Paul J Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 I see, unless I can't see, that no one has entered a P-40F/L with a Merlin up front. Well providing I have time, I'll have a go at remedying this omission and build my ancient MPM kit. Pic to come once I find the kit in my stash! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Hall Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Definitely overdue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Yes, I've been waiting to see one of these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 I was going to but I have 'mislaid' my resin conversion for my AMT kit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manipled Mutineer Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Always the best-looking P-40 to my mind. Looking forward to this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyverns4 Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 Hi Paul, A belated welcome to the group-build and well done for being the first to model the most elegant version of the P-40 and for doing so with probably the worst kit of it! Christian the Married and exiled to africa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted February 26, 2015 Author Share Posted February 26, 2015 Hi all. Thanks for the encouragement for the Merlin P-40. I'll be starting on it next week. Too much going on with the Father in laws funeral on Monday at the moment. Any postings I make currently are from work. Re the P-40, its now a matter of schemes. I have the Sky decals and it looks like it has markings for the airworthy one at Duxford wears so may do that..... or a French one.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted February 27, 2015 Author Share Posted February 27, 2015 Had a few moments to do a few pre build pics: The vac form canopy is going to be fun. It looks a bit too narrow. Was thinking of using my remaining Aires resin set to improve the VERY basic MPM rendition of the cockpit! I know the parts are more for an M/N but in this size I ain't gonna worry.... and it will hardly be visible under the framed canopy. On the left the kit etch and on the rght the Aires set. Note the differences! Quite rough edges to the plastic in places! So some cleaning up to do. On studying the parts, there is strong resemblances to the "other" makers kit parts I've built in this GB. And, is a very old MPM tooling when compared to those of nowadays. Just have a look at those 'thunder thighs' u/cart legs! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 Ooooh nice looking project Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyverns4 Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 Nothing that a modeler of your caliber can't deal with... I have several early MPM's in the stash and they can look quiet daunting in the box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 Looking forward to this one Paul. Which scheme are you going for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 Not sure about scheme yet but will probaly be 'sandy'. Been having another look at the parts and the "interesting" vac form canopy, I think I may well scratch detail the cockpit rather than use the resin which will be a pattern for which bits I'll make as not much will be seen through the 'clear' part framing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 Didn't plan on making a start on this one just yet but I had some spare time last night and done this: Rad front with the kit etch in place. Plus I cut out the one and only canopy in the kit with great care as there was no going back if the knife slipped! Joined the fuselage. I'll be adding my own sidewall detail from the opening below. Not much but just enough. Wings. The rectangular part is the roof of the wheel bays with a bit of 'crude' detail but I can live with it. wing from below. Prop. A small dimple on the tip of the spinner but can be cured. Hmm. Nasty looking seat and tabless tailplanes. Ah. The seat looks much better now. Tailplanes clean up OK, mainwheels copies of the Hasegawa mouldings but in halves hence the sprue tabs. Might use them but I do have spare "Hase" wheels in case. Exhausts clened up too. But the legs.... they will need sorting or most likely replaced! Sub stages so far... Choices.... I went for the spare resin panel from my previous build here. The etch doesn't quite cut it for me. Here, you can just make out the perfectly fitting resin panel and a bit more 'comfort' for the driver in his seat... And the Aires resin set, well, it will be included in my for sale post. TBC..... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Looks good nice work I like the etch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 That looks like a difficult kit. Excellent work so far Paul. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 Update:Assembly now progressed. Side windows fitted with PVA(thats what that white stuff is making it look a bit...hmmm....)But it did dry clear.Kit cockpit eventually used. I didn't have much luck in getting pics of scratch built sidewall detail but it is there!Floor and seat fitted.Wings fitted. Not a very good match at the LE roots but a bit of careful fettling remedied this area. That sink mark in centre is also now gone!From above.All primed up and prop loosely fitted for picture pose. I used nearly all the etch provided in the kit, including the tiny linkages from the leg cover to the leg except the instrument panel.I was unable to find suitable undercart legs to rplace the kit items and so tidied up as best I could the kit parts. The wheels I did replace with a pair of spares from a Hasegawa kit. The others you can see here are the kit ones joined up and ending up much too fat! Also the tidied up exhausts. Again these bear a strong resemblance to Hasegawa kit parts but a bit cruder and so needed a fair bit of cleaning up. Not sure though, if hye are right for a Merlin P-40. The canopy fitted well even though I though I'd trimmed too much from the vacform part. I'll try and get some paint on between now and the weekend.Cheers for now. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Good progress. Nice work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Yes, that's looking great Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Hall Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 That MPM kit has more than a little resemblance to the Hasegawa P-40E kit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolwe82 Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 nicely done Paul, great work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted March 15, 2015 Author Share Posted March 15, 2015 Final in progress pic. Exhausts yet to be fitted and painted ,meanwhile main painting done and ready for decals. Next pics of the finished build will be in the Gallery section later today. Incidentally, I mixed up the camo colours to try and represent the American equivalents of the colours using Xtracrylics Dark Earth and Mid stone by adding a touch of white to the midstone and Testors Earth red to the dark earth 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Looking good that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Just saw the gallery pics, nice to see a Merlin version complete. Great build Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted March 18, 2015 Author Share Posted March 18, 2015 Thanks all for comments and encouragement. This is my third and final entry. I do have a couple Airfix P-40B but won't have time to do either of these but will at some tie ahead. Got to prepare my entry for the French GB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellzy Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Looking nice Paul Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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