Monogram 1/48 P-40B/Hawk 81

[Stikpusher]

Thanks John. Perhaps one day I’ll catch up to yours. I still have a Monogram, Hobbycraft, and Airfix B/Cs, Hasegawa & AmTech E, a reboxed AMT long tail F, AmTech L, and AMT N in my stash, with the N being the oldest of those now in my stash. So many kits, never enough free time…

[jeaton01]

I don't know why I'm so sucked in to the P-40, I have 28 beyond what I have built, even several of the Mauve kits. The prototype and the D are the only ones that I have not found as kits and while the prototype would not be real easy, the D is just an E with 2 less wing guns.

Curtiss as a company in my mind had a lot in common with Brewster, lousy management. What kind of a company would lose a man like Donovan Berlin, but they did by refusing any possible change that would disrupt the cash flow. The P-40 did do some worthy work in the war, though, sort of like the post Battle of Britain role the Hurricane filled. And they were important early on especially for Australia.

I have one of the Curtiss company magazines from WW II, called the Flyleaf. The messsage from management is highly illuminating and would keep me from wanting to work there.

[midnightprowler]

Well done. I have the 2016 Airfix kit in the works. What are the wires? How did you do them? Do all P40's have them?

[KSaarni]

This is Carlos really and truly a fantastic build!

All packed up in really good pictures!

- Kari

[Stikpusher]

John, I’m not overly familiar with Curtiss’ business model, but I’d say that they didn’t keep up with the times. Between the wars, they were a powerhouse in American aviation, dominating Army and Navy airpower, but by the end of WWII they had not evolved to survive the changes of the past six years, and like Brewster they fell.

Thanks MP. The wires are the radio antenna. The one coming off of the spine to the tail is the antenna lead, while the two long ones to the wingtips are the actual elements in an “inverted V” configuration. If the P-40 had an antenna mast, it would not use this configuration but would instead use a single wire from the mast to the tail. Check reference photos. I used EZ Line to make the antenna after first making holes in the appropriate spots for anchor points. I did the feeder line first, then the V portion using gel CA and accelerator. Once it’s all dry I trim off the excess and spot paint over the glue.

Thanks Kari. Getting the light box as a gift has really helped to improve my photos. And Bruce’s tutelage on iPhone camera usage has also been a major help.

[TheMongoose]

Nice little collection there! I gotta agree with you I think the sand color is pretty darn light. Is that P-40 on the back left in one of the Africa/desert colors that would fade kind of pink? I no it’s not pink the way you did it I was just wondering if it was one of those lighter colors that faded strange. I love doing that kind of scheme and might look at one of those.

[tempestjohnny]

The P-40 has always intrigued me. Looks like its going 450mph but could never match the looks in performance. For some reason in my modeling life I've not built that many and none recently......until I finish up this 1/72 Academy P-40E I'm building

[Stikpusher]

Nice little collection there! I gotta agree with you I think the sand color is pretty darn light. Is that P-40 on the back left in one of the Africa/desert colors that would fade kind of pink? I no it’s not pink the way you did it I was just wondering if it was one of those lighter colors that faded strange. I love doing that kind of scheme and might look at one of those.

Thanks. Yeah, the Dark Earth is too light to my eye, compared to photos, and looking at Dana Bell’s research on the subject. Yes, the single color Sand is a pinkish shade that would fade to a more pinkish tone according to reports that was used by the first USAAF Units sent to North Africa in summer 1942. When new, it looks like Testors 1/4 oz bottle Flat Tan, or the shade that the RAF used in 1991 on Tornadoes and Jaguars the Humbrol makes (250?). I acquired a bottle of the old Polly S version of the color, which has the lighter, pinker, look. USAAF B-24s and B-25s in theater also wore that scheme as well.

The P-40 has always intrigued me. Looks like its going 450mph but could never match the looks in performance. For some reason in my modeling life I've not built that many and none recently......until I finish up this 1/72 Academy P-40E I'm building

At low altitudes, the P-40 was decent enough against its contemporaries, and a good pilot could exploit its’ strengths against his opponents weaknesses. It was faster than the Zero, and could turn with the 109 E, as well as out dive both types. It was also built fairly rugged. But it was sluggish in climb if not using a dive and zoom attack, and the engine performance fell off at high altitudes. No more speed could be gotten out of the design due to the wing type(like the Hurricane), even using the Packard Merlin on the F and L variants. Essentially it was a mid 30’s radial engine type design that had been refitted with an in line engine, and could be pushed no farther in development. It helped hold the line, stop and turn the tide when needed, and soldiered on in the lower priority areas of the war until the last day.
I’m looking forward to seeing that E of yours finished here, TJ.

[KSaarni]

Thanks Kari. Getting the light box as a gift has really helped to improve my photos. And Bruce’s tutelage on iPhone camera usage has also been a major help.

A light box, an iPhone and Bruces tutorial ! Those 3 cornerstones are really the trick for excellent pics!

Gosh, I need also light box!

- Kari