Fisher XP-75
Fisher P-75A Eagle

Valom 1/72

Reviewed by Glen Porter

Valom's 1/72 scale Fisher XP-75 and P-75A will be available online from Squadron.com
 

The Fisher Body Division of General Motors received a specification for a fast climbing fighter aircraft during 1942. This specification was later modified to a long-range escort as the Air Force considered this more important. Finally, the order was cancelled as the Mustang and Thud were up to the job and the aircraft already built would be used for development work.

The oddity of this aircraft was its centrally mounted powerplant, a la Airacobra, the Allison V-3420 which was two V-1710 V-12s side by side on a common crank-case to produce a W-24. Although very powerful, it never attained the reliability required.

The first XP-75 had outer wings borrowed from the Mustang and the next from the P-40, windscreen and sliding canopy were also from the P-40, fin, rudder and tail planes from the Dauntless and undercarriage from the Corsair.

The P-75A kept the Corsair undercarriage but had a bubble canopy and squared off wing tips, fin/rudder and tailplanes.

 

Valom models has steadily improved since their somewhat humble beginnings. The big improvement in these latest kits is the finely engraved surface detail which is as good as any I have come across.

The two kits are almost identical, with the XP-75 having a unique sprue with the rounded fin/rudder and wing tips and the early style P-40 type canopy; while the bubble canopy is in the P-75A kit.

Everything else is the same in both kits - decals, PE, resin and plastic.

Click the thumbnails below to view images full-sized:

The main sprue has the two fuselage halves minus fin/rudder, lower wing, two upper wings, late model fin/rudder, late model tail planes, six propeller blades (P-75s had two contra-rotating three bladed props), undercarriage legs (F4U Corsair) and some other small parts. The next is common in both kits and it has the under-belly radiator/air-intake similar to a Mustang, cockpit floor and seat, bomb racks and prop retaining collars. The third sprue is in the XP-75 only and has the Dauntless fin/rudder and tail planes, P-40 wing tips and fixed tail wheel.

Clear sprues in both kits with the one-piece canopies are quite good although they may be a little on the thick side, especially the framing, and they are both injection moulded.

Click the thumbnails below to view images full-sized:

Resin in both kits is the same with two nicely cast wheels, inner and outer spinners, four exhaust pipes for the top of the fuselage and two under carriage fairings which are only used in the P-75A kit.

Photo-etched parts cover the instrument panel, harness, rudder pedals, intake screens and two under-wing panels with gun ejector ports.

The simple decal sheet is the same for both kits and has six national markings, six prop manufacturer emblems and serials for three aircraft, one XP-75 and two P-75As.
 

Many modellers out there just love prototypes or aircraft that didn't actually make it to production. These two P-75 kits fit that bill admirably.

With not a lot in the way of resin or PE, yet displaying reasonable detail, Valoms pair of Fishers should not be difficult even for those with only moderate experience.

Recommended to any prototype nuts.

Thanks to Valom for this review sample.

Review and Images Copyright © 2007 by Glen Porter
Page Created 08 October, 2007
Last updated 24 December, 2007

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