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Spiros Pendedekas
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Trumpeter 1/32 P-40B

May 3, 2022 · in Aviation · · 26 · 1.9K

Hi everyone!

This is my presentation of the Trumpeter 1/32 P-40B, finished as a Hawaiian bird.

The model was a contribution to Louis Gardner's and the small team of great friends' idea to build subjects relative to the so important "Day of Infamy" event.

The XP-40, evolved from the mid-1930s radial-engine Curtiss Model 75 Hawk, was the fastest U.S. Army fighter upon its first flight in 1938...

...with deliveries of the production P-40 beginning in June 1940. Though initially lacking in armament, pilot protection and without self-sealing fuel tanks, it was soon improved in those areas.

The “Tomahawk” (as was the P-40B/C RAF assigned name) served with the RAF in North Africa in 1941-1942: apart from low altitude performance...

...it was inferior to the 109, causing the British to turn down further deliveries, waiting for the more powerful “Kittyhawk” (P-40D and onward).

In USAAF service, a total of 15 USAAF pursuit/fighter groups (FG), along with other pursuit/fighter squadrons and a few tactical reconnaissance (TR) units operated the P-40B, becoming the main USAAF fighter aircraft in the South West Pacific and Pacific Ocean theaters during 1941–42.[5]

During the attack on Pearl Harbor, most of the USAAF fighters were P-40Bs. While the majority of them were destroyed on the ground, the few P-40s that managed to get in the air shot down several Japanese aircraft.

Though not the best fighter plane of its era, the P-40B was a classic combat aircraft of World War II and among the most ubiquitous, being present when needed. And a very beautiful one, too!

Th Trumpeter kit is flawed with shallow cockpit and a few other inaccuracies, but is otherwise a very detailed kit and overall a pleasant build.

Should you wish to read the full build review, you may do so by visiting my beloved site Modelingmadness:

https://modelingmadness.com/review/allies/us/usaaf/p40/pen40.htm

Some in-progress pics are also attached below.

Happy modeling!

Reader reactions:
8  Awesome

26 responses

  1. Great result on this Tomahawk, Spiros @fiveten
    Your extras, like the brake lines and the air intake, do always add something special to your builds.
    The article on MM is very supportive, thanks for sharing.

  2. Not often seen this one built Spiros. It’s not the favorite son P-40 model but you managed to deliver up to your usual fine detail standard. Great job! @fiveten

  3. Fantastic build! Very nice painting!

  4. You really nailed the colors on this one, Spiros. Looks great.

  5. Profile Photo
    Felix said on May 4, 2022

    Absolutely beautiful colors, @fiveten Spiros! I like the subtle tones and variations of the olive green a lot!

  6. Nice work with your Hawaiian Warhawk, Spiros. Shading and colours look excellent.

  7. Excellent Warhawk, Spiros!

  8. Good looking B! I recently picked up a couple extra B model P-40's and need some interesting schemes to put them in...

  9. Great job on this old dog Spiros!

  10. Spiros,
    You have done a wonderful job with your P-40. Thanks again for accepting the offer for this mini group build we had.

    I thoroughly enjoyed reading your articles on here, as well as over on M2. You recognized some very interesting things about the various colors that were visible in those original color “LIFE” pictures.

    I have learned a lot of things from your observations. I will definitely be applying this knowledge on my future P-40 builds.

    Isn’t this the same P-40 that you built the engine from as part of the engine group build ?

    QC1 and QC2 are definitely upping their game. This is the nicest build yet.

    Keep it going ! I’ll be sure to check the “like” button before I go.

    Take care and stay safe.

    I wonder what we can do next ? Any idea ? Send me a PM or email if you don’t mind. 🙂

    • Thanks my friend @lgardner!

      It was due to your help by posting those wonderful LIFE pics, as well as your commenting upon them, that I could achieve a clear view on my color rendition and I sincerely want to thank you for this. Your - as always -willingness to support by, among others, providing info based on your expertise, is really remarkable and motivating.

      Yes, the engine is this kit's one: "left over", as there was no point to install it, the only "requirement" being finding a suitable means of securing in place the exhausts on the P-40, since, normally, they should be attached onto the engine. This engine was a mini model by itself and I felt it would have been a pity not to build it!

      The beloved QC1&2 are my warm supporters, of course by yours truly not forgetting to wheedle them with ice cream, chocolate and some internet time allowance (basically flight sims, what else? ? ), all provided (trying to... ? ) in moderation...

      I have been also wondering what to do next. I am thinking of it and will PM you!

      Take care, my friend!

  11. Yes, great job Spiros on your Pearl Harbor Tomahawk. You made the most out of that Trumpy kit.
    I would like to see someone tackle the all new GWH 1/32 P-40 kit that is getting rave reviews for being the best Warhawk yet in that scale. What about you?

  12. P-40 is an eternal topic for modellers and historians. One more excellent result in this building.

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