Kittyhawk Mk. Ia in 1/48 scale
I built this back in 2018, but just came across it during some tidying up and thought it might be worth sharing. It's the venerable AMT/Ertl P-40K kit, released in 1996, the second of their own moldings for a semi-modular series of the Warhawk family, the first being the P-40N in 1995. I'm sure many of you have built one or more of these kits. They have their faults, but can still be made into quite pleasing models, and they're still the only path of which I'm aware to the Merlin-powered variants in 1/48 scale.
Mods to the kit include scratchbuilt pilot's head cushion, gun sight and canopy rails. I added the antenna mounting bracket on the fin as well as transverse landing gear struts and inner gear door actuators. Aftermarket items include Ultracast resin seat, exhausts and main wheels, Squadron vacuform sliding canopy, Eduard/Brassin British 500 lb. bomb, and Master Model ring-and-bead sight.
For paints, I used my own mix of yellow zinc chromate, gray and a bit of green chromate for the interior areas. I base-coated the upper surfaces with my rendition of DuPont export Dark Earth 71-009 achieved by mixing Model Master enamel FS 30219 Tan with some ancient Pactra Roof Brown. This was then faded by adding a bit more 30219 and misting in streaks. Next, I freehand airbrushed Model Master Mid Stone on the areas that would have been Dark Green in the original paint scheme. Then I freehand airbrushed Mr. Color Azure Blue over the lower surfaces. Finally, I applied Tamiya Brown Panel Line Accent.
Decals are from Tally Ho, Eagle Strike and Aeromaster, the latter providing the individual plane markings. They got the color of the map wrong (orange instead of red), so the decals were scanned, everything besides the orange was deleted, the orange was changed to red, and inkjet decals were printed to overlay the Aeromaster decals. They also got the serial number wrong (W instead of V), so I laser printed new ones.
Markings are for a Kittyhawk Ia from the very last batch of export P-40Es. It has several features that would become standard on the P-40K including the enlarged fin and the flared exhausts. The model replicates the personal mount of South African pilot DB Hauptfleisch, CO of No. 2 Squadron SAAF, North Africa, 1942.
Cheers, Pip
Wow, very nice. Never seen those markings before
Thanks for the comment, George!
Beautifully build P-40!
Love it.
Thank you Alfred!
Very nice work on this, Pip. A superb result. These kits are better (with help) than they are given credit for.
Thank you Tom! I hold you in high esteem as a modeler and writer and really appreciate your comments.
Great P-40, with a little attention these AMT P-40s can be really nice, as your beautiful build clearly shows. Really nice Pip.
All the extra work you put into this project really paid off.
I'd know than Ultra wheels anywhere, used a lot of 'em. Great job on this, the old AMT was getting closer till the Hasegawas. They got the nose shape down well. Good job on the markings too, that Springbok marking is tres cool. Remember it from the old Arco/Aircam book. Model master and Pactra? Yer bringing me back...
Nice work, Pip. Those are still solid kits. All they really need are the ring and bead sight and a vac sliding section if you want to pose the canopies open. I build them closed canopy because they fit exceptionally well and Iām frugal, š.
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Nice clean work on this model Pips.
You did a marvelous job on this Kittyhawk. @seawinder
This is a beautiful Kittyhawk, Pip @seawinder
Especially in this desert camouflage scheme.
Well done Pip, one can never build too many P-40's. Those old AMT kits can still hold their own with a little TLC, as you've demonstrated with this post.
Nice work Pip-good to see the old bird built so well. Excellent paint and decals. I too have a couple of them on my case.
Fantastic result on the venerable AMT mold, Pip! Fantastic extra work, too!
Great work on that old kit. They're not bad, I have a couple.
Thank you all for your comments. I really appreciate them!
Great looking P-40! Love the SAAF birds with the Springbok Nose or Tail Art
Nice clean build, and those markings stand out! Looks great.