Best P-40 Warhawk 1/48 kit?

drumsfield

I'm interested in adding a P-40 to my collection and would like recommendations on a kit that has good details and quality fit. I recently finished the Academy P-40C which was a nice kit but not as nice as some of the Tamiya kits I've been working on lately. I'm not a fan of their propellar assembly and the details are a little sparse. Overall the Academy feels a little cheap. I'd like to find a good quality kit at a reasonable price.. ie under $30 if possible. I saw the Hasegawa kit for sale, but I've never worked on one. How are they?

For early P-40's I think the Airfix kit is best.  Many more choices for later models but the Hasegawa is probably the best choice.

By the way, I've built Academy's P-40B in 1/72 scale.  I don't think it has any relation to their 1/48 scale kit.  It's not that good a kit.  Not much detail, inside or out, and the nose gun fairings are square in cross-section!  I built it as a quickie to have a painted model for a decaling demonstration I did in our club.  It's cheap, so it's a good subject for that kind of use.

Thanks for the info, I will give the Hasegawa and Airfix a try. I really like the P-40's looks. One of the the most iconic airplanes of all time in my eye. I wish Tamiya made one I'm always happy with the fit and finish of their kits.

Hasegawa by far! they don’t do a B or C model though. 

Hasegawa is the best. I have the Airfix in my stash, but can't comment on its quality (looks like a great kit though). I'd like to get the Bronco kit but just can't justify the price when I already have 7 built-up Warhawks on my shelf with 2 Airfix 1/48,  a Monogram Pro-Modeler in 1/48, a couple of original Monograms in the ancient baby blue boxes, and an original late 1960s Flying Tiger by Revell in 1/32. Guess you can say that I love the P-40!

Trumpeter has an early version that is pretty good at a decent price.

The old Monogram still builds up nicely but is sparse on details (although it is an excellent candidate for scratch building details; you can find more than one post on here doing just that).

I suggest avoiding the AMT/Ertl.

I just skimmed through the other responses, so I may be echoing things...

Hasegawa is the best I've dealt with...by far! BUT, they're a bit pricey, I think.

AMT/Ertl...I've done a few, and they do take a bit more work. The fit around the nose needs a little "help", and the main gear bays are not walled off. These can be had quite cheap. Every show I've been to in the last 7-8 years has had bagged kits for 5 bucks (you'll need to get instructions and decals though)

Otaki...I have one in the stash...looks like a step or two above AMT...nice recessed lines and rivets, ya also get an engine.

For Earlier versions...I'd take the new Airfix over the old Revellogram...and I try to stay away from Trumpeter/HobbyBoss if I can...they always miss the mark.

Aggieman

...a Monogram Pro-Modeler in 1/48...

That one is actually derived from Revell's 1/48 version of their P-40E.  The Revell kit was the starting point for the ProModeler offering.  I've got both of them, to build side-by-side and compare.

I'm a huge P-40, P-36 fan myself and I've built the Monovell P-40B several times over.

The Airfix P-40B is hands down the clear choice in 1/48. The Monogram/Revell needs too much putty and hours of detailing to bring it up to par with the Airfix, which is excellent right out of the box.

If you love a good classic P-40B, then Airfix is your answer.

As others have said, AIrfix is my preference for the P-40B. THe other modern kits have cockpits that are too shallow. The biggest shortfall in the AIrfix kit is the seat, which is easily replaced with an aftermarket one, and the decals are awesome.

Here is mine:

When it comes to anything after the -B/C, then definitely Hasegawa. They have their own annoyances (all the inserts for the tail, rear portion of the cockpit and guns to accommodate different versions, but they're excellent on detail. I did buy replacement seats for mine, because they were cheap and it was either resin seats with harness or sourcing a harness for them for about the same price.

I build the Hasegawa E and really enjoyed it.

I used Barracuda Decals on this P-40E, though I think there is an Aleutian Tiger set in the Hasegawa "Prisoner of War" boxing of this kit.

Wow those planes are nice! thanks for the advice.

The cockpit and the pilot turn out really nice in the Airfix kit.

I modified my pilot to appear as an AVG flier, but my build is still stalled in the primer phase. Not that it's a hard kit to build or paint, but I've finally gathered the supplies I've been wanting to use and it's down to getting a proper space setup again. Lol

Hey all,

I just started working on the hasegawa kit and I'm blown away at the detail it has to offer. It's worlds above the academy version. If the airfix version is anywhere near as good as this model it's got to be great. I'm looking forward to finishing this beast soon. Thanks for the input.