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Modelling 1/72 later P-40 / Kittyhawks


Kari Lumppio

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Hello!

 

I have some P-40 modelling questions:

 

1. Hasegawa 1/72 P-40N does not have the smaller wheels. Is there aftermarket ones which have correct diameter in addition to detail? Or kit parts.

2. Did RAF/RAAF Kittyhawk Mk.IV have four or six machine guns in wings?

3. Did RAF/RAAF Kittyhawk Mk II (P-40L?) have four or six machine guns in wings?

4. Where can one get correct wider blade propeller for P-40M n 1/72? Afermarket or has some kit it already?

5. Did Kittyhawk IV (P-40N) have also the wider blade propeller?

6. Wheel well canvas liners. Yes or no for Kittyhawks Mk.II to IV?

 

Questions inspired by a recent decal purchase.

 

Thanks in advance,

Kari

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For my Hase P-40N I have used the P-51B wheels from old Lindberg kit - look quite pretty. However recent Special Hobby #72374 kit has both sizes on the sprues.

All P-40L had four guns, so had the very early P-40Ns. Later P-40Ns were six-gunned again.

P-40N had the same wide-bladed prop as P-40M. The part is included in new Special Hobby P-40N kit mentioned above.

Hope it helps

Cheers

Michael

 

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I think ALL Curtiss Hawks from first P-36A to last P-40N had the canvas wheel well liners. There's a photo of airframes awaiting scrapping post WW2 and they all have the liners in place. Only ones which don't are 'modern' Warbirds....

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Kari,

 

Off the top of my head and in no particular order:

P-40N had 27" wheels; all others had 30" wheels; SBS Models has 27" resin P-40N wheels stock no. 72-025

 

P-40E through P-40N had the wide chord prop, IIRC- you could take one of the props that has the same rotation off of a P-38 kit to use for a P-40E/N, or get a P-38 Quickboost prop set- of course one prop will be useless. I have so many Frog/Airfix/ Hasegawa Lightnings I'm well-supplied!

 

Canvas covers for P-40E through N; many times covers were not replaced after maintenance, but in dusty areas, probably always re-installed.

P-40L initial production  batches had 6 guns; later blocks may have had 4 guns only; I will have to check on this to be sure.

 

P-40N-1 had four guns and standard P-40E/F/K canopy; P-40N-5 and subsequent had 6 guns; N's had 27" wheels and aluminum oil coolers to reduce all-up weight as well as frameless sliding hood and reworked area behind seat for increased visibility. P-40N-40 had flame dampening exhausts. Mustang wheels might be too big in diameter, but off the top of my head, I don't recall the diameter.

 

I have attached a link to an excellent overview of P-40 types by IPMS Stockholm- it's a great modeling reference! Hope this helps!

Mike

 

http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/1999/09/stuff_eng_p40.htm

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Try the SBS wheels-- they are gorgeous! I also recommend the True Details interior set, it's a drop-in fit for the Hasegawa kit and quite inexpensive.

 

My main gripe with the Hasegawa P-40N (aside from the shallow wheel wells, which sort of goes without saying for Hasegawa) is the breather holes on either side of the nose. They're not properly aligned. Very very not properly aligned, and not big enough, and too shallow, especially considering how good the fit is and how nicely engraved the panel detail is.  I wound up spending the time to fill the kit holes, re-mark them, and drill them out.  The Academy P-40M/N kit is better here, but the Hasegawa kit is to my eye a better representation overall.

 

Except for those blasted breather holes!

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15 minutes ago, Jackson Duvalier said:

Try the SBS wheels-- they are gorgeous! I also recommend the True Details interior set, it's a drop-in fit for the Hasegawa kit and quite inexpensive.

 

My main gripe with the Hasegawa P-40N (aside from the shallow wheel wells, which sort of goes without saying for Hasegawa) is the breather holes on either side of the nose. They're not properly aligned. Very very not properly aligned, and not big enough, and too shallow, especially considering how good the fit is and how nicely engraved the panel detail is.  I wound up spending the time to fill the kit holes, re-mark them, and drill them out.  The Academy P-40M/N kit is better here, but the Hasegawa kit is to my eye a better representation overall.

 

Except for those blasted breather holes!

Total agreement on the breather holes and wheel bays! I didn't go the extra mile/km you did, but did drill them all out and put a piece of plasticard behind to avoid see thru. On the wheel bays, I drilled out the roof of each bay and used foil which I crinkled  to line the roof and walls of each bay- this made each bay deeper and simulated the canvas very well after painting. With an aftermarket interior, better wide-chord prop and the SBS wheels, I think the Hasegawa kit holds its own against the newer releases- just wish Hasegawa hadn't handled the wing halves the way they did- you get razor-thin trailing edges, but that seam is a pain to eliminate and dropping the flaps is no fun, either!

Mike

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4 hours ago, Kari Lumppio said:

Hello!

 

I have some P-40 modelling questions:

 

4. Where can one get correct wider blade propeller for P-40M n 1/72? Afermarket or has some kit it already?

 

Hi Kari,

 

Quickboost makes a replacement prop, QB 72 281:

QB72281

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18 hours ago, Kari Lumppio said:

Hello!

 

I have some P-40 modelling questions:

 

.

2. Did RAF/RAAF Kittyhawk Mk.IV have four or six machine guns in wings?

42-104429 to 1004904 was delivered with 4 guns installed and 2 as loose equipement

3. Did RAF/RAAF Kittyhawk Mk II (P-40L?) have four or six machine guns in wings?

6 wing guns

5. Did Kittyhawk IV (P-40N) have also the wider blade propeller?

wide blade DWG 89303 Curtiss Electric

 

6. Wheel well canvas liners. Yes or no for Kittyhawks Mk.II to IV?

wheel pocket, "duck cotton" 12oz fitted P36 to P40 families

 

and, P40n had not electric tab on left aileron, just a single tab. The rear vision mirror is hanged under the windscreen frame.

No horn under the rear vision window(N-1)

On floor, one hydraulic pump only (on E to L has two pumps, 1 auxiliary + 1emergency painted in red)

....

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14 hours ago, Nachtwulf said:

 I believe he means the auxiliary air intakes on either side of the nose just in front of the exhaust manifold.

Yep- that's what I called them; sometimes I get confused if I'm talking cars or aircraft. Sorry! Major brain infarction!

Mike

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59 minutes ago, BS_w said:

and, P40n had not electric tab on left aileron, just a single tab. The rear vision mirror is hanged under the windscreen frame.

No horn under the rear vision window(N-1)

On floor, one hydraulic pump only (on E to L has two pumps, 1 auxiliary + 1emergency painted in red)

....

You are, of course correct. I don't usually get into the minutiae until I'm actually getting ready to build a model. I am glad you pointed out the additional details to Kari for his model- I was just posting the details I could remember off the top of my head, and figured the "experts" would log on to fill in the gaps.

Mike

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18 hours ago, Nachtwulf said:

 I believe he means the auxiliary air intakes on either side of the nose just in front of the exhaust manifold.

Yes, quite. As much as I like aircraft, I don't always have a complete command of the proper terminology.  :huh:

 

In other news, I discovered Marabu Models offers a P-40M decal sheet that comes with several sets of etched auxiliary intake cover plates. Might be an easier solution than the superglue/bodkin/microdrill dance.

 

19 hours ago, 72modeler said:

On the wheel bays, I drilled out the roof of each bay and used foil which I crinkled  to line the roof and walls of each bay- this made each bay deeper and simulated the canvas very well after painting.

An excellent and inexpensive solution. I did spring for the lovely Aires wheel bay set to go with an Academy P-40M/N, but it costs more than the kit. Probably won't be doing that again. 

 

5 hours ago, BS_w said:

P40n had not electric tab on left aileron, just a single tab. The rear vision mirror is hanged under the windscreen frame.

No horn under the rear vision window(N-1)

On floor, one hydraulic pump only (on E to L has two pumps, 1 auxiliary + 1emergency painted in red)

Good information, thank you!

 

 

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6 hours ago, BS_w said:

and, P40n had not electric tab on left aileron, just a single tab.

....

I forget, it's on airplanes 42-104429 up to 43-24251 (P40N-1/5/10/15 & 20)

Edited by BS_w
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7 hours ago, Jackson Duvalier said:

In other news, I discovered Marabu Models offers a P-40M decal sheet that comes with several sets of etched auxiliary intake cover plates. Might be an easier solution than the superglue/bodkin/microdrill dance.

Thank you for mentioning this.  I had been looking at my Hasegawa P-40N kits, and has been pointed out earlier in this thread, those intake covers are absolutely terrible.  The Marabu set will address that perfectly.

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Speaking of the wheel wells.  I also had bought a couple of the Aires resin wheel well sets - not really sure why as I am the first to say that they really serve no purpose.  Unless a kit is displayed on a mirror, you'd never really see those wheel wells.  Nonetheless, I've have fallen into the resin wheel well trap myself!  LOL

 

After having read several of the comments in this thread, in particular about the canvas covers used in a P-40's wheel well, I started thinking that instead of spending a lot of money to but even more of the resin sets that are supposed to represent this feature, why not just cut out the closed wheel well, find a piece of suitable diameter brass or plastic tube (slightly larger than the original opening), fit, cut to the right height and glue in place.  Once it has set, all you would need to do is roll out some Milliput (or your favorite brand of putty) and line the interior of the wheel well (hence the slightly larger diameter).  I believe you would achieve the same (or even better) effect that the more pricey resin set gives you.  Certainly at a substantial reduce cost, in particular if you are planning several P-40 kits. 

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48 minutes ago, Wm Blecky said:

Speaking of the wheel wells.  I also had bought a couple of the Aires resin wheel well sets - not really sure why as I am the first to say that they really serve no purpose.  Unless a kit is displayed on a mirror, you'd never really see those wheel wells.  Nonetheless, I've have fallen into the resin wheel well trap myself!  LOL

 

After having read several of the comments in this thread, in particular about the canvas covers used in a P-40's wheel well, I started thinking that instead of spending a lot of money to but even more of the resin sets that are supposed to represent this feature, why not just cut out the closed wheel well, find a piece of suitable diameter brass or plastic tube (slightly larger than the original opening), fit, cut to the right height and glue in place.  Once it has set, all you would need to do is roll out some Milliput (or your favorite brand of putty) and line the interior of the wheel well (hence the slightly larger diameter).  I believe you would achieve the same (or even better) effect that the more pricey resin set gives you.  Certainly at a substantial reduce cost, in particular if you are planning several P-40 kits. 

For my RNZAF P40E-1 build, I simply took masking tape, stuck together sticky side in, then

wrapped around a suitable sizes round object (pill bottle in this case) glued the edges, then took

same tape and formed the well cover bottoms.

Once dry carefully placed edges  to mate with inner wheel well surface and then applied epoxy around the

inner wing to hold in place - painted appropriate drab color.

568e1537-f14f-4dd1-ac9b-f355ced3cf77.jpg

99f7c3f8-9f3a-486f-a48a-bee50296ccbc.jpg

 

It's not totally perfect but does the job :D Still need to ad brass studs inside, probably spots of brass paint

 

I glued ribbing to the upper wing to show through, but forgot about the aerofoil shape - never mind

5f2729b6-e859-431f-9dba-d7c2923bb432.jpg

 

Hope that helps?

 

Regards

 

Alan

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On ‎2‎/‎11‎/‎2018 at 5:08 PM, Jackson Duvalier said:

Try the SBS wheels-- they are gorgeous! I also recommend the True Details interior set, it's a drop-in fit for the Hasegawa kit and quite inexpensive.

 

My main gripe with the Hasegawa P-40N (aside from the shallow wheel wells, which sort of goes without saying for Hasegawa) is the breather holes on either side of the nose. They're not properly aligned. Very very not properly aligned, and not big enough, and too shallow, especially considering how good the fit is and how nicely engraved the panel detail is.  I wound up spending the time to fill the kit holes, re-mark them, and drill them out.  The Academy P-40M/N kit is better here, but the Hasegawa kit is to my eye a better representation overall.

 

Except for those blasted breather holes!

Yes, they are outstanding, Jackson; I bought a set as soon as I discovered that the N's had smaller wheels. The TD cockpit sets are super- I have three of them.

Mike

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On 11.02.2018 at 9:49 PM, KRK4m said:

For my Hase P-40N I have used the P-51B wheels from old Lindberg kit - look quite pretty. However recent Special Hobby #72374 kit has both sizes on the sprues.

 

I just have received the new SH 72734 P-40N ...

Unfortunately I must correct my previous opinion - the kit has two KINDS (i.e. designs - plain and spoked) of mainwheels, but they both feature 10.6mm diameter which makes 30" in real size.

Pity :(

Cheers

Michael

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45 minutes ago, KRK4m said:

I just have received the new SH 72734 P-40N ...

Unfortunately I must correct my previous opinion - the kit has two KINDS (i.e. designs - plain and spoked) of mainwheels, but they both feature 10.6mm diameter which makes 30" in real size.

Pity :(

Cheers

Michael

Michael,

I was afraid that was going to be the case; thanks for the confirmation. I know the SBS resin P-40N wheels have the correct diameter, but do you or anybody else on BM have the Eduard  Brassin P-40N wheels to confirm that they are indeed 27" in diameter? Also, did they get the trim tab for the N correct?

Mike

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Sorry - I don't have Brassin wheels... And the trim tabs are different - left one (port side) fits totally into the aileron outline  looks to be movable, while on the starboard (right) side the tab protrudes behind the trailing edge and looks like the spring one, fixable on the ground only.

Cheers

Michael 

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