Curtiss-Fairey P-40H Kittiwake

[K5054NZ]

G'day all.
I'm sure you've all visited my thread in Alternative History:
P-40H backstory
So, the Kittiwake saga begins at WhatIfModelers.com.
This is FB Mk.2 WA299, incidentally the final airframe completed, painted in the colours of FB Mk.1 WA040 (the first Kittiwake to score an enemy "kill" during World War 2). She used to stand guard at Duxford's gate, but is now in dry storage at the Imperial War Museum on the airfield awaiting airworthy restoration then sale using parts from incomplete XP-40H VZ413.

[K5054NZ]

And this is the final surviving Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation CA-19N, the naval version of the CA-19 "Boomerang" fighter. The aircraft, which last served as squadron hack with 240Sqn (incidentally the RAN's sole P-40H unit) was captured at a recent open day at the Royal Australian Navy Historic Flight's Nowra base. Her rudder was swapped with the late Guido Zuccoli at Toowoomba for a set of Sea Fury undercarriage doors, and vandals had damaged one of the prop blades, neccessitating its removal.





Opinions? You want to see more? Hmmmmm?

[AeroplaneDriver]

Now that's some subtle weathering!!

great backstory and models!

[Brian da Basher]

Zac, love the models and your backstory! There is something very compelling about that P-40 in Fleet Air Arm colors! Your weathing is very noteworthy too!
Please feel free to post more...I like what I see.

Brian da Basher

[gooberliberation]

Some of the best weathering ive seen! Sure captured the look of unrestored aircraft. B)  

[K5054NZ]

My inspiration for the weathering was a pic of a Duxford Firefly taken in the 1980s:

This aircraft is for sale if you're interested...US$99,000. I know the guy who's marketing it. Drop me a line if you want a cheap Firefly B) .

I've emailed the complete backstory of the P-40H to MartinH for him to use somehow...unfortunately WA299 is the only Kittiwake I've completed. And as for the CA-19N...I only created the designation and backstory when I posted the pic. No plans to do any more Ns though...got my TSR.2 to tackle when it arrives in-country, then either one 48th P-40H or several 72nd Kittiwakes...

I plan on modeling all nine complete survivors (yes, including WA232 which has been on a pole in a Duxford playground since 1960), as well as a couple which perished over the years (WA119, used for racing at Reno; privately-owned WA234; Neil Williams' WA235).

Did I mention the RN Historic Flight fly one? That the Commemorative Air Force have one in their restoration queue? Stephen Grey's example under restoration to fly at Duxford? Planes Of Fame has the first production aircraft?

[Leigh]

Love the P-40 nice job!

And $99,000 for a Firefly, good luck, I couldn't get these cheapskates here to cough up $16,000 for a Vulcan that was on Ebay last year.

[K5054NZ]

$16,000 for a Vulcan???       and so on...

HOLY MOTHER OF ****!

Hmmm...intriguing...the only remotely warbird aircraft on eBay right now is a Yak-52. Sigh...

Anyhoo, more opinions on the P-40H please! Kittiwakes are my passion. I'll post the survivors list soon...and some development ideas...hehe B) such an awesome design, if I do say so myself.
Brian - If you like the P-40 in WW2 FAA colours, imagine Korean War...with invasion stripes...and did I mention that 310Sqn flew operations in Suez?

I should say now that there is enough backstory written to fill a magazine article...which was the idea. If you've seen the mock Airfix TSR.2 box my idea was similar, but with an Aeroplane Monthly "Database". 16 pages of backstory have been written. If you'd like some copies just PM or email me.

Or wait til I post it all here...which I fully intend to do...

BTW the Kittiwake flew its last operational sortie on May 2 1960.

[Brian da Basher]

Hmmmm Zac that Korean War scheme is an idea...so is the Suez idea you mentioned. I can see that one in RAF desert scheme as well...interesting.

Brian da Basher

[K5054NZ]

Well the Suez campaign (escorting Venoms?) and Korea (one P-40H pilot was awarded a Victoria Cross for his action there) are all detailed in the backstory...I'm just bursting to tell you guys all! As soon as models are done I'll post them.

[K5054NZ]

BTW anyone got any spare 1/72 FAA Korea and Suez decals? PM or email me ASAP...great things will result...I'm starting to get visions of a superdetailed 1/32 P-40H on a carrier... B)  

[gooberliberation]

A hundred grand for a firefly eh? I'll go see what i can shake out of the couch.

Or should I hold out for those free* MiG fighters that appear on ebay once in a while. A good one too, not the decrepit polish one without an engine that keeps showing up.

**"free with the purchase of the radios and instruments."

[Ollie]

Zak, will you make the one we have at Hamilton (those anti-French racist bastards BTW)?

The first they had crashed with a very good friend of my Dad at the controls...  Alan Ness was the name...

 

I built a nice Firefly I, if you search the forum, you'll find her...

B)  

[K5054NZ]

Ollie, I'm all too aware of the 1977 Firefly crash. Very sad...

I remember seeing your Mk.I and commenting - beautiful build, if memory serves me correctly.

Unfortunately, I (I mean, CANADA) never considered an RCAF Kittiwake. Get me some decals and I may whip one up for you though...

Hang on though...looking back I seem to remember an article in CLASSIC WINGS magazine (plug! plug!) about the CWM having an FB Mk.2 donated to them by a local farmer... ^_^ I thank you, Ollie, but I fear my ATM card and bank balance won't...

[John Howling Mouse]

More pictures!  

Ahem.

Thank you.