DONE: Finished Kittyhawk IV -Curtiss P-40N RAAF 76 Sqn G-SV A29-1140 Group Build

[ozhawk40]

Thanks guys and thanks for the advice Airframes. I'll stick with the Aluminum and see how it comes out using your approach.

I finished the prop.

Now for your eagle eyed spotters out there, I have changed the spinner cap colour to natural metal finish using Testors Metalizer. The profiles do have this as yellow, however I have examined many photos (covering at least 12 a/c) of 1140 and other squadron aircraft and all to my eye have natural metal caps.

Decision time, and I went against the published profiles and instructions.

I have strayed away from putting any chipping on the blades for the moment, but have "matted" them after decal application in all areas, but left an area around the info stencils gloss. I've noticed this on some of the photos. Most appear in pretty good nick, so i'll leave it so for the moment.

Cheers and enjoy your weekend!

Ozhawk

 

[Catch22]

Looking good!

 

[Wurger]

With you Andy...Nice.

 

[rochie]

very neat and tidy ozhawk

 

[Airframes]

Agree with all, nice work Peter.

 

[109ROAMING]

Sweet! real nice

 

[Micdrow]

Sweet prop there Peter. Excellent job!!!!

 

[lesofprimus]

Looks good so far...

 

[Wayne Little]

Looking good so far,....sometimes you just gotta go with your gut mate!

 

[ozhawk40]

For those that have an interest in RAAF P-40's and have followed the discussion, I did find another picture, I think, of the mystery P-40 that was about to get it's wings clipped. It definitely confirms that it was a 77 Squadron machine but the serial is elusive.

This aircraft is coded AM-V and the serial will be in the 800 range with 806 being the most likely suspect. I have no tie in with the code AM-V with A29-806

Following info is from the www.adf-serials website:

A29-806 P-40N-25 43-24513 4/44 served with 77 Sqn; was issued to 77 Sqn on 5/6/44; on 15/6/44 it damaged in a maintenance accident at Momote strip Los Negros Is and received back at the sqn on 5/8/44; on 25/9/45 it was issued to 6 AD but became u/s at 33 OBASU during the ferry flight back to Australia so approval to convert was requested on 3/1/46; on 20/2/46 it was allocated for conversion which included the gutted airframe to be dumped at sea.

Hope you like the picture, its from the collection of the Aviation Heritage Museum of Western Australia.

 

[lesofprimus]

Great frickin pic...

 

[ozhawk40]

Hi

Well, had a shot at the brake lines. I ended up making them 5 different ways and have small strips of aluminum super glued to the ends of fingers, tweezers and Dremel (lets' not get into that).

Eventually I did manage to stick some down to some very thin copper wire and a Hasegawa plastic part. Whew!
8)

 

[Micdrow]

Sweet!!!!! Great job!!!!

 

[Catch22]

Wow, that looks great!

 

[Airframes]

Very nice job, good work mate!

 

[ozhawk40]

Thanks guys - comments appreciated.

As Edison said

"We now know a thousand ways not to build a light bulb"

applies to me and brake lines!

cheers

 

[rochie]

landing gear looks great, well done with those brake lines

 

[Wayne Little]

Hey..great work mate...looks good!

 

[Lucky13]

Bl**dy awesome mate!!

 

[ozhawk40]

This photo is from "The P-40 Kittyhawk in Service" a Kookaburra publication written by Geoffrey Pentland.

My interest in this pic is the fact that this aircraft A29-1196 is on it's way to be delivered to 76 squadron and has yet to receive the markings of that squadron. The caption is in error by the way. It's a good photo in that it shows the condition and markings of these machines before they got knocked around a little - well okay sometimes a lot!. This one was stacked on Labaun Island.

A29-1196 P-40N-40 44-47824 01-Jan-45 Coded SV-Z 17/09/45 Overran strip at Labaun and was damaged slightly. Pilot was F/Sgt A T Bandick Ser#442450 of 76Sqn . Repaired. Engine changed.

This must be more or less how they left 3AD in Townsville, the unit that put them together after arrival by ship. In this case you can clearly see the medium green splotching on the tail with this aircraft being 44-47824. It was received by 76 squadron 3 weeks before 1190, on the 7/6/45 and would have been marked somewhat like 1190 in service - see the pictures of 1190 posted previously. I can also make out the splotching on 1190, on the leading edge of the tail. 1190 was 44-47811.

Tomorrow I will post some pics of a/c in the same batch close to 1140 that did not have the splotching. I'm going to have to make a decision on this soon, as paint stage is approaching.

Also attached is the decal sheet from Ventura. When you compare with 1190, you're going to notice a couple of "issues" with the instructions. More on that later.

Cheers