Scale Aviation Modeller International – September 2019

T

he Curtiss P-

Warhawk was an

evolution of the

Curtis P-36. With

more than 13,000 rolling of

the production line, the P-

became one of the most widely-

manufactured and employed

US ighter aircraft of the war.

The type represented in the

kit is an early series P-40K

with the short fuselage. Early

versions featured an enlarged

tail in, while later versions

had a stretched fuselage to

counter the torque of the more

powerful engine. A popular

aircraft with its pilots, the

P-40 performed best at low

and medium altitudes and

earned a reputation as an

easily maneuverable, yet

tough aircraft. The relatively

simple design made it easy

to repair and able to absorb

signiicant battle damage.

The P-40 saw action in every

theater of the War and was

used by various Allied Air

Forces during the conlict.

THE KIT

This is an all-new ofering from

Special Hobby, and unrelated to

the P-40F released in 2008. The

P-40N kit contains three light

gray injection moulded sprues

containing a total of 75 parts.

Some of those are provided

merely as alternative options

or are not used for this version.

The parts look delicious on the

sprues, with panel lines, rivets

and fasteners represented as

recessed details. There are two

delicate resin parts, but no

photo-etch extras are included

Roman Schilhart builds the 1/72 Special Hobby P-40K-1/

Photographs by Wolfgang Rabel

A RUSSIAN

WARHAWK

P-40K-1/

MANUFACTURER: Special Hobby

SCALE: 1/

KIT TYPE: Injection moulded plastic

KIT NUMBER: SH

DECAL OPTIONS: 4

KIT DETAILS

SEPTEMBER 2019 • SCALE AVIATION MODELLER INTERNATIONAL

1/

14

FE ATURE

BY ROMAN SCHILHART

P-40K-1/

1/