Been a while since I spouted off about anything here, so here goes -
Back in my review of the Airfix P-40 starter set, I did make a small error. I mentioned the 4 tiny acrylic paint pots included weren't even equal to 1 regular tin of Humbrol. Well, they are, if you're talking acrylics. The Humbrol acrylic pots are 12ml; the enamels are 14ml. Forgot you get a bit less with the acrylics...
On to something the old timers may remember - a look at the AMT/Matchbox 1/72 P-40N. Most people probably don't remember now that there was a time in the mid 70s to the early 80s when Lesney, the parent of Matchbox, owned AMT also.
In the late 70s, there were some cobranded releases, like this P-40. It is an AMT box, but the side flaps have Matchbox logos and details. Inside this one was the kit, completely to Matchbox standards, all bagged up in one bag. Even down to the gaudy blue and light blue plastic! Think that's bad, I have a cream and red Buffalo tucked away too...
Note the two decal sheets. The one on the left was loose in the box and seemed to lack or have very faint whites. The one bagged up with the rest of the kit and covered with paper ironically appears to have intact whites. Go figure...
The less said about the kit, the better. It's not terribly accurate or detailed, and besides some of the famous Matchbox 'trenches', there is an odd pattern of unprototypical raised grid lines all over the exterior parts. There is a build review on Modeling Madness at http://modelingmadness.com/review/allies/us/cauthp40n.htm It pretty much speaks for itself. One thing the reviewer missed though, was his several mentions of the 'erroneous' extra frame on the port side of the windscreen. This is actually correct for most P-40s from the L to the end of end N production. There was a vent window like on cars there. Makes sense, as the P-40 operated mostly in hot climates like the Med or CBI theaters. A kit for collectors or pure nostalgia trips...
The partnership was very brief. This box was dated 1979; by 1982 or so Lesney had decided to get out of the kit business, and halted the Matchbox plastic models. AMT was sold to Ertl. Since then, there were authorized issues from the Matchbox molds made in China in the 90s, and now Revell holds the molds and occasionally issues some Matchbox kits. I almost said 'Revell Germany', but remember that Hobbico has now reunited the two companies. Would not expect to see this kit again though; it is not one of the better Matchbox releases.