John Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 OK, one more just because I'm a big P-40 fan and this is the only one of my 4 entries I've never built before. It got a bit of a negative vibe when it came out at first but we'll see: John 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klr Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 Interesting that the artwork shows a drop tank, because the kit only came with a bomb. Anyway, I liked this kit. It may have been the first ever P-40 (Curtis Model 81 or 87 Hawk) I ever built, either that or the old Airfix Kittyhawk Ia*. *Which Airfix erroneously insisted on referring to as a P-40, even though it was never issued in USAAF markings. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 Well done John, another gap filed in the build list Looks like it's about to attack an Emily flying boat in the box-art. I've always found it strange that a kit manufacturer would choose to have a picture of another aircraft they don't make on the box cover ? The other one that springs to mind is the Airfix Sunderland with the FW200 Condor in the background. Best of luck. Cheers Pat 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 Yes... another gap filled with a kit not already nominated. Great call John, although I do share your sentiment that this P-40 was not the best example of this famous subject at its time of release. Still it's all Matchbox kit and you've got to love that Revell era box art with John Waddy's famous mount. Cheers. welcome aboard and best of luck.. Dave 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted January 20, 2022 Author Share Posted January 20, 2022 Let's have a wee look in the box: Neat. Only one colour of plastic, of course, as this is a Revell-era kit. Decals: A bit flash-struck but you can see this is a well printed sheet. I don't think I've ever built a NEI model, so that's the plan. This kit came in for a bit of stick when it came out. The only other P-40N that was generally available at the time was the even then ancient Monogram kit, and this one must have been an improvement on that. I think the Hasegawa P-40E and P-40N came out at either the same time or shortly afterwards and they were very neat little kits, so the Matchbox kit may have suffered in comparison. It's one of the few Purple range aircraft that didn't cross my bench back when they were released, so I'll be interested to see what I missed. I have plenty of P-40 spares so sourcing a drop tank shouldn't be a problem. John 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREG DESTEC Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 I like a P-40, it's one of my favourite WW2 types, possibly because of the old Airfix box art. I don't remember building the MB kit although I always liked the Burma Banshee markings from the original issues. Looking forward to seeing yours build up 🤓 Cheers Greg 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray S Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 This is one of those I never built so I will check in from time to time. I like the white tail scheme on the box. Ray 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 I once had this kit, however my cousin had also just purchased the new Hasegawa P-40N and we both turned up our noses when we laid the Matchbox kits parts down on the kitchen table. For some reason it has this weird Criss-cross panel line effect that ruins the model, however these can all be sanded down and I’m sure a much better P-40 would be the result. That is a nice decal sheet John and although I’m naturally RAAF biased, the Dutch East Indies example is also close to my Pacific Theatre heart. Cheers.. Dave 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted February 9, 2022 Share Posted February 9, 2022 Hi John Please accept my sincere apologies for not having done the meet and greet with you earlier. Dave is so much better at this than me due to his Air Stewardess training in the past Look forward to seeing this one progressing. Cheers Pat 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted February 10, 2022 Author Share Posted February 10, 2022 Threw some Humbrol 151 Interior Green at the innards a couple of nights ago: Hud me back - this kit has a control column! Is that unique for a Matchbox Purple Series aircraft kit? Can't think of another one. John 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanC Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 1 hour ago, John said: Hud me back - this kit has a control column! Is that unique for a Matchbox Purple Series aircraft kit? Can't think of another one. John The Henschel He 126 is similarly blessed! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted March 20, 2022 Share Posted March 20, 2022 Hi @John Have you had a chance to do any more to this one since we last heard from you ? Cheers Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted March 26, 2022 Author Share Posted March 26, 2022 Yes. I've glued the wings together: and marvelled at the depth of the panel lines. John 2 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted March 26, 2022 Share Posted March 26, 2022 Hmmm, a bit like the ones on the Hellcat I built in the Hellcat GB & the Buffalo I've just done, are we seeing a pattern here. 💡 Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted March 26, 2022 Author Share Posted March 26, 2022 It looks like one of these rare and scarcely documented navalized P-40s with folding wings... Maybe I should get another kit and use some of my Sovereign Hobbies Sea Blue to do it as a whif. I'd say the Corsair panels are not quite as bad but still pronounced and the Hellcat is the best of the ones I have on the bench just now. John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted May 1, 2022 Author Share Posted May 1, 2022 Off we go then. Nice, straightforward build of the basic airframe which shouldn't need much in the way of filler: John 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted May 8, 2022 Author Share Posted May 8, 2022 A coat of matt black followed by a couple of thinned coats of 155 Olive Drab has killed a lot of the overstated surface detail: It's starting to look better than I expected. John 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted May 8, 2022 Author Share Posted May 8, 2022 Medium Green camouflage applied: I've no particularly clear idea of what colour Medium Green is meant to be so I used good old Humbrol 163 Dark Green, which has dried pretty glossy - better stirring needed next time. The model will be getting a coat of Matt Cote anyway. The surface detail looks much better and I'm liking this kit more and more. John 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted May 15, 2022 Author Share Posted May 15, 2022 One of my acquisitions at Perth yesterday was a tin of Sovereign Hobbies Medium Green 42, which has now been painted over the Humbrol 163: Looks much better. John 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted May 16, 2022 Share Posted May 16, 2022 The Colourcoats colour looks much better John. I've a tin of Hu 30 that is a decent match for the Med Green 42 in the Monogram books, earmarked against the day I try some similar schemes. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted May 16, 2022 Author Share Posted May 16, 2022 That's exactly what I was thinking - at last a use for Humbrol 30 😃 John 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted May 29, 2022 Author Share Posted May 29, 2022 I have to admit, this is looking a lot better than I was expecting: John 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 Looks terrific John Cheers Pat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted June 4, 2022 Author Share Posted June 4, 2022 The fit of the canopy is really quite poor: It really only fitted where it touched, so I ended up using a smear of superglue on the cills and pressing the clear part down as much as I dared. There were still some hefty gaps, which I've filled with PVA glue. I remember years ago there being some chat that maybe the Matchbox moulds weren't entirely compatible with Revell's moulding contractor and there many be a bit of shrinkage, particularly in the transparent sprues. It's something I've come across now and again. The canopy is masked with The Works masking fluid, which is a bit thinner than Maskol and quicker drying. A couple of coats usually does the job. John 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted June 19, 2022 Author Share Posted June 19, 2022 Sadly the pressure of other commitments means this won't be finished and photographed in time for the gallery closing tonight: I'll complete it over the next couple of days and put the photos in this thread. John 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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