set of reinforced
landing gear doors. Not installed. |
|
KMP Landing gear opening on main booms. Note,
this is only a taped on plastic covering. No landing gear doors are included.
The plastic cover is cut out for landing gear and bolted on to the boom. |
VQ main landing gear, doors, and included
spring loaded oleo struts.
| COWLING COMPARISION |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
VQ engine cowls. Scale cutouts for cooling
air and recessed. No parting lines |
|
KMP Engine cowls. Note that there are no
scale inlets for the air and must be cut out. Note the parting lines on the
cowl. |
| CANOPY COMPARISION |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Installed canopy decals for frame and included
pilot figure. Note Fake "weathering" on the wings. I really do not think the
frames on the real P-38 were that thick for either model. |
|
KMP Pilot canopy comes pre-painted for the
frame area. Hope the pilot does not want to see out! |
| OUTER WING PANEL COMPARISION |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
VQ outer wing section. Note fowler flaps
and installed nylon piano style hinges on the ailerons. Note, I would always
check a manufactures hinge installation via pulling, I found none loose. At
least some attempt was made to ad panels
lines. |
|
KMP outer wing section and ailerons with
none installed CA hinges. The plane has no scale "Panel Lines". |
| BOOM COMPARISION |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
KMP view down the composite boom structure
toward the tail area. There appears to be no internal reinforcement in
this area. Maybe not needed. Due to composite construction. |
|
KMP boom construction. Servo and landing
gear wood structure is glued to composite boom structure. |
VQ built up boom construction including the
frame for holding the fuel tank.
VQ view down the boom toward the tail of
built up construction.
| BOOM ASSEMBLY COMPARISION |
| |
|
|
 |
|
 |
VQ wing attachment area. Uses three aluminum
rods with wood inserts. Rods must be bolted from under wing at each installation
using wood screws. The extra push rod shown is for the wing fowler flaps. This
is a snap on affair inside the wing in a removable cover that must be connected
and removed at each wing service. |
|
KMP side view of boom assembly. The boom
contains part of the seven piece wing assembly. A long single large diameter
aluminum rod is used to hold all this in alignment. The wing sections are glued
to the center sections using wooden dowels for alignment. The outer wing panels
are held on via a internal mounted rubber band. |
| SUPERCHARGER COMPARISION |
| |
|
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|
|
The VQ supercharger area. Not painted, but
a SMALL bit more detail, but the fit must be adjusted via a heat gun. The lips
are for bolting the cover over the wing to boom connection.
|
|
KMP
Close up of the turbo charger details. This is a separate piece on both kits.
I personally would like more details, but it is a complicated area. This is
a good close fit to the boom. |
| WHEELS COMPARISION |
| |
|
|
 |
|
|
VQ Wheels. Not only are they scale with a
smaller nose wheel, but scale in appearance. |
|
KMP Wheels. Note that they are all the same
size, which is not scale. |
KMP Horizontal stabilizer. This is a built
up one piece assembly that you cut off a V shaped opening in the covering, slide
into an opening in the rear of the booms and epoxy in place. Make sure of alignment
before epoxy is applied. Note instructions in this area for proper alignment.
Operation of the elevator is via a single servo mounted in the center pod and
a pull pull wire arrangement to the center of the elevator. |
VQ horizontal stabilizer is attached to the
rear of the booms using aluminum rod with wood insert, and two dowel. I epoxy'd
mine in place. The instructions allow for this area to be bolt on, for disassembly,
but I did not go that route. Operation of the elevator is via two servos, one
in each boom, to control each end of the solid elevator.
|
VQ "Machine Guns"
included
VQ wing fowler flaps
VQ Included three blade spinners. Props and
engines are not included.
Thank you Twinman for this
very informative comparison
VQ home page here
KMP home page here
Twinman's detailed picture preview of the
VQ kit here
Flying pictures of the VQ here
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Notice: Questions
or statements regarding product quality and/or usage are solely the opinion
of the writer and not necessarily the opinion or recommendation of rcwarbirds.com
or rcwarbirds.com owner/webmaster. |
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