by Jeff Sissons
Model photographs by the author
What wonderful models come out of the ModelArt Studio! I started out some five years ago with the 1:72 scale models, and progressed to the mighty 1:32 F-15. Now I can't keep up with the output.
And now, choices of nose art! This offering from ModelArt has the P-40N with a skull on its nose. This mark was flown out of Karachi, India (now Pakistan) in 1943. The skull should attract many modelers to the kit. The nose art certainly did put its position near the top of this reviewers "to-build" tray.
The model is in Adobe PDF format and is intended to be printed by the modeler. Output goes onto 4 pages of card stock, 2 sheets of plain paper, and one sheet of cockpit glazing. There are several pages of instructions. These are not the usual pictorial ones, but rather a layout with numbered parts showing the positions. This does slow matters down somewhat, but I can assure you that with patience, and a certain dexterity, a fine model of this P-40 mark can be made.
The fuselage sections are built up in numerical order. The cockpit section consists of parts 1 and 2. The cockpit area is quite well detailed, with a fine instrument panel. The harness is separate from the seat, which as you who follow my write-ups know, gains 10/10 points. The sides of the cockpit tub are detailed, yet the side walls are not. so I took out my water colors and painted the whole internal parts 1 and 2 in a representation of green zinc chromate. I glazed the rear area next on part 1, using 3M Spray Mount as the adhesive and washing hands before the actual fitting of the transparent sheet. This is supplied as one of the print-offs for printing onto a overhead transparency sheet or similar.
That done, it is then simply a matter of completing the skull-nose and the rear fuselage. Joining of these components presents no difficulty, and soon the 12 inch long section is sitting there looking very menacing. Already the nose is top heavy and I can imagine a P-40 going into a nose-dive, getting out of trouble from attacking Zero's assisted by the weight of its engine.
The tail plane area came next, and this is also a well fitting area. Emil gives a sheet of paper strips to insert within the three main components. These are ready formed for the curves of the rudder, etc. Just a tip here: I did find on the first test fit that the square cut tabs did overlap somewhat, so I re-cut all three paper tabs as 60 degree crocodile teeth. This worked much, much better. With these folded and glued, the units were glued onto the fuselage.
The wings were next. For the six machine guns I intended to use some aluminum tubing. I always want to have something for undercarriage strengtheners and the such to push into, so I always back the parts that hold these fragile items with just a small block of balsa wood. This then holds the strengthening piece firmer than just relying on the thickness of the card. So the wing has four blocks of balsa, two for the undercarriage and two to hold the six machine guns.
I use the envelope method of folding and gluing the large wings. Having cut and glued the paper strips for the wings, I glue the trailing edge and the tips, allow to dry and the wing then is an envelope which slides neatly over the wing former.
Just a note here: parts 11 all comprise the air diverters that sit in the lower scoop area of the nose.
That more or less completed the heavy work. The exhaust stubs, and the pitot tube were then fitted and the whole assembly was turned over to start on the bulges and bumps of air ducting, etc.
The tail wheel was strengthened because the area is just not strong enough to support the model. As previously mentioned I used a block of balsa wood behind the position of the tail wheel strut, gluing the pin to the actual wheel. this with the stirrup placed over it and the pin superglued and pushed into the balsa block adds really needed strength to a weak area.
By far the hardest part of the model is that "gun sight" Wow! What a job that is! It entails about eight folds and gluing on all faces. That, in a piece of card about ¾ of an inch long. I used up two prints just in practice! But eventually, it all takes shape - after one loses a few pounds in sweat and anguish.
I happened to have some Gomix wheels in my spares box. Painted matte black, they do indeed enhance a wonderful and exciting model.
So on to the final phase: glazing the forward cockpit area, installing the aerial cord and fitting all those last minute components left off during construction. (Don't forget the rear view mirror on the forward section of the cockpit glazing.)
So there we are, with what has been a very enjoyable model to make. Fun in fact! I cannot recommend this model enough: a really interesting mark to make, and a real breath of fresh air for a designer to do the research to give us modelers a terrific nose job! Thanks, Emil.
You can try the ModelArt site at www.card-models.com/ to enjoy a photo montage and to download the model electronically.
