I figure let’s keep the P-40s rolling along! This is one of my favorite subjects- George Welch’s Pearl Harbor Defender. Agape Models forum member Mark Lay (Airborne) did a great job on this kit.
If you’re looking for a place to enjoy Christian fellowship and modeling discussion, I invite you to join our forums!
This is Academy’s 1/48 scale P-40 B/C finished in the markings of 2nd Lt. George Welch as he flew it on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941. Lt. Welch shot down 4 Japanese invaders during the fight, along with his squadron mate 2nd Lt. Kenneth Taylor who downed 2 aircraft. The only two P-40’s able to take off they accounted for double the kills of three other P-36’s that took to the air that morning. All were from the 15th Pursuit Group and the 46th and 47th Pursuit Squadron respectively.
The kit went together smoothly except for the wing root area, major shimming and filling applied here. Eduard’s excellent photo-etch replaced the kits interior and wheel wells as well as some external bits. If you can find this set (Eduard # 48-333), be prepared to work with the instrument panel and the wheel wells as both are a little tall for the application. Also the cockpit sidewalls don’t fit the contour of the wing roots, grind these down before assembling onto the fuselage.
When you find out that the wheel wells interfere with the fit, it’ll be a pain to grind these down to contour after they’re installed, trust me. Be patient, all those stringers and longerons are represented in the cockpit and use an interlocking fit. But when it’s done it looks just right.
Model Master enamels were used on the finish. On the upper surfaces I pre-shaded with Medium Green, applied Olive Drab and filled in the panels with Faded Olive Drab. The lower surface was pre-shaded with Dark Ghost Gray and finished with Neutral Gray. The surface was clear coated with Future and after drying for about a day washed with black/brown thinned acrylics top and bottom. The Eagle Strike decals (sheet # 48277) were lovely to work with. Settling down with very little decal set. Final coat was clear flat and light weathering done with a silver Prisma-Color pencil and pastels.
I enjoyed this build. Not too much detail to obsess over but just enough to keep it interesting and improve some patience skills. Just like our heavenly father has to practice on US! Hope you enjoy…
