Hobbycraft 1/48 P-40F/L Checkertail

[fubar57]

Time to start something new while I'm waiting to go to Prince George(2 hour drive each way) on Saturnsday to get clear flat, clear decal paper, air compressor and a new digital camera.

Before I start, a question. The color behind the fuselage cutout. Found these two photos on the web. As you can see, the color one shows red as per the model instructions, but the black and white one shows what to me looks like a slightly different color, perhaps mid-stone. Any thoughts?

Thanks for any input,

Geo

 

[Vic Balshaw]

If you look at the nose of the monochrome picture Geo, it is the same as behind the cockpit give or take a bit of shading. I've taken the colour picture back to monochrome and get the same results as you see in the monochrome picture. So in a nutshell, I'd stick with the red unless others can find proof of colour change.

 

[fubar57]

Sounds good to me Vic. I just noticed on the b&w profile that the framing color was the same as the fuselage and not red as in the color pic. Even better.

Geo

 

[fubar57]

OK...one more pic from the web and two from my osprey and squadron in action books.

All five have slight variations. Sometimes too much info is a bad thing.

Geo

 

[Vic Balshaw]

I've checked through some of my books and have come up with these two alternatives. Sadly the first one is an aerial shot but the caption is reasonably descriptive of paintwork where as the second from a later period is a more definitive picture and colour description. It looks like it's going to be your call Geo.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Looking at the two pictures together it can be seen that they are similar in colour particularly behind the cockpit so I'd go for the red nose and cockpit frame including the extension behind the cockpit but it looks to be silver or raw aluminium under the Perspex. The fuselage would be flat black if depicting the machine in the front line or gloss black after the airframes retirement.

 

[fubar57]

Good Gawd Vic....top foto..glossy red,matt black. Bottom foto..glossy black with red trim. Can fell over,worms every where. Now, looking at my five pics I see two have different exhaust covers.
"A" is the one mentioned in the instructions.

Hmmmm,3rd profile...only four machine guns were carried. Inside four or outside four. Perhaps I'll build a glider instead

Geo

Edit. Vic. Was writing this as you posted your second. Also went over my books. Plane was painted after it was taken off operations and used as a hack and the 2 outer guns were removed.(Osprey Aircraft of the Aces-P-40 Warhawk Aces of the MTO)

 

[Airframes]

I could be wrong, but I think the colour under the rear cockpit glazing is the standard interior colour, the Curtis green, which would be the normal factory finish. Some units re-painted this area in the outer camouflage colour, but the lighter tone suggests the green.

 

[T Bolt]

The exhaust in that last picture looks like the non-flared, straight type.

 

[fubar57]

The exhaust in that last picture looks like the non-flared, straight type.

CRAP. Thanks Glen and you too Terry

Geo

 

[fubar57]

OK, my dog is starting to get scared now. One last picture from the Osprey book. Two aircraft from the same time frame.

I know nothing is a given in war but a least the color is the same.

Geo

 

[fubar57]

Yikes. Finally turned the kit box over and looked at the Markings guide. Hobbycraft wants the cutout color to be black.

Geo

 

[T Bolt]

I seem to remember seeing a color picture of that bird somewhere. I'll have a look through my stuff when I get home tonight.

 

[fubar57]

Finally the paint flows. Not the best but the canopy will be on. Tried my hand at adding extra wiring but that disappeared under the paint.

Final thought on the color of the fuselage cutout. In the last two profiles posted, the color kinda, sorta, it almost looks like faded olive drab. Anyone know what color these aircraft left the factory in?

Thanks...Geo

 

[Airframes]

Looking good, and still fairly sure that rear cockpit colour is the interior colour. (In RAAF service in the desert, this area was sometimes re-painted in the exterior camouflage colour)

 

[fubar57]

Taking too long going over references so I'm just going to build the stupid thing. I did read that other modelers had some problems with the cowl panels and wing roots. The best way around the panels is too fiddle with them before you glue the fuselage halves together. A little short and just a bit of sanding on the rear edge to square it up. This also means putting the exhausts in before the model gets painted(don't like). Painted the exhausts Tamiya XF-84, Dark Iron.(I know...spots missed)

Got the rear of the panels glued now and letting it set overnight and then add some plastic to get them to get them to the correct length.

Geo

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Coming along nicely Geo.

 

[Crimea_River]

 

[T Bolt]

Looking great Geo.
The P-40K I'm working on in the start to finish section is based on the same molds, and I did thoes pannels the same way you did them. They turn out pretty good if you take care fitting and glueing them.

 

[fubar57]

Trying to even up the cowl panels. Sanding and shaping tonight.

Attempt at dry brushing on the exhaust.(So much to learn and experiment on since I've come to this site.

Geo

Thanks Glenn. Your build showed me a few things.