P-40B Tomahawk - Trumpeter 1/32

Started by Colin Gomez · 11 · 2 years ago
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    Colin Gomez said 2 years, 8 months ago:

    This kit itself has been in my collection for years, including a Cutting Edge drop-in cockpit replacement in resin. I have just ordered the Kits World Decals on Ebay. I will probably do Neville Duke's RAAF GA-F but the sheet includes and option for RNZAF William Houston as well. I will decide when I see what the shark's mouths for each version look like up-close. I really like the shark mouth on the RAF P-40b - it fits so well, while being a little less aesthetically pleasing on the Kittyhawk - IMO. Although the Trumpeter kit is complex, I plan to button it up, without worrying about an exposed engine. That should make the build go faster.

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 2 years, 8 months ago:

    Another super entry, my friend @coling!
    Apart from the highly criticized very shallow cockpit, the rest of the kit is not that bad, accuracy wise (yes, there are some issues addressed, but, possibly, you can fix a number of them).
    Love your chosen scheme!

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    John vd Biggelaar said 2 years, 8 months ago:

    Sharkmouth P40's are always great looking, Colin @coling

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    Tom Cleaver said 2 years, 8 months ago:

    @coling - why not build this and the 110 in 1/48? The kits are better, not to mention way cheaper?

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    Tom Cleaver said 2 years, 8 months ago:

    It appears I was wrong about Trumpeter "poisoning the well."

    Great Wall Hobby has announced their first 1/32 kit - a P-40B.

    Sprue shots here:

    https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235044199-132-curtiss-p-40b-tomahawk-by-great-wall-hobby-gwh-design-model3d-rendersspruesdecalsbox-art-release-in-2021/&tab=comments#comment-4160532

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    Colin Gomez said 2 years, 8 months ago:

    Thanks, Spiros. I have looked carefully at all built P-40bs in 1/48 and 1/32 and I think Trumpeter got the overall shape very well. I have seen some excellent builds of the kit at s=model shows. I think it will just take some care and craftsmanship more or less OOB. The cockpit is already taken care of with the Cutting Edge resin set I have. I am happy to be building it and hope it will go together quite quickly as I have quite a few projects to get through in this GB alone. One day, I may go for the GWH version but I have no doubt it will be very pricey.

    Thanks, John. I really like sharkmouths too. The particular grin on the 112 Squadron P-40Bs is particularly nice.

    I appreciate your interest and question, Tom. I have not actually seen a really nice Tomahawk in 1/48. The Academy, Trumpeter and Airfix versions in 1/48 don't look right to me in various respects, mainly chunky surface detail and shape issues at that scale. The Monogram is actually rather well done and I have one but I prefer the detail of the Trumpeter kit. Otherwise, there is a simple two part answer: I have the 1/32 kits of the P-40 and Bf-110 and was looking for motivation to build them and 1/32 is by far my preferred scale, except for multi-engine types and jets, where 1/48 is still OK for me (but still not preferred).

    Thanks for the heads up on the GWH P-40B and the link. It will not doubt be astronomical in price for me. Got to watch the wallet these days.

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    Colin Gomez said 2 years, 8 months ago:

    Just a small update with progress on the P-40. Actually these pics are taken as I prepared parts for the cockpit, lining up the resin set and the kit parts.

    I have since been cutting out resin parts but that is as tedious to photograph as it is to do. For now, I just want to share the amusing contrast between the Cutting Edge set and the kit parts for the pit. As others have noted, the Trumpeter pit is too shallow and lacks a curved floor. The CE side walls show the extent of the correction. The seat and rear bulkhead are also toy-like and under-scale, as they are made to fit the shallow space. The CE components are very well done - the headrest will really look like leather, when painted. There are no belts on the resin seat, so I have an Eduard set to take care of that. I will do two versions of the IP, one with the CE set, which has some real depth to the gauges and another with the Eduard color etch. I will compare how they look in the end to see which I will use. This will be a pretty easy fit, I think. The main work is cutting big parts, like the new floor from their enormous casting blocks. I really hate doing this - dirty slogging work - and it is one of the reasons I put away this kit for so long. Having done much more cutting and sanding with the resin for the Tempest, though, it doesn't seem such a chore now. That's another build I should update today, come to think of it.

    Anyway, I hope this is interesting. Next post will be assembly. I am still waiting on a shipment of Gunze US Interior Green in the mail, so I may be a bit slow in getting this painted.

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 2 years, 8 months ago:

    What a nice progress, my friend @coling!
    The difference between CE and kit renditions is more than apparent: thanks for the great comparison pics.
    Nice sawing of that nasty resin!
    Also, looking forward to see the instruments comparison between CE and Eduard: the results will be pretty interesting!
    Again, thanks so much for all the above info.

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    Colin Gomez said 2 years, 8 months ago:

    Thanks, Spiros. Just getting started. I think it will be a trouble free build, especially since CE resin covers so much. I may modify the Eduard harnesses to make them look like cloth. Because the buckles are separate, that will be easy enough. Just waiting for paint and decals to get on with the major interior work.

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 2 years, 8 months ago:

    I will be watching the "cloth looking" seat belt modification with great interest, my friend @coling!

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    John vd Biggelaar said 2 years, 8 months ago:

    What a difference in parts Colin @coling
    Very obvious which parts are preferred.
    Looking forward to this build.