Academy models Curtiss P-40B Tomahawk 1:72

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copcheck

Airman 1st Class
265
0
Mar 25, 2011
Clinton Township, MI
Picked up this kit prior to reading the reviews about it's terrible quality and lack of dihedral, however I'd like to build the kit anyway.

As usual I have googled a bunch of pics and previously built models, but again find myself struggling to capture the correct colors to use.

The kit says the plane was flown by Charles Older 3rd Pursuit Sq., "Hell's Angels", AVG Kunming, China, Spring 1942, however the directions give very little advice to the paint scheme.

I have seen many pics after a Google search of 1/72 and 1/48 scales of this very bird, but no reference to paint.

Any help?

Thanks,

Jon
 
Jon, these P-40s of the AVG were painted with DuPont paints that were similar to the RAF colours: Dark Green - 71-013, Red-Brown - 71-009 or 71-035 or 71-065 on top surfaces and the Light Grey Sky S type - 71-021.
As references for these paints you can use Humbrol equivalents... DG - Humbrol 30 or 116, RB - Humbrol 29 for tops and Humbrol 90 on undersides. Also , Testor's Model Master Enamels - 1710 Dark Green ...FS 34079, 1702 Field Drab ... FS 30118, 1728 Light Ghost Gray ... FS 36375.

The colour of undersides can be a problem because these DuPont paint was of a little bit different tonality. The RAF Sky S type was more greenish when the DuPont one was slight greyer and less green than true Sky. So I would suggest adding some of white to the Humbrol 90.
 
Last edited:
Thank you.

My Mini-craft Bf-109G ended in disaster as I'm still getting used to acrylics.

I'm trying to decide whether to build this P-40 or attempt my first Stuka.
 
The P-40 of Academy is really the plastic scrap. The Trumpeter kit is the kit if you want to make a nice model of the Curtiss' fighter plane.
Which Ju-87 Stuka are you going to make ? The Academy one?
 
copcheck said:
Thank you.

My Mini-craft Bf-109G ended in disaster as I'm still getting used to acrylics.

I'm trying to decide whether to build this P-40 or attempt my first Stuka.
Click to expand...

I heard that the Academy P-40 was bad, sadly I didn't read it until after I bought it.

Regarding the Stuka, it is the Airfix 1/72 JU87-B.
 
The Airfix Stuka - sounds good. I would go with the kit. However the Academy P-40 is very basic and ignoring all mistakes done by the manufacturer, you can make it quick.
 
Thank you again.

I mostly have access to both enamel and acrylic MM paints, not so much Humbrol.


I have:
1728 Light Ghost Gray ... FS 36375

But will need to pick up:
1710 Dark Green ...FS 34079
1702 Field Drab ... FS 30118

In some of the pics I've seen, one of the colors appears to be almost tan or sandy, for example, the one in the link below:
Curtiss P-40B Tomahawk by Michael Woodgate (Hobbycraft 1/48)

This one looks to be more inline with the colors you've listed:
P-40B / Tomahawk Mk.IIb by Yasushi Saito (Monogram 1/48)

This is why I'm so confused LOL.
 
Oh.. all is clear now. These two P-40s are painted of two different camo schemes. The first one is of the camo used by AVG. The Dark Green/Chocolate Brown/DuPont Sky type S Grey. But the second one is of the RAF desert camo scheme, Mid Stone/ Brown Earth/ Azure Blue. Just two Curtisses used at two different operational theatres.
 
They were, as Wojtek stated, finished in DuPont 'equivalent colours', for RAF issue but, IIRC, diverted to the AVG. The colours were the equivalent to Dark Green/Dark Earth/ Sky, in the paints mentioned by Wojtek. There was an extensive article covering the restoration, and painting, of a particular P40 from the unit, now flying in the USA, in 'Fly Past' magazine a year or two back. The article mentioned the extensive research into the colour scheme, and interviews with it's pilot from the era.
In the photo posted, allowing for the highlight effect of the bright lighting, and the reproduction, the Green/Brown are clearly visible.
 
Also here is another shot...



and the next one quite interesting...



Also here is a sample of the DuPont Sky type S Grey....

 
I started on this kit and as I said I knew after reading the reviews it was bad, but man is it ever bad.

I'm so disappointed I almost want to stop building it. Nothing matches up and it's just a bummer.
 
copcheck said:
I started on this kit and as I said I knew after reading the reviews it was bad, but man is it ever bad.

I'm so disappointed I almost want to stop building it. Nothing matches up and it's just a bummer.
Click to expand...

Don't despair, the kit can be built. I did have to remove the pitot tube to get the wing to fit together though! . I also didn't fit the bomb, which is hideously ugly...

Here's mine from last year:

The Unofficial Airfix Modellers' Forum :: View topic - Academy P40B/C in 1/72 scale: Flying Tigers

Good luck!

Andrew
 
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