Who makes the better P-40B Tomahawk?

BrandonK

Revell or Trumpeter?  1/48

I've heard the Trumpeter kit is grossly inaccurate. Any input from those of you who've built them?

BK

 

Airfix has announced a new P-40b in 1/48 for next year, enlarging its 1/72 offering and that one will probaly be the best, alough i have heard some complaints about the test shots.

Unfortunately they're all horrendous. I'd hold out for the new Airfix. 

Hobby craft makes a P-40 in 1/48 thats ok with recessed panel lines. The cockpit is scarce of detail. here are some pics from mine

The Monogram is a good kit that needs some tender loving care to fill out the wheel wells, plug a huge gap under the wings and bring the cockpit detail up to par with more modern releases. I have probably built this thing a dozen times throughout my modeling life.

I built the Trumpeter not too long ago. I encountered some fit issues, but was happy with the OOB cockpit and wheel well detail level. I cannot say her it is accurate to the scale inch but to my eyes  looks like a P-40.

crown r n7

Hobby craft makes a P-40 in 1/48 thats ok with recessed panel lines. The cockpit is scarce of detail. here are some pics from mine

 

I am wanting to put together a Pearl Harbor P-40B and I want to doll it up like always. I really dont want to spend the time on the Revell kit yet, I have that one. I want one that I can build up nicely, mostly OOB and have it represent a -B without too much extra effort.

Can a Hasegawa -E be converted to a -B?

Perhaps I'll just build a Trumpeter and wait for the Airfix kit.

BK

BrandonK

Can a Hasegawa -E be converted to a -B?

Perhaps I'll just build a Trumpeter and wait for the Airfix kit.

BK

 

holy, you might as well tool a new kit yourself. Where would you get the nose, cowl flaps, wing roots, cockpit, windscreen...??

Nathan T

 

 

BrandonK

Can a Hasegawa -E be converted to a -B?

Perhaps I'll just build a Trumpeter and wait for the Airfix kit.

BK

 

 

 

 

holy, you might as well tool a new kit yourself. Where would you get the nose, cowl flaps, wing roots, cockpit, windscreen...??

 

So....that's a no?

BK

BrandonK

I am wanting to put together a Pearl Harbor P-40B and I want to doll it up like always. I really dont want to spend the time on the Revell kit yet, I have that one. I want one that I can build up nicely, mostly OOB and have it represent a -B without too much extra effort.

Can a Hasegawa -E be converted to a -B?

Perhaps I'll just build a Trumpeter and wait for the Airfix kit.

BK

 

Hmmm, I would go with the Revell kit and a True Details cockpit.  Forget about all the other detailing stuff, if you want to build it OOB.  Bvallot did the "detail until it bleeds" on the P-40B

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/2/t/162912.aspx?page=1

and did an excellant job.  And the Revell kit is $13 or so.

Or you could build it in Blender.

http://airplanes3d.net/model-p40_e.xml

Witold Jaworski is doing some nice 3d modeling work in the "Scratchbuilding" part of this forum.

Gary

A nose kit bash, hmm. That sounds interesting. I think I'll look into that.

BK

I have wanted a good P-40B for a long time. I built the Monogram one as a kid, and I'm salivating over the new Airfix ones. Let's all build a squadron when it comes out, haha.

After building the new-tool Hurricane this year, I am SOLD on the new Airfix offerings. Are they perfect? No. But I really enjoyed building it, and it was definitely high value for the dollar.

-BD-

Chris FFZ

Airfix has announced a new P-40b in 1/48 for next year, enlarging its 1/72 offering and that one will probaly be the best, alough i have heard some complaints about the test shots.

 

Now that is interesting! Been a long time coming I believe.

Hey Jester's not dead...(poor Top Gun ref.). Good to see you back Man!

The Monogram kit still holds up pretty well.  Can you add detail?  Sure.  But it's not such a bad kit.

Nathan T

Hey Jester's not dead...(poor Top Gun ref.). Good to see you back Man!

 

LOL, thanks Nate!

For those with the Monogram kit, I just saw a post at Modeling Madness that Starfighter Decals is re-issuing the old Medallion Miniatures P-40B/C detail set.

Here's my 2 cents.  I've built them all, some you've seen here recently, to include a spliced a Hobbycraft/Academy kit. The latest incarnation of the 1964 Monogram kit is rough as, the molds are shot (like the P-61)  The Academy/HC kit is very basic and extremely inaccurate.  The Trumpeter kit has a strangely shallow pit with a child's car seat, skinny props, and rivets that are more like bomb craters everywhere.  So far the Trumpeter kit with an aftermarket pit is the lesser of all the above evilness, but far from great. 

Airfix is about make all of this moot anyways.  I'd wait, unless you like torturing yourself. 

Joe

P.S.  Jester.........good to see you back my friend.....what's shakin?

lawdog114

Here's my 2 cents.  I've built them all, some you've seen here recently, to include a spliced a Hobbycraft/Academy kit. The latest incarnation of the 1964 Monogram kit is rough as, the molds are shot (like the P-61)  The Academy/HC kit is very basic and extremely inaccurate.  The Trumpeter kit has a strangely shallow pit with a child's car seat, skinny props, and rivets that are more like bomb craters everywhere.  So far the Trumpeter kit with an aftermarket pit is the lesser of all the above evilness, but far from great. 

Airfix is about make all of this moot anyways.  I'd wait, unless you like torturing yourself. 

Joe

P.S.  Jester.........good to see you back my friend.....what's shakin?

 

 

I second this about the Monogram molds. The newest boxing is a few steps above garbage. However, if you can find a white box kit from the 70s or what not, go for it.

I have a white box in the stash. Since I've heard all this from you guys about all the kits I think I'll add a resin pit to that kit and Doctor up the wheel bays and call it good. Then buy the Airfix as soon as it hits. Until then the Hasegawa -E is soon to see my bench.

BK

BrandonK

I have a white box in the stash. Since I've heard all this from you guys about all the kits I think I'll add a resin pit to that kit and Doctor up the wheel bays and call it good. Then buy the Airfix as soon as it hits. Until then the Hasegawa -E is soon to see my bench.

BK

 

Now don't get me wrong, the Monogram kit looks real good shape wise. its just over 50+ years, they've put out hundreds of thousands (maybe millions?) of that kit, and it really shows in the newest releases. Box in the wheel bays and slap a resin pit in there, and you'll have a darn good looking Tomahawk with your skills.

Well, I ordered a PE set for interior, mostly for the IP as well as a Legend resin pit, squadon canopy, and Montex mask set. I found two great books on the P-40's that should show me what I need to know for the kits faults that I can correct. I plan to scratch up the wheel bays like BVallot did. I'll give the whole kit some love and see what it can look like in my hands. I've seen others make it look great, I hope I can come close. We'll see.

BK

Well for what it is worth....

For me the Revell kit holds a special place in my heart.  For the B version you will need to work on the pit a bit (What little detail depicts an -E version)  and some other bits and bobs (Gunsight most notibly) but it can be a beauty to build up.  The Trump kit, at least in my mind, needs more intense work to get a decent build.  I have built up a number of the different kits but all in all I find working on the Revell kit to be more satisfying than the others.

Joe

I second those of you who warn against buying the new Revell boxings of the old Monogram kits.  I don't buy them, either, and it's not really an issue, because you can get older, earlier moldings so easily and cheaply on the second-hand market.

I've been away from the forum for a while on account of work, and holiday stuff, in-laws staying with us, etc...so I'm just catching up on everything I've missed.

I have to agree with fightnjoe on this one.  That Revell kit still has the best shape and proportions out of everything out there.  Now I imagine it really comes down to where do you feel like putting the work in.  I'm not as prolific a builder as some of you here so it's possible the only two kits I bought came out half decent...or maybe it's just that I'll put up with garbage as I've hopefully not gotten too spoiled yet. =D

I haven't seen anything about the new Airfix kit just yet as I've been so tied up, so I suppose I'll have to jump into that.  Until then, I really think you get the most out of giving the Revell kit some love that it needs.  I really don't fancy myself such a great modeler for the most part.  The painting process is where my experience comes in to help bring my builds more to life.  So far my scratchbuilding is very basic and rudimentary. And I was quite happy to end up with the Hawk I have even with a very basic scratchbuilding skillset.  Just my thoughts. 

=]

My old Monogram P-40B:

They can be built into a fairly nice model.

Texgunner

My old Monogram P-40B:

They can be built into a fairly nice model.

Proof positive!  That's a sweet build, Tex, nicely done.