1/48 Airfix P-40B

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

Hello Everybody!

This is my first Airfix kit. I understand that Airfix use to make sub-par kits, but then they got better. This seems like a nice simple kit. It has good detail and a few nice touches.

20180928_202216 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

The kit comes with two marking options. The first one is from Wheeler Field. George Welch, amonst others, was able to make it into the air at Pearl Harbor to fight the Japanese. It’s a very interesting point of history, but it’s a pretty boring aircraft paint scheme. I already have a couple of WWII fighters on the shelf in OD over Neutral Grey. So, I’m going with Flight Leader RT Smith’s bird from the 3rd Squadron of the American Volunteer Group (Flying Tigers) at Kunming, China.

20180928_202229 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

The kit’s cockpit built up well. It was a pleasure to build and paint. I cut the instrument panel decal into a series of decals, so they would bed-down better. I weathered it with a little drybrush of Tamiya’s XF-84 Dark Iron, and I gave it a Flory Models Dark Dirt Wash.

20181002_080613 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

20181002_080626 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

20181002_080637 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

20181002_080655 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

The fit isn’t terrible, but it isn’t perfect. I’ve used some filler, but sparingly. Additionally, the new fillers are great. I’ve used Vallejo Plastic Putty on this one, and the stuff is easy to use. I let it set up for a minute, then I smooth it out with a moist Q-Tip. It usually needs a second appliction, but it maintains panel lines. It also preserves nearby raised detail, and it reduces the need for sanding.

20181005_095238 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

There were some larger gaps on the bottom of the plane. They were far from detail, so I used the old styrene/cement mix to fill gaps.

This one is pretty much OOTB. I was temped to get some PE or resin, but I decided that there wasn’t much need. However, I did want to try something new. I’ve been thoroughly impressed by added rivet detail on this forum, so I’m giving it a go. I sat down today with some guide-tape and a Rosie-the-Riveter tool, and I had a blast. I got the undersides of the wings and the horizontal stabilizers done. I’m pretty happy with the results. (you may have to zoom-in to see it).

20181006_020551 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

That’s where I’m at. I’m having a bit of fun.

Cheers,

Chris

2

Excellent work on the pit! The kit seems really nice at a reasonable price.

3

The cockpit turned out great, especially the wear on the seats and floor. I have yet to attempt riveting - yours look straight and clean. Looking forward to the next installment!

Mike

4

Great work all round, really well done cockpit for stock! Fantastic hands on review of the build, I have one of these in the stash waiting it’s turn to be built and your description will come in handy.

5

OH Boy ! another P-40,my favorite.

I’ve been wanting to see how this Airfix kit plays out and I thank you for the WIP info. Your work is very good and doing justice to this fine kit as well.

6

Looking like a really great build. Love the finish on that cockpit

7

As others have commented, good work on the cockpit and I also appreciate the straight lines for your rivets!

When you cut up the IP decal did you use a sharp X-Acto knife or a small, sharp pair of scissors?

8

Thank you all very much for the kind words.

It is a nice kit. It doesn’t fall together like a Tamiya offering. It has more personality in that regard. However, it’s far from a bear.

I’m still enjoying my riveting. Today I did the top of the wings, tail, and the left side of the fuselage. The right side is all that’s left. Maybe I can get it done tomorrow. Really, time flies when you get into riveting. It hasn’t been painfully tedius. It’s more tolerable than assembling a couple hundred pieces of track for a piece of armor. I know my riveting isn’t perfect, but I think it looks pretty darn OK. I think it’s a good feature to add to this one.

20181006_234829 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

20181006_234823 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

Cheers,

Chris

9

Looks great! I need to get another P-40 kit, I built the Revell, but I can’t say it turned out that great. I’ll consider the Airfix kit for the next one!

10

That looks fantastic! Nice work so far! So is Airfix like the new Revell now? I always assumed it was one of those cheap-o snap-tite kits.

11

I used the old X-Acto knife. It wasn’t easy. Those dial faces are close together.

12

It’s not too expensive. I paid $30 at my local hobby shop, but it’s probably less online.

13

Apparently, you have to be careful. Airfix’s newer kits are pretty good, but their older kits aren’t the best. At least, that’s what I’ve heard.

I did hear that the Revell stuff was getting better before the HobbyCo bankrupcy. I must be honest, my display case is filled with Academy, Tamiya, Trumpeter, Eduard, Hasegawa, Dragon, Italeri, and a couple of Monogram/Revell cars.

14

Most of the stuff I’ve built is Revell/Monogram. There are maybe half a dozen Italeri, a couple Hasegawa, half a dozen minicraft, and one Tamiya. Most Revell kits really aren’t that bad, I’ve even had a few “fall” together like Tamiya’s.

15

I grew up on original Airfix, Revell, Monogram, Frog, Airlines, etc. when I could walk up to the local Rexall Drug and pickup a kit for a buck. They were crude, really intended as toys to be flown and crashed until you had another buck burning a hole in your pocket. As time went on though, I started to perceive that some of those kits looked pretty good if I was more careful with assembly and actually put some paint on them, even the old Airfix with their pie plate rivets, movable control surfaces, and thick canopies looked good sitting on my shelves - then I needed more shelves as more got kept and fewer crashed. By the time I was in high school, the Airfix Stirling, SM-79, and Grief were the lusted after items that went on the Christmas list, and I was just discovering Heller and Italaeri.

Hasegawa and Tamiya set a new bar for quality, but also price. I’m so glad to see Airfix and Revell producing fine kits at reasonable prices. We need those if the hobby is going to continue to flourish.

16

I do have to mention a couple of the nice touches in this kit. It comes with a nicely molded pilot figure, and it comes with the landing gear parts to model the plane in flight. I won’t be using these, but it’s nice that they are in the kit.

Also, it comes with two sets of tires. One pair is weighted for a sitting display, and one pair is round for an in-flight display. Additionally, the tires are molded as seperate parts from the wheel hubs. That will make painting easy.

17

Heh… Airfix has been banging out phenomenal kits in the last couple years. Old news here…

18

I like to write out my impressions of kits. I like to read other people’s impressions of kits. It’s helpful. This one has some nice touches. I’m pleasantly suprised.

19

Really like what you‘ve got there Chris. I’m gonna have to give it a try one day.

20

Agre with you in order to attract new people as well as keep those in the hobby there has to be affordable kits. I think most of the people in this hobby are on a budget me included. I do have a couple $100 kits but there the exception to my stash, as well there has to be something said about building and learning how to overcome some of shortcomings of these less than stellar kits. Iam not going to say I enjoy all hurtles in some these kits but it teaches and the feeling of accomplishmeant when you get it right or what you perceive as right. most of us can point to a kit on the shelf that was a bear to build and may not be the sharpest looking but is one you are most proud of.