DONE +++ 1:72 Curtiss Tomahawk PR.Ic, RAF 46 Squadron, late 1940

Dizzyfugu · September 16, 2015, 10:41:20 AM

More news...

1:72 Curtiss P-40C 'Tomahawk' PR.Ic; aircraft 'PO-T'/AN281 of Royal Air Force 46 Squadron; Digby airfield, late 1940 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Captain Canada · September 16, 2015, 11:16:09 AM

Very nice ! Going to look right at home this one.

Dizzyfugu · September 17, 2015, 05:18:50 AM

Finishing touches to "PO-T":

1:72 Curtiss P-40C 'Tomahawk' PR.Ic; aircraft 'PO-T'/AN281 of Royal Air Force 46 Squadron; Digby airfield, late 1940 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Captain Canada · September 17, 2015, 05:35:23 AM

Beauty. Love the scheme on her.

Dizzyfugu · September 17, 2015, 09:04:08 AM

So, here we go... First of probably many entries to the BoB GB.

1:72 Curtiss P-40C 'Tomahawk' PR.Ic; aircraft 'PO-T'/AN281 of Royal Air Force 46 Squadron; Digby airfield, late 1940 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational service. The Warhawk was used by most Allied powers during World War II, and remained in frontline service until the end of the war.

The P-40 was originally conceived as a ground support aircraft and was very agile at low and medium altitudes but suffered due to lack of power at higher altitudes. At medium and high speeds it was one of the tightest turning early monoplane designs of the war due to its great structural strength.

In all, 18 Royal Air Force (RAF) squadrons, as well as four Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), three South African Air Force (SAAF), and two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) squadrons serving with RAF formations, used P-40s. In RAF service, the early P-40 types were called Tomahawk.

1:72 Curtiss P-40C 'Tomahawk' PR.Ic; aircraft 'PO-T'/AN281 of Royal Air Force 46 Squadron; Digby airfield, late 1940 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Curtiss P-40C 'Tomahawk' PR.Ic; aircraft 'PO-T'/AN281 of Royal Air Force 46 Squadron; Digby airfield, late 1940 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The first Tomahawks delivered came without armor, bulletproof windscreens or self-sealing fuel tanks. These were installed in subsequent shipments. Initial deliveries came to Great Britain mainland, including an oder from France which did not reach its destination due to the country's fall to Germany's assault.

However, it soon turned out that Tomahawk's qualities were of little use in the Northwet European theatre of operations: Testing showed the aircraft did not have adequate performance in high-altitude combat due to the effective service ceiling limitation. Comparable early Spitfires operated at heights around 30,000 ft (9,100 m), while the P-40's Allison engine, with its single-stage, low altitude rated supercharger, worked best at 15,000 ft (4,600 m) or lower. The Tomahawk's armor and firepower were also inadequate for the Bf 109E.

1:72 Curtiss P-40C 'Tomahawk' PR.Ic; aircraft 'PO-T'/AN281 of Royal Air Force 46 Squadron; Digby airfield, late 1940 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Curtiss P-40C 'Tomahawk' PR.Ic; aircraft 'PO-T'/AN281 of Royal Air Force 46 Squadron; Digby airfield, late 1940 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Hence, when the P-40B was operated by the RAF and Allied units based in the UK from mid 1940 on, these limitations relegated the Tomahawk to second line duties like training or low-level reconnaissance with RAF Army Cooperation Command. For this task, the machines received cameras and respective openings on the flanks and under the rear fuselage. Since it was stable platform, later, improved versions of the P-40 were used in the ground support role, mainly in North Africa where they replaced the Hawker Hurricanes of the Desert Air Force (DAF) from early 1941 on.

One of the RAF operators of the early Tomahawk was 46 Squadron, even though only as a stopgap solution. In May 1940, RAF 46 Squadron was, equipped with Hawker Hurricanes, selected to form part of the Expeditionary Force in Norway, which had been invaded by the Germans on 9 April. No. 46 Squadron assembled at Bardufoss and began operation on 26 May. Patrols were maintained over the land and naval forces at Narvik without respite, some of the pilots going without sleep for more than 48 hours. Conditions on the ground were very basic with poor runways and primitive servicing and repair facilities.

1:72 Curtiss P-40C 'Tomahawk' PR.Ic; aircraft 'PO-T'/AN281 of Royal Air Force 46 Squadron; Digby airfield, late 1940 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Curtiss P-40C 'Tomahawk' PR.Ic; aircraft 'PO-T'/AN281 of Royal Air Force 46 Squadron; Digby airfield, late 1940 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Many air combats took place, but on 7 June the squadron was ordered to evacuate Norway immediately and, on the night of 7 through 8 June, the aircraft were successfully flown back to HMS Glorious — a dangerous procedure as none of the aircraft were fitted with deck arrester hooks! The ground parties embarked on HMS Vindictive and SS Monarch of Bermuda and reached the UK safely, but the squadron's aircraft and eight of its pilots were lost when Glorious was sunk by German warships on 9 June 1940. The crippled squadron was soon re-formed at RAF Digby, but the lack of aircraft forced 46 Squadron to accept the Tomahawk. The unit became operational once again at the end of June.

The Luftwaffe's main effort at the time was against coastal objectives and shipping off the coast of Essex and Kent, and for the next two months 46 Squadron was occupied in rather uneventful convoy and defensive patrols as well as photo reconnaissance over the Atlantic and the North Sea, before moving south to Stapleford Tawney, the satellite of RAF North Weald, for the defense of London during the Battle of Britain.

The squadron, now consisting of novice pilots and without any experienced command after its decimation in Norway, suffered heavy casualties during continuous action against far superior numbers of enemy bombers and escorting fighters. But the enemy sustained such shattering losses amongst their long-range bomber forces that they had to change their tactics. The attacking forces began to fly their fighter bombers at very high altitudes and to make use of every possible patch of cloud cover. Interception became difficult, and the squadron had to change its tactics too — principally maintaining patrols at heights between 20,000 and 30,000 feet. At that time, all Tomahawks had already been withdrawn from armed missions, just the reconnaissance aircraft still flew - some with the wing-mounted machine guns removed and fitted with extra tanks instead.

The squadron claimed 34 aircraft destroyed July to December 1940, but lost 26 aircraft itself, with 16 pilots killed and three badly wounded. After the Battle of Britain ended, the squadron engaged in convoy patrols, interspersed with escort duty to medium bombers in their attack on objectives in occupied France, but got totally rid of the Tomahawks, which were in service replaced by the more capable Kittyhawk (P-40D) and mostly transferred to RAF training units or to the Soviet Union in the course of the Land Lease program.

1:72 Curtiss P-40C 'Tomahawk' PR.Ic; aircraft 'PO-T'/AN281 of Royal Air Force 46 Squadron; Digby airfield, late 1940 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 31 ft 9 in (9.68 m)
Wingspan: 37 ft 4 in (11.38 m)
Height: 10 ft 7 in (3.23 m)
Wing area: 235.94 ft² (21.92 m²)
Airfoil: NACA2215 / NACA2209
Empty weight: 5,600 lb (2,636 kg)
Loaded weight: 7,464 lb (3,393 kg)

Powerplant:
1× Allison V-171-33 liquid-cooled V12 engine, 1,040 hp (750 kW) at take-off,
driving a three blade Curtiss Electric constant spee propeller

Performance:
Maximum speed: 350 mph (307 kn, 565 km/h)
Cruise speed: 270 mph (235 kn, 435 km/h)
Range: 730 mi (640 nmi, 1,175 km) on internal fuel
Service ceiling: 29,000 ft (8,800 m)
Rate of climb: 2,656 ft/min (810 m/min)

Armament:
2× 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns with 235 RPG above the engine;
one hardpoint under the fuselage for bombs or a drop tank

1:72 Curtiss P-40C 'Tomahawk' PR.Ic; aircraft 'PO-T'/AN281 of Royal Air Force 46 Squadron; Digby airfield, late 1940 (Whif/Trumpeter kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

PR19_Kit · September 17, 2015, 09:19:13 AM

I wasn't far out, I said he'd do it by lunchtime, but it's almost tea time now.

Looks terrific, and a wild colour scheme for sure.

Captain Canada · September 17, 2015, 10:19:00 AM

Beauty. Another home run for you....love the look of this one !

Hotte · September 17, 2015, 10:43:58 AM

Really good

Hotte

TallEng · September 17, 2015, 11:39:31 AM

Well...
I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask, why the high demarcation line for the Sky/light blue?
to me it just doesn't look right, same goes for the fin flash?
other than that good job

and suspiciously fast off the blocks

your not related to a certain M. Schumacher are you?

Regards
Keith

Dizzyfugu · September 18, 2015, 01:51:10 AM

Quote from: TallEng on September 17, 2015, 11:39:31 AM
Well...
I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask, why the high demarcation line for the Sky/light blue?
to me it just doesn't look right, same goes for the fin flash?
other than that good job and suspiciously fast off the blocks your not related to a certain M. Schumacher are you?

Regards
Keith

Well, for once, we are in whifworld. On the other side I'd recommend a look at the No 46 Squadron Hurricanes that took part in the Norway expedition.

From: http://forum.1cpublishing.eu/showthread.php?t=32681, confirmed by other sources, too.

Beyond that, they were painted, AFAIK, not in Sky or Duck Egg Blue, but rather in the Navy's pale Sky Grey (with black and white wings, though, and the fin flashes were painted out, too!). Very odd, and since this Tomahawk is supposed to undertake photo recce at low level and in the Channel region, keeping the odd Norway scheme makes some sense - better than Dark Earth/Dark Green with a low waterline?

zenrat · September 18, 2015, 01:58:53 AM

Cool.

I particularly like the colour scheme.

DogfighterZen · September 18, 2015, 03:05:14 PM

Quote from: zenrat on September 18, 2015, 01:58:53 AM
Cool.

I particularly like the colour scheme.

Same here!

NARSES2 · September 21, 2015, 06:34:03 AM

I was going to say the colour scheme reminded me of those Norwegian based Hurricanes. Very FAA'ish and suits her

Dizzyfugu · September 21, 2015, 07:55:40 AM

Quote from: NARSES2 on September 21, 2015, 06:34:03 AM
I was going to say the colour scheme reminded me of those Norwegian based Hurricanes. Very FAA'ish and suits her

That's where it comes from - one of the few exotic liveries of the time.

sandiego89 · September 21, 2015, 12:18:20 PM

I like the scheme as well, something different for sure.

-Dave