1/48 Hobbycraft Curtiss P-40B Warhawk, PTO, USAAC
This is my contribution for this little mini unofficial P-40 group build. This is my first P-40 that I picked up at a show in Ct. back in the mid 90's. One of a few early P-40 kits to come along. I built this around 98-99 or so before I read any reviews about the kit. So it was long on the shelf before reading all about the inaccuracies. It was an easy build as I remember it. Strictly all OOB on this one, using the kit decals, no seat belts, the cockpit is basic so I just posed the canopy closed as it sat on the ramp on that fateful Dec day in 1941. Internet model sites were just in their infancy. So to really get a review of this kit was to read about in either Scale Modeler or Military Modeler Magazine or maybe in SAM. Otherwise I just went about and enjoyed building a model airplane. It is in basic OD over Neutral Grey using at the time War color Acrylics from Aeromaster. White Nose and prop cone. Silver prop blade. MM Interior Green. This is a P-40B based at Wheeler Field in Hawaii, side number 300, 78th Pursuit Squadron, 18th Pursuit Group. It was a few years before I read how off it is. You know it may be, but so what. It is an early P-40 with a Hase P-40E and an AMT P-40N in the stash and seeing those represented here can't wait to build them sometime soon to share some shelf space among their brethren. The P-40 has a special place in my heart, as a child it was the first plane that I recognized when my dad used to take us to the park and fly the old Cox Gas powered P-40, remember that model. Like a kite just fly it around in a circle without getting to dizzy. That memory is still so vivid. Love the P-40. Thanks for visting.
Chuck
Fly Navy
Like it Chuck..
That show wouldn't have been in Milford, would it? The Igor Sikorski IPMS show? Enjoyed that for years, they stopped doing it 2 years ago. Shame. And yeah control line could get ya dizzy, lost a couple that way. 🙂
Yes Bill thats the one. I was working at Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, living in Fairfield at the time. Couple of co-workers big time modeler's had invited me to their IPMS meeting. Was just building to pass the time, picked up a bunch of kits to bring back with me when I returned home to S. Cal. Lot of mail order as well, nice shop in Delaware was Precision Hobbies nice people. Good stuff great prices.
I used to go to that Milford show too - finally entered it the last time around, and was looking forward to going back. Bummer it's not happening any more. I thought they were doing it every other year, but it seems to be stopped completely?
Looks good Chuck.
Looks great Chuck. My first control line flight memory is taking my big ol P-63 from Santa out to the school on a cold Christmas afternoon and my Dad crashing it into a 1000 pieces on the test flight. A bunch of epoxy and chop stick spars later, I finally got her in the air with a somewhat more ragged appearance. Flew it that way into the 70's, patching it up a few more times along the way. Alas it was doomed in the end by girls, who can also turn you in circles till you're dizzy too..;-)
Girls, cars, girls, job, girls, college, girls, cars, I know about them Philly's inside out and all around...
If you don't look too long at the lower center section, the kit's OK. Nice work on it.
Thanks Tom,
Nice work, Chuck. As good as it looks, you'll notice big difference once you build the AMT and Otaki. I have six P-40's on the shelf, and the Hobbycraft sticks out like a sore thumb. My thought is the landing gear length. It's wings sit under the wings of it's shelf mates.
I have the AMT P-40N and a Hase P-40E. Would'nt mind picking up an Otaki/Arii P-40 to add to the stash. Wasn't aware there was a landing gear issue on the HC P-40?
Chuck,
I like it and I like the very simple PH markings.