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Here the 2nd of 3 oldies I hope to finish for this GB. Otakis P-40E Warhawk in British North African livery. Another simple kit(I hope)I may not need to add many extras to fill this kit out, but we shall see. I do know I'll have to raid my decals spares once more to get it where I hope to finally end with . Even came with a little tube of glue, that's hard as a rock. I am going to add the sharks teeth to the nose.

Hi Guys !! , I'm currently working on a series of P-40 aircraft. The Curtiss fighter family interests me greatly, both from a historical and modeling perspective. For me, the two go hand in hand. The P-40 has a number of unique characteristics that set it apart in many ways: -It is the only fighters series whose various models/versions were used on all continents and also on all fronts of World War II. -It is the only aircraft that was flown by almost all the belligerent nations of World War II (with the exception, I believe, of Italy, Denmark, Belgium, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria), not counting the Baltic countries, but that's still quite a lot of nations. -It is the only aircraft that carried both all the camouflage patterns and national markings used by USAAF fighters during the war. All these aspects make it very interesting for modelers I think. Furthermore, many American P-40 units (or associated units like Chennault's Flying Tigers under Chinese colors) systematically applied unit "nose art" to their aircraft, especially in North Africa/Italy and the CBI theater of operations. Not to mention the individual nose decorations applied mainly in the South Pacific (Solomon Islands, etc.). With all of this, I believe there's a lot of fun available for a modeler . I plan to combine various interesting offerings from different manufacturers (model kits, decals, accessories like wheels, external stores, etc.) to cover a part of this series. So, to start , I present to you a P-40E used by the 11th Fighter Squadron of the 343rd Fighter Group in the Aleutian Islands. This unit was initially, for a brief period, commanded by Lt. Col. John Chennault, the son of General Claire Lee Chennault, the initiator of the Flying Tigers in China. Like all children (I have 3...), he "teaches" their parents about Life. Consequently, he told his dad, "Your Flying Tigers' nose art is lousy! They're not tigers, they're sharks!" (Inspired by the British shark mouth of desert AF.) "Seriously!!!" (I can only imagine...😈) And he chose this decoration... which actually represents a Chinese tiger...😆 As for the model ,finally!!! ( I know, was a little bit too long , as most of you guys knew that already I'm sure ..Sorry for that 🤭) The kit is from Special Hobby, Aeromaster decals, and the paints are Tamiya OD 41 (the first version from Tamiya), which I believe is the most suitable color, the same for the NG. Also, an Aeromaster US orange yellow for the prop hub to match the yellow of the tiger head .Build some years ago 😊 This one as : External stores :the first belly tank used by P-40 and diamond threads wheels . Now on to the pics . Hope you'll like it 😉 This one to "kill" the legend (in my opinion) of these planes wearing a lone white star without blue background (As presented on the Aeromaster decal sheet). ...Plant line discussion " Guys !, no blue left ! let's go for white stars only !!😄 . But if I'm wrong would be really pleased to learn about it really. Now the undies of the lady ..😊 I tried to represent muzzle shoot stains as they looked on pictures, oily ones, linked I think to barrel cleaning with oil ( I cleaned some guns and in fact 0,50 during my military period ( last century☺️ ) ) closed canopy Then tried to represent the "volcanic " landscape of this forgotten area of operations ; That's all folks ! Thanks for watching ! Take care .. and happy modelling! Cheers !!

Hello everyone ... my second build straight from the ANZAC group build, dedicated to Silver Fox a member who has passed R.I.P.. It is RNZAF P-40E NZ3036 HQ*Q in the Pacific Blue scheme circa 1943. I used the 1/72 Academy P-40E kit for this and the decals were donated bu a fellow member from New Zealand. A phot with the other dedicated build for Silver Fox, A-4K NZ6201 1976. Please feel free to ask questions, post comments or visit the build thread. Dennis

Hello everybody... This will be my second entry into the build. It is the Academy P-40E which I will build in RNZAF markings. Funnily it comes with RAAF markings for Dickie Cresswell’s kite. However I will be attempting to do HQ*Q in the New Zealand Pacific scheme. I borrowed this photo from Alan @LDSModeller. Hopefully he wont mind and Hopefully I will get this scheme right. “RNZAF Official - RNZAF Museum” If for some reason it is going wrong or I’m missing something please anybody speak up. Otherwise we’ll see you soon. Please feel free to ask questions, post comments, or add thoughts. Dennis

Hello Friends, My next build will be Academy's 1/72 P-40E in the colors of "Squirt", a 72 Fighter Squadron assigned to defend Hawaii in early 1942. I came to select this aircraft in a relatively circular fashion which is important to the research that led me to this point. Initially, I wanted to use the kit decals and build an Aleutian Tiger, but quickly realized that I could not find exhaust shields and accurate placements for further cold weather modifications like anti-freeze caps etc. Tom Cleaver's excellent 1/32 build of an Aleutian Tiger based off of Hasegawa's 1/32 scale kit is a great place to start. As I delved into the Aleutian Tigers, I became fascinated with the early P-40Es which defended the Philippines, providing America with its first Ace, Lt Wagner. It was also interesting to note how P-40Ds and P-40Es rapidly went to defend Hawaii following Peral Harbor. These defending P-40Es all seemed to maintain a standardized early war factory fresh finish and had flush/recessed gun ports (I would imagine the P-40Es in the Philippines would have started looking worn as the campaign went from bad to worse for US forces as demonstrated by the aircraft captured by the Japanese, but the P-40E and B-17 in the link below seem to be in good shape). http://www.j-aircraft.com/captured/capturedby/p40warhawk/captured_p40.htm Armed with this info, I decided to go with the Hawaiian aircraft only requiring me to modify the gun ports to recessed--based on Tom Cleaver's build and pictures of the Hasegawa's early P-40E gun ports, this should be a simple manner of removing the leading edge gun tubes. As @Dana Bell has noted in other blogs (yes I have read a ton of your books and blogs--you are rightfully well respected around the globe on these technical matters) Based on advice from long time fellow britmodeller, @RidgeRunnerI reached out to @72modeler who provided a wealth of knowledge on how these P-40Es were finished. Regarding the wheel wells, I will use foil to create the canvas top--I can thank @rob Lyttle for that idea--as he knows I am a big fan of foil 🙂. Will likely paint these Tamiya Khaki Drab. The front part of the gear proved to be vexing--until I found this picture of later model P-40Es (maybe P-40E-1s?) being loaded on the USS Ranger for North Africa. As you can see, the roof, or more appropriately the underside of the wing which makes top of the strut well is the underside color. The interior of the "walls" appears to be Interior Green of YZC. I also have a period color photograph of a P-40E under going maintenance and the doors appear YZC. Based on this my initial plan is paint the forward strut well as follows-- YZC vertical surfaces/door--ceiling/wing/horizontal underside color--Tamiya Neutral Grey. I am not completely sold on the YZC finish and could be nudged to a Curtiss Interior Green--the color below looks really dark--maybe the doors are YZC and the walls are green--seems unlikely though. Any thoughts would be very welcomed Moving on to the cockpit--Curtis Cockpit Green--it vexes me--I now need @The Spadgent to call me son and for @giemme to bust out laughing. Mike and I went back and forth on this. I am about to do something not popular with the in-crowd, I settled on simple Testor Olive as the best match. For what its worth, have the outcomes of various greens and YZCs--I found the Testors YZC & Olive as best matches for the colors used by Curtiss. The photos I used to match the color were Life's photos of the P-40B/C production line in Buffalo NY. Mike and I reasoned that early war P-40Es likely matched these cockpit colors pretty closely. Cockpit photos of the recently discovered and unfortunately no longer pristine Warhawk IA discovered in Egypt bear this thought out with the exception of the armor plate--which is clearly not YZC nor Curtiss Cockpit Green. Based off the wreck and the color photo below, I will paint this distinctive feature Tamiya XF-5. As the overall fuselage color will be Tamiya XF-62/Tamiya XF-53 (I have read these are very close matches for early war USAAC/USAAF aircraft), XF-5 seem to be the correct Green Drab contrast with the Olive Drab. Top flap going going left to right (i.e. ->)--MM Interior Green/Model Master Med Green/Mr Hobby C-126/Testors YZC/Tamiya XF-4/Testors Olive/Tamiya XF-71/Tamiya XF-5/Tamiya Xf-62 Bottom Flap going left to right (i.e. ->) MM Interior Green/Testors YZC/Testors Olive/Tamiya XF-5/Tamiya XF-62--this is likely the color palate I will use Finally, bits & pieces. While Academy's 1/72 P-40E looks like an excellent kit in the box, I understand the cockpit is sparce (it is livable for most in 1/72 scale), the canopy is mishaped and the nose propellers are a little off. I decided to rectify these issues with CMK's cockpit update, Quick Boost's propellor/nose cone upgrade & a vacuum formed canopy (one day I will be like @billn53 and build/purchase my own vacuum former--honestly the canopy issue seems the most fraught with problems as the vac canopies are meant for Hasegawa's excellent P-40E--the dry fitting will be fun. I had purchased resin wheel wells but will save them for later as I am confident these early war Warhawks had their canvas covers. Thats about it--I cant wait to share this build with the usual crew while making new friends and learning something new along the way--best to all, Erwin

Hi mates,I would like to participate to this GB assembling the 1/48 hasegawa kit to realize the Curtiss P-40 E white 65 of Maj. A.A. Matveyev, 154th IAP. if there was anyone interested: here an interesting article about Maj. A.A. Matveyev and his P-40E and here about P-40 Land-lease : "The P-40 in soviet aviation" A quick look inside the box: I'll use these aftermarkets: and now at work ...

Hi all, this is just a place marker for the time being. I am still floundering in the Frog GB and time is running out. I should not even be wasting precious minutes typing all this! Anyway, I will attempt to build the Academy 1/72 P-40E, which is a lovely kit. A few photos: And I am adding a couple of aftermarket goodies, as I cannot stand the shape of the Academy spinner, and the wheel wells are far too shallow for my liking! I am planning to start this build after October 6th, upon completion of the Frog GB. Actually looking forward to build a P-40. It has been a few decades since the last one I built. Cheers. JR

Prelude - In Australia, we celebrate Fathers day on the first Sunday of September. This happy day occurred last weekend and as part of my early morning gifts my two lovely children were good enough to get me a copy of Michael Vietch's "44 Days" and yet another sheet from my favourite decal manufacturer - DK decals. This sheet (72049) covers 29 examples of early P-40E Kittyhawks in RAAF service, many of which participated in the early battles against the Japanese during WW2. Hopefully this will be the first of at least two Pacific War GB entries. I will base this build on an early copy of Hasegawa's 1977 issued P-40E Kittyhawk. IMO, this kit still holds it's own shape wise. Yes, the cockpit is very basic, even for this period of release, however the outline is far superior than that of the later Academy kit which for some strange reason looks too fat around the nose. Special Hobby have recently released what looks like a nice new tooled kit, however I have three of these in the stash already, so might as well build at least one of them. To harness that extra bit of enthusiasm, I'll be reading the book whilst building the kit. The book's title is taken from the fact that for 44 days, this newly formed and somewhat inexperienced squadron were the only line of defence between the might of Japan's Imperial forces and the very possible invasion of Northern Australia. The battle line was drawn in the skies above Port Moresby and No. 75 Squadron grimly held on for as long as they could (44 days) until much needed reinforcements arrived. The "Tomorrow-Hawk / Never-Hawk" thread title is taken from members of the Australian Army based in New Guinea, who were under constant air attack from the Japanese before these Kittyhawks arrived. The Army had been promised adequate air defence, but when each day went by without any sign of these Kittyhawks, the somewhat disbelieving army folk came up with what they believed were more appropriate names (some of which cannot be printed)! Below are a few images of what I'm working with. I've already thought of a display base and I've plonked an earlier (and not well built) P-40N to give the impression of what this whole thing should look like in the end. I need to finish off my Classic Airfix GB build first, then will take to this good and proper. This should be a fun GB, so I'll look forward to everyone's builds as they all get going. Cheers.. Dave

Hello, I am in a process of correcting an inaccurate kit, and would like to make new crescent-shape panel that frames the rear glass. Could anyone please help me with some original factory drawings of this panel, marked on the picture below (or P-40D/E/K rear glass itself) in developed view, so I can copy its complex geometry? Thanks in advance! Aleksandar

P-40E Kittyhawk - 2 Operational Training Unit RAAF 1/72 & 1/48 Red Roo Models This sheet provides decals for a P-40E A29-28 as used by 2 OTU RAAF. The aircraft was stripped back to Natural Metal but retained the white areas form the operational scheme and part of the serial on the tail. Fabric areas were painted with aluminium dope. Conclusion This is a good sheet for an unusual P-40E, Recommended. 1/48 1/72 Review sample courtesy of

RetroWings (https://retrokitonline.net) is to release a 1/72nd Curtiss P40E/VK-105 Kittyhawk VVS - ref.PRS7201 AZ model kit with extra resin parts to create a Russian P40 with Klimov Engine. Sources: https://retrokitonline.net/product/curtiss-p-40e-with-klimov-engine-single-seater/ http://www.aviationmegastore.com/curtiss-p40evk-105-vvs-prs7201-retrowings-prs7201-aircraft-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=135066 V.P.

Retrowings (https://retrokitonline.net) is to release a 1/72nd Curtiss P40E/VK-105 two-seater Kittyhawk VVS kit - ref.PRS7202 AZ kit with extra resin parts to create a Russian twin-seater P-40 with Klimov Engine Sources: https://retrokitonline.net/product/curtiss-p-40e-with-klimov-engine-twin-seater/ http://www.aviationmegastore.com/curtiss-p40evk-105-two-seater-vvs-prs7202-retrowings-prs7202-aircraft-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=135067 http://modelweb.modelforum.cz/2016/02/08/172-curtiss-p-40evk-105-retrokit/ V.P.

One of my first kits I recall completing to an adult competency was a bagged kit of a 1/72 Monogram P-40. I don't recall too much of it, besides the glossy tan and chocolate "dessert" camouflage it wore, and the ravenous maw slathering for more victims. I built it with my friend in his basement while he worked on some 1/24 pick up truck nonsense. He was so enamored with my awesome results he begged me to crank out the lindberg sea king kit next. To which I obliged. Of course, all this excitement and new found modelling mojo was quashed by the demeaning scolding I received upon showing my old man what I had spent my money on. This, is where you the reader feel sad. From that point onward I hid my models and only worked on them in the very dead of night (2:00am) where I wouldn't be chastised for wasting my hard earned pocket change on $3 kits. Now, in the glory of adulthood, I have compensated abundantly with a glorious collection model kits from many genres. That shadow of guilt instilled in me then still lingers though, and I find myself sneaking kits into the stash past... no one. Well, to be honest my wife questions my time availability but she still supports my one link to sanity. Thankfully. SO, onto the work part. I had a single 1/72 Hasegawa kit in the stash, which was doomed to have a place in oblivion had it not been for the sudden and irresistible urge to build something with teeth (yes, I am blaming Procopius and his growly Lancaster). And, as some of us do, I went online looking for build articles and reviews of my kit to see if I could scrounge up any information on the shortfalls, etc. This meandering in the lush temptatious realm of the internet led me of course, to a purchase. Who could resist? An online auction for an ALTERNATE packaging of the very same model kit I already had?!?!?! Well, there was no resisting. And the concept of this thread started. Here we go: The obligatory shot leading to one's work area. The furnace and vestigial heat recovery system produce copious amounts of ambient noise which often leads to a state of slack jawed un-productivity. As we get closer the cause of the rampant laziness becomes fully apparent: A computer and tv screen with which to watch Lord of the Rings on while modelling. Bad idea. See also the many other projects going on. They all inevitably get put away and taken out again when inspiration strikes. The kits in question: the older yet better cared for version which I possessed all along, and the new acquisition (with a Spit IX as well). Kittyhawk. Smesh. I prefer Warhawk. Ominous, but I have worked with worse with decent outcomes. I have ordered back up decals in the event these are truly not salvageable. Yes, one of these will be an AVG bird. The other will get roundels to go next to a Maryland and quite possibly a Spit Mk. IX in desert colours. A quick look has me smiling with the realization that the panel lines are engraved. YESSSS! But that is tempered with the need to do tiny modification work to the exhausts. Drilling those out should be fun. The strange lumps and bumps. After looking at other model kits, I have concluded that these here are OK. I am glad I don't have to files them off, and if you tell me otherwise... DING DONG! Seriously. These came in the mail today too. Serendipity. I might have a condition.

Hi here comes my first article, here on Britmodeller.The chosen subject is my Hasegawa P-40E.It is one of my favorite aircraft and like so much other WW II fighter types a must.The Hasegawa P-40 don t fall together, if you follow the instructions you run into very serious fit problems at the rear fuselage and aft of the canopy.I created completed fuselage halfs and close after this the fuselage, the gaps on the spine are better and easier to fill. There are also fit problems with the wing guns. After this it is a trouble free build and the completed kit look razor sharp like the real thing. For the markings i choose the plane from Robert L. Scott, commander of the 23rd FG in China. I found some interersting pictures on the net and the plane looks relative well maintained, for a combat aircraft. My preshading works only on the underside and i made a black wash only on the access panels. If you look at an aircraft in a “1/48 distance” you won t see much of the panel lines, so i left them untouched. The gun sight came from a PE sheet from Extra – Tech ( german gunsights !! ) The antennas are stretched sprues. The kit was done around spring 2014 and it is still my newest 1/48 plane. The decals came from a Sky Models sheet, printed by Cartograph. They worked very well, beside a fitting problem with the sharkmouth.There is also a picture with an earlier build Hasegawa P-40N, you can t have too much P-40s I hope the sizes of the pictures are o.K, hope you like it Bernd

Hello, it seems that some Ukrainians modelers came here in these latter days. Think i should join them ) Let me show you my recent project - 1/48 Hasegawa P-40E.

Hi all, Here's the last build of the year. Hasegawa kit, eduard zoom etched brass, Eagle strike decals, Tamiya paint. Cheers and Merry Christmas! FF

Hi, here's a few pics of the current wip, hoping to get this done by years end! Hasegawa kit, tamiya paint, Eagle Strike decals. Thanks for looking. FF

Hi folks, Hopefully just a quick "yes" or "no" would be ok on this - I've done some searching and can't determine if it's possible so I'm going to ask the knowledgeable folks here. I'm building the Academy P40-E kit to be done as a Kittyhawk Mk Ia as flown by 14 Sqn RCAF Western Air Command - "Z" with the sharkmouth as found in Aircam Aviation's old book "Sharkmouth 1916-1945". The decals in this kit have no sharkmouth. I've also got the Academy P-40M/N kit which will, eventually, be done as a Kittyhawk IV - also RCAF but not in a scheme which includes the sharkmouth. In the P-40M/N kit there are decals which include the sharkmouth. Here's my question: Is the shape of the nose/engine cowling close enough between the P-40E and P-40M/N to be able to use the sharkmouth and get away with it? Thanks, Dave