Modelling Kittyhawk I AK670 in 1/72

[Procopius]

Hullo all,

 

I'm far from a P-40 expert -- is it possible to build the RAF Kittyhawk I serialled AK670 with the Special Hobby Kittyhawk Ia kit? What changes if any would need to be made?

 

 

[Greenshirt]

From raf-112-squadron.org:

Quote

P-40D-CU, allocated registrations AK571 to AL230. The first 20 aircraft were fitted with 4 machine guns in the wings, the remaining 540 had 6 wing guns, and had the company designation H87A-2.

My notes show similar info, indicating the Kittyhawk Ia was externally identical to the P-40E with 6 guns. 
 

Whether the SH kit will work, likely yes requiring only a more accurate harness, maybe a change of seat. I’m still dithering on that one. 
 

Tim

[Procopius]

3 minutes ago, Greenshirt said:

Whether the SH kit will work, likely yes requiring only a more accurate harness, maybe a change of seat. I’m still dithering on that one. 

 

 

Thank you! What harness and seat would it (potentially) need? 

[Andrew]

16 minutes ago, Procopius said:

What harness and seat would it (potentially) need?

I think this Quickboost offering might be useful... compare with the similar seat 72299, which comes with the American harness.

[JackG]

AK670 falls in the group of serials allotted as the P-40D.   Yes to the six gun armament, but these had the earlier flat access panels around the blast tubes.   Special Hobby has this correctly illustrated on the box top and colour profile, but the plastic is the later style circular fairings introduced with the P-40E.  For the wing pitot tube, it probably was the kinked style (L shaped) also supplied in the kit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

regards,

Jack

[Buz]

Don't normally work in 1/72 so had to look the kit up. It (the kit) seems to have the straight through Pitot tube (may just have been the version of the kit I was looking at), to be faithful to AK670 it would need to be the RAF style "Cranked" pitot. As mentioned above the  seat needs to have the rounded corners with Sutton harness. The kit looks like it has the blue formation lights (not sure if the kit provides a small piece of clear plastic for these) they need to be filled with a blue finish (clear blue paint should work, too small for cutting a bit of clue clear plastic)

 

Which markings you using, 450 SQN, 260 SQN or 4 SQN (SAAF)?, as these will need differing roundels (fuselage).

 

Buz

Edited May 17, 2022 by Buz

[JackG]

As far as Special Hobby 1/72 kits go, the Kittyhawk Mk.IA  and P-40E 'Claws and Teeth' are boxed with identical sprues.   The Kittyhawk is only a better choice because it includes RAF roundels.  Again, I can confirm SH provide a choice of either the long pitot tube with shark fin, as well as the cranked style.  

 

The forward fuselage includes the formations lights, but given the scale, this detail has been simplified.   The frame around the lens should be flush, SH have it as thin raised circular outline.  No clear lens is provided.   One could drill out the plastic (@0.88mm)  and use clear plastic cement for windows (which I think is just white glue?) to create a film over the hole.   Maybe mixing some blue paint into the glue prior to application to give it a proper tint?

 

 

regards,

Jack

Edited May 17, 2022 by JackG

[Greenshirt]

13 hours ago, Procopius said:

 

Thank you! What harness and seat would it (potentially) need? 

As noted by others, rounded seat and Sutton harness. My handy notes on my iPad did not have that detail (does now), so I had to be vague. Easy enough in 1/72 to modify the kit seat. I prefer masking tape harnesses for 1/72 so I view that as easy as well. 
 

Tim