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Tolga ULGUR
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1/32 Hasegawa P-40E Warhawk “Kay Strawberry Blonde”

October 29, 2021 · in Aviation · · 15 · 1.8K

Here is another tick on my to do list. This is P-40E Warhawk with the markings of “Kay Strawberry Blonde” flown by Sammy Pierce of 8th FS / 49th FG Doboudura, New Guinea in Spring 1943.

The inspiration for this build is the profile in Kagero's Curtiss P-40 Warhawk book.

Cockpit modified with Eduard PE instrument panel and seat belts.

I have used Quickboost exhaust set and Grey Matter main wheels.

Gunsight is from Master.

Nose art “Kay Strawberry Blonde” made by Custom Hobby Decals and numbers of “Red 42” by my friend Ozkan Turker.

Paints are Gunze Sangyo acrylics.

Happy modelling

Reader reactions:
16  Awesome

28 additional images. Click to enlarge.


15 responses

  1. SUPER-NICE, Tolga.
    Great build and well-done finish, including right-on weathering (just enough, imho).

  2. Now that is a nice looking aircraft ... 🙂 , well done Tolga.

  3. Fantastic build, Tolga @tolgaul
    Perfect finish.
    Not sure about the "Kay", but I do know that in some Asian languages, Thai for example, it means chicken.
    Sometimes used as a nickname.

  4. The toughest thing with your builds is figuring different ways to say, "Beautiful model, great build and paint".

    Regarding "Kay Strawberry Blonde"...This kind of naming is indicative to me of the, in this case, American spirit.

    I saw one in an Osprey book that really told the story. Here it was the darkest days of the war, late 1942, and there sits a P-40, it's nose lettered with "West Palm Beach Playboy". The thought of losing this war apparently never occurred to them. Just get on with it, and let's get home to Kay, and whoever was waiting home for you.

    It really made me think.

  5. Well done, Tolga (@tolgaul). I agree with Bill, it is hard to think of new superlatives to use on your planes. You have really captured the cool look of this famous P-40.

  6. Another excellent model, Tolga!
    As a fellow modeler mentioned, direct sunlight is the most unforgiving in revealing even the slightest discrepancy of a model. Well, all your models are photographed in direct sunlight and reveal nothing at all, let alone the fact that they look 1:1, meaning you are a true Master Modeler.
    Congratulations!

  7. Fantastic build and finish! I love P-40E-1s with British camo and American markings. You have captured the spirit of fighting P-40s perfectly (... again!).

  8. Tolga, @grimreaper
    This has to be your best work yet, and all of your builds would be right at home in any museum. It's that good. It looks as if you were somehow able to go back in time, shrink this P-40 down to 1/32 scale and bring it back with you. It looks perfect to me. Well done and I have checked the "like" button.

  9. Ho-hum. Another AMAZING Tolga Masterpiece, as usual. Don't the rest of us wish we could be so boringly, reliably excellent?

    Just the right bit of everything in the mix to result in as close to "perfect" as you get here.

  10. That is an absolutely lovely P-40, congratulations! The build, painting, and photography are first class.

  11. Well - I kinda feel like Tom C's response! What do you expect from Tolga?! I DO love the Warhawk in all it's permutations - I think it has become my favorite WWII warplane.

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