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49th FG P-40N nose markings


Brian J

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I'm presently getting ready to apply kit decals for the 1/48 Hasegawa P-40N 'Kansas City Kittie III'.   I am using several publications that cover the 49th FG including Protect & Avenge as reference as I've become skeptical about the accuracy of decals regardless of the source.  In the case of this subject the port nose markings appear accurate.  

 

My question has to do with the starboard markings as it appears that when 49th FG P-40s had personal nose art they usually had different markings on the starboard side.  I've never seen photos of the starboard nose of 'Kansas City Kittie III'.  Can any one verify if the kit decals are accurate as the nose art is the same on both sides.  Were there any markings?  Were they different on the starboard side?  

 

On the topic of 49th FG nose art, the P-40N flown by Joel Paris has long fascinated me.  There are several photos available showing the port nose art.  What were the markings on the starboard side, if any?

 

Any opinions or advice would be appreciated.

 

Brian  J

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Hi Brian,

 

I can't help much with "Kansas City Kiddie III" but agree about different markings on each side of the nose. And it wouldn't be the first time that Hasegawa printed the same markings for each side on its decals, for whatever reason, with at least one I know of for another 49th FG P-40 that is incorrect.

 

Regarding Joel Paris' P-40N, check out my build of his airplane from last year here:

 

http://www.p40warhawk.com/smf/index.php?topic=342.0

 

Hopefully it helps some, and feel free to ask anything after you peruse it.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

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Many thanks, Mark, for taking the time to respond.  Besides the different nose art on either side, the 49th appears to have painted the tail surfaces in various patterns relative to the under surfaces.  Various art work shows patterns all over the place.  So far I haven't seen too many photos of well known (nose art work) P-40Ns that show the entire aircraft.  Maybe that's the reason there aren't more decals for that group.   

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6 hours ago, Brian J said:

On the topic of 49th FG nose art, the P-40N flown by Joel Paris has long fascinated me.  There are several photos available showing the port nose art.  What were the markings on the starboard side, if any?

With the 1/72 P-40N Hasegawa include a decal for the nose art on both sides, which I find suspect, although I used both anyway.  

 

There seems a strong urge on behalf of some manufacturers to assume bilateral symmetry WRT nose art.  I just don't see some artsy bloke making the effort to get exactly the same freehand painting on each side while there was a war on and so many other duties to attend.

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52 minutes ago, Jackson Duvalier said:

With the 1/72 P-40N Hasegawa include a decal for the nose art on both sides, which I find suspect, although I used both anyway.

Hasegawa did the same on its 72nd markings for Sammy Pierce's "Kay the Strawberry Blonde," even though there's a photo of the starboard side showing something different....which is partly one reason why I waited until DK Decals did the markings for his P-40E so I could do his plane correctly (plus, I wanted to model his E instead of his N since he preferred it).

 

Another problem with doing decals accurately is that a pilot usually wore out and went through several planes during his tour, each differing to some degree in its markings.  For instance, Robert DeHaven of the 49th FG had a P-40K and, IIRC, three P-40Ns, and each had some minor differences.  The problem sometimes, based on the photos, is knowing what markings were on which plane.

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