This new decal
sheet from Cutting
Edge Modelworks includes markings for four different 1/48 P-40's. The recommended kits for these decals is the 1/48
AMTech P-40E or the AMT P-40B.
The American Volunteer Group or
"Flying Tigers" is a story that will live in legend forever.
These American pilots hired by the Chinese were an impressive disruption to the
Japanese as they fought against the Chinese prior to Dec 7 1941. It is a
very big story....too big to go into here.
The first aircraft is a Hawk
81-A-2 (P-40B) flown by Erik Shilling. Serial numbers are P-8153 or P-8147
of the 2nd P.S. of the American Volunteer Group in Kunming, China in 1942.
The paint scheme on this P-40 appears to be the British camo scheme of Dark
Green and Dark Brown on top and FS 16473 Aircraft Grey on the underside.
This plane had a thin white stripe around the rear of the fuselage and a blue
stripe for the 2nd PS was added. This aircraft has a sharks mouth and of
note....the lips on the sharks mount are the same colour of blue as the 2nd PS
fuselage band. Artwork on the engine cowling is persons head wearing what
appears to be a turban. This particular aircraft was converted
to reconnaissance duties which involves removing the wing guns and added a
scale 10" hole in the underside of the fuselage belly immediately under the
fuselage access hatch door. Serial numbers on the tail are P-8147 or
P-8153.....decals for each serial number are provided. This aircraft has
Chinese national insignia.
The
second aircraft is a P-40E-1 with the American Volunteer Group in China in May
1942. The paint scheme on this P-40 Olive Drab on top and Neutral Grey on
the underside. This aircraft has a sharks mouth on the nose. Artwork
on the side of the fuselage behind the cockpit is the famous AVG Flying
Tiger. This aircraft is 6 months after the Dec 7 1941 attack on Pearl
Harbor, but what I found interesting is the plane still wears Chinese National
insignia, but on the underside of the wing is the text US ARMY. The
Chinese National insignia on the side of the fuselage have been painted
over....so there is fresh Olive drab circles on the side of the fuselage with
the rest of the fuselage being a more faded Olive drab. On the side
of the fuselage are the numbers 106.
The third aircraft is a Hawk
81-A-2 (P-40B) flown by John Newkirk. Serial numbers are P-8196 of the 2nd
P.S. of the American Volunteer Group in Toungoo, Burma in Dec 1941. The
paint scheme on this P-40 appears to be the British camo scheme of Dark Green
and Dark Brown on top and FS 16473 Aircraft Grey on the underside. This
plane had a thin blue stripe around the rear of the fuselage for the 2nd
PS. This aircraft has a sharks mouth on the engine cowling. Artwork
on the side of the fuselage is Panda Bear wearing a Tuxedo and top hat.
Serial numbers on the tail are P-8196. This aircraft has Chinese national
insignia and on the rear of the fuselage is the large white number 34. An
extra set of larger Chinese National insignia are included for this aircraft.
The fourth aircraft is a P-40E-1
flown by R.T. Smith with the American Volunteer Group in China in March
1942. The paint scheme on this P-40 Olive Drab on top and Neutral Grey on
the underside. This aircraft is 4 months after the Dec 7 1941 attack on
Pearl Harbor, and it wears US National insignia and on the underside of the wing
is the text US ARMY. On the side of the fuselage are the text 1RT.
In the top of the fusegae behind the cockpit is the white identification
markings of the ferry flight when this and five other aircraft were delivered to
the AVG.
The decals were flawlessly printed and the clear
carrier film is trimmed very close to the crisply printed colored areas. The artwork is interesting
to say the least....but I have a very strong love for the story of the AVG.
|