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Someone Must Build This P-40E in Crazy Markings!

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  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Ohio
Someone Must Build This P-40E in Crazy Markings!
Posted by Cole's Aircraft on Monday, December 21, 2009 4:59 PM

Hi, guys!

So I was really happy with myself for having dug-up a series of old WW2-era photographs from Asahigraph magazine of this ultra-colorful P-40E that was captured by the Japanese Army in the Philippines.  Evidently in mirroring the famous Flying Tigers, its American crew painted the entire nose - from the spinner to the cockpit - in tiger-like flaming stripes and toothed tiger mouth!  

What's especially neat is that when the Japanese captured it intact, they liked the paint job so much they left it as it was and painted Japanese hinomarus over the US insignia - and flew it that way.

I have an offer you someone: Build this aircraft in any scale, in either US Army A/C markings or Japanese markings - and I'll send them a free signed and numbered limited edition print that I've produced of it.  Hand it on a wall or use it as a base - whatever you want!  But it's my freebie to whoever builds this bird!

I just want to see it done!

All the best,

Ron Cole

 

See my page on this cool aircraft:

http://www.ColesAircraft.com

 

 

 

 

 

Aviation Art of Ron Cole: http://www.colesaircraft.com

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: NYC, USA
Posted by waikong on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 12:14 PM

That's one cool looking plane!  I would love to build this, but got to finish 2 other kits already in the queue first.

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Ohio
Posted by Cole's Aircraft on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 12:27 PM

Don't we all!

 

No problem - my deal doesn't expire.

 

Good luck!

 

- Ron

 

Aviation Art of Ron Cole: http://www.colesaircraft.com

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 12:59 PM

I like it... and it actually does not look too difficult to pull off.... as John Cleese might say, "and now for something completely different."

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 1:18 PM

Just happened to have pulled an E-model (1/48th Monogram Pro-Modeler) off the shelf a litle while ago and was contemplating what paint scheme to use..

Build this aircraft in any scale, in either US Army A/C markings or Japanese markings -

 

 

  • Member since
    December 2009
  • From: South Carolina
Posted by dahutist on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 1:35 PM

It so happens, I have a P-40E that is nearing paint stage. I was going to do in another scheme, but that one doesn't look too hard to pull off. I'll give it a shot.

"Give to Get, Be Civil and DONT be so afraid or sensitive over everything."

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: cleveland
Posted by uglygoat on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 2:16 PM

do you have the actual photo's or just your excellent rendition to go by?

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 2:18 PM

And the race is on...

do you have the actual photo's or just your excellent rendition to go by?

Click on the link next to the profile, then scroll down..

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 3:28 PM

Hope ya don't mind, but I HAD to grab that for my wallpaper, Ron... I'll remove it from the thread here if you object though..

  • Member since
    December 2009
  • From: South Carolina
Posted by dahutist on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 3:40 PM

Any idea how the paint was applied - sprayed, brushed etc?

"Give to Get, Be Civil and DONT be so afraid or sensitive over everything."

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 4:32 PM

I don't see any other way to paint the nose than by brush... At least the mottling.. The base color could be sprayed, I reckon... Right now, I'm playing around with it in oils... Using a P-38 hulk I got...

  • Member since
    December 2009
  • From: South Carolina
Posted by dahutist on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 6:53 PM

I was thinking the same Hammer - oils.

In the field it was surely a base of yellow, overbrushed with red/orange. The shark mouth hand painted, of course. Replicating that in 1/38 will be a different thing, though.

I wont be anywhere near a "soon" completion... mine isnt as far along as I thought. But I'll pester it until I get there. I feel motivated on this one.

"Give to Get, Be Civil and DONT be so afraid or sensitive over everything."

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Ohio
Posted by Cole's Aircraft on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 8:22 PM

Hans von Hammer

Hope ya don't mind, but I HAD to grab that for my wallpaper, Ron... I'll remove it from the thread here if you object though..

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/HansvonHammer/Drawings/Wallpaper/wallpaperP40.jpg?t=1261603624

 

Heck, no!  That's awesome!  I'm flattered.

-Ron

 

 

Aviation Art of Ron Cole: http://www.colesaircraft.com

  • Member since
    December 2009
  • From: South Carolina
Posted by dahutist on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 8:35 PM

Awesome! - I did that this afternoon, the minute I saw it!

"Give to Get, Be Civil and DONT be so afraid or sensitive over everything."

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Ohio
Posted by Cole's Aircraft on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 8:36 PM

uglygoat

do you have the actual photo's or just your excellent rendition to go by?

 

Ask, and you shall receive:

 

http

 

Top: Our P-40E in the markings as applied after the Japanese Army captured and painted-over the US insignia (but not the nose art).

Bottom:  Our P-40 in Japanese hands but still in its original US livery.

I have more photos of this specific a/c on my website: http://colesaircraft.com/1-09-p40e.html  They're not all the best quality - having been printed in an old Japanese Asahigraph magazine from 1943, but they'll help.

MORE HISTORY:

This a/c was reportedly one of several P-40Es smuggled into the Philippines after the Japanese invasion of Dec. 1941 - through the Naval blockade.  American crews painted it to emulate the already-by-then famous Flying Tigers.  Obviously it fell into Japanese hands not long after.  In the pictures on my website, you can see the Allied crews who were forced by the Japanese Army to 'ground school' them on the aircraft type - as they were certainly not familiar with it at the time.

I'm thrilled to see all the interest in building this bird!  

What I'll do is - if folks would like to send me in-progress pictures, I'll post them online in a special page.  It would be neat to see several people from around the world building the same airplane in various scales - both in US and Japanese markings.

Of course, all who complete it get a print.

All the best!

-Ron

http://www.ColesAircraft.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aviation Art of Ron Cole: http://www.colesaircraft.com

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Ohio
Posted by Cole's Aircraft on Wednesday, December 30, 2009 2:26 AM

I know some guys in the UK are jumping on this.

 

Aviation Art of Ron Cole: http://www.colesaircraft.com

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Monday, February 8, 2010 1:06 PM

Got it started on it while I waiting on the forums to settle down and run slower this weekend..

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Ohio
Posted by Cole's Aircraft on Monday, February 8, 2010 6:14 PM

Fantastic!!!

 

- Ron

 

Aviation Art of Ron Cole: http://www.colesaircraft.com

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Monday, February 8, 2010 8:43 PM

I've actually painted the nose about half a dozen times with oils & a brush, Yellow Ochre being the base color with a mix of that and Burnt Umber for the feathery parts...  The long looonnnggg drying time of the oils (coupled with repated dissatisfaction of results) is what took me so long to get to this point...    The topside is painted in Tamiya Japanese Army Green (I used the panting for color refs) and the bottom is Testor's MM Camouflage Grey. 

I'm not really happy with the shark-mouth decal, but it's the one I had closest to the shape depicted, although I'll have to remove the blue area from between the "teeth" (either by painting over with red or cutting it out) and hand-paint the "eyes"...  The hinomarus are from an old Arii decal sheet that I've had since the early 90s.  The sheet hadn't been stored properly, being left in a desk drawer that was in a humid basement for years.  The paper had curled into a U-shape and had this "crystalized" look around the decals, but luckily I was able to save them by spraying them with Testor's Decal Bonder (I love that stuff!).  It's saved many an old decal sheet for me and works (IMHO) much better than just spraying a clear gloss over them to keep them from slivering and breaking into a bazillion pieces...

Anyway, that's the story so far and I'll be working on it more during the upcoming week..

 

  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: North Pole, Alaska
Posted by richs26 on Monday, February 8, 2010 9:51 PM

I believe that this aircraft probably came from a New Guinea P-40 squadron as the markings don't fit the timeline for the Philippines.  Aircraft staged to Mindanao from Australia for attacks on Luzon until about mid-April 1942.  Gen. Wainwright surrendered the Philippines on May 6.  Note the one photo showing the US markings.  The white star has the red center painted out but it faintly shows through.  The AAF directed that the red center be removed on May 12.  The Navy followed suit on May 15.  It was done very quickly as evidenced by photos of the Battle of Midway show.  So this P-40 was captured after May 12, 1942.

WIP:  Monogram 1/72 B-26 (Snaptite) as 73rd BS B-26, 40-1408, torpedo bomber attempt on Ryujo

Monogram 1/72 B-26 (Snaptite) as 22nd BG B-26, 7-Mile Drome, New Guinea

Minicraft 1/72 B-24D as LB-30, AL-613, "Tough Boy", 28th Composite Group

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Hancock, Me USA
Posted by p38jl on Friday, July 2, 2010 9:54 AM

Neet thread !! any new updates from anyone??

does the offer still stand at this Date ? Hummm...

[Photobucket]

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: 41 Degrees 52.4 minutes North; 72 Degrees 7.3 minutes West
Posted by bbrowniii on Friday, July 2, 2010 10:06 AM

Hey Ron

What a great paint scheme and a great motivation for a build.  It looks like Hans has the best chance of bringing this one home, but if you have any other cool schemes you want to see put to plastic, I hope you won't hesitate to post a similar offer in the future!

 

'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing' - Edmund Burke (1770 ??)

 

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Friday, July 2, 2010 3:59 PM

Yeah, I'm still pluggin' away at it, but it's not on the front burner by any means...

  • Member since
    July 2008
  • From: Florida
Posted by Railfan 233 on Monday, July 5, 2010 10:48 PM

Interesting. I've never seen a P-40 like that.

I also never knew that P-40's were captured by the Japanese.

Was this bird ever shot down or distroied, or did it survive the war intact?

  

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y211/razordws/GB%20Badges/WMIIIGBsmall.jpgRed, White, and YOU! group build of 2010

  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: North Pole, Alaska
Posted by richs26 on Tuesday, July 6, 2010 10:31 PM

The Japanese captured quite a few P-40's.  They captured some very wornout B/C's and E's in the Philippines.  I have read a story from Air Classics from the late '80's or early '90's about 4 US pilots ferrying 4 wornout P-40's around the Philippines to Clark were they were patched up by the Japanese, and evaluated.  The Japanese collected many brand new E's in crates on the docks in Java, that they were even considering using them for home land defense purposes but abandoned the idea.  Use Google Images, as there is a color picture of an abandoned E sitting on a Japanese home airfield taken after the Americans had moved in.  There is an SBD, I think, next to it with it's distinctive tail. I believe that this colored E was one of three on a freighter that ran the naval blockade of the PI, and were assembled in March, 1942 at Del Monte, Mindanao.  They were used until the US quit using Del Monte as a staging base from Australia.   As an aside, the Japanese captured 1 B-17D in the PI, and 2 B-17E's from Java, and flew them in Japan evaluating them.  In 1945, US intelligence noted from recon photos what looked like a new 4-engined bomber for the Japanese.  They scaled out the wingspan to be 104 ft, which is that of the B-17.  They never thought that they were captured B-17's at the time. 

WIP:  Monogram 1/72 B-26 (Snaptite) as 73rd BS B-26, 40-1408, torpedo bomber attempt on Ryujo

Monogram 1/72 B-26 (Snaptite) as 22nd BG B-26, 7-Mile Drome, New Guinea

Minicraft 1/72 B-24D as LB-30, AL-613, "Tough Boy", 28th Composite Group

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Ohio
Posted by Cole's Aircraft on Tuesday, July 6, 2010 10:59 PM

Hey, guys!

I'm the fellow who began this thread some time ago.  Yes, I'll still send a print of my P-40 piece, 19 x 13 inches - signed and numbered - to everyone who builds this bird!  

- Ron Cole

http://www.ColesAircraft.com

 

 

 

Aviation Art of Ron Cole: http://www.colesaircraft.com

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Wednesday, July 7, 2010 10:01 AM

Grab a mailing tube, Ron... I'm firing this one back up...

  • Member since
    October 2009
  • From: South Carolina
Posted by jetmodeler on Wednesday, July 7, 2010 10:36 AM

Hey I forgot about this post.

~Hans~ Can't wait to see more pictures.

 

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Wednesday, July 7, 2010 11:41 AM

I'm stealing this subject for our club's theme build next month:  "Horse of a Different Color".  One of the interpretations of the theme is a subject in livery other than its home country's colors.  And I have a stash of 1/72 P-40 kits, it'll be good to put one of them together.

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    July 2008
  • From: Florida
Posted by Railfan 233 on Wednesday, July 7, 2010 11:48 AM

richs26

The Japanese captured quite a few P-40's.  They captured some very wornout B/C's and E's in the Philippines.  I have read a story from Air Classics from the late '80's or early '90's about 4 US pilots ferrying 4 wornout P-40's around the Philippines to Clark were they were patched up by the Japanese, and evaluated.  The Japanese collected many brand new E's in crates on the docks in Java, that they were even considering using them for home land defense purposes but abandoned the idea.  Use Google Images, as there is a color picture of an abandoned E sitting on a Japanese home airfield taken after the Americans had moved in.  There is an SBD, I think, next to it with it's distinctive tail. I believe that this colored E was one of three on a freighter that ran the naval blockade of the PI, and were assembled in March, 1942 at Del Monte, Mindanao.  They were used until the US quit using Del Monte as a staging base from Australia.   As an aside, the Japanese captured 1 B-17D in the PI, and 2 B-17E's from Java, and flew them in Japan evaluating them.  In 1945, US intelligence noted from recon photos what looked like a new 4-engined bomber for the Japanese.  They scaled out the wingspan to be 104 ft, which is that of the B-17.  They never thought that they were captured B-17's at the time. 

I never knew that about the Japanese capturing any of our aircraft. This is all new to me, with this info.

By any chance, does any one know the fate of the P-40 this thred was about?

  

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y211/razordws/GB%20Badges/WMIIIGBsmall.jpgRed, White, and YOU! group build of 2010

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