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BarracudaCals BC32007: 1/32 P-40K Warhawks Pt 1 & BC48007: 1/48 P-40K Warhawks

 

 

 

 

 

BarracudaCals

 

BC32007: 1/32 P-40K Warhawks Pt 1

&

BC48007: 1/48 P-40K Warhawks Pt 1

Scales: 1/32 + 1/48

Manufacturer: BarracudaCals

Suggested Kits: 32nd Hasegawa P-40K

48th Hasegawa + AMT P-40K

 

Stock Nos: BC32007 + BC48007

No. of sheets: 1 each scale + 1 small mask on each

Prices: 32nd US$13.95 + 48th US$11.95

Product Links:

32nd http://barracudacals.com/proddetail.php?prod=BC32007

48th http://barracudacals.com/proddetail.php?prod=BC48007

 

 

Roy from BarracudaCals has just released his six new P-40K sheets in 72nd, 48th and 32nd scales, I will review them all in scales, today my friends we have the 32nd scale and the companion 1/48th set to these with an added bonus scheme.

 

The 1/32 sheet includes decals for three different P-40 Warhawks that saw active service in world war two, all three are the later Alison engined "K" models. All three will be popular choices with Warhawk fans as they are all colourful schemes. With a lot of companies decals the smaller scales in the same subjects suffer from lack of clarity as the size of decal reduces – not the case here I am really happy to say. Except for the inclusion of the extra scheme the 48th sheet differs from the 32nd only in layout and the lines to demark the different aircrafts decals plus some more national markings and stencils.

 

Although there are markings for three different (four in the 48th scale) aircraft. There is only one set of national markings present on the 32nd sheet while there is two on the 48th sheet which enables you to ALMOST make two of the aircraft with national markings from that sheet. This shouldn’t be much of a problem though as the donor kits usually have these national insignia provided. The smarter modellers amongst you will have worked out you can still get two kites from this by picking one aircraft with national insignia and one without!

 

There is also a comprehensive set of aircraft stencils provided – Two sets of stencils on the 48th sheet. I can tell you I had the ol' zoomy-macro glasses out reading them! They are very clearly printed which is nice as when you are looking for minute detail like you are in these scales you want to be able to at least make the stencils out. They can be read with the naked eye even in 48th scale .

 

 

The decals come with a full colour instruction and decal placement sheets with a good history of each of the aircraft provide and the men who flew them. Upper side and underside colour schemes are represented which is great as some decal makers think you are mind readers and only give you a side on view when recreating a scheme – this is a letdown as you buy aftermarket decals to provide complete accuracy and making up a topside or under camouflage really doesn’t cut it. Thanks to BarracudaCals for taking the guesswork out of it! Information for all aircraft was provided by Carl Molesworth, who wrote most of the P-40 books for Osprey, so the aircraft are well researched.

 

 

They were particularly hard to find pictures of these aircraft so I will comment mostly on the quality of the decals themselves and less on the aircraft. They are all particularly sharply reproduced, as they have to be in this scale as the slightest stuff up is all that more noticeable and they are in perfect register, all of the colours within their lines and the colours are constant across the sheet as well  - larger areas do not suffer from blotchiness you sometimes get with inferior decals – they are really quite glossy. Nice. Here is a pic of the 32nd decals in the reflective light to illustrate the lack of carrier film used.

 

 

I will comment on each aircraft's decals after the history which comes on each aircraft supplied by Roy himself.

 

 

Curtiss P-40K Warhawk “White 13”
64th FS/57th FG.1st Lieutenant Robert Johnson ‘Jay’ Overcash, Hadi Main, Tunisia. May, 1943.

 

"Overcash final score was 5 victories, the last two flying White 13 on April 26th,1944, while escorting USAAF B-25s and RAF Baltimores on a bombing mission. Finished in very worn and matt AAF Sand over Neutral Gray, from being scoured by the abrasive desert sand. Area behind rear glass panels could be faded OD or Sand. Spinner is a dull red, rectangle on fin and rudder behind serial number is Olive Drab. Prop blades black with 4” yellow tips. Main wheel hubs appear to be upper surface colour. "

 

 

 

 

This aircraft is easy to check the accuracy of as Overcash is quite well known as is his aircraft, the pictures of it being captured by time/Life Photographers during the war. The five swastika kill marks are provided for the port side forward of the under cockpit area. You can clearly read all of the pilots name and his ground support crew in that area as well. Under those on the port side only is the white skull which is Overcash's personal marking grimacing gruesomely. There are a pair of stylized scorpions one for each side of the cowl which is the unit badge of the "Black Scorpions" these were surrounded with a white cloud on some of the aircraft of this squadron, but not Overcash's aircraft as they are accurately represented here. BarracudaCals HAVE been doing their homework!

 

 

These P-40s were originally painted in Olive Drab upper surfaces and this is correctly portrayed in the recess on the inside of the canopy and the lettering of the tail rudder on which you can see BarracudaCals have correctly said to leave olive drab. There is a Fez on the rudder with "Savoy" written underneath it. Quite a nice scheme choice.

 

 

Curtiss P-40K-1 Warhawk “White 171”
75th FS/23rd FG; Flown by Major Elmer Richardson, Hengyang, China. Late 1943

 

"Elmer Richardson scored eight victories between April 1 and Dec. 12, 1943, and completed his combat tour as the commanding officer of the 75th FS with the rank of major. He made a career in the USAF and retired as a colonel. This P-40K is finished in sun faded Olive Drab over Neutral Gray. Note areas of darker, fresh OD on the rear fuselage and tail. Spinner is OD with a white tip. Wheel hubs are Neutral Gray with a white outer ring. Note DF Football behind canopy, second set of droptank shackles, rear-view mirror, and extended trim tab on the rudder. "

 

 

Major Elmer Richardson's' aircraft is an all over Olive drab coloured machine with newer patches of OD to be sprayed on repainted parts of the airframe, which is shown on the top and side colour illustrations. This happened in the autumn of 1943 when the 23rd FG moved their numbers from the fuselage to the tail of the aircraft. Major Richardson had the two white bands attached to the rear fuselage to mark that he was the unit commander. This aircraft is unusual in the extra droptank position used to extend the P-40's short range in the Pacific which had long distances often to cover before even engaging the enemy.

 

This aircraft has the iconic shark mouth decal for the front lower cowling which look better on these aircraft than any other. Above the shark's mouth is a set of menacing black and red eyes for behind the spinner, which is in OD with a white tip. This aircraft was one of the first in this theatre to have the football shaped DF  antenna installed on the rear fuselage.

 

 

 

 

Curtiss P-40K-1 Warhawk “White 29”
7th FS/ 49th FG; 2nd Lieutenant Arland Stanton, Port Moresby, New Guinea. March 1943

 

"Stanton was an ace with 5 victories. His first was on November 23, 1942 and his last was on February 6, 1944. This P-40K is finished in weathered Dark Green and Dark Earth over Light Gray (DuPont equivalents). Spinner is OD with a blue tip. Blades are black with 4” yellow tips. Wheel hubs are Neutral Gray. Note ring and bead sight."

 

 

 

 

This a mixture of Dark Green/Dark Earth camo'ed bird with lovely writing on the cowling of  "Patsy Ruth" in blue, with the name of "nick Nichols' Nip Nippers" above it on the port side only above the exhausts. This kite has two rising sun kill marks and four yellow bombs to denote bombing missions under the port side of the cockpit.

 

During research I found a great site about Stanton and his squadron here is the link

http://www.7fs.org/albums/album_image/182605/25492.htm

 

 

 

 

Bonus scheme you get with the 1/48th decals…

 

Product link http://barracudacals.com/proddetail.php?prod=BC48007

The 1/48th scale sheet comes with an extra scheme and some masks again f the wheels. Here are these decals in the light to show carrier film and decal thinness - again i aprove!

 

 

 

Curtiss P-40K Warhawk “White 161”
75th FS/23rd FG. Flown by Captain John F. Hampshire Jr.Based at Kweilin, China. Mid April 1943

 

 

"Hampshire was a 13 kill ace. Sadly, after downing his last enemy plane on May 2, 1943, his aircraft crashed into the Siang River. Finished in weathered Dark Green and Dark Earth over Light Gray (DuPont equivalents). Note fuselage national insignia and serial on fin and rudder painted out in fresh Dark Green. Wheel masks are provided to paint pinwheel design on hubs. Note ring and bead sight and rear-view mirror."

 

 

 

 

Again this is a Dark green / dark earth camo plane with over painted national insignia and aircraft number so it could participate in the conflict against the Japanese in support of the Chinese. This shark mouthed P-40K had a white "161" pained just off centre of the of the position where the side fuselage national insignia is usually positioned. This aircraft and the P-40 "Evelyn II" both can be done from this sheet without national insignia of course so you could feasibly get two aircraft out of this sheet.

 

This very famous pilot is well known died a fairly well publicised death, after an ambitious rescue attempt on behalf of his comrades failed to reach him after he crash landed. There are six Japanese flags denoting kills against the Japanese aircraft so  the extra kills were racked up pretty quickly before his well publicised death in May 1943

 

 

" On May 2, 1943, after shooting down a Japanese fighter, Hampshire's P-40 plunged into the Siang River. That night the Chinese set off 100,000 firecrackers to honour Hampshire, who with 17 aerial victories was the highest scoring US ace in China at the time. Hampshire received several decorations posthumously, including the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heard. Grants Pass, Oregon honours his memory with John Hampshire Field and by burning an eternal flame for Captain John F. Hampshire, Jr. - the local boy who gave his life to his country."

Source  http://www.sprucegoose.org/aircraft_artifacts/Exhibits/Hall%20of%20Honor/Hamshire.html

 

SO WHAT DO WE THINK?

 

Great choices of some well known and some less well known aircraft – I like the history included and the three way views and the masks for the wheels – lots of good research done and really fine decals make these a must have for a P-40K fan

 

Excellent!

 

 

 

Our sincere thanks to Roy at BarracudaCals for the review sample.

 

Adam Norenberg

 

Check out Roy's excellent blog