Revell/Monogram P-40B?

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

I’ve built this kit before (1/48), and am working on another one, and am running across the same problem - how do you get the wings to fit to the stubs on the fuselage correctly? Last time and thi time also, the wing to fuselage fit is terrible, and leaves a big gap or ridge. If you glue the top wing pieces to the bottom and then to the fuselage as per the instructions, the top of the wing is too low and leaves a big ridge where it meets the base on the fuselage. I’ve tried to fit the top wing pieces to the fuselage first, and then attach the bottom section to them, but the edges that attach at the tops are very thin annd don’t fit well in the first place.

Those of you who have built this model before - how did you deal with this? I/ve thought of perhaps tring to glue locating rods or something in place, but am not sure yet on what to do. Any and all suggestions are welcome. I’m trying to make a collection of the major versions of the P-40 that were used in WWII, and need the B version for my first one. Is there a better B kit out there by somebody else? How is the Academy C version? Is there that much difference betweeen a B and a C?

Thanks for any help you might be able to give me!

John

2

I glued the uppers on first with a generous amount of thick superglue. Here are some photos of my build.

http://www.yolo.net/~jeaton/mymodels/p40/monop40b/monop40b.htm

3

Jeaton,

Looks like you did a fantastic job on your P-40! Thanks for sharing the pics to see the results! One question - how did you make sure you got the angle correct on the wings while you were super-gluing the uppers in place? When I dry fit them, it seeks that there is very little surface area there to glue, much less make sure they set in the correct angle while the glue sets. Any secret methods you can share? Thanks!

4

I just eye-balled the upper wings. I set the dihedral when I attached the one piece lower wing. I had already removed the locating pins so I could move things around until they were right.

Thanks for the compliment, and the spinner is not gray now, it’s dark earth as it should be in those markings!

5

you could also glue a piece of plastic sheet to the wing, let it set, then glue the wing and the plastic sheet to the wing rot on the fuselage. That should help with alignment. But that kit is a beast…takes some work!

6

I test fit, trimmed, test fit, wiggled, test fit, said words I shouldn’t have, thought about what needed adjusted where, then went by the instructions and let putty do the rest.[+o(]

7

Naturally, I’m biased to the Monogram P-40, but I’ve built the Hobbycraft P-40C and will say that, although it has some recessed panel lines, it’s about as accurate a P-40 as the ones used in The Flying TIgers movie in 1942. The recessed lines, IMHO, don’t add anything to it, as the panel joints on the P-40 weren’t butt-joints anyway in most cases, but over-lapping… I thnk that kind of joint is better represented (not duplicated) by raised lines, regardless of the model though… There’s also some fit-problems with the windscreen, IIRC…

Extenally, no, except that the C has provisions for a drop tank… The P-40C had the same 1150 hp Allison V-1710-33 engine, but was fitted with a 134-gallon fuel system with improved self-sealing tanks. The C also had an SCR-247N radio instead of the SCR-283. These mods caused an increase (about 260 lbs.) in weight. There were a few changes in the cockpit layout as to instrument locations on the panel, and the additional settings for the drop tank on the fuel panel.

There’s other manufacturers of the P-40B/C, but none of them are worth the extra cost, IMHO… I’ll stick with the Revellogram kit of the B model… (imagine that, eh?[t$t] The panel of the Monogram bird isn’t quite accurate for a B/C model, but that’s a pretty minor flaw as I see it. Other than that, all I really did in the 'pit was fill the slot in seat-back and add a harness, and also added a couple wire bundles.

As for the wing-fit issues, personally, I just glued the bottom wing to the fuselage, then glued the top wing-sections on and pulled them into fuselage and CA’d them into place. Regardless of what you do, there’s still going to be some filler work there, though how much is on you… I had to a little in there, but a finger moistened with rubbing alcohol smoothed it down without any sanding (I use Testor’s White since it’s alcohol-soluable).

I also added some sheet plastic to close up the open area that allows you to see into the flap area. One one of the many I built, I scratchbuilt the wheel wells from strip and sheet styrene as well, added a few strips for detail, and let it go there… but only did it on the one, since that one was going to a contest (this was back when I didn’t put everything into dioramas and judges picked display models up)… Last thing I did was drill out the ring sight’s molded crosshairs and make new ones from m’ own hair…