Hello plastic heads. I am currently forging forth on this big new P-40 variant, and GWH has done it right. Aside from a bit of instruction confusion, all has been very well. But the best thing, I've just noticed, is that there is a P-36 coming! At least, that's what the Koppos crystal ball has been guessing based on several clues.

But first the interior is done. I added a few boxes and wiring and throttle rods. My color was based on Dana Bell info on early USAAF which hopefully Curtiss used, and a French P-36 color chip. I think it came out too yellow, but, too late now. The Instrument panel for some reason had the dial faces molded as round bulges rather than flat glass, so I painstakingly shaved them down as best as possible. The instruments used individual decals, which while a LOT of work, look great when done. Next pic show how nicely the wing fairings fit. Much of the assemblies/covers etc. attach like the real deal, which adds some excitement to my P-40 addiction.

After the wings are on I assembled the nose. The fit of the panels here was bee-ootiful, no gaps whatsoever, you got to be very careful with the glue so's not to squirt any out and mess up the close fits. Little magnets are provided to attach the nasal area to the fuselage, as it is removable to allow interchange with a separate detailed Allison engine "power egg" to be swapped with it. Fit is pretty close with only a small gap on the top.

Now I took a pic of the assembled wing/fuselage without the nose on it, and it hit me. This almost looks like a P-36. What the Curtiss folks would have seen when adding the Allison to the P-36. AFAIK the differences between the 36 and 40 were the engine landing gear and elevators. In addition to the nose, the landing gear wells are modular to be switched between gear up and gear down. The P-36's different gear door arrangement could be accomodated here. The elevator/stabilizer assembly is one piece, laying on top of the fuselage. this could be swapped for the P-36's smaller one. Wow. All this speculation is giving me a headache. At least I hope I'm right.

Unfortunately I'll be away from the Shark for a week, but when I resume, it will be close to paint time.

10 attached images. Click to enlarge.

I'm sure you are right, was hoping based on the way they broke things down it could be done. This is a gorgeous model I'm surprised We haven't seen yours yet.

Great entry and great progress, my friend @billkoppos!

More progress. Keeping with the "just like the real one" deal, the wing machine guns slide in from the front, after removing the requisite covers. Unfortunately our covers must be glued. Howevuh, the original release kits include a set of 3D printed .30 cal. barrels, and they are nicely done things. The cooling jacket holes are just visible in the pic. The kit guns are one piece (really not bad at all) and the molded-on barrels must be removed and holes drilled for the 3D replacements. Then the MG bodies are slid into position in the wings, and the caps installed, the first parts of this kit which don't fit very well. I will install the barrels as a last step to avoid breakage

Also in the real deal department is the underside cover, bulge, I don't know what the correct toim is. The fuel piping is all present which will lead later to the exposed engine display, or tucks up into the "Nose" assembly. (I already broke one, though.) The cover snaps into place with perfect fit, if one wanted to remove it to look at the fuel piping again, one can.

So, getting close to paint time. The few seams are sanded, have to look over the wing seams for flaws, and mask the cockpit. Here comes the fun part, deciding on which Shark out of six to do. I'm leaning towards Bob Neale's 1st Pursuit aircraft. Or a Hell's Angel...

6 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Great progress, my friend @billkoppos!
Everything looks superb!

@billkoppos - I'm sort of "over" 1/32 kits nowadays, ever since my government-funded bureaucrat-run health care (the VA) gave me my eyes back and I can see to build 1/72.

The detail looks terrific, Bill (@billkoppos). I am amazed almost daily at the really cool, detailed 3D printed stuff you can get. The progress that the technology has made just over the last couple of years is unbelievable. Getting close to painting time.

To quote Ray Wiley Hubbard "Some things under heaven are cooler'n hell". Camaros, Harleys, goils in Daisy Dukes, and the Alison engine in the GWH Hawk kit. Many parts has this, a separate kit in itself. This is only the engine in progress, lots of piping to do yet. Oh, do not cut off the parts all at once, make note of part #'s, or you are asking for trouble. I found it, and had to modify the radiator/oil cooler assy to make things work. The carbulator interfered with the rear bulkhead, but everything can't be easy, right?

Best thing is, this assy will be interchangeable with the full "nose" by virtue of the miracle of magnets.Like I said, cooler 'n hell.

4 attached images. Click to enlarge.