Search the Community
Showing results for tags '81-A-2'.
-
Okay. It seems I am a sucker for punishment. The Bomber Defence Training Unit schemed P-40 that is near completion, has been a little more difficult than I anticipated. The Airfix kit presented a few fit issues that I have not encountered in the other "new" mould aircraft from them. The Xtradecal set also caused some "moments" due to occasionally sticking on the model before I had them in situ. So I am starting another Airfix 81-A-2 Hawk and using the Xtradecal X72-139 decal set. I intend on trying to replicate this. So off I go, making the most of a rainy day. First thing I tried was fitting the decal to the rudder, given the dramas of the last efforts. It fits poorly, so I will paint it instead (gulp!!) Cockpit was started by painting some parts with Mr Hobby H58 Interior Green and glueing the steer stick in place (and together, as it broke while being removed from sprue). I tried to whittle the undercarriage lever (?) down so it had a knob on the top. I was reasonably successful, then broke it in half while trying to pick up the cockpit floor for painting. Dooohhh!!! I made a new one out of RF lead copper wire and used canopy glue for the knob. Made belts out of Tamiya tape and crappy buckles using the fine wire from the outer part of same RF lead. They should be okay when viewed through a (yet to be fogged) canopy. All painted, dry brushed a little with aluminium, and decal IP added, then attached to lower wing. Fuselage glued together. Top wing halves glued to lower wing and then fuselage put in place. Much to my delight, I managed to have a much better join at the wing roots. This may be because I didn't press the wing root area down as hard, and also went for a slightly worse fit at the leading edge wing root area. This shall be much easier to tidy up. Or maybe the kit is a better batch ????????? All going well, then......... I realised after doing a little research that the P-40 I wish to do is not a "B" model. It is just called P-40 No armoured screen, external gun sight, not 4 wing guns and not a pic of it that I can find on the net. Similar 55 squadron planes have had a different demarcation line forward of the tail. Then I started wondering if I could do the first production P-40 (SN 39-156) Am I being too ambitious with this finish ? Can I polish the armoured frame off the windshield ? Why have I started this ? Lifes burning questions.