Has anyone seen this before?

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

I’m building the Eduard P40N for the P-40 Group Build and wanted to know anyone has seen this before. Is the box art incorrect showing the drop tank backwards? Is this a mistake by Eduard or the artist?

Could this have been something other than a fuel tank - say a napalm tank? I’ve never seen this before or been able to find any actual photos showing this. Thanks for looking!

Steve

2

No doubt that is backwards. Something as odd as that it would have been nice if Eduard documented if it had really been done for what ever reason. What does the instruction sheet show for th tank installation?

3

Not sure,but the plane behind him is dropping his and it’s oriented correctly

4

Made me curious so I went hunting and tis was the 1st thing I came across. Someone built it that way but still would like to see the documentation.

www.hyperscale.com/…/p40nfh_1.htm

Edit…

Then I found this…

Photo for discussion only

5

Marc,

Thanks for the help and photo! Where did you find the photo? The instruction sheet does show the drop tank for this specific aircraft as installed backwards.

Steve

6

Steve, I found the model on the Eduard site and they usually have the instructions that can be downloaded. Once I saw the name of the aircraft… Lorraine 49 or something like that… I Googled that and the photo was near the top[ of the list of images.

7

It can be found in the old P-40 In Action book. I don’t know about the new one. The ground crew probably thought it improved the aerodynamics.

8

Now that is odd!

9

Then that pilot needed a new ground crew because it doesn’t[;)]

10

Is the photo legit? Perhaps it was taken April 1, 1943?

I like the skulls, though.

Crud! That means I need to add a third P-40 to the list I want to make!

11

Doh! I didn’t even think to look on Eduard’s site. I googled the fighter group and squadron and found some good photos, but none of the drop tank backwards. I’ll go check out the Eduard site!

Steve

12

The photo is definitely from June 43+ as from the white bars, but since there is no red surround or blue surround, it is hard to date it. It could be from Aug 43+.

13

I have bin to the Edward site many times and always look for this kit. I think they quit making it ?

I to would like to have this kit. I think boxed a mouve kit sry not sure how to spell that.

14

Blackdog62 - I was just on the Eduard site and this kit is listed but it’s showing as out of stock. It is the re-box of the Mauve kit. I would try eBay to find one.

Rich26 - here’s a link to a photo of this aircraft - www.asisbiz.com/…/Curtiss-P-40N-Warhawk-10AF-80FG90FS-Burma-Banshee-White-49-1943-45-01.html

There are some nice pics there.

Steve

15

The same aircraft is depicted on the cover of Squadron’s Curtiss P-40 In Action #26. Pages 49 & 50 have photos of P-40Ns of the 80th Fighter Group (88th, 89th, 90th, &459th Squadrons) of the 10th AF in the CBI theater. All had a form of the grinning skull (none seemed to match) and squadron identification appeared to be in the color of the prop spinner (red, yellow and blue) and the large number on the tail.

I remember seeing a couple of references in the past that indicated the reversed drop tank was not a fuel tank, rather a drop tank filled with napalm - the detonator was phosphorus hand grenade which was placed in the filler hole (which apparentlycan be seen installed in the pic, sticking up from what is now the aft end of the tank.)

16

Quincy,

That’s really interesting about this being a napalm tank rather than a fuel tank. I was wondering if this was a possibility over in the P-40 GB. I’ll have to do some research on napalm usage in WW II. Thanks!

Steve

17

Maybe the tank IS facing the right way and this was an experimental pusher-prop P-40 that flew backwards?

Eric

P.S. Just kidding.

18

You beat me to the reference. I have it at home, and if I remember correctly, that specific P-40 is on the cover, too. Yeah, I don’t remember the details behind the backwards installation, but it was real.