Airfix Curtiss P-40B Warhawk (A01003B) 1:72 Airfix

[Julien]

Curtiss P-40B Warhawk (A01003B)

1:72 Airfix

 

 

The Curtiss Hawk 81-A-2, known in US Army Air Corps service as the P-40B Warhawk and in RAF service as the Tomahawk Mk. IIA, was a single seat fighter based on the radial engined P-36 Hawk and first flown in 1938. The P-40 series went on to be amongst the most produced US fighters of the war, with more than 13,000 rolling off the production line. A popular aircraft with its pilots, the P-40 earned a reputation as a manoeuvrable yet tough aircraft.

 

 

 

 

The Kit

This was a new tool for Airfix back in 2011. The kits 47 parts are split across 2 light grey sprues and one small transparent sprue. The quality of the mouldings looks very nice indeed; as you would expect from a newer tool there is no flash present and there are no sink marks. The panel lines are crisply rendered and, although they are quite deeply engraved, they are certainly not too broad or ‘trench like’ and I imagine the majority of modellers will be very satisfied with them. The surface of the plastic is also smooth and glossy as opposed to the slightly textured finish that has featured on some recent kits from Airfix. From the layout of the sprues it would appear that slide mould technology has been used to create the hollow intake on top of the engine cowling too.

 

 

Cockpit detail is comprised of a floor, instrument panel, seat and control column. The instrument panel is devoid of raised detail as a decal is provided to represent the instruments instead. The cockpit sidewalls feature convincing detail, the majority of which is embossed into the sides of the fuselage rather than standing proud. The lower wing is moulded in one piece and the main gear wheel wells are moulded with convincing depth and detail. Two different main gear wheels are provided – a pair of nicely weighted wheels for the undercarriage down option and a pair of thinned wheels for the undercarriage up version. The tail wheel is moulded in one piece and the fabric cover for its bay is very nicely represented.

 

 

Two types of radiator flaps are provided, giving the modeller the choice to pose them open or closed. The tail planes are perhaps the one area of the kit where the panel lines are too pronounced, but by happy coincidence this would be the easiest area to rectify should you so wish. The rudder is moulded separately to the tail and can be posed in a deflected position – a nice touch for a relatively simple series one kit. The exhausts are moulded separately to the fuselage and can be dropped in at the end of the build, which will make painting these parts much easier. The transparent parts are beautifully thin and clear, so much so that it’s a shame that the sliding canopy is moulded in one piece with the windscreen as it can’t be posed open without some surgery.

 

 

Decals

A small decal sheet from Cartograf (so you know the quality is there) provides decals for aircraft only. 284 from the 6th Pursuit Sqn, 18th Pursuit Group Wheeler Field, Hawaii December 7th 1941 

 

 

 

Conclusion

As with other recent releases from Airfix, this is a great looking kit that features nice details and a host of clever little touches. If the fit and engineering of this kit is up to the same standard as their other recent kits then this will be a very buildable little model indeed. This kit can be firmly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of