P-40 Early 1940

P-40 of the 35th Fighter Squadron, early 1940 

Note wing root walk wear
 

35th Pursuit Squadron 

 

Early P-40 

I will us the Airfix P-40 for this project Kit Box Art 

Rear box art 

Kit instructions and decal sheet 

Kit instructions 

 

Kit decal sheet. I will not use this sheet for aircraft markings 

Kit parts 

I clean and wash kit parts before starting work 

Kit side wall details. Kit cockpit details very inaccurate 

Kit cockpit details 

Kit cockpit floor 

Kit lower wing section. 

I covered the kit wheel well openings with thin plastic sheet to look like canvas cover. Many P-40's had a canvas covering in the wheel wells to keep out dirt. 

 

Early P-40 did not have wing guns installed so I removed the kit wing guns 

Kit wings 

I signed the upper wing
 

 

I removed the kit side wall details 

I added new cockpit details 

Kit cockpit floor 

Added cockpit details 

Added cockpit floor details 

Kit seat and resin seat 

Painted resin seat 

Painted resin seat 

New added cockpit details 

Kit wings glued up 

Kit wings 

 

 

 

 

Kit cockpit with added details 

Kit instrument decal 

Kit cockpit floor with added details. Joy stick and pump handle made from brass wire 

Added details to kit cockpit floor 

Painted cockpit details 

Painted cockpit 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I use surface primer as a putty 

Kit rudder 

Installed cockpit. Do not glue cockpit to wing or you will see a big gap in the cockpit at wing root. 

 

 

 

Kit wings installed 

Test fit kit canopy. Note gaps 

Kit topside 

Kit underside 

 

 

Kit cooling flaps-open 

Kit cooling flaps-open 

Cooling flaps did not have gaps between fins, so I filled them in 

 

Kit tail wheel 

Kit gear doors 

Kit gear door poor fit note gap 

I filled gap with some Evergreen plastic. 

Kit landing gear doors installed 

I like to use steel wool to prep for painting. 

Air frame complete. 

Air frame complete 

Air frame complete 

I will use Model Master Acrylic paints. Olive Drab, Neutral Gray and Chrome Yellow 

Model Master Colors  

Mix paint really well 

Kit wheels and landing gear are poor, so I well use Academy's P-40E wheels and landing gear (on right) 

Kit prop 

Wheels and prop hub painted 

I use MODEL MASTER Acrylic thinner 

 

 

 

A few spots paint came up then I removed masking, need to fixs. 

A little nose job.  

Masking for Yellow nose. 

Yellow nose 

Yellow nose. Needs a little clean up. 

Yellow nose 

 

Started detail painting.  

Brown wash 

Brown wash 

Brown wash 

Future Gloss coat 

Future 

Future 

Ready for decals 

Airfix decals went down really nice. I did use Sol and Set 

 

 

I used the 35th badge decal 

Additional decal I used on this project. 

All decaling complete 

All decaling complete 

All decaling complete 

New rudder hinge 

 

 

I used Academy's P-40E wheels 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kit exhaust stacks 

Exhaust stacks installed 

 

Kit landing light 

 

Kit landing light paint silver 

Gloss red paint for wing tip Nav Light. White Glue for clear lens with clear gloss coat. 

I needed some new Testors Enamel little bottle Gloss paint for Nav lights 

Testors little bottle gloss paints 

Green, Red and White Gloss paint for Nav Lights 

Kit tail wheel 

Kit tail wheel installed 

prop, seat, gear and wheels all painted 

I used sewing thread (black) for brake lines 

 

Academy's landing gear and wheels 

 

I used academy's landing gear  

Landing gear 

Landing gear installed 

 

Resin seat 

 

Resin seat installed 

I will dip the canopy in Future 

Kit canopy dipped in Future 

 

Kit canopy, not a great fit