For your viewing
pleasure, here are some photos of my 1/48 scale Curtiss P-40N. Curtiss P-40s saw
action as a fighter and ground attack aircraft in every theater of WW II and was
used by air forces of 28 nations. When P-40 production ceased in 1944, 13,738
had been built. My model here depicts a P-40N, the most produced P-40 version,
with over 5,200 rolling off the assembly lines.
Click on
images below to see larger images
About the kit:
Overall, assembly of this kit was relatively easy, OOB. The parts fit was pretty
good except for the tail unit to fuselage assembly. There were some serious gaps
that required filling and sanding. Because I wanted pin-washed panel lines, I
re-scribed all the panel lines.
For painting I
airbrushed MM Neutral Gray enamel for the bottom of the fuselage and the wings,
and MM Olive Drab enamel for the top. The cockpit interior was painted with MM
enamels according to the painting instructions. The tail assembly called for
flat white, but I chose to go with Olive Drab. After painting, a coat of Future
and then a pin-wash to enhance the panel lines a rivets.
Typically, I mask
canopies with Parafilm, but with this model I decided to use a P-40N die-cut
paint mask from Eduard. It was my first experience with a store bought canopy
mask, and I must say, I was impressed. The masks were easy to apply and the fit
perfectly.
Decal
references provided for two aircraft. I chose to go with the Kansas City Kiddie
III decals. The decals were excellent; they snuggled down tightly with a little
Micro Sol. I finished the model with a mixture of MM Semi Gloss and Flat Clear
Laquer Finish.
All in all, I am
pleased with the finished model, an enjoyable project.
Burt Gustafson
Click on
images below to see larger images
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