1/48 ERTL/Esci Curtiss P-36A Hawk (Completed pg. 6)

Looking good! The cowl design on this kit is superior to the Hobbycraft, which is two halves and therefore a seam to eliminate between the guns. Even though they are separate parts, mine had a misaligned mold and they are somewhat flatter than they should be. Oh well.

As to the interior colors - there seems to be a lot of discussion, especially around the French ones.I read enough to convince me that painting my French one in a light shade of green was good enough. But I didn't want to go crazy over the cockpit on one I was planning to do closed canopy anyway. 

French colors, since they were brought up, should be Gris Bleu Foncé (dark grey-blue), Khaki (A deep green color that's something like a mix of Tamiya Green and Deep Green) and Brun (Brown. I used Tamiya flat brown straight for mine). Underside is Gris Bleu Clair (light grey blue). Model Master makes these, and Tamiya has callouts in the instructions for the Dewoitine D.520 to match them, though the green is way off, in my opinion. Also, Tamiya has a different mix for the underside color listed on the box and on the instructions. They should be available online in Tamiya's website.

-BD-

I noticed on the P-36 Wiki entry that the 39 Hawaiian P-36A's were delivered to the islands by being flown off the deck of the USS Enterprise in February 1941.  This was the first time that USAAC planes were flown off a carrier by Army pilots.  This would make an interesting diorama for somebody.

Which persuit group was that? The markings I have for this build are for the 1st persuit group based at Mitchel Field in NY.

Which brings up the research I found about the Monovell P-40. The markings for the 8th persuit group are not from Hawaii, but also from Mitchel Field in NY. (I found that interesting)

Seems I'm starting to collect planes from the east coast lol.

"The Mitchel Field Collection" LOL

The 15th Pursuit Group was sent to Hawaii to reinforce the 18th Pursuit Group shortly before the outbreak of war in 1941. 

Thanks, Stick. I'll look that up later. A Pearl Harbor P-36 will have to be included in my future plans.  :)

stikpusher

The 15th Pursuit Group was sent to Hawaii to reinforce the 18th Pursuit Group shortly before the outbreak of war in 1941. 

 

Stik, the 15th PG was not sent to Hawaii.  It was activated at Wheeler on 1 December 1940 with cadre from the 18th PG. The 18th was activated at Wheeler in 1927.  I believe that they received their P-36's in February 1941, but I am doing more research on that.

M. Brindos

Which persuit group was that? The markings I have for this build are for the 1st persuit group based at Mitchel Field in NY.

Which brings up the research I found about the Monovell P-40. The markings for the 8th persuit group are not from Hawaii, but also from Mitchel Field in NY. (I found that interesting)

Seems I'm starting to collect planes from the east coast lol.

"The Mitchel Field Collection" LOL

 

Mike, you can use the 1st PG markings (27th and 94th PS) as one of the P-36's shipped off to Wheeler Field in February 1941 on the USS Enterprise.  Information I received from David Aiken, noted Pearl Harbor scholar, states that the 1st PG was one of the donors for the USS Enterprise delivery:

   on 23 Oct 1939 20 P-36s from Selfridge and Langley Fields arrived...

0n 21 Feb 1941 31 P-36s from Moffett, Hamilton, and Selfridge Fields arrived

Most P-36s were assigned to the 18PG, however as the 15PG became active, most of the 18PG P-36s were assigned to the 15PG...and 18PG got the bulk of the new P-40s

So you can go ahead and plant that P-36 on the deck of the USS Enterprise to be flown off to Wheeler Field.

Now that is some handy information to have at hand.

I have a lot of info on the 8th PG, but I haven't dug too deeply into the 1st PG yet.

You just springboarded my research a lot!

That being said, I'm building this one as a ceiling hanger. There isn't nearly enough detail in this kit to bring its status up to premier display piece.

richs26

 

 

stikpusher

The 15th Pursuit Group was sent to Hawaii to reinforce the 18th Pursuit Group shortly before the outbreak of war in 1941. 

 

 

 

 

Stik, the 15th PG was not sent to Hawaii.  It was activated at Wheeler on 1 December 1940 with cadre from the 18th PG. The 18th was activated at Wheeler in 1927.  I believe that they received their P-36's in February 1941, but I am doing more research on that.

 

I suppose that I used the wrong word in "sent". The 15th was created and assigned as reinforcements to Hawaii and the 18th. And while they used a cadre from the 18th, the rest (aircraft and personnel) had to be "sent" from the mainland. Thanks for the clarification.

I'm finally getting back to this build again after finishing the T-90. I've refined the pilots skin tones a little more and reworked his eyes. He doesn't look so fake anymore lol.

I'll find the time to post pictures tomorrow.  :)

Mike, you inspired me to get a P-36.  I picked up an Academy 1/48 "Rasmussen 86" edition for $16 on Ebay so hopefully I can get started on it sometime after it gets here.  I want to get another so I can do a 1st PG one flying off the USS Enterprise, and an 18th PS in OD and tail stripes in May 1942.

Awesome! Don't forget to post your WiP when it shows up at your door!!  :D

It's got to be a better kit than the one I'm working on. I want details!  :)

M. Brindos

 

It's got to be a better kit than the one I'm working on. I want details!  :)

 

Lol! It is. I've built both. The old kit is a fair example of mid 70s mold technology, not top of the line for the time, but not the bottom either. The Hobbycraft/Academy kit is an example of how far mold technology changed in two decades. Not quite top of the line, cutting edge for its time, but a very nice effort.

richs26

Mike, you inspired me to get a P-36.  I picked up an Academy 1/48 "Rasmussen 86" edition for $16 on Ebay so hopefully I can get started on it sometime after it gets here.  I want to get another so I can do a 1st PG one flying off the USS Enterprise, and an 18th PS in OD and tail stripes in May 1942.

 

Rich - if that is the old Hobbycraft plastic (I am pretty sure it is) then just be aware that the engine sits too far back in the cowling. I had to do some brute, hammer mechanic surgery on my French Hawk 75 (pretty recent in this forum) to make the engine fit after Ihad painted the thing. Also, to fix the seams for the insert around the tail wheel, I sawed off themolded-on gear doors and added them at the end. Made all the difference.

-BD-

Yes the Academy kit is a rebox of one of the Hobbycraft moldings. Probably the one with the Twin Wasp engine and not the Wright 1820. The cowling on mine fit just fine, but you may have to fiddle a bit with moving the engine forward a tad or the prop seats against the cowl lip.

Looks pretty damn good now 

You really think so? I'm not to the point where I'm convinced yet. Way more work here than intended, but you know me.

This just another dry fit test. The fuselage halves are glued together and most of this thing will fit together without too much issue. Although, I haven't dry fitted any of the tail parts yet lol. 

Maybe you guys can help me decide; wheels up? Or down?

Keep in mind it will be a ceiling hanger.  

If its flying, then the wheels need to be up, unless you want it in a landing or takeoff mode, at which point you need flaps.  Probably easier to do wheels up.

Looking great so far.  Like what you did with the IP.

John

wolfhammer1

If its flying, then the wheels need to be up, unless you want it in a landing or takeoff mode, at which point you need flaps.  Probably easier to do wheels up.

Looking great so far.  Like what you did with the IP.

John

 

Alrighty. Wheels up. :)

thanks.

Surprisingly I've not seen any Mongram kits in 1/72 that I can remember.

I just remember the 1/48 aircraft.

M. Brindos

Surprisingly I've not seen any Mongram kits in 1/72 that I can remember.

I just remember the 1/48 aircraft.

 

Oh they had a VERY nice 1/72 line up.... Between the wars, WWII, post WWII, Vietnam, late Cold War... from the tiny P-6 and F4B to the massive B-52 and B-36.... 

Thats weird. I didn't even know they made those. (scratches head)

M. Brindos

 

I think I've got the cockpit ready so I can close up the fuse halves. The pilot still needs some work, but I've got the blocking done so that should go pretty easily.

The IP was painted black, dials done with a drop of white watered down to flow into them, then the IP was over sprayed with silver which gave them some raised details. To finish it off I went over the panel with thinned down black around all of the gauges again and then picked out some details other colors.

Kind of a long process, but the kit supplied IP decal doesn't line up with anything on the IP. So you gotta do, what ya gotta do.

Finally, some forward progress!  :)

 

 

 

It's beyond me how you guys do such detailed work on such small parts lol. I'm very impressed and I think it all looks great!

Practice. Practice and experementation. It's no more complicated than that.

I didn't know if that method would work. I've not done it before and no one showed me how.

I took a chance.  ;)

Fear not of old kits. - Modeling Yoda

Nice. I read that in his voice lol!