**** DONE: 1/48 P-40F - Mediterranean Theatre of Operations

[T Bolt]

P-40F 'Miss Memphis' of the 85th FS, 79th FG, North Africa, 1943
User Name: T Bolt
Name: Glenn
Category: Advanced
Kit: Hobbycraft re-boxing of the AMT/Etrl Curtiss P-40L Warhawk
Scale: 1/48th
Accessories: True Details Resin Wheels, Kits World Decals, Some scratch building

This build will be 'Miss Memphis' of the 85th FS, 79th FG, North Africa, 1943, with 'tail" art by Cpl. Joseph E. Pumphrey.

Cpl. Pumphrey put his artwork on many P-40s of the 79th FG but none of them lasted long as it offended the powers that be so orders came down to have it removed. Photos of only a few have survived and this is one of them.

 

[T Bolt]

This is the one I had originally intended to enter in the Nose Art GB but the decals went missing, so now that's it's turned up I'm going to give it a go for this GB. The kit is a Hobbycraft re-boxing of the AMT/Etrl kit which I've built several times so there should be no surprises, only the known week points, chief among them is a seat more suited to a P-40N and and the poor fitting upper cowl panels. The nose of the Merlin powered "L" model has a different shape so there might not be the same problem I've previously encountered, but looking at the parts I would not count on it.

 

[N4521U]

Gonna be nice to see one properly built, nice one.

I hope to be able to start one myownself if I can get a couple of other unfinished projects out of the way.....

 

[Catch22]

Should be good as always Glenn!

 

[Crimea_River]

Good one Glenn.

 

[Wurger]

Good luck !!!

 

[rochie]

good choice Glenn

 

[javlin]

Good luck !!!

Do those sprues look familiar Wojtek??

Last one of these Glenn I sent to Wojtek the nose area was of terrible fit!You know how he likes to contort things

 

[T Bolt]

Do those sprues look familiar Wojtek??

Last one of these Glenn I sent to Wojtek the nose area was of terrible fit!You know how he likes to contort things

It's not great, but not as bad as I feared. Worked on the panels a little last night and should have them done tonight with pictures.

 

[tigerdriver]

nice subject

 

[Wurger]

Do those sprues look familiar Wojtek??

Yes they do. You are right Kev, I have thought about the kit. If these basic sprues are the same I don't envy Glenn anything.

Glenn, would you be so kind and could post a shot of the sprue with wing parts?

 

[fubar57]

Still have a few of these in the stash. Do you know if these were 4 or 6 gun versions Glenn? I've read that many Fs had guns removed to improve performance. Awaiting the build.

Geo

EDIT: Went through "The 79th Fighter Group Over Tunisia, Sicily and Italy" and the squadrons 3 part history and it looks like all the aircraft had 6 guns. I also found about 6 or 7 more tail art in the first book.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

This is going to be a good build to watch come alive.

 

[destrozas]

Beauty choose glenn

 

[T Bolt]

Finished messing around with the nose panels and here's the result after shims, superglue and sanding.

Yes they do. You are right Kev, I have thought about the kit. If these basic sprues are the same I don't envy Glenn anything.

Glenn, would you be so kind and could post a shot of the sprue with wing parts?

Here it is. I already separated the parts but still had the sprue, It's marked ERTL

Still have a few of these in the stash. Do you know if these were 4 or 6 gun versions Glenn? I've read that many Fs had guns removed to improve performance. Awaiting the build.

Geo

EDIT: Went through "The 79th Fighter Group Over Tunisia, Sicily and Italy" and the squadrons 3 part history and it looks like all the aircraft had 6 guns. I also found about 6 or 7 more tail art in the first book.

Thanks for the info George. I have more of the tail art pics but if you have any shots of the entire aircraft that would be very helpful. I have more than a few of these kits in the stash. Came across a lot of bagged kits at a ridiculously low price and picked up quite a few of them.

 

[Wurger]

Great ! THX Glenn. These wing parts are different from those of the kit that Kev sent me kindly. Undoubtedly looking much better and seem to be correct.

 

[JKim]

Nice subject... can't wait to see the start!

 

[javlin]

Great ! THX Glenn. These wing parts are different from those of the kit that Kev sent me kindly. Undoubtedly looking much better and seem to be correct.

That was a hairy kit nothing like punishing a friend

 

[Wurger]

True Kevin. But looking at the pics of parts of Glenn's kit I can see that the progress was made at the accuracy.

 

[T Bolt]

Which kit is that?