Academy 1/72 P-40M/N started

[Mark Joyce]

Since it's currently wet and cold where I live, and I build in the garage, my paint booth is temporarily not in use.  As a result I decided to start another build while waiting for warmer and drier weather to finish up my 48th scale P-40F model.  My choice was the Academy 1/72 P-40M/N.  I obtained this kit when some 80th Fighter Group decals in 72nd were recently released by Rising Decals.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that one of the options is for "Dikam Death," flown by my good friend Bob Gale.  So, wanting to do as good a job on the build as I could in his honor, I pretty much also obtained all the aftermarket bells and whistles I could lay my hands on.  One of these aftermarket goodies was the Quickboost spinner/propeller set, specifically marketed for the Academy kit.  Unfortunately, once I looked at it closely, it appears the shape of the spinner is too pointed and triangular compared to the real thing.   I took a picture of the Quickboost spinner and the Academy kit one, along with one from the Special Hobby Kittyhawk Mk.1a kit that I have.  I know comparing a 3D object to a 2D photograph isn't the most scientifically based method, but to me the Special Hobby looks the most accurate.  Any comments on this?   The Special Hobby kit also contains two types of propellers, the earlier narrow blade and the later paddle-blade.  Since it’s my understanding that the Kittyhawk Ml.1a utilized the narrow blade whilst the P-40M/N the paddle-blade, I plan on using the latter for my build.  The Academy ones, as well as the Quickboost ones, appear to be the narrow blade.


The Academy kit looks pretty accurate to me and the parts I’ve checked so far fit well.  The cockpit detail is pretty basic, hence an Eduard photoetch detail set I picked up.  The seat is the square-back one used in most P-40Ns, but since “Dikam Death” is a P-40N-1, for all intent and purposes it’s a P-40M so likely had the rounded seat.  I’ll acquire the appropriate seat from another Special Hobby P-40 kit I have.

Academy took the Hasegawa route (or vice-versa) in regards to the canopy area aft of the cockpit (and, as Vince knows, the Mauve/Eduard route), gluing the appropriate parts to the fuselage depending on whether one is modeling a P-40M or a P-40N.   While the P-40N version is one piece, the P-40M consists of two.  The instructions have you glue these two halves together first, then glue the entire assembly to the fuselage, but knowing what this entailed on the Hasegawa kit I chose to glue each half to its corresponding fuselage section first.  Although I figured this would cause a gap on the top of the fuselage (it did), I knew this gap would be easier to deal with instead of any misalignments on the sides.  A little gap-filling superglue and Mr. Surfacer 500 took care of this minor side misalignments, although I had to rescribe some panel lines that, not surprisingly, didn’t line up.


Mark

[Vince_M]

Mark,

Smart play to attach those rear canopy parts first.  Dealing with the gap on the spine is super easy as you know because that area is rounded and easy to sand.

The Academy spinner is far too round.  I can't believe in this day and age that kit companies make shape errors on kits!
The Special Hobby looks spot on but the Quickboost may only need a slight dulling with a sanding stick on its tip.

[Mark Joyce]

The Academy spinner is far too round.  I can't believe in this day and age that kit companies make shape errors on kits!
The Special Hobby looks spot on but the Quickboost may only need a slight dulling with a sanding stick on its tip.

Thanks Vince.  I agree that the Academy spinner is too round.  I sawed off the backing on the Quickboost spinner and it looks better.  That back area seemed to give it an elongated shape, at least in my eyes.  I'll likely go with your suggestion and simply round the tip a bit, and hopefully be able to attach the paddle-blade Special Hobby propeller to it.

[Vince_M]

I think a lot of P-40N had the wider paddle blade prop...but maybe not all did.
It could just be they used what was available.

[Mark Joyce]

Interior is done and fuselage glued together. I've always hated dealing with the intake on Allison-engined P-40s; they are almost always fiddly to work with and this one was no exception.  Only the 48th scale Hasegawa, and now apparently the new Special Hobby, kits have made this a painless endeavor.  This one required quite a bit of sanding to get it to fit well enough for my satisfaction.

I forgot to take any photographs of the cockpit sidewalls prior, but there's really not much detail there.  Surprisingly the Eduard photoetch set didn't add much.  I'm waiting to install the photoetch instrument panel since Eduard has a replacement photoetch covering that its glued to (which still needs to be attached), so the floor and seat are on hold as well.  The photoetch seatbelts add to the replacement seat from a Special Hobby kit, but all-in-all the entire cockpit detail isn't too impressive.


 

[Vince_M]

Looking good, Mark!   

The cockpit is looking great...love that instrument panel.

I also agree about the intake on most kits being an PitA.   

[Jim]

That instrument panel is amazing considering the scale is 1/72.


I must say it is very enjoyable to watch the progress of builds on this forum, its a well done all round.

[Mark Joyce]

Thanks for the comments, and I've been able to resume this build for awhile at least. 

I've used a lot of Eduard photoetch sets over the years, and have to admit that this one is the worst fitting one I've come across. I had to double check to make sure it was specifically designed for the Academy kit. 

The instructions are somewhat vague and appear to have you install the photoetch instrument panel prior to a replacement photoetch cover over the IP, but I thought this would be a recipe for disaster.  So I attached the cover first, which is thinner and more accurately resembles the shape of the real thing than the kit one.  Getting this cover in somewhat of the right place is tricky, for it not only has to not interfere with placement of the canopy but also protrude far off away from the kit cover so it also won't interfere with the IP.  Interestingly, the instructions don't appear to have you remove the kit cover.  I finally got it 'close enough for government work,' as you can see in this photograph, with the roundish kit cover slightly visible under it:

Then it was time to install the IP, which no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't get in place where I wanted to.  Photos of the real thing show the IP to be flush with the top of the cover yet recessed a bit in it, if that makes sense.  This is the best I could do, needing so touch-up paint to repair the damage done while installing it:

The rudder pedals attach to the back of the IP, again the instructions are a bit vague about when and how to do this, and having glued them on previously don't need to say that I knocked them off while struggling to get the IP installed.  I got them glued on again easily, although because of where they need to be glued they aren't really visible.  Finally, when I glued the floor in place I found that the control stick is butting right up against the IP.

Of course, the kit gunsite doesn't fit in the photoetch IP, but it's so horrible that I will probably scratch-build one that is more accurate.

[Vince_M]

It is frustrating but keep going.
I love 1/72 but now that my eyes have started changing with age I may not dabble much in it.
Perhaps 1/48 and 1/32 planes...
On the other hand, the new Special Hobby Kittyhawks are very accurate in shape and that is an inspiration!

[Mark Joyce]

Finally got it painted, using Model Master enamels.  I tried to really fade the olive drab, and to a lesser extent the medium green splotches, at this point.  Once the decals and clear coat are on and I move on to the final weathering, I will work some more on the fading based on whether I feel the need to make it more or less noticeable.

I hadn't really noticed until I started the painting and looked more closely at the photos I have that most of the nose area on Bob Gale's plane is lighter than the surrounding area, possibly because of replacement panels. It's interesting what one sees when really looking at something.

[Mark Joyce]

Well, this project is shot to hell. I just tried applying the Rising Decals and they stuck to the model like glue, even over a hefty application of Micro-set. No way to adjust them at all, no matter what I did. I finally resorted to removing them completely in hopes of somehow reapplying them, but they only folded in on themselves and when I tried to straighten them out, they ripped.

Worse decals I've ever used, period....

[P-40 Admin]

Wow, sorry to hear that! Do you have any other markings that could go on that paint scheme?

[Mark Joyce]

Wow, sorry to hear that! Do you have any other markings that could go on that paint scheme?

Fortunately I was able to locate another sheet with the markings on eBay.  Rising Decals is from the Czech Republic, and apparently most decals from the eastern European countries, need some TLC.  I received some tips on how to apply them, which I'll try on some of the other markings on the sheet before committing to "Dikam Death."

When all's said and done, I'll end up with enough decals for the entire 80th FG, so if anyone would like some in 72nd scale I'd be happy to send some your way.

[Vince_M]

Paint looks super Mark!
Glad u could get more decals.

[Mark Joyce]

Well, back to square one.  Unfortunately the decal set I ordered is part 2 of the Burma Banshees, not part 1 that has Bob Gale's "Dikam Death." Me bad for making a knee-jerk reaction at ordering without looking closely at them until they arrived.

Part 1 appears to be unavailable regardless of where I look, so I'll probably resort to inquiring about obtaining at least Bob's markings on some of the modeling websites.  Until if and when I have any success, this project is indefinitely suspended.