Subject: Re: HLJ - Hasegawa P-40 Kittyhawk Mk.I/Mk.III
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "David & Natasja Johnson" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:16:48 -0700

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: David & Natasja Johnson 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Sunday, May 30, 2010 4:49 AM
  Subject: HLJ - Hasegawa P-40 Kittyhawk Mk.I/Mk.III

  Hasegawa

  P-40 Kittyhawk Mk.I/Mk.III

  1/32 Limited Release

  Product #08204 (http://www.hlj.com/product/HSG08204) from HobbyLink Japan (www.hlj.com)

  Product Article by Dave Johnson on the May 2010

  Looking at the box art you will be thinking, haven't I seen this boxing released before.? Well yes and no. This box art featured on Hasegawa's 1/48 Limited Release of the Kittyhawk Mk.III boxing #09715 around the end of 2006. This time the same box art is featuring on this 1/32 release. Most large scale fans of the P-40 will know of the offerings and what to expect  from Hasegawa's past releases of the E, K, N and M versions . Opening the box top you are greeted with 190 parts on 10 medium gray and 1 transparent sprues. 

  The cockpit has an excellent level of detail as its past releases have and have not changed since the release of the first boxing of the P-40E. There should be no need to replace the cockpit with an aftermarket resin replacement as the detail in the office is excellent. The only addition that you may wish to add is a Seat Harness, scratch built or the many of aftermarket options that is out there for the modeler to choose from. You will need to check your references to see whether you require a British Sutton Harness or U.S. Style Harness, as most RAF and Commonwealth units used the Sutton Harness. The kit is loaded with lots of optional parts to build different versions of the P-40. Two versions of the tall style tail, instrument panels,  mid-fuselage Drop tank or bomb assemblies, Tubular and Flared types of exhaust pipes and cowl flaring to correspond with the exhaust pipes and canopies. Exterior details are fantastic with very fine recessed panel lines and rivet lines with raised details for the fabric covered ribs tapes for the elevators and ailerons areas. The parts show no signs of molding flash, sink marks or major seem lines.

  The kit has options for two aircraft -

  Kittyhawk Mk.III, Geoffrey B. Fisken, 14th Squadron, RNZAF July 1943

  KittyHawk Mk.Ia, No.239 Wing Desert A.F, RAF, No.112 "Shark" Squadron, Egypt, 1942.

  The print and colour registry on the decal sheet is very crisp. The printed white has been an issue on past Hasegawa releases as being to dark and appearing as a cream colour. This sheet is a lot better, and appears to be an off white or weathered white instead of the usual cream colour seen on past releases . The markings for Geoff Fisken's "Wairapa Wildcat" did appear in the last issue of the P-40 boxing, which was the M boxing.

  Some notes and information that may be of interest to anyone who is considering building an RNZAF P-40 scheme and/or Geoff Fisken's "Wairarapa Wildcat" thats supplied in this boxing -

  The P-40 was known throughout the RAF as the Kittyhawk but RNZAF used the American designations of the P-40. RNZAF used American flying equipment and US Style harness, but used the British 'Mae West' life jackets.  The blue on the RNZAF roundels have always been a hot debate within RNZAF Historians and enthusiasts for many years, The dark royal blue that appears on the Hasegawa decal sheet for the RNZAF roundels appears to be too dark  in my opinion and others. RNZAF roundel blue is near to Fs 25056 when its freshly applied to the aircraft. With the heat and dusty conditions in the South Pacific the roundel blue weathers to a Fs.35109.  There are a few aftermarket P-40 decal sheets by a New Zealand manufacture called Ventura Publications, that have a have these colours featuring on their decal sheets.  

  Geoff Fisken's,  NZ3072, P-40M "Wairarapa Wildcat" arrived by ship into Auckland, New Zealand, assembled and test flown in March 1943. It suffered some damage while it was been ferried to New Caledonia. It was handed over to be repaired by the local U.S.Army Air Service Command Corps unit.  Before handing back the aircraft to the New Zealanders, the US unit had painted their unit emblem of a black tomcat on the cowling's of the P-40 NZ3072. Geoff Fisken had been allocated this aircraft  at this time, and the New Zealander pilots 'owned' their individual aircraft and the black cat was decided to left on the cowls by Geoff and ground crew. Since many in the Squadron came from the Wairarapa area in the lower North Island of New Zealand, it was dubbed  the 'Wairarapa Wildcat'. The cats' white outline was apparently only added with chalk to enhance it for a photo shoot and never carried the white outline. The 11 victory flags appeared on the cowl only on the port side. The cat and the number 19 appeared on both sides of the cowl.

  NZ3072 survived its tours of duty, and ended up back in NZ in early 1944 where it was used for training at Ardmore Air Force base near Auckland, and at Ohakea Air Force base . NZ3072 managed to survive a mid air collision at the hands of trainee pilots in Aug 1944. NZ3072 was unfortunately scrapped along with most of New Zealand's lend/lease aircraft in 1947/48.sub 

  I would like to thank HobbyLink Japan (www.hlj.com) for the review sample.

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