Hasegawa, 1:48 Scale P-40, “Kittyhawk III” (Longtail ‘K’), RNZAF
I think Hasegawa's line of P-40 kits are pretty much, the best of the type in this scale. They are loaded with fine detail and the fit is pretty good throughout, suffice to say, they are kits that have been very well engineered.
They have released the kit in a wide variation of types, from E to N, (Allison engined aircraft, mind you) and thus, there are plug ins, and add on pieces, that the builder must use, to make a particular kit into the version of P-40 they intend to build. That, is the only real bugaboo that I have found with these kits. The main pain in the hind quarters, is that some of these seams created by the various plugs and add on's, do not necessarily line up where real seams would. this might result in a loss of exterior detail while cleaning these up Again, this is not a major thing, but it is something to watch out for while constructing these awesome kits.
I chose to build this baby right out of the box, (As I usually do) Hasegawa decals have gotten much better over the years, and I always wanted to do this aircraft, with it's theater ID stripes all over the place...I thought it would be a pretty striking aircraft, so I went with it...(obviously)
Markings are those of Pilot Officer Geoffrey B. Fisken, No 14 Squadron, RNZAF, Based at Guadalcanal during the summer of 1943. P/O Fisken was the highest scoring Commonwealth pilot in the Pacific Theater, with eleven enemy planes shot down. Six over Singapore, flying the oft maligned Brewster 'Buffalo', and a further five over the Solomon Islands. He was truly a 'Kiwi' Badass!
That's another one done for 2019, and I'm hoping to knock a couple more out by years end. Stay tuned folks, and thanks for reading!
Freddie from LI
Stellar build, sir...lovely work !
Excellent work Fred always nice to see a P-40 well done. In fact I'm also building Fisken's P-40 from the old Mauve P-40M kit. The cockpit is not as detailed as the Hase kit but the over all shape is very good.
The mauve kit isn't bad either. I build mine as Robert Westbrook's "Reckless Prostitute" What a great name for an aircraft, no? LOL!
A great looking Kittyhawk!
Thank you, Robert!
A real beauty, and all those white stripes create a very eye-catching scheme. Well done! I may have to do something similar - the P-40 is one of my favorite types to build.
Thanks, Greg, and that Hasegawa kit is the one to use, too!
Splendid P-40, the tube is beautifully painted as is the overall camouflage. Have you painted the stripes or are those decals?
The stripes were painted, Pedro. I was afraid of using those parts of the kit's decals. They were actually attached to the Roundel. I though that would be a real 'Poopfest', trying to get all those things lined up! The rest are the kit's decals. The last picture? The one with the screwed up '19' on the port side cowling? That is there to remind everyone, that when using Walter's SolvaSet, RESIST the urge to adjust the damn thing, "Just on more time..." Don't ask 😉
Fantastic. The Aussie/Kiwi scheme with white is just so striking. Extremely well done.
Thank you, Thomas, I appreciate your kind words. I could have dirtied her up a bit more, as actual pictures of Fisken's P-40 do show a fair amount of weathering. I just didn't want to take away from the OD and the white stripes!
Great model of the Wairarapa Wildcat, Freddie.
Fisken actually shot down 6 over Singapore in the Buffalo (he was the pilot with the most experience in the type, having volunteered to test fly them as they were assembled, so he had nearly 200 hours in type when the war broke out). He then shot down 5 in the Solomons before being evacuated due to the wounds received at Singapore not healing properly (they never did in his life). He's in both the coming "I Will Run Wild: The Pacific War from Pearl Harbor to Midway" and "Under The Southern Cross: The Allied Air Campaign to Break Rabaul".
Thank you for the compliment and the correction, Tom. The titles you mention, These are books that have been released? Soon to be?
I have corrected the info in accordance with your correction. I tend to trust you getting it right over Wikipedia...
Thanks again, Tom.
I Will Run Wild is currently out and selling like gangbusters to the point Osprey ran a second edition. Under the Southern Cross will be available next May.
Not only have I seen that, Tom, but I have picked it up and devoured it already. Terrific effort Mr. Cleaver, and I have recommended it to many in my circle of history/model nerds.
Beautiful looking aircraft Frederick