China-Burma-India Theater GB 2006-2007

These seatbelts are great!  I love 'em! 

There some tiny little pieces that have to be folded and glued for the seat adjustment... they are brutal!  These parts are maybe half a centimeter long and require 4 folds Then an even tinier little piece about .5 milimeter wide and maybe .5cm long has to be folded and slid inside the box you make with the other piece...... well, it just isn't going to happen. I don't see how some of you guys work with those tiny tiny pieces.  I would literally need a jewelers eyepiece and some of the most delicate instruments ever made to even hope to do them.  I tried folding the little box like assemblies, and managed to do it, but they're a bit flat and I tried for almost 15 minutes just to be able to slide one of those skinny little parts inside it, and I just can't do it, I can't even hold them.... they're too small....  

After agonizing over them for a bit I realized that even if I could pull it off, you'll never in a million years be able to see them, unless you dismantled the P-40.  Fortunately I noticed in some of the build articles of this exact kit that the guys didn't build those parts either.  They're unbelievably small.  If I ever do those kind of parts again it will be 1/32nd scale only! 

So...... the belts look great!  Just need to paint them and the cockpit will be good to go, going to do that now. 

For those of you that can work with PE parts that small, I have a lot of respect for you and your skills! 

Good work Scott.  The pit should be a nice one.

Regards,  Rick

Don't be afraid of the PE belts   They're pretty easy to install and they will add a great touch of realism. 

Progress looks good so far

Hasegawa 1/48 P-40E update - I'm working on the seat and PE seatbelts.  It's my first time using PE belts, so I'm trying make sure I think it all the way through before I start folding as I don't want to mess anything up.   

Here is a quick shot I took of the major cockpit components after the wash. 

So far, this Hasegawa 1/48 P-40E is a real gem of a kit.  Excellent detail, very nicely molded parts, PE seatbelts etc.  I've encountered no fit issues as of yet. 

I could actually see myself building several of these over the next year or two.  There are so many great aftermarket options for markings as the P-40 served with so many different countries, and in most of the theaters war, MTO, PTO, CBI, North Africa, Eastern Front etc.  I'd love to do one in Australian markings some day.

Looking forward to the pics Scott.

Regards,  Rick

rjkplasticmod wrote:

Can't see much in the pics, Scott, but the color looks OK in the flash pic. Regards,  Rick

I'll post some zoomed in macro pics when there's more to see.  I'm going to spray a slightly lighter version of that color on the flat areas, then paint the details, do the oil wash and then some drybrushing.

I'm going to try to crank this baby out in less than 3 weeks. 

Can't see much in the pics, Scott, but the color looks OK in the flash pic.

Regards,  Rick

I finally managed to get a chance to spray all the interior bits on my Hasegawa 1/48 P-40E.  Thanks to input from many people in various threads and forums I got a pretty good idea of what the interior green color used by the Curtiss company should look like.  I use Tamiya Acrylics almost exclusively.

XF4 Yellow Green - .75ml
XF5 Flat Green - 1.0ml
XF51 Khaki Drab - .75ml
X-20A Thinner - .75ml

Here are a couple of shots right after I did the airbrushing.

Sorry about the bad photo quality, I usually don't waste too much time with the lighting for quickie in progress shots.  Two of the shots were taken with just the lights I have around my spraybooth area which always makes the photos a bit yellow, and the other one was with the flash.  

rjkplasticmod wrote:

Thanks Scott. The P-40E cockpits were factory painted Interior Green FS 34151. Regards,  Rick

Thanks Rick, I'm going to try and spray the cockpit before bed.

Thanks Scott.

The P-40E cockpits were factory painted Interior Green FS 34151.

Regards,  Rick

Nice clean build Rick!  Looks great! 

I've washed the parts for my 1/48 Hasegawa P-40E and plan to spray the interior color tonight, but I need a little help.  The directions call for either Khaki Green or Zinc-Chromate Type I..... anyone know which would be correct for a P-40E flown by Ed Rector in the 76th FS, 23rd FG (formerly the AVG Flying Tigers)? 

Thanks Tanky.

Regards,  Rick

Thanks for the comments guys.

Regards,  Rick 

Nicely done, Rick.  Looks like your panel line wash is a little wider than normal, but it stills looks good.

Well, this ones ready for the shelf.  The model represents a P-40K flown by Maj. Edward Nollmeyer, commander of the 26th F.S., 51st F.G., China, December, 1943.  Hope you like her.

Regards,  Rick

Thanks Bob.

Regards,  Rick

 Rick-very nice work (as usual).  Looking forward to seeing the finished product.

Thanks Tanky.

Regards,  Rick

As promised, the decals are on & here's the pics to prove it .

Regards,  Rick