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Hi again,

 

While awaiting the finishing touches for the Maltese Mosquito, and before attempting another bigger build, I thought I'd take the opportunity to bash out my Airfix P-40B that was originally intended for the Starter Kit GB.

 

Unfortunately, in the course of the GB, it became clear that the paints provided by Airfix were so completely wrong it was practically a 'what if' build. We were only allowed to use what came in the box so the Tommy went back into storage. Now here it is, living to fight another day!

 

The kit is completely bog standard from the Alamein Dogfight Double set, which looks rather like this:

 

197608-13280-81-pristine_zpserll5dwp.jpg

 

As you can see, the markings given for the P-40B are AN218 nickname 'Menace' which was on the strength of 112 Sqn at Sidi Hanish in the summer of 1941. However, at the time of the markings provided, 112 Sqn was operating its aircraft in the approved colour scheme: Temperate Land (Dark Earth/Dark Green/Sky). The squadron was lobbying hard for a more effective desert camouflage to be approved, because Sky was no good from below and dark green was hopeless from above - but change was slow to come.

 

Photographs of 112 Sqn up the blue in 1941 show an evolution from Temperate Land Scheme towards the definitive Desert Scheme. When supplies of Mid-Stone were finally allocated, there were some aircraft with the Dark Green areas overpainted (to make Desert Scheme), others with the Dark Earth overpainted (making Tropical Land Scheme). This seems to have happened when 112 Sqn applied its recognition letters of GA as well as the individual aircraft letters, and anecdotal evidence from squadron members states that this took place in November 1941.

 

The best picture I've seen of AN218 has her still in Temperate Land Scheme of Dark Earth/Dark Green over Sky. The spinner should have been Sky but appears darker, assumed red, and she has a shark's mouth painted on. Neither the red spinner or the shark's mouth were officially approved at the time, but were almost universally adopted by 112 Sqn aircraft. Quite how these colourful additions supported the squadron's demands for better camouflage is not made clear!

 

Anyway, that's my plan and while I've got the complete kit and decals I appear to have lost the instructions somewhere! Hopefully they will turn up. Meanwhile I got started by painting the interior green - I took a dollop of Tamiya 'Cockpit Green" and mixed it with Flat Yellow in an empty cupcake box until it was the sort of shade that I wanted:

 

IMG_6292_zpsczlrssqo.jpg

 

IMG_6294_zpsefol1viq.jpg

 

So far so good. If anyone has the instructions and is able to scan them I'd be grateful to see them please, although the fundamental build looks fairly straightforward!

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Sounds interesting MD, I'm in :popcorn: 

 

I'm guessing you've already seen this site, but just in case you haven't, or if it could be of use to anyone else - there are a few pictures of AN218 here as well as some of the squadron's other P-40s:

 

http://raf-112-squadron.org/raf_112_squadron_photos_1941.html

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

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Thanks chaps. And it's great to have some instructions to work to, Beard. Especially as you seem to have to build this one back-to-front!

 

We might well be testing the 'you can't have too many P-40s' concept to breaking point but let's see, shall we?!

 

 

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24 minutes ago, maltadefender said:

Thanks chaps. And it's great to have some instructions to work to, Beard. Especially as you seem to have to build this one back-to-front!

 

We might well be testing the 'you can't have too many P-40s' concept to breaking point but let's see, shall we?!

 

 

 

Back-to-front? That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said about any of builds. :D

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Nonononono, Beard! What I meant was... :blush:... oh dear!

 

Ahhh poo. I've really made a mess of painting the canopy already. Time to strip, order some masks and repaint. Having the frames so massively raised has caused the masking tape to wrinkle and it's all just a runny mess.

 

I'll get on with the rest and come back to the canopy.

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Hi Beard. I wanted to try and have the propeller spinning freely, so taped the top of the cowl on to get the camo right, now I'll stick the prop in there and glue it all shut.

 

There might be method in the madness, but the jury is still out on that one!

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8 hours ago, maltadefender said:

Hi Beard. I wanted to try and have the propeller spinning freely, so taped the top of the cowl on to get the camo right, now I'll stick the prop in there and glue it all shut.

 

There might be method in the madness, but the jury is still out on that one!

 

That makes sense, thanks for explaining.

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I thought that the spinner looked a bit 'toy town' so went over the scarlet paint with hull red. An improvement, I think.

 

Now the warpaint's going on.

 

Tell me, P-40 folk, is there some kind of ritual required at this stage? Dancing bare-chested round an open fire? Biting the head off a scorpion? Menace is growing some teeth here...

 

2016-12-09%2021.43.15_zpsbwxd4knv.jpg

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15 minutes ago, maltadefender said:

 

Tell me, P-40 folk, is there some kind of ritual required at this stage? Dancing bare-chested round an open fire? Biting the head off a scorpion? Menace is growing some teeth here...

 

 

I think dancing round a bare-chested scorpion while on fire would be appropriate.

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All decals on. Thought I'd try the canopy on for size now that it's painted.

 

2016-12-10%2000.33.09_zpsr9drt556.jpg

 

Tomorrow I'll get this one finished and start sweating on the Gladiator!

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All done. Not too much weathering - just a bit of muck on the wheels and a tiny bit of wear on the paint. I'll take some pretty pictures of it and pop it in the gallery soon.

 

photo%205_zpsqh3pcxqe.jpg

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Thanks Stew. Not a massive fan of the kit but perhaps I was spoilt by the Tamiya Mossie!

 

I shall probably be pining for it when wrestling with a Roden!

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