Academy 1/72 P-40M
This is my 1/72 Academy P-40M with Finnish Air Force markings that I completed a couple of months ago. This is a nice kit that can be made as either a M or N versions of the P-40. There are a few things that I felt needed some attention: the height/shape of the canopies on both versions, the spinner being so blunt, and rudder cable fairings missing on both sides of the tail. I removed some material off the spinner and canopy's clear parts to bring the shape to a more correct look. And I added the rudder cable fairings (stretched sprue) that were missing but the rest of the build was pretty much straight from the box. This turned out to be a nice build, all the parts had no fit issues. I did had to use some filler but only for one round. I took the Finnish insignias from a Curtiss H-75 sheet and the serial numbers I had to cut individual letters and numbers from another sheet. This is a simple scheme, the actual aircraft came from the Soviet Air Force and the Finnish Air Force took it after it landed in Finland. The aircraft was painted with one color on the upper surface instead of the multi-color scheme. Shots are included to compare my old Hasegawa P-40N built in 1984 with the Academy P-40M.
21 additional images. Click to enlarge.
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- 1. Blunt shape spinner filed and sanded to a more normal shape.
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- 1. No rudder cable fairings.
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- 1. Stretched sprue to make the fairings, same done to the other side.
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- 1. Lightly filed, sanded, then polished.
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- 1. Spinner shape test.
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- 1. Canopy shape test.
Robert Royes said on April 21, 2021
Nice P-40
! Looks great.Bob Torres said on April 22, 2021
Thank you Robert.
Jeff Bailey said on April 21, 2021
VERY well done, Bob! @v1pro
Bob Torres said on April 22, 2021
Thank you Jeff.
Tom Cleaver said on April 21, 2021
If you want 1/72 P-40s that you can't go wrong with for accuracy and "buildability" the new Special Hobby P-40s are a real winner. They're in process of or have brought out all sub-types.
Bob Torres said on April 22, 2021
Agree, I do have a couple of their F’s and K’s that I plan on building in the near future. They do look like a very nice kit from what I have seen built by others.
Jay Mitchell said on April 21, 2021
Both nice looking P-40s .You have a knack for small kits!
Bob Torres said on April 22, 2021
Thanks Jay, 1/72 is my favorite...but I have built the larger scales in the past.
Spiros Pendedekas said on April 22, 2021
Love your P-40, my friend @v1pro!
Especially that you did some on-site improvements, really enhancing its looks!
Bob Torres said on April 22, 2021
Thank you Spiros, I enjoy the little tweaks in the progress of the build as long as they do not take the fun from it. This kit was a joy to make.
Greg Kittinger said on April 22, 2021
Looks great - I really like the Finnish livery on this. I may have to do one like this!
Bob Torres said on April 22, 2021
Thanks Greg, I am trying to grow my Finnish Air Force. This was a quick easy kit to add. I am also planning on making the Russian version of this same plane.
George Schembri said on April 22, 2021
Great build Bob, nice cockpit detail.
Really like the Finnish scheme, especially with the yellow highlights.
Nice Hasegawa build too!
Bob Torres said on April 23, 2021
George, thank you. I remember the Hasegawa build done over a weekend. I took the propeller and decals from the Matchbox P-40N kit and wheels from an Airfix P-51B kit. It was a easy build with no issues.