Manipled Mutineer Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 (edited) With my build already being quite advanced, I'm too late to join in the GB 'for real', but I thought I would contribute a WiP thread (with permission) anyway. Here is "Squirlbate", a P-40N flown by Captain Richard J. Vodra of the8th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group during the New Guinea campaign. Captain Vodra was credited with two victories during the campaign and later went on to become successful writer and inventor. The name of his mount and the spelling thereof apparently represent his fondness for wordplay, whilst the chequered tail represents a riposte to an enemy pilot, also flying a chequered 'plane who had previously badly shot him up. The kit is the venerable old 1/72 Hasegawa offering, and the decals are by Aeromaster courtesy of Paul J. I was drawn to it by the interesting colour scheme, which Aeromaster and at least one other source posit as dark green, middle stone and azure blue. Build is out of the box, paints are Humbrol acrylics. I started off painting the cockpit and innards Humbrol 226 Interior Green and putting together the fuselage halves and cockpit assembly (above). I then moved on to the wings, which needed a little clamping: Edited December 28, 2015 by Manipled Mutineer 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempestwulf Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 You have to love the classic lines of Hasegawas P-40 kits. I'd gone for the Academy kit more recently but it's a fat beast and the Hasegawa one has much nicer lines. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Nice looking forward to seeing this come together 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Lloyd Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I once held the Hasegawa and Academy parts alongside one another and concluded Mr Academy had, ahem, borrowed heavily from Mr Hasegawa. Might have another look. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Not The first time I've heard Of them erm being similar To other kits their bismark and tirpitz bear some similarity to the tamiya kits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I once held the Hasegawa and Academy parts alongside one another and concluded Mr Academy had, ahem, borrowed heavily from Mr Hasegawa. Might have another look. Re the similarity, the story I heard was the man responsible for some of the Hasegawa kits went to Academy. The other aircraft that come to mind with strong resmblances are the P-47 s and a couple others I don' t recall which though but the P-40 and P-47 certainly. However still acceptable and good kits. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caszerino Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Definitely be looking forward to this one coming together, as my childhood nickname was "Squirrelbait" and my father and I still refer to the dog and other peoples' children as such! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antoine Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 49th? Nice choice, I've always had a soft spot for this group and its P-40s. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manipled Mutineer Posted February 18, 2015 Author Share Posted February 18, 2015 Many thanks all! To continue, the next step was to attach the wing section (some fettling needed), and commence that satisfying stage where it first starts to look like an aeroplane: I always like it once the propeller assembly and empennage are complete. I also began rubbing down the seams and cleaning up any glue overruns, with the aim of providing a reasonably respectable surface to paint over. I also dry-fitted the canopy, as seen below. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Looking nice waiting to see this with paint. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Lloyd Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Re the similarity, the story I heard was the man responsible for some of the Hasegawa kits went to Academy. The other aircraft that come to mind with strong resmblances are the P-47 s and a couple others I don' t recall which though but the P-40 and P-47 certainly. However still acceptable and good kits. If it means we get a good basic kit with some updates like recessed panel lines and a better cockpit, I'm all in favour. And Hasegawa all too often ration their availability of key models which offends me greatly... so power to you, Mr Academy. I have a feeling this P-40 is going to look really good. The Curtiss is such a great groupbuild subject, so many scheme options. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manipled Mutineer Posted February 18, 2015 Author Share Posted February 18, 2015 Thanks for all the encouraging comments, I hope that the final product will be at least passable... Although it may not immediately look like it, I took more care than usual over the pilot: I thought it would be a good opportunity to deploy my new detail brush, which I found I had to twin with a jewellers' eyeglass in order to get any true idea of the effect. It was probably an amusing sight, watching me with brush in one hand, squinting through a loupe firmly clamped to my right spectacle lens by the other. Unfortunately my figure painting skills aren't good enough to make an attempt at a likeness. Colours were, broadly in line with those set out in the instructions, 26 Khaki, 33 Matt Black, 62 Leather, 61 Flesh and 154 Insignia Yellow, plus a touch of Modelmaster White and Revell Leaf Green (just because I could) for the eyes. One he is installed I will probably glue on the canopy (using Revell Clearfix or PVA) and then move on to the painting. Undercarriage will go on last, owing to my unfortunate tendency to snap bits off otherwise. I have already installed the exhaust stubs (Hu53 Gunmetal, with an overpainting of Hu113 Rust) so most of the remaining assembly is to the undersurface only. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Let's put it this way Most 1/72 pilots don't go anywhere near the finished kit due to painting them so good job 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellzy Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Its all looking good ,nice build Les 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manipled Mutineer Posted February 19, 2015 Author Share Posted February 19, 2015 Thanks both - like the banner, by the way Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manipled Mutineer Posted February 24, 2015 Author Share Posted February 24, 2015 Away last weekend, so only managed to install the pilot & affix the canopy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Looks last me it fits well. Are you going to prime it first? I should imagine that green plastic is going to be a pain to cover Looks last me it fits well. Are you going to prime it first? I should imagine that green plastic is going to be a pain to cover 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manipled Mutineer Posted February 25, 2015 Author Share Posted February 25, 2015 Thanks Daz: I haven't quite decided yet, I usually use one of the dominant colours as a base coat, or occasionally silver (if I am trying for chipping on the wing leading edges, etc.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 When you do the paint chipping, go easy and lightly dab edges where you'd imagine paint to wear. And do very small 'dabs' Try scaling yourself down to get an idea of how chipped paint would look. I've seen many a model look like its been flown under a car wash or done with a broom covered in silver paint! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manipled Mutineer Posted February 26, 2015 Author Share Posted February 26, 2015 Thanks Paul, some useful tips there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manipled Mutineer Posted February 27, 2015 Author Share Posted February 27, 2015 Quick question: Hasegawa provide a gun camera with this kit, with the caution that not all Ns carried one, so one should look at a photograph in order to ascertain the position in relation to the particular aircraft modelled. Does anyone have access to such a photograph, or suggestions as to how I might make this particular call? Many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Lloyd Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Almost all the combat-deployed Ns I have illustrated seem to have an opening just near the port wing root. Given conditions in New Guinea, footage would have been vital to verification. I am assuming this is a camera port, but I don't have a good cutaway drawing of the P-40. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manipled Mutineer Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 Interesting: Hasegawa actually provide an underwing fairing for this. Will try and dig out a cutaway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Hall Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Mutineer, is the kit part of this?: http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675055366_Army-Navy-Gun-Camera_magazine-containing-film_Curtiss-P-40_Lockheed-P-38-aircraft 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manipled Mutineer Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 (edited) That's the one! Many thanks for finding the footage, highly interesting. Edited February 28, 2015 by Manipled Mutineer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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