P-40C 33rd Pursuit Squadron, U.S.A. 1941 (ACADEMY 1/72)

[ArmouredSprue]

P-40C 33RD PURSUIT SQUADRON
USA, 1941

Model improved with full scratch built interior, add new wheels from my spare parts box.
Added new machine guns and new pitot from syringe needles.
Painted mostly using Tamiya and Gunze aqueous Hobby Colours acrylics.

Camouflage:
Undersurfaces Grey FS 36440 = Tamiya XF-80 overall plus added a few drops of white XF-2 for highlights.
Upper-surfaces US Olive Drab FS 34087 = Gunze H52 overall plus added a few drops of white H1 for highlights.

Decals:
FCM Decals 72-22 P-40 Galore plus spares for propeller's stencils. I had issues with the upper wing decals when trying to make them to conform to kit's surface, tried Gunze's Mr Marker Fit and it almost dissolved the decal completely. I had to try to fix as best as I could but didn't end perfect as I intended.

Conclusion:
Overall the kit is very basic and have some major mistakes. It's aimed for very beginner modellers. Serious modellers should by the Airfix new tool.

PS: After looking the photos I've noticed I've missed the rear windows, it's now been fixed.

Cheers

 

[Wurger]

Nicely done although the Academy model isn't the best one.

 

[Crimea_River]

Nice job.

 

[ArmouredSprue]

Nicely done although the Academy model isn't the best one.

Yes I know! But had it in stash already. Better than throw in the bin, right?
Cheers

 

[Wurger]

Yes that's true. Same here. However I decided to convert it to a Curtiss P-36 Hawk / Hawk Model 75

 

[flypaper2222]

View attachment 486749

P-40C 33RD PURSUIT SQUADRON
USA, 1941

Model improved with full scratch built interior, add new wheels from my spare parts box.
Added new machine guns and new pitot from syringe needles.
Painted mostly using Tamiya and Gunze aqueous Hobby Colours acrylics.

Camouflage:
Undersurfaces Grey FS 36440 = Tamiya XF-80 overall plus added a few drops of white XF-2 for highlights.
Upper-surfaces US Olive Drab FS 34087 = Gunze H52 overall plus added a few drops of white H1 for highlights.

Decals:
FCM Decals 72-22 P-40 Galore plus spares for propeller's stencils. I had issues with the upper wing decals when trying to make them to conform to kit's surface, tried Gunze's Mr Marker Fit and it almost dissolved the decal completely. I had to try to fix as best as I could but didn't end perfect as I intended.

Conclusion:
Overall the kit is very basic and have some major mistakes. It's aimed for very beginner modellers. Serious modellers should by the Airfix new tool.

PS: After looking the photos I've noticed I've missed the rear windows, it's now been fixed.




View attachment 486750

View attachment 486751

View attachment 486752

View attachment 486753

View attachment 486754

View attachment 486755

View attachment 486756

View attachment 486757

View attachment 486758


View attachment 486759

Cheers

By 1941 several changes had been made to the camouflage and markings of the P-40 including the CU, B, and C model
1.the shadow painting of Neutral Gray below the horizontal stabilizer had been eliminated and replaced with Olive Drab.
2. the national insignia had been changed to one above one below style.
3. rudder stripes had been removed. as well as the yellow markings on the wing.
4. the underside US ARMY had been changed from Black to Insignia Blue.
Your model is finished more to represent an earlier B model then a 1941 C.
* information gleaned from "Air Craft Pictorial #5 P-40 Warhawk Dana Bells"

 

[Wurger]

Also true. As I have mentioned that the Academy model isn't the best one. There is a lot of mistakes made to the model shape including the lack of the protruding gun blast tubes of the fuselage MGs for the early P-40 versions. However the Academy offers it as the P-40B variant judging by the art boxes. But the kit intruction says P-40B/C. So no wonder, everyboody can be confused. Of course it doesn't mean the model is finished badly. Just the mattter of the pic caption and small detailsI would say.

 

[Wurger]

And here the real P-40 in 1940/1941... as you may notice there is the lack of the wing MGs and there are the gun blast tubes of the fuselage MGs attached. Undoubtedly that's a very early P-40.

 

[hal bregg]

I think, that a good execution of average kit looks better than a poor performance of even excellent kit. From that point- good job, Armoured!.
Beside that,-I love those early P-40 markings!. I wish to make one (perhaps Trumpeter kit).

 

[Wurger]

I agree. The same here. Therefore no problem at my end.

 

[Gnomey]

Lovely work!

 

[ArmouredSprue]

By 1941 several changes had been made to the camouflage and markings of the P-40 including the CU, B, and C model
1.the shadow painting of Neutral Gray below the horizontal stabilizer had been eliminated and replaced with Olive Drab.
2. the national insignia had been changed to one above one below style.
3. rudder stripes had been removed. as well as the yellow markings on the wing.
4. the underside US ARMY had been changed from Black to Insignia Blue.
Your model is finished more to represent an earlier B model then a 1941 C.
* information gleaned from "Air Craft Pictorial #5 P-40 Warhawk Dana Bells"

Also true. As I have mentioned that the Academy model isn't the best one. There is a lot of mistakes made to the model shape including the lack of the protruding gun blast tubes of the fuselage MGs for the early P-40 versions. However the Academy offers it as the P-40B variant judging by the art boxes. But the kit intruction says P-40B/C. So no wonder, everyboody can be confused. Of course it doesn't mean the model is finished badly. Just the mattter of the pic caption and small detailsI would say.

View attachment 487037

And here the real P-40 in 1940/1941... as you may notice there is the lack of the wing MGs and there are the gun blast tubes of the fuselage MGs attached. Undoubtedly that's a very early P-40.

View attachment 487029

View attachment 487030

Thanks guys for the valuable information. As I said before, this kit was built just to not throw it away. I knew about the US ARMY insignia blue under the wings, the decal sheet has the correct decal, but since I'm saving it for to build an Airfix kit later on, so I used an spare decal from my box to use under the wings.
I'll try to do a better job on the Airfix kt.
Cheers
Paulo

 

[Wurger]

It's OK Paulo. And I like the model and your work on that. Quoting Hal - a good execution of average kit looks better than a poor performance of even excellent kit.

 

[ArmouredSprue]

It's OK Paulo. And I like the model and your work on that. Quoting Hal - a good execution of average kit looks better than a poor performance of even excellent kit.

No worries mate!
cheers

 

[fubar57]

Very nice Paulo

 

[Wayne Little]

nice bird, Paulo.

 

[ArmouredSprue]

Thanks Wayne