Just like other old kits, the cockpit is unusable for a serious modeler.
The kit brings the floor, side walls, control panel, seat and strut,
pedals and control stick. Interestingly, in the instructions the cockpit
is installed later in the assembly sequence, being inserted through
the bottom fuselage opening.

The seat is over thick, and its shape would be appropriate for a dash-N,
not an E. In some P-40s, the seat was made from wood to save metal (after
the Parts Manual), then check your references. I’m currently working
on a conversion of this same kit to the B/C version, and the correct
shape of the seat can be seen in one
of our articles. I included below a drawing of my interpretation
of the seat, based on photos and drawings. You can print it and make
personal use as a template (because the bitmap is out of scale, scale
it to approximately match the noted dimension). 

The kit comes with a fairly decent representation of the Allison V1710-39,
to be installed in the nose. It lacks details like ignition wires and
plumbing, which I think is a good idea, as we can add them in a more
realistic way without having to scrap molded on details. The engine
mounts are reasonable, but the firewall is only symbolic.

The propeller seems good, except for the fact that our sample suffered
from “mold shifting”, leaving a “stepped seam” difficult to correct
around the hub. Not a serious problem, because most of it will be hidden
inside the spinner. Sorry, but I forgot to measure the prop diameter.

If you think the cockpit is marginally passable, you won’t think that
way about the landing gear. The retractable main landing gear was something
interesting in early seventies, but for today’s standards it is, in
a word, crap. The retracting mechanism is completely fictitious, having
no resemblance with the actual machine. And no, there is no gears (like
in the 1/40 Skyraider of the shame manufacturer – remember that?), you
have to rotate the wheels by hand. Furthermore, the wheel wells are
not enclosed, what adds something to the already toy like appearance.

The main struts are too short, and I think that this explains the low
profile found in many assembled examples of this model. The reason is
in Revell’s approach for the retracting mechanism: the pivoting line
of the main strut is positioned aft the strut end. So, as the landing
gear is retracted the whole assembly is moved backwards. In the actual
machine the pivot was located at the end of the strut, about the same
level of the wing skin. Then, in order to make the kit wheels fit into
the bays, the main strut had to be shortened. Besides, the struts look
horrible. The wheels are on spot in what concerns the diameter (30″),
but their hub caps are completely flat.

I know from the hard way that to scratchbuild a new landing gear for
this model is a painful task. All I can offer now for you who accept
the challenge of building a new one is a drawing I prepared using a
few drawings and photos. Please, understand that this an approximate
drawing, but it is probably no more than a couple of inches in error
for the length. Small deviations can be compensated with the oleo cylinder.
 

There are 4 clear parts in the kit: windscreen, sliding canopy and
the rear windows. The frame lines are a bit on the heavy side but very
well molded. Even the hinges for emergency exit are printed on the sliding
portion. Two non-clear parts are glued to the bottom of the sliding
portion to fit the rails, and I’m afraid it will be difficult to dissimulate
the resulting joint. By the way, the rails are very heavily molded.
The windscreen fits surprisingly well in the fuselage after a gentle
clean up, and only a small amount of Mr. Surfacer will do the job. 

The rear windows are good, and their curvature follow the fuselage.
On the other hand, they are slightly undersized in comparison to the
corresponding fuselage slot. Open your tips & tricks box here because
their installation will need a very careful operation in order to not
leave a visible seam all around them. I suggest to glue a thin stripe
of plasticard around the edges of the fuselage rear windows’ slot to
reduce the gap. Wait until dry and sand flush. Now sand and dry fit
the clear parts until a good fit is achieved.

Nothing here but the characteristic P-40 belly tank. I didn’t find
good drawings of this to compare, but the shape looks right. It comes
riveted all around. The attachment points (including the braces) and
the fuel cap are crude, at best.

There are a number of smaller details missing that are worth to mention,
but and it’s up to add/correct them:

– The USAAF Type N-3 gun sight (part #70) is symbolic. Scratchbuilders
company produces a very good resin one in case you want a replacement.
Here
is the LSP review by Saso Knez.

– The backup gun sight ring and mast (parts #71 and #72) are both too
fat. You are plenty of photoetched options on the market.

– Some (later) P-40Es had the ‘fish tail’ exhaust stacks installed
in lieu of the round ones represented in the kit. Check your references
and help yourself in case you need the former.

– Another common feature found in P-40E (generally field installed)
was the rear mirror. This has to be installed in the upper framework
of the windscreen, offset slightly to the left in most cases.

– Don’t forget to scribe a small circle on the fuselage, beneath the
left aft window. No, it wasn’t the tank filler (like in the P-40B/C)…
it was a landing gear warning horn! Now you know why WWII pilots wore
goggles. The fuselage fuel tank filler should be scribed on the fuselage
just behind the sliding canopy, about the bulkhead station.

– And last, but not the least, remember that the British export version
of the P-40 had the cranked pitot tube.

These features were not installed in all P-40Es. Check your references…
again and again. The photo below shows a Flying Tiger P-40E (by then
belonging to the USAAF as the 23rd FG) and illustrates some of the above
mentioned details.

Sorry, no option here. The only markings with the kit are for “Arizona”,
the first mount of Sidney Woods, then serving with the 9th FS/ 49th
FG. Later he became a double ace in the ETO.

The decals are very well printed by Scale-Master with the popular Invisa
Clear system. All the sheet perfectly registered with good color saturation.
The stencils are readable, even those for the propeller blades. I’m
convinced there are many stencils missing, maybe because they were painted
on in “Arizona”. The rattlesnake (very well done multicolored) nose
art of the right side is different from the one to go on the left side,
what is correct. However, the “KIP” initials were not applied to the
vertical stabilizer in the only profile I managed to find.

That’s about what I can tell you on this bird and its pilot.

Well, a Warhawk is a Warhawk, no matter what… and this one is a true
survivor from times when our hobby used to be more fun and less work.
His contemporary brothers (the Me-109 and the Spitfire) were surpassed
by the competitors but the Revell P-40E resists as one of the oldest
injected 1/32 kits still on the market. 

The number of interesting versions for this aircraft is countless.
From Flying Tigers to Aleutian Tigers, you can find anything you like:
dark green/dark earth, overall olive drab, splotched, forest green,
desert cammo, shark mouth, tiger head and so on. There are also interesting
schemes for stateside aircraft used for training purposes. Superscale
produced some decal sheets for this kit in the past. Unfortunately,
they are all out of production. With luck, you can still find one around. 

The P-40E was the best that the USAAF had in the first year of the
war, and it was pressed into service in all theaters of operations.
Wartime photos generally show frontline Warhawks dirty, oily, faded
and full of paint chipping. This model is the perfect subject to put
your weathering tricks in action. 

You are in charge of the rescribing, if you want. Some of you scratchbuilders
will extend the tail to make a unique dash-F. This model can also be
used in a P-40B/C conversion using the Scratchbuilders resin/white metal
set.

When I think in what can be done with this kit, one thing that comes
to my mind is the work of Rodney
Williams on this model (in Scott Murphy’s web page). It is worth
to take look. It will inspire you or make you give up…

Here is a good list of references on the P-40:

1.) McDowell, E. R.: Curtiss P-40 in Action, Squadron Signal Publ.,
1976.

2.) Kinzey, B.: P-40 Warhawk in Detail – Part 1: YP-36 through P-40C,
Detail & Scale Vol.61, Squadron Signal Publ., 1999.

3.) Kinzey, B.: P-40 Warhawk in Detail – Part 2: P-40D through XP-40Q,
Detail & Scale Vol.62, Squadron Signal Publ., 1999.

4.) Drendel, L.: P-40 Warhawk Walk Around,  Walk Around Number
8, Squadron Signal Publ., 1996.

5.) Famous Airplanes of the World, No. 39: Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, Burindo,
1993.

6.) Bridgewater, H. C.: The Curtiss P-36 and P-40 in USAAC/USAAF Service
– 1939 to 1945, Combat Colours Number 3, Guideline Publ., 2001.

7.) Phillips, G. and Hjermstad, K.: Building the P-40 Warhawk – A Scale
Modeler’s Project Handbook, Kalmbach Books, 1997.

8.) Johnsen, F. A.: P-40 Warhawk, Warbird History, MBI, 1998.

9.) Curtiss P-40, The Aero Series #3, Aero Publishers, 1965.

10.) Stafford, G. B.: Aces of the Southwest Pacific, Squadron Signal
Publ., 1977.

11.) Technical Order No. 01-25CF-1: Pilot’s Flight Operating Instructions
– P-40D and P-40E Airplanes, AAF Headquarters, Air Service Command,
Patterson Field, Fairfield OH, Feb 1943.

12.) Pilot Training Manual for the P-40 Fighter, AAF Headquarters,
Office of Flying Safety, 1943.

13.) Ethell, J.L.:P-40 Warhawk in World War II Color, Motorbooks Intl.,
1994.

and if you are a real fan of the P-40, these are the rarest:

14.) Technical Order No. 01-25CJ-2: Erection and Maintenance Instructions
– P-40E-1, AAF Headquarters.

15.) Technical Order No. 01-25CJ-3: Overhaul Instructions – P-40E-1,
AAF Headquarters.

16.) Technical Order No. 01-25CJ-4: Parts Catalogue – P-40E-1, AAF
Headquarters.
 

Also worth to visit in the web:

17.) John Baugher’s aviation encyclopedia (P-40
section).

Now we finish off this review with two little gems attesting what can
be done from this kit…

As most other Revell kits in 1/32 scale, this one is recommend to anyone
who doesn’t care about filling and sanding. Rescribing is not mandatory
in view of the beautiful surface details, but they will disappear in
some areas after sanding. Dedicated modelers will have many hours of
research and work on the cockpit and landing gear to bring this models
to high quality standards. Of all Revell kits in the big scale, the
P-40 is one of the best, given the good dimensional and shape accuracy
(ok, I’m forgiving the ailerons). And it is not plagued with thousands
of orange caliber rivets. If you can, do yourself a favor and use the
Jerry Rutman’s detail set for this kit. 

Yes, this is one of the oldest injection 1/32 models, and it is still
around – strong as in its first days. It reflects its age in what concerns
engineering and details, but is an inexpensive shell – as well as many
other Revell 1/32 kits – to show your skills and produce unique models
(something a Tamigawa addict will never claim). Ask modelers Rodney
Williams, Larry Hawkins, Scott Murphy, Brian Cauchi and other fellows
what I mean and they will show you. Don’t step away of this kit because
it is 30+ years old. Build it and have fun. Besides, it is the only
E-game in town.

We would like to thank the support Forrest Cox, owner of Scratchbuilders,
for providing the review sample, and the modeler/photographer Brian
Silcox for providing the scanned pictures of the E&M manual.

Part One