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Author Topic: Hobby Boss 1/48 scale P-40M  (Read 6187 times)
xray4277
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« on: April 11, 2019, 05:33:56 AM »

I've just started building this one, it's a much more basic kit than the Airfix Tomahawk which I recently finished, so although I'm pretty much an 'out of the box' modeller I've decided to add a few extra details to this one. I've bought a set of Quickboost exhaust stubs for one thing, the exhausts on the later P-40s are distinctive and look very different from the ones supplied in the kit. I've also added the ventilation holes immediately in front of the exhausts, the kit has the panel lines marked out but no vent holes. Again, these are a distinctive feature of the late-model P-40s and although I was a bit apprehensive about adding them it worked out very nicely - I made a template from some thick aluminium foil (the seal from a can of coffee creamer!), that way I could have as many goes as I needed to get the 15 small holes drilled neatly and lined up well. Then I taped the template to the kit parts with clear tape and drilled through into the plastic. I'm very pleased with the results.

Other additions will include extra detail on the undercarriage legs and in the cockpit, plus I need to relocate the radio aerial and get rid of the weird deep grooves in the fuselage underneath the cockpit's rear glazed section.


« Last Edit: April 11, 2019, 05:37:07 AM by xray4277 » Logged

The two most important things to remember about flying...(1) number of landings should equal number of take-offs, and (2) if you run out of airspeed, altitude & ideas all at the same time, you've crashed...
Mark Joyce
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« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2019, 10:02:35 AM »

Really nice job of marking and drilling out those holes! I'm not too familiar with the Hobby Boss P-40 kits but am surprised they didn't have that ventilation detail present, especially in 48th scale.  As you said, it's a defining feature on the Ms and Ns.

Looking forward to more uodates and photos!
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xray4277
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« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2019, 11:26:01 PM »

I didn't want to just drill the holes directly into the plastic, I knew my chances of getting it right first time (twice - once each side!) would be slim. Then when I was opening the new can of coffee creamer I thought about using the foil to make a template. I cut a strip the same width as the panel on the nose, taped it to a piece of scrap wood and drilled it until I got a nice even set of holes. After that it was dead easy, just line the foil strip up correctly on the panel, tape it on and drill away. The finished effect looks really good I think and certainly gives the right look for a P-40M.
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The two most important things to remember about flying...(1) number of landings should equal number of take-offs, and (2) if you run out of airspeed, altitude & ideas all at the same time, you've crashed...
Vince_M
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« Reply #3 on: April 12, 2019, 12:03:04 AM »

I'm curious... how could the foil from the coffee creamer be anywhere near strong enough to be a drilling template?
Good job BTW.
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xray4277
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« Reply #4 on: April 12, 2019, 03:07:34 AM »

The foil is about 5 thou thick (0.125 mm) and surprisingly tough - taped onto a piece of wood I could lightly 'pop' mark it with a fine tungsten carbide scriber tip before drilling. But it's still flexible enough to conform to the curvature of the nose section when taped down tight.
« Last Edit: April 12, 2019, 03:14:58 AM by xray4277 » Logged

The two most important things to remember about flying...(1) number of landings should equal number of take-offs, and (2) if you run out of airspeed, altitude & ideas all at the same time, you've crashed...
xray4277
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« Reply #5 on: May 04, 2019, 02:41:34 AM »

Coming along nicely - the Quickboost exhausts and drilled-out ventilation holes look good. I added hydraulic lines to the undercarriage legs using some thin tinned copper wire, I haven't painted these yet. The aircraft is going to be in natural metal finish with Brazilian Air Force markings. I used a Tamiya 'rattle can' for the aluminium, it's a gloss finish which should take decals well before I matt varnish it.

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The two most important things to remember about flying...(1) number of landings should equal number of take-offs, and (2) if you run out of airspeed, altitude & ideas all at the same time, you've crashed...
Mark Joyce
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« Reply #6 on: May 04, 2019, 10:10:02 PM »

Looking good. The photos are a bit blurry, though.

On those occasions when I've added them, I've always painted the hydraulic brake lines before attaching them to the gears.  It's easier for me to paint beforehand, although I usually have to touch up a spot or two after they've been glued on.  Recently I've been cutting very thin strips of tin foil from the caps of wine bottles, which I wrap around the attachment points for the gears and lines, and this tends to keep the lines securely attached.
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xray4277
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« Reply #7 on: May 08, 2019, 03:04:44 AM »

LOL - photography is not my strong suit, I used the camera on my Windows tablet to make it easier to upload the photos here, and I don't think the camera is particularly good. I'll try to get some better photos of the finished model, I'm doing the decals now, they are by FCM and they're very nice indeed.
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The two most important things to remember about flying...(1) number of landings should equal number of take-offs, and (2) if you run out of airspeed, altitude & ideas all at the same time, you've crashed...
Vince_M
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« Reply #8 on: May 08, 2019, 11:54:44 AM »

Looks good from what I see!

Thanks for sharing your project.
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xray4277
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« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2019, 06:01:52 PM »

Finished! I don't normally try to weather my models, but I thought this one might look a bit too pristine in shiny bare metal finish so I used an artist's watercolour pencil to draw over the panel lines then washed the surfaces all over with a damp cotton bud working in the direction of airflow. It looks suitably grubby now I think. The kit isn't bad really, it went together nicely with almost no filler required. I know it has its faults and limitations which purists would struggle with, but it looks good to me. I'm pleased with the exhausts and the ventilation panels, and the added hydraulic lines on the undercarriage legs - wish I had done them on my Airfix Tomahawk now! The FCM decals were great and it makes a change to have a P-40 in a more unusual scheme.

Next up will be an Arii P-40E also in 1/48 scale, I know it is another kit with its limitations but it has the option to have the engine exposed which will be a bit different.

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The two most important things to remember about flying...(1) number of landings should equal number of take-offs, and (2) if you run out of airspeed, altitude & ideas all at the same time, you've crashed...
Vince_M
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« Reply #10 on: May 21, 2019, 08:38:02 PM »

Great results and thanks for sharing here!
I especially like the realistic shading on the exhausts.

Smiley
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Mark Joyce
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« Reply #11 on: May 21, 2019, 10:04:13 PM »

Looks great, especially those exhausts and ventilation holes.  I think it was a wise choice to dirty up the airframe some, if only to break up the monotony of the NMF finish.  Nice choice of markings too; perhaps one day I'll do a Brazilian Warhawk as well.

I've built the Arii P-40E and although it has its issues, it's a fun kit to play with.
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xray4277
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« Reply #12 on: May 22, 2019, 03:34:24 AM »

Exhausts I seem to manage with quite well - I paint them silver, then dry brush some bright orange, then dry brush again with a homemade gunmetal/blued steel sort of colour.

I have enough FCM decals left over to do the Arii kit in Brazilian Air Force olive drab/neutral grey with a sharkmouth, but I might change my mind before I get to that stage!

PS - a big 'thumbs up' to this web site for the technical drawings section, helped me a lot with this kit when adding extra details.
« Last Edit: May 22, 2019, 03:49:33 AM by xray4277 » Logged

The two most important things to remember about flying...(1) number of landings should equal number of take-offs, and (2) if you run out of airspeed, altitude & ideas all at the same time, you've crashed...
Vince_M
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« Reply #13 on: May 22, 2019, 12:13:25 PM »


You mention the old ARII kit?

It was also put out by Otaki and it was quite the gem back when I got it in the 80s.
I did this one up while I was in high school.  Looking back I should have been out with girls but I was too shy ...so I worked on models like this one.
Good luck on your Arii kit!
Here's some shots of mine from 1987 I think:



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