1/48 Mauve P-40M RNZAF
Finished this kit couple of months ago and don't know why I hadn't posted it. Spent some time looking for a P-40M kit, Mauve is belly up, and the Eduard and Hasegawa versions seem to be out of production right now. Pretty sure both Eduard and the Hasegawa versions used the Mauve molds. After building this one I had a conversation with Bernard Hackett Jr. and he stated you can build the M version from the old AMT P-40N kit. And by golly he's correct, just don't cut the fuselage and add the N version glass, and presto you have a P-40M
Build this kit pretty much out of the box, however I did add an Ultracast seat and some wheels. Fit was pretty good and I don't remember having to use any putty or filler. The instrument panel is a spares decal and after market nav lights also came from the spares box . Paint is Tamiya rattle can, and the cockpit was hand painted using Model Master enamels. Nylon thread was used for the antenna and pastel chalk for the exhause stains. Tried to dirtier her up as a worn old work horse, using a mixture of water, Future and some dark brown acrylic paint. Not completely happy with the way she turned out but practice makes perfect. She represents no particular NZ unit, just wanted to add another allied P-40 to my collection. The decals used were from a Ventura P-40's set and they snuggled down really well.
Nice lookin' build, Tom...I like it. 🙂
Now that is real sweet, Tom
Thanks Paul and Craig, it was a fun build.
Great job! Nice jungle scene too. Thanks to that last photo, you've giving me food for thought for the Academy 'N' I've got in my meager stash. Maybe the bare metal one.
That NMF looks good doesn't Robert, thought crossed my mind as well. You can find more pics of her on the web.
Nice job on that.
Thanks Anthony
Very clean build, Tom, and that cockpit looks the part, too. Nice to see some New Zealand colours for a change.
Thanks George, trying to build a model representing all the allied nations that flew P-40's
Very cool
Thanks George
Tom, she really looks good. AS usual your finish is fantastic. The setting a photography sets it all off. For some reason the blue and white against the green/grey scheme is very fetching.
Fetching? Is it legal to use that term when describing models? Thanks for your comments David, much appreciated.
Agree the RNZAF doesn't get done much in model form. They had a miscelancy of aircraft during the war, and some had their own different schemes. Ventura decals is your go-to, and maybe you can find that collection of RNZAF WW II aircraft that Aeromaster(?) (P-40, Catalina, Corsair, Dauntless, Avenger) did a while back, with the booklet. Their insignia on the usual aircraft really catches the eye. Particularly on the Catalina! REAL BIG! My interest in them began with the old HisAirDec sheet for the Dauntless. That and a photo of one in the Harleyford Aircraft Camouflage and Markings, 1907-1954. Esoteric stuff in 1959!
Tom, I really like your "jungle". what did you use for the palm trees?
Bernie I picked up the palms at a Hobby Town store, and found them in the model railroading scenes and landscaping department. Got a deal as there's not much of a demand for palm trees in Cincinnati with model railroaders.
The Eduard kit used the Mauve molds, the first time they took an injection kit and added their stuff to it under their name. The Hasegawa P-40s have nothing to do with the Mauve molds, which were destroyed in the Kobe-Osaka earthquake in 1995, which is why the company no longer exists. The kits are well worth getting hold of, but I recommend getting the True Details P-40 cockpit which was made for this kit and the Falcon vacform canopies, which were also made for this kit.
Nice work on this one Tom. The Mauve kit was a good one.
Thanks Tom, too bad Mauve didn't survive because I really liked this kit.
Great looking P-40 Tom ! I learned something from you and Bernard on how to make a "M" model out of the AMT kit... I went to Hobby Lobby the other day... I'm still looking for that poster you mentioned. So far I'm not having any luck. Your palm trees look great. A beat up looking F4U (or anything Japanese) would fit in with this scene nicely too.
I just pulled my Eduard P-40N kit out of the stash and gave it a once over. It does look like a great kit and has a lot of decal options. It's on the build pile now thanks to you guys... and that's a good thing. 🙂
Great job as usual.
Thanks Louis, and yep that's why I built that base, so any of my other builds can be photo shot using it.
A very nice P-40 - love the scheme, and you dirtied her up nicely!