In this case where you have a "K" type tail and a "N" type nose, that is something I have never seen before.

I want "Lighthouse Louie" with the checkered tail!

Derek,
I saw the photos of the master pattern mocked up with a Hasegawa kit.
Bravo on a job well done.  It's the best Merlin P-40 conversion I have ever seen!

 

Sounds like a P-40R.
In this case they took various P-40F and L models and put Allison noses on them so they could use the Merlin engines on things like Mustangs.  Some of those could have been short tailed F models so it would look like a P-40E with a P-40N nose!

Referring to the perforated grills on the nose of P-40Ns, just in front of the exhausts, what are they?
Most books call it an oil cooler inlet but I saw the P-40N down at Warner-Robins, GA, and it looked like a dust or sand filter to me (from what I could see through the holes).  Anyone have knowledge on this?

Hi Derek,

That area behind the lower cowling on a P-40F has always been a bit of a mystery to me as there just aren't many good photos of it!  Good luck.

Also, I suggest the front "lip" of the cowling needs to be sharper.  It looks a little fat in the photos.

Vince

Thanks for the great information Mark and Mr. Bates.

Mr. Bates your page is extremely well detailed and you have a fine eye for the Tomahawk.
One note about the Tomahawk down in Pensacola at the Naval museum, the forward portion of the nose and spinner are "off".
I know this because I talked to Tom Wilson and Johnathan Moore of Curtiss Hawks about it.
Tom did the restoration of that Tomahawk.  It looks like the base of the spinner is a bit too big and they shaped the nose to that.

Vince

Hi,

I have been a P-40 fan ever since I saw the old movie "Death Race" in 1973.  The P-40E was my favorite and continues to be that.  I never cared that much for the Tomahawk version but over the last several years, I have come to appreciate its clean, classic lines. 
I have a photo of TFC P-40B as my computer desktop photo.  While looking at this beautiful photo, I was wondering, where do the shell casings go for the nose guns?  Do the fall out the belly somewhere?

 

Hmmm.
My mistake about the scallops.   Yes, indeed, the early "F" model had them.

Derek, was the Merlin nose longer that the Allison nose on the real aircraft?

Derek,
That explains a lot.  I was completely confused why you wouldn't have used the Hasegawa top engine panels.

Don't forget to fill the "scallop" at the aft end of the exhaust openings.  This was only on the P-40E.

Vince

Looks good!


p.s.  Did he have to reposition the exhaust openings?

Excellent job, Mark!

You know I like it!

Thanks for the good news.
Honestly, I wanted to do a "F" conversion for the Hasegawa too,  I just don't have the time to devote to it.
No P-40F conversion has been accurate thus far.  They all have a "mouth" that is too wide...

Mark,

How do you apply your Mr. Surfacer 1000?
Airbrush?

I have a spray can of it (the white kind) and it seems to go on heavy out of the can yet dries somewhat translucent.  Yours seems so good and opaque.  Are you putting on lots of coats?

Vince

I am curious about this too.
It is noticeable that the early Tomahawk props looked different at the tips than say, a later model P-40N.  They were all Curtiss Electric though.  Yes, the early Allison Mustangs used the Curtiss Electric prop.  As to how and when they refined the shape of the blade, I have no facts...