For all the years I’ve been doing this, this P-40 is the first Flying Tiger I have successfully completed. This Airfix P-40B kit is a terrific kit. Like a Tamiya kit, it fairly clicks together. The airplane is built OOB except for AeroMask stencils for the camouflage. The stencils really made painting the airplane more efficient than trying to accomplish the camouflage free hand. I highly recomment them.
The paint used was mostly Model Master enamels and some Tamiya acrylics like the tires. The camo is Dark Tan and Medium Green over Neutral Grey. The fuselage band is Tamiya Flat Red and the tires NATO Black. The canopy was masked with Eduard mask for the Airfix P-40B. The paint was first sealed with Tamiya Clear Gloss diluted 1/1 with Mr. Color Leveling Thinner. After decals and weathering with pastel sticks, the paint was sealed again with Testors Dullcote.
So, here it is. Curtiss Hawk 81-A-2, Flt. Leader Robert Smith 3rd Squadron Kunming, China, June 1942.
Thanks, y’all. This was a build I have really wanted to do for some time. Yeah, keavdog, I’ve built that Monogram P-40 several times but this new Airfix kit just blows it away.
Great work! The P-40B is my favorite WWII aircraft, dating all the way back to when I was 3 and built (with Dad’s considerable assistance) that Monogram kit. I have 2 of these Airfix kits in my stash, one to do as an AVG bird. I only hope mine will look as good as yours.
Nice work. I was curious about this particular kit. I did the monogram kit and didn’t care for it, the Hasegawa as well and didn’t care for it either. I will definately give this one a try.
Aggieman, when you build this kit, be sure to order the AeroMask stencils for this kit. Worth every nickel and takes all the guess work out of painting the camouflage.
