This is Fox One: Outstadning!
Finally the sun came out over the Gilbert Islands. After a tropical hurricane and heavy rains, the weather improved and flights resumed. After a short briefing, where the group commander known under the nickname "The Old Guy" presents the mission objective: Date 26 January 1944. Maleolap Atoll. cover for long-range bombers B-25. It's Something New, because mostly everyone flew to sweep with suspended bombs. But no ... Mechnaics only attach drop-off fuel tanks and load half-inch Brownings in the wings ... Low altitude flight, about 10,000 feet in three expansions in a staggered formation, to protect each other ... Predicted enemy inactivity in the air. .. At the airfield, you can still see the chaos of a tropical hurricane, a platoon of sappers tidying up fallen palm trees and torn tropics of field tents. After a while, Allison's engines play at high speed and the entire formation is in the air within four minutes. The flight over the ocean seems boring ... But as the bombers drop their payload into enemy positions, someone from the top cover squadron shouts: Zero, 11 o'clock! The lowest flying squadron quickly dodges, making a converging half-barrel maneuver, but the zeros at full throttle fly towards the bombers. their emerald-green hulls blend with the color of the ocean after a while. Didn't they see the cover? Impossible! thinks Lieutenant Lis, setting the throttle to full throttle while shouting into the microphone: Fox One to Red Pant's one! We attack from the sun ... I repeat! don't get into dogfight! The squadron instantly hits the barrel to starboard and with the advantage of speed and altitude collapses on a loose formation of a dozen zeros, shelling the boomer formation ... Anti-aircraft artillery also fired, as if awakened from post-hurricane lethargy, leaving dark clouds from missile explosions in the crystal blue sky ...
This is Lieutenant Lis ... Everyone takes one and we splash into the clouds ...
The speedometer needle vibrates at 350 mph ...
Green points grow ...
They don't really see us! He said to himself, unlocking his machine guns and sliding his goggles down over his eyes, staring at the sight where the silhouette of the Japanese fighter rose ... The index finger slips on the trigger of the rifles, waiting for an opportunity ... Zero ran through a long series of bomber formation, without visible result and was placed gently on the port in a slight turn.
The good forty jumped and the speed dropped somewhere by thirty miles ... the burst could have lasted maybe three or four seconds, you could see the trailing bullets in a gentle arc chase the enemy plane and suddenly zero turned into a roaring fireball rolling across the sky. Mother, how simple it is ... thought Lieutenant, Lis watching the falling debris of the enemy fighter ... He picked up the nose of the machine and began to rise towards the blinding sun so as not to be surprised by some Japanese marauders. But there was silence all around ... The zeros disappeared in the clouds as if by a magic wand as suddenly as they appeared. He was so excited that he forgot to give orders to his formation ... Finally, the winger woke him from lethargy:
This is Red Pants One! I have one!
Fox One I have one too! Fever shouted back feverishly. Only now did he look for the bombshells. They were complete, one could see a puff of smoke from one, but it stayed in formation. Successive flights came in one by one. Four zeros at sea, own losses of one damaged bomber ...
Oustanding! Let You case of beer for that! It was said the smug Fox ...
We're going home ...
If tents could be called home on a thousand miles distant coral island lost in the Pacific ... The real home was so far away that no one even thought of it ...
https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/P-40/15FG.html
A few words about the plane. The P-40 N, belonging to the 15FG of 45 FG, was stationed on the Gilbert Islands. The unit was mainly used to attack ground targets, but on January 26, 1944 it encountered a hostile formation of zero fighters attacking the bombers they were supporting. Lieutenant Dwight R Bob Butler, flying on the P-40N-5 42-105109 machine, shot down one enemy fighter.
It was really fun build! I think P-40 Kit from Special Hobby is the best on the market. I used a little putty (only Liquid Mr Dissolved Putty). Kit gives a lot of options, and many details. I used also aftermarket wheels and seatbelts. Wheels in the kit are very common, nad if you like to spednd extra money for extra parts, set of CMK wheels are for you π I used Mr Color C44 Tan and C314 Sky Bule Paint, and finished it by two coats of X-22, and one of X-35. Radio wire was from Ammo Mig 0,03 elastic line.
It was a very informative build, and with one Special Hobby model behind me and a total of two P-40s on my account, it was really fun to build, avoiding mistakes. Even the canopy fitted in this version quite decently. The only thing I regret is that there was no P-40 wing bomb set on the market ... Maybe someday they will come up with something π
Lieutenant Lis will return with another chilling model π PS. Today, for the first time in many days, the weather was nice, but the sharp sun, almost like in the Pacific, made the pictures look special. Hope you like them π
PS. My friend Ryan from Canada said that in Air Ride in 27 January 1944 252 Ku on Maloelap lost three pilots: WO Yoshiaki Hatakeyama, PO1c Shiro Tsukahara, andPO1c Toshio Komiya.
So my story was made up, and it almost fitted into the historical truth π
He suggested that the probable ones could fly the early A6M5 model with tail codes of 52-101, 52-102, 52-103 and 52-104, which was stationed on the atoll in the number of 4 machines. Also 22 A6M2 and 31 A6M3 mod.22, but only about 50% was ready to use rest under repair.
Well that turned out a treat, Lis!
Thank You! π
Nice match with the tiles and sun π
It was a pleasure to follow your build in groups. Thank you for sharing @lis.
Thank you! π I am pleased that you are interested in my build π
Excellent build, Lis @lis
On those tiles you can clearly see how effective this camouflage is.
Following your build was great, a real pleasure to see this kit coming along.
The color of the tiles was called, as I remember from the renovation, coral π so just in the subject π I hope you like my new thread about Spitfire π
Now, this was such an amazing war story, Lieutenant Lis! Well done downing a Zero, by using the appropriate tactic of not engaging in a turning battle.
As for the model, it speaks of it self: excellent allover, amazingly researched and executed. Your build thread was a joy to follow, as well.
Congratulations!
@fiveten Thank you! I hope you will like my next story π
Excellently built P-40 , @lis, looks very nice. Great photography too!
I'm glad that you like my model and photos too π
Nicely done "N" bird, looks great. An enjoyable narrative as well.
Thank You!
Lis another little Jewel . The canopy and the tires came out great. Placing the model on the tile works too. The only problem with doing these kits . . . you want to build another. Too many options and so little time. Love the build blog.
Thamk you! I,m glad that you like my work snd koral tiles! You are absolutely right π When starting the next construction, I am already thinking about the next model after what is in the workshop π
An easy Rabbit hole to fall in.
Yes! Sometimes my relatives remind me of it π
Well done. Like it lots. And in 1/72...cool.
Yes it's 1:72 th scale. Quite a lot of details as in that scale π
Very nice Lt. Lis. Thatβs quite a story as well.
I'm glad that you like story too π Story, and the man is importand just like building a kit π
As the guy who "tells stories" for a living, I really like yours, Lis. You researched the details and got it right.
And the model certainly demonstrates the superiority of the SH P-40 kits. And you got the most out of that box of parts. A really nice result.
Your words always make me proud of my work. I am glad that you liked my short, fictionalized story. The model then takes on life, and looking at it, I think it's a real machine that came back from flight. Thank you for the words of appreciation π
Beautiful build, Lis. An amazing looking build.
That kit looks impressive
Thank you! π
@airbum @j-healy @johnb @fiveten @ssgt @roofrat @stephen-w-towle @bails @eb801 @tcinla @j-healy0 My friend Ryan from Canada said that in Air Ride in 27 January 1944 252 Ku on Maloelap lost three pilots: WO Yoshiaki Hatakeyama, PO1c Shiro Tsukahara, andPO1c Toshio Komiya.
So my story was made up, and it almost fitted into the historical truth π
He suggested that the probable ones could fly the early A6M5 model with tail codes of 52-101, 52-102, 52-103 and 52-104, which was stationed on the atoll in the number of 4 machines. Also 22 A6M2 and 31 A6M3 mod.22, but only about 50% was ready to use rest under repair.
Really good model and I like the coral coloured tiles. The βstoryβ was great, too. All in all an excellent post.
Thank You! Story build model too π
Your P-40N is a gorgeous build! Great work and it is amazing that this is in 1/72 scale.
Thank You! π
Really fine work in 1/72, Lis. I did a double-take at the last four photos, thinking it was 1/48. The weathering and detail highlighting is restrained and authentic-looking. I like the sand color of P-40s in this period and theater.
I'm glad that you like my work and photos π
Lis, @lis
Your P-40 looks wonderful ! You have done an outstanding job with it. Well done, and I will be sure to check the "like" box before I leave.
Thank you! π I'm glad that you like my model!
Really a beautiful P-40! I built a Hasegawa N into the same desert scheme - I really like the scheme. That SH kit looks like a beauty as well.
I'm glad that you like my model. Do you have photos of your P-40?