1/48 - Curtiss P-40B Warhawk & Tomahawk Mk.II by Airfix - released - new Tomahawk Mk.II boxing in June 2024

[Stephen]

Box art

 

[John]

Now showing as available on Airfix.com

 

https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/shop/new-for-2017/curtiss-tomahawk-mk-iib-1-48.html

 

and no doubt your favourite supplier in the near future.

 

John

[Homebee]

Source: https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/news/workbench/tomahawks-and-flying-sharks/

 

 

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A Fighter in Britain’s hour of need

Striking box artwork that features on the new 1/48^th scale RAF Tomahawk release

 

Just as the Great War highlighted the strategic importance of the aeroplane and cohesive air forces during times of conflict, the Second World War would see aircraft development progress at an astonishing rate. As the first Luftwaffe strike aircraft crossed the Polish border in September 1939, the Royal Air Force still had Heyford biplane bombers and Gladiator fighters in service, but in less than six years the first Meteor jet fighters were already indicating the future of aviation and Britain had endured attacks by the fearsome and indiscriminate V2 supersonic ballistic missile. The period in between saw the design and introduction of a great many of the world’s most famous and successful aircraft, many of which went on to become household names and therefore extremely popular subjects for aircraft modellers over the years.

If you were to ask a cross-section of aviation enthusiasts and modellers to name their favourite WWII aircraft or the aeroplane they felt made the most impact during the conflict, it is highly unlikely that anyone would offer the Curtiss P-40 series of fighters as their suggestion. Whilst this is perhaps understandable when considering the more famous (and predictable) alternatives available, this always overlooked fighter is deserving of much more recognition than it receives, as it undoubtedly played a significant role during the early years of WWII. Thanks to two famous fighting units, it also has the distinction of being amongst the most distinctive and instantly recognisable aircraft of the Second World War, fighting on many fronts from the heat of the desert to the barren wastelands of the Aleutian Islands.

 

Early RAF Tomahawks flying above the English countryside

 

Although always overshadowed by the P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang, the Curtiss P-40 was produced in greater numbers than any other US fighter (with the obvious exception of both the Thunderbolt and Mustang), but was crucially one of the few modern fighter aircraft in full scale production at the start of WWII. Having seen the gathering clouds of war and the sleek, modern fighters being developed by many of the European air forces, the US Army Air Corps placed the largest order in their history in April 1939 for 524 of the new Curtiss P-40 fighters, but the decision of the US Government to allow foreign air forces to buy the new fighter would arguably be one of the most significant of the entire war. With both France and Britain keen to secure as many of these fighters as possible, it would be in the hands of RAF pilots that the new Curtiss fighter would see its combat introduction.

First announced back in the sixth edition of Workbench, our new 1/48^th scale tooling of the Curtiss P-40 has already proved to be a popular addition to the growing range of kits in this impressive scale, with the first release presenting the modeller with decal options for a Pearl Harbor defender and an American Volunteer Group ‘Flying Tiger’. Over the past few days, the second release from this superb new tooling has just been released and this time includes decals to finish the model in one of two distinctive RAF Tomahawk schemes – let’s take a closer look at Curtiss Tomahawk Mk.II A05133.

 

Profile artwork featuring a UK based RAF Tomahawk Mk.IIA

 

 

Full scheme details of Curtiss Tomahawk Mk.IIA AH893

 

 

Curtiss Tomahawk Mk.IIA, AH893/RM-D, RAF No.26 Squadron, Royal Air Force Army Cooperation Command, Gatwick, Sussex, England, 1941.

The first US built Curtiss P40 fighters arrived in England during September 1940, at a time when the RAF were desperate to bolster their fighter force following the heavy losses they had experienced in France and were continuing to suffer throughout the Battle of Britain. These first machines were actually destined for the French Air Force, but with the French surrender to the invading Germans in June 1940, these aircraft were re-directed to the Royal Air Force and were designated Tomahawk Mk.Is. The aircraft differed little from the standard US P-40 Warhawk, except for improved wing armament and some instrumentation and equipment modifications for RAF use – these included the installation of British radio equipment and are distinguished by the radio mast positioned half-way down the spine of the rear fuselage.

The Tomahawk Mk.II series was basically the export version of the Curtiss P-40B Warhawk and incorporated a number of significant improvements over earlier models, mainly as a direct request from the British Air Ministry. These included higher calibre guns in the wings, the introduction of armour protection for the pilot and self-sealing fuel tanks crucial for aerial combat over Europe. Despite these improvements and following the RAF’s combat experiences in France and during the Battle of Britain, the Tomahawk was not seen as an air superiority fighter capable of taking on the Luftwaffe at medium and higher altitudes and as a consequence, all UK based Tomahawks were used in an Army Cooperation role.

 

 

Computer rendered 3D image of the new 1/48^th scale RAF Tomahawk

 

Although proving to be a relatively short lived unit during WWII, the contribution of the RAF’s Army Cooperation Command cannot be underestimated. Established to provide a cohesive link between the RAF and ground based operations by the British Army, aircraft assigned to this unit were required to develop close air support tactics, provide low level tactical reconnaissance and artillery ranging support, whilst also helping to train home based anti-aircraft training facilities. Crucially, they were also charged with developing and establishing tactics that would be used during a future Allied invasion of occupied Europe, where close air support would prove to be of vital importance. By the early Spring of 1942, there were no fewer than ten UK based Tomahawk Squadrons engaged in RAF Army cooperation activities.

The scheme option featured above presents the modeller with an RAF No.26 Squadron Tomahawk Mk.IIA, which flew out of Gatwick engaged in Army Cooperation activities. It features an oblique camera position in the port fuselage side, at the extreme outer edge of the roundel position, which allowed the aircraft to engage in potentially hazardous low-level reconnaissance operations, as well as a distinctive black under-wing section, which helped to identify the aircraft to friendly anti-aircraft units that could be somewhat trigger happy when faced with this unfamiliar shape in the skies above Britain. Wearing the standard RAF ‘Temperate Land’ camouflage scheme, this gives the Tomahawk (Curtiss P-40) an unusual, yet extremely attractive appearance and will surely serve as inspiration for many a model build.

 

Profile artwork featuring one of the famous RAF Desert Air Force Tomahawks

 

 

Full scheme details of No.112 Squadron Curtiss Tomahawk Mk.II

 

 

Curtiss Tomahawk Mk.II, AK457/GA-O, Aircraft flown by Sgt. William Earl Houston, RAF No.112 Squadron, Desert Air Force, Libya, 1941. 

Without doubt, the shark-mouthed RAF Tomahawks of the Desert Air Force were amongst the most iconic aircraft of the entire Second World War and help to underline why the Curtiss P-40 proved to be such an important aircraft to both the US and British & Commonwealth air forces. The first RAF combat units to receive the new Tomahawk were those of the Desert Air Force, who traded their war weary Hurricanes for the new American fighter - these early machines lacked armour protection for the pilot and self-sealing fuel tanks, but this was quickly remedied in subsequent deliveries. The performance of the Tomahawk was generally considered superior to that of the Hurricane and at altitudes below 16,000 ft., better than contemporary Italian fighters and a match for the Bf 109E. Indeed, as greater numbers of Tomahawks became available, the Desert Air Force began to take some control of the air in this theatre and certainly stimulated the Luftwaffe to hastily introduce the latest version of the Bf 109 to combat in North Africa (the ‘F’ model, or Friedrich).  

The story behind No.112 Squadron’s adoption of the ‘shark mouth’ markings on their Tomahawks is an interesting one and is usually attributed to engine fitter George Staly. He and pilot Peter Brunton decided to paint the distinctive markings on their aircraft so that Staly could easily spot it when it was returning to the airfield after the completion of its latest sortie and it seems that they could have hardly picked a more appropriate scheme. The deep chin air intake of the Tomahawk readily accepted the artwork and with the stocky side profile the aircraft possessed, it really did look like the gaping mouth of a flying Great White shark – it is almost as if the Tomahawk was built specifically with this scheme in mind. The scheme was an instant success and many other pilots wanted to copy the design, partly to show Squadron unity, but also to give their aircraft a fearsome look during combat. The order was given to allow the widespread adoption of the shark mouth design which was duly applied to the rest of the squadron’s fighters, although there were some fascinating variations on the original scheme carried by several aircraft.  RAF No. 112 Squadron of the Desert Air Force soon became known as the ‘Shark Squadron’.

 

An iconic image featuring the shark mouthed Tomahawks of No.112 Squadron

 

This interesting story does not end there. Desperate for some positive news from a war which had so far gone quite badly for the British, news of the Desert Air Force’s growing influence and the ‘Flying Sharks’ of No.112 Squadron began to filter back to the UK. It was not long before illustrated newspaper and magazine articles featuring their exploits began to circulate this encouraging news, with the content finding its way all over the Commonwealth. In Burma, American Volunteer Group pilot Charlie Bond (future 9.5 victory ace) was visiting friends on a rare day off from flying, when he noticed the Desert Air Force article in the Illustrated Weekly of India and saw a picture of the shark mouthed Tomahawks of the RAF. The AVG were also flying this early version of the Curtiss P-40 in combat against the Japanese, and he was so taken with the fearsome appearance of the British fighters that he set off into the local town to buy some paint immediately following his visit. The next day, Bond adorned his own P-40 with a similar shark mouth design to the one he had seen in the newspaper, with his aircraft becoming the first of the AVG fighters to carry these markings. Once again, the shape of the aircraft really suited this striking design and many of the other pilots soon applied the markings to their own aircraft and gave rise to one of the most significant aviation stories of the Second World War, that of the famous ‘Flying Tigers’ of the American Volunteer Group.

The Tomahawk proved to be a vital aircraft for the Royal Air Force at a time when they were under severe pressure and desperately trying to stem the advance of Axis air forces on several fronts. They simply needed to stay in the fight until their reserves were sufficient enough for them to go onto the offensive and hope the industrial might of the USA would finally prove decisive. At arguably the most volatile period of WWII for Britain, the Tomahawk played a significant role in North Africa and helped to keep the Axis powers committed on a number of fronts, draining valuable resources in the process. It was to equip no fewer than 25 RAF British and Commonwealth squadrons during WWII and is deserving of much more recognition than it usually receives.

This beautiful Desert Air Force Tomahawk is one of the distinctive shark mouthed aircraft operated by No.112 Squadron in their battles against Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica units. Flown by New Zealander Sergeant William Earl Houston from a number of airfields across Egypt, this aircraft would have taken part in some of the most savage aerial combat of the Second World War, which was played out in the baking heat of the sun and over some of the most inhospitable terrain on earth. Like many RAF Tomahawks, this aircraft was to fall to the guns of a Luftwaffe Messerschmitt and it is claimed that AK457 was actually the 32^nd victory for celebrated Luftwaffe fighter ace Hans Joachim Marseille (‘The Star of Afrika’) on 11^th December 1941.

 

Computer rendered 3D image of the new 1/48^th scale RAF Tomahawk

 

The new 1/48^th scale Curtiss P-40 (Warhawk/Tomahawk) tooling is a magnificent addition to this popular range of models, with the larger size associated with this scale certainly lending itself to the unique shape of this important aircraft. It will hopefully bring the P-40 to the attention of many more modellers and will certainly help to raise the profile of this unsung aviation hero of WWII. With both of the scheme options included with the recent release of A05133 allowing distinctive versions of this RAF fighter to be built, it will be a real challenge to decide which one to go with – perhaps this kit is a serious contender for a dual build challenge.

 

V.P.

[stever219]

Note that the box artwork and painting instructions show the dorsal radio antenna mast which isn't shown in the assembly instructions!😖  It's flashed-over locating hole lurks just aft of the locating pin and socket inside the dorsal spine and the part is on one of the sprues.

[Homebee]

Released - ref. A05133 - Curtiss Tomahawk MK.II: https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/shop/new-arrivals/curtiss-tomahawk-mk-iib-1-48.html

Source: 

https://www.facebook.com/officialairfix/photos/a.80699376270.112940.65102591270/10155502980526271/?type=3&theater

 

V.P.

 

Edited September 5, 2017 by Homebee

[Homebee]

Wolfpack Design decals sheets - Curtiss P-40 Warhawk Part 1 & 2 -  ref WD48015 & WD48016. 

Source: https://www.facebook.com/wolfpackd/photos/a.630752223684653.1073741844.554818677944675/1479856812107519/?type=3&theater

 

 

V.P.

[Tim T]

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On 8/18/2017 at 4:25 PM, Homebee said:

 

 

I love that photograph.  Thank you for posting.

[JeffreyK]

29 minutes ago, Tim T said:

I love that photograph.  Thank you for posting.

...and notice that continuous line formed by the oil cooler housing and the "nun's hat" belly.... just saying....

[Homebee]

Source: https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/news/workbench/new-canadair-sabre-development-exclusive

Released - ref. A01003B - Curtiss P-40B Warhawk

https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/shop/new-arrivals/curtiss-p-40b-warhawk.html

 

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The final kit in this new arrival trilogy is proof that the old adage ‘good things come in small packages’ also extends to the model kit world. Another recent blog star which has been causing quite a stir over the past few weeks, Curtiss P-40B Warhawk A01003B includes decal options which make this an almost irresistible choice for modellers, as it is a representation of an aircraft which has both impressive wartime and Airshow provenance.

 

The aircraft covered by this release was in a hangar undergoing maintenance during the infamous Pearl Harbor attack in December 1941, which is probably the reason why it survived. Many years later, it was the subject of a painstaking restoration project and when it took to the air once more in January 2007, it became the only airworthy Curtiss P-40B Warhawk in the world and significantly, the only surviving airworthy American fighter from the Pearl Harbor raid. Spending some time in the UK as part of the Fighter Collection at Duxford, this historic aircraft captivated thousands of people at their regular Airshow events, as every time it displayed, enthusiasts knew they were admiring a unique piece of aviation history.

 

Curtiss P-40B ‘White 284’ may now be back in the US where she belongs, but for anyone who was lucky enough to see this magnificent aircraft fly, this latest kit release will surely bring back some very happy memories indeed. Priced at an attractive £6.99, this might just be one of those appealing kits to place before the kids and say, ‘Have a go at this’ and whilst they are building it, regale them with tales of how you saw this Pearl Harbor veteran blasting around the skies of Cambridgeshire.

 

 

V.P.

Edited April 18, 2020 by Homebee

[shatters]

Is the mid stone colour scheme accurate, I've  never seen a tomahawk without the dark earth disruptive pattern ?

 

 

Phil

[stevehnz]

It is there but poorly shown in the artwork, a little easier to see in the side profile, the DE is very pale & the MS has a yellowly tinge which is correct.

Steve.

[shatters]

18 hours ago, stevehnz said:

It is there but poorly shown in the artwork, a little easier to see in the side profile, the DE is very pale & the MS has a yellowly tinge which is correct.

Steve.

I see, only looked at the online colour plan, had to zoom in to see the dark earth, thanks Steve.

 

 

Phil

[Homebee]

New boxing in Summer 2024 - ref. A05133A - Curtiss Tomahawk Mk.II

Source: https://uk.airfix.com/products/curtiss-tomahawk-mkii-a05133a

V.P.

Edited January 9 by Homebee