1/48 A.VG. Hawk 81a-2, (P-40C).
This is the Airfix P-40B/Hawk 81 kit. The Hawk 81a-2 was an export model created for the RAF that was roughly equivalent to the P-40C, minus the drop tank plumbing. The A.V.G. (Flying Tigers), was equipped with these. This is the second one of these kits that I've built and thoroughly enjoyed it. The only thing I added was a set of Eduard lap belts.
I built this one as part of the Jerry Crandall Memorial Group Build, using Jerry's Eagle Cals for the 3rd Squadron, A.V.G. It's a very comprehensive, high quality decal set that performed flawlessly. I was particularly impressed with the opacity of the whites in the markings. Highly recommended.
I painted the plane following Airfix' suggestions for Flying Tigers a/c for the most part. The camo is Humbrol #119 tan and Xtracolor green base Olive drab. I substituted the Xtracolor paint for the recommended Humbrol #116 green simply because I prefer spraying gloss paint whenever possible. It's an almost exact match for the Humbrol color. The undersides are Humbrol #28 gray. I also used precut commercial camo masks for the first time on this one.
I chose the markings for Charles Older's #68. Like so many of the Tigers, Older was an interesting man. He was the only Tiger to go on to serve in the Korean War, flying B-26s. He ultimately became an attorney and a judge in Los Angeles. Judge Older presided over the Manson family trial in the early 1970s and retired in 1987.
If you're interested in the blow by blow construction of this kit, I did a build log in the Jerry Crandall Memorial Group section.
Happy modeling!
Really nice result on this one @j-healy It is a really beauty! Weathering and chipping is very convincing as well, way to not go overboard with it like I did the last time I built one of these kits 🙁 The Airfix kit is a really solid choice and you made it look spectacular
Thanks, David!
Ditto with our friend 's @dbutlr comments, John! This is a spectacular result out of the solid Airfix kit! Your build thread was an equal joy to follow!
Well done!
Thanks, Spiros!
Very good work!
Thanks, Lis!
Really nice job on this John , I must get one of these in my stash , so many decal and colour schemes to pick from.
Well done.
Thanks, Neil! You can’t go wrong with this kit. I’ve probably built 8-9 early P-40s total over the years in both 1/72 and 1/48, but this is the first Flying Tiger example. All of the rest were USAAF and RAF versions. I still want to do a Soviet P-40.
Nice build, I really like the early P-40's and think you really captured the look of the Flying Tiger P-40. I think the colors look great. The kit looks good, I have never purchased or built an Airfix kit but am thinking the Pearl Harbor P-40 is a necessary kit for me.
Thanks, Walt! It’s a great choice for a first Airfix kit.
A beauty John!
Thanks, Greg!
Beautifully rendered Shark
Thanks, Bill!
As I said at the build page, this is really nice @j-healy).
Interesting that you made that comment about the difference between an H-81 and a P-40C. When PoF got through restoring the P-40C that is now in the former Paul Allen collection, museum friend Eric Shilling sat in it the day of first public flight in 1998, and immediately identified it as a P-40C and wondered how it had gotten to Russia (where it had been recovered) since they got H-81s, which he pointed out (as you did) that it shouldn't have drop tank plumbing. Of course, I had made the discovery when they started stripping it in 1996 that it was indeed a P-40C from the 77th Pursuit Squadron of the 20th Pursuit Group, when they took off the Russian paint and found the USAAC markings underneath (the one time I was out there without a camera!).
Thanks, Tom. Pensacola had one for awhile that I think was supposed to represent Boyington’s. It was another one pulled out of a Russian forest. I wonder how many more are out there?
It was still there in 2018.@j-healy
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Yes it was, Robert. Wasn’t on display this past summer. I’ll ask its whereabouts the next time I’m over there.
Reflecting all mentioned compliments, John @j-healy
Excellent work on the interior as well as the paintwork and weathering.
You can be proud to have this one added to your collection.
Well done.
Thanks, John. The placard decals add a lot to the cockpit.
Great job on your AVG P-40! The only thing about the Airfix kit I do not like is that they did not include the gun sights. I guess you can always look for the old Monogram kit and use those.
Thanks, Tomas! Good catch. I actually have a set of aftermarket ring and bead sights that I forgot to use on this. Guess what I’m doing tomorrow?
I have this kit in my stash and your build is an inspiration. Fantastic paint job with lovely details, very impressive!
Nice work John. I did one of these in AVG markings several years ago and also enjoyed the project.
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Excellent work John@j-healy on this really nice kit from Airfix. Nice weathering as well, and this is going to force me to break out the one in my stash and get busy.
Nice job, John!
Thanks, Gary!
It’s always good to see an Airfix kit built as nicely as this one.
Thanks, George! The new Airfix kits are usually very enjoyable. They’ve been my favorite manufacturer for a few years now.
What they said,Great job!
Thanks, Robert!
Beautiful work John!
Thanks, Bob!