What do you guys/gals consider the best 1/48 P-40 (any variant) kit out there? I tried the Revellogram P-40B kit, and it drove me insane and wound up in the circular file. Looking for a good-quality replacement. 
Assuming you mean 1/48 scale, probably the easiest kit to build is the HobbyCraft/Academy P-40B, but it’s not the most accurate. Ditto for the old Otaki/Arii P-40E. The new Hasegawa P-40E & N kits are very nice, but not shake the box kits. There are also the Trumpeter P-40B, Eduard/Mauve P-40-M/N & the Amtech P-40E. They will all build into nice models of the P-40 with a little effort & TLC.
Regards, Rick
Thanks, Rick…shoulda mentioned the scale; I’ve edited my original post to include the scale. I’ll check out those kits!
I would recommend the new Hasegawa kit… I have a build underway right now if you want to peek in…
I have the revell, arii, and Eduard/Mauve/Amtech kit. The Amtech is defintely the best of the 3. Can’t tell you about the new hasegawa or trumpeteer.
Here’s a link to my build of the the Amtech if interested in more details…
John,
Hands down, the Mauve/Eduard P-40M/N is the best 1/48 P-40 ever made.
Do yourself a favor and get the Eduard Profi-Pack version…it’s got extra resin detail bits and a nice PE fret. Very impressive, and the fit is just great. I’ve got the Profi-Pack version and the standard Mauve version - lovely kits.
You’ll not regret getting either.
I just checked that kit out on greatmodels.com…very nice! I may have to get me one of those!
John,
You have heard from all the people that have more knowledge about the different kits out there. And I cannopt disagree with their comments as i have no experince withthe other kits. I can only tell you that I have completed 2 Hasegagwa kits, and N and an E, in renecnt months and loved the kits and will probabaly build them again.
I just finished my 7th R/M P-40 B/C. It is a simple kit. But I have a soft spot for it. IMO it is “cheap and easy”
I built the Academy/Hobbycraft P-40B and was very happy with it.
I also built the R/M Pro-Modeler P-40E. And was happy with that also.
Thanks! I was leaning towards the Hasegawa, because I’ve built their kits in the past and they always give me good results.
Is the ProModeler a rebox of another brand? That’s what most of the PM kits were…
The early Pro Modeler kits were all Revell-Monogram molds. Most were Monogram kits retooled, or in some cases just reboxed with an extr tree of parts and/or a photo etch fret.
The PM P-40 was a retread of the Revell P-40 from 1978. Some people thought it was OK, others thought it was a disaster. In any case, the molds were retired after that release.
Here is a run down of many P-40s available and a review of the new Hasegawa: http://kits.kitreview.com/p40ehasegawabg_1.htm
The Monogram P-40B was a good kit for when it was released, which was in the mid-60s. It’s been surpassed by many newer molds.
Bill
When the Monogram P-40 came out in the late 60’s and you opened the box, it was amazing. Monogram was far and away the best you could get at that time. It still stands up pretty well and, as you said, it’s cheaper than most others.
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@Linebacker
I hope you realize you’re gravedigging a 20 year old thread. And the last time TAdan posted according to his profile was in April 2008. Who knows if he’s even around to reply to your reply.
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A twenty year old necropost. That’s gotta be a record!!
Isn’t there a fresh new Eduard P-40 just out?
Yes, there are some new Eduard 1/48 P-40 kits. They look quite nice in the box.
Odd that someone who has been on here for several years would pull up such an old thread. Usually it is the brand new members who do this.
Some of you older models may remember Matt Swan of Swanny Models. He was the go to guy for modeling information for 20 years. We were discussing the virtues of P-40B kits in about 2010. In his opinion the RM it was the most accurate!
Yes, it was for shape and such. Its’ shortfalls were in the cockpit and wheel wells, along with certain aspects of the design engineering. But today, the Airfix 1/48 P-40B runs circles around any of the other early P-40B/C kits currently available.
But all of the rest of the family have different “best kit available” in 1/48 since this thread was first posted.
19 years, this has to be a record. Also makes me feel old as i was on the original thread. 
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Wow, ancient thread. I’m surprised I never saw it back then, given my love of the P-40.
The Monogram holds a special place in my modeling heart as it was the very first model I ever “built” - with considerable help from my dad, as I was 3 years old. Several years ago, I found a blue box release of the kit still in celophane, which I have put onto my P-40 display shelf. The kit has good shape even with all its early 60s Monogram warts, but with a little extra work, can be built into an equivalent of a more modern kit.
I do have the new Eduard dual combo kit, which looks fantastic in the box. I also have two of the Airfix releases from about a decade ago, as well as a Monogram Pro-Modeler and probably 4 more old Monogram kits also. Did I mention I love that old Monogram kit?
I’ve built the Hasegawa, AMT-Ertl, Mauve, and Trumpeter kits as well.
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