1/48 Hasegawa P-40M 

'Wairarapa Wildcat'

by Zac Yates

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Hi all!  This is Hasegawa's addition to the 1:48 P-40 line, the long-tailed P-40M.  This kit can also be built as a P-40K-5 with the dorsal fin fillet.  It includes options for an SAAF K or an RNZAF M.  I chose the latter option, the subject aircraft being NZ3072, mount of Flying Officer Geoff Fisken. Flg Off Fisken was the top-scoring Commonwealth ace in the Pacific, scoring the vast majority of his kills in this P-40 which he christened 'Wairarapa Wildcat'.

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

Geoff today lives in retirement in his native New Zealand, and is one of the few WW2 fighter pilots still alive today in this country.  I built my kit as a) a tribute to this fine pilot, and 2) to have a 1:48 RNZAF machine in my collection.  I've always had an affinity for the Curtiss P-40 series, so when I saw this on the shelf I just had to have it.  I had a great time building this kit, with only a few fit and decal issues (namely the translucent white identification stripes).  As a result, I'm finally progressing into 1:48 scale.  Next up is a DH Mosquito.

This kit was built totally OOB with Tamiya acrylics, and based on reference images and close-up examination of a P-40N-1 based at Ardmore Airport, Auckland, NZ.  As this is my first submission to ARC I hope you can all forgive any flaws in this build! I aim to improve!

Cheers,

Zac

Photos and text © by Zac Yates