P-40e "wa196"

[K5054NZ]

Hi all,

This Hobby Boss company are on to a winner, I can tell you! Man, is this fun! Can anyone say "speedbuild"?





This kit has the fuselage halves already together, as an "upper", and a one-piece wing/underside fuse. Result? Nice detail in a snaptite-type mould. To give you an idea of what you get with these gorgeous lil kits, Scott over at MM previewed their Bf-109G-10 a coupla days ago (seen here).

I'll probably be able to finish this baby tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Cheers,
Zac

[NARSES2]

Well that's interesting as I'm currently building the Hobby Boss P-40B and the construction of the fuselage is complete different ! It has a solid fuselage with the lower fuselage "spine" moulded onto the one piece wing.  

Great little kits for a quick fun build.

Chris

[K5054NZ]

Sorry Chris, that's what I meant. You can see the two major pre-assembled sub-assemblies in the first pic.

She's practically done, have the backstory ready but I won't post that until I have her totally done.

One last in-progress pic tho, taken last night when I started doing the EDSG uppers:



And a teaser showing what she'll look like once done*:



Now, no more for another coupla hours!  

  I Love P-40s!    


Cheers,
Zac

PS - Who do I get in touch with regarding the possibility of a P-40 smilie? -ZY

[size=8]PPS - * Yes, that is another one in the background![/size]

[K5054NZ]

As promised folks, the story of "WA196".



Classic Wings Downunder, Vol.2 No.3 1995



NEW LOOK KITTYHAWK
Curtiss P-40E 42-97398, restored at Montreal by Archibald Rafael during the 1980s, has been donated to the First Observation Detachment (based at Chewela, WA) of the Confederate Air Force.
Soon after its arrival some minor cosmetic modifications were carried out (including the production of a dummy tailhook), resulting in its old RCAF scheme being replaced by that worn by WA196, a Curtiss-Fairey Kittiwake serving in the Korean War in 1952. The aircraft is expected to be a major hit with airshow attendees across the West Coast of the US. Her first appearance in this new guise is scheduled to be at the EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh this coming July.

-------------------------------------



Classic Wings, Vol.11 No.4 2006

KITTYHAWK'S NEW CLOTHES
The 's P-40E 42-97398/N440CF has left behind its old naval persona in favour of an American Volunteer Group "Flying Tigers" aircraft based in Burma during 1943, this coming after a transfer to the group's Gulf Coast, Texas wing. The former RCAF trainer flew again after a lengthy rebuild in 1987, and came into CAF ownership in mid 1995. Since then the aircraft had been painted as a Curtiss-Fairey Kittiwake of 240 Sqn FAA, serving aboard HMS Wasp off the Korean coast in 1952, complete with a non-functioning tailhook.
The aircraft now represents that flown by Lt Col Edward Miller in the SWPA, complete with twelve "kill" markings under the cockpit. The makeover was carried out at Miller Aviation at Houston, coincidentally owned by Lt Col Miller's son!



The adjacent pictures were taken at Harlingen in 1996, at that year's Airsho. Note the absence of fuselage "invasion stripes", and the lack of serial etc. These were remedied soon afterward, along with the spinner receiving new paint (240 Sqn aircraft had white spinners, whereas the blue depicted was solely for 201 Sqn).

[K5054NZ]

Hobby Boss 1:72 P-40E, decals from kit, also Italeri, FROG and unknown (possibly Matchbox). Tamiya acrylics, Revell Contacta Pro cement (Italeri liquid cement also used at one point). Kit courtesy Whif member Mossie (thanks again, Simon!).

[RotorheadTX]

Good grief!! That was quick!    

[Brian da Basher]

Woah is that sweet Zac! There's something so very fetching about that EDSG over Sky scheme and you've certainly pulled this one off with aplomb! Beautiful!

Brian da Basher

[NARSES2]

Sorry Chris, that's what I meant. You can see the two major pre-assembled sub-assemblies in the first pic.

No need for apologies mate - it's me that wasn't clear  :dum:

The P-40 B has the cockpit moulded into the top half of the fuselage whereas your's has it moulded in the bottom half ! On the B the lower fuselage is simply the wing and a small bit of the early spine. Completely different. Mines assembled now so I can't show you. Just struck me as odd that they are two different moulds.

Chris

[ysi_maniac]

Hi Zac:

I like this P-40 in Royal Navy colours, with invasion strips.
         

[B777LR]

(Jaw drops, cracking table) Im speechless...........just 110 % perfect! Its got my vote so far!                

[Chap]

Zac, she came out great; such a lovely paintscheme! I'm very impressed with those Hobbyboss kits, I wonder if they are in the U.S yet.

~Steve

[Glenn Gilbertson]

What a great idea! Certainly looks the part - but I'm not so sure about the state of that carrier deck . Well done, Zac.
 

[K5054NZ]

Thanks a million for all the kind words, folks. Tremendous amount of satisfaction, looking at this beastie. I've done a review of her for Scott at Modeling Madness....nowhere in the review do I let on that the Kittiwake is a product of my imagination!   Very much looking forward to reading readers' remarks on their message boards!



Also thinking seriously about having a Kittiwake t-shirt made for me to wear at Oshkosh come July.... B)  

Sorry to say but I'm taking a mini-break from the grogeousness of Curtiss' winged wonder, concentrating on my Egyptian Yak-11 (another MM review there) and my pair of Focke-Wulfs (my GOD, is the Dora sexy as h*** or what?). Besides, I have half of them either finished or just needing decals, so I can afford to relax for a bit.




12? WHAT WAS I THINKING? I should be doing 15.....

[K5054NZ]

I'm not so sure about the state of that carrier deck .

Well, HMS Masport Four Burner Grill wasn't the Royal Navy's most seaworthy of vessels....

[cthulhu77]

Damn, Zac...you are putting us all to shame.  That is a great looking bird !