VFS 1/24 P-40C Tomahawk

By Alex Kontiveis

P-40C Tomahawk, 47th Pursuit squadron, Haleiwa airfield, 1941 Pearl Harbor

SOME HISTORY

HALEIWA

"On the 3rd of December 1941 the 47th Pursuit Squadron was assigned to this base. It is of great interest that this was the only base and organization that was able to put planes in the air on December the seventh. This was not a regular runway, just something comparable to an old country road rather than an airstrip. From an old history of Wheeler Field compiled by Capt. KISTLER RHOAD the following information was extracted. 2D Lieut GEORGE S WELCH and KENNETH M TAYLOR left the officer's Club the morning of December 7th at 0800 and travelled 100 MPH to the airstrip at Haleiwa where the ships of their squadron had been assigned only four (4) days before for aerial gunnery practice. In P-40B's Lieut WELCH was credited with shooting down four (4) Japanese planes. Both Lieutenants were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Lieut. HARRY BROWN in a P-36A shot down one plane. Each of these officers were members of the 47th Pursuit Squadron. The 47th left the base on February 22, 1942" (source: www.hiavps.com).

THE HEROS

Kenneth M. Taylor, 86, an Army Air Forces pilot who managed to get airborne under fire near Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and shot down at least two Japanese attacking aircraft, died November 25 at an assisted living residence in Tucson. He had been ill since hip surgery two years ago.

Ken Taylor (left) and George Welch posing for the camera shortly after their epic air battle over Pearl Harbor.

He was a new second lieutenant on his first assignment, posted in April 1941 to Wheeler Army Airfield in Honolulu. A week before the Japanese attacked, his 47th Pursuit Squadron was temporarily moved to Haleiwa Field, an auxiliary airstrip about 10 miles from Wheeler, for gunnery practice.

After a night of poker and dancing at the officers' club at Wheeler, where the dress code required tuxedoes, 21-year-old Lt. Taylor and fellow pilot George Welch awoke to the sound of planes flying low, machine-gun fire and explosions. They learned that two-thirds of the U.S. aircraft at the main bases of Hickam and Wheeler fields were demolished or unable to fly.

They quickly pulled on their tuxedo pants and, while Welch ran to get Lt. Taylor's new Buick, Lt. Taylor, without orders, called Haleiwa and commanded the ground crews to get two P-40 fighters armed and ready for takeoff.

Strafed by Japanese aircraft, the pair sped 10 miles from Honolulu to Haleiwa. At the airstrip, they climbed into their fighters, which were fuelled but not fully armed, took off and soon attracted fire from the Japanese, who had not expected to be challenged in the air. Suddenly, they were in combat, two pilots against 200 to 300 Japanese aircraft.

Soon out of ammunition, Welch and Lt. Taylor landed at Wheeler to rearm. Senior officers ordered them to stay on the ground.

"He had been wounded by that point and was bleeding," said Lt. Taylor's son, retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Kenneth Taylor Jr. "But while ground crews were rearming the planes, and he was being lectured on his behaviour, the Japanese attacked Wheeler again. That scattered the crowd, and [Lt. Taylor and Welch] took off. My dad actually hit some ammo carts as he was taking off and fired his guns before he was off the ground."

His father told the Army Times in 2001: "I took off right toward them, which gave me the ability to shoot at them before I even left the ground. I got behind one of them and started shooting again. The only thing I didn't know at that time was that I got in the middle of the line rather than the end. There was somebody on my tail.

"They put a bullet right behind my head through the canopy and into the trim tab inside. So I got a little bit of shrapnel in my leg and through the arm. It was of no consequence; it just scared the hell out of me for a minute."

Official records credit Lt. Taylor with two kills. His son noted that his father thought he had two more, although in the heat of the battle he didn't see the planes hit the ground, and potential witnesses were too busy to keep track. Welch was credited with four downed Japanese planes. American aircraft losses were estimated at 188 destroyed and 159 damaged, and the Japanese lost 29 planes.

For their service, Lt. Taylor and Welch were awarded the first Distinguished Service Crosses of World War II. Lt. Taylor later received the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Air Medal and other decorations. He also received a Purple Heart for his injuries (source: www.e-pedia.com).

THE KIT

Definitely, the Kit can help a modeler to build a good model. Actually the kit need modeler's help! When I first bought the kit, I was disappointed. I had read some reviews already, I knew what to expect, but when I touch it...I said...oh my God!!!

Anyway, I do not blame VFS. A small manufacturer, who managed to reverse her quality with the new P-47.

The P-40 Kit, has hundreds of mistakes, inaccuracy, and missing of major sections. The worst point of the model is its surface!!!!

Many famous modelers tried for a good looking result. Some of them, managed to achieve that.

Lets see what we can do for that.

I spent many months for collecting various information, stuff, to build a good P-40. When everything was ready, I started the construction procedure.

CONSTRUCTION

For the construction, I used 8 parts of the Kit. (look at the picture following). I bought the Scale Caliber's Alison 1710-33 (resin) and their EXCELLENT flaps. Eduard's seatbelts are used also.

Some samples of the extreme make over can see here. Whoever is interested to take a deeper look at my construction step by step, is welcome (http://www.helmo.gr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=600&Itemid=42).

PAINTING

Personally I dislike Green color. Not my favorite. I try to avoid it always… When I had to decide what camo scheme would be better for all this effort, I was between a British grey-green and an O.D of Pearl Harbor. I decided to build an Historical bird. Kenneth Taylor's one. Monochrome Camo are not easy as they seem. To achieve a natural paint effect, you need to study the weather conditions where the object flown. According to my friend Rodney Williams, the Hawaii's sun is the worst enemy to colors. As far as I can remember, he told me…Buy a brand new car in red color. Leave it to Hawaii for 8 months. You will face a Pink car!!!

I collected many information for the painting also. Many B&W pictures of 47th pursuit Sq. P-40s, were shown many P-40s heavily weathered. Not clipped of course. The USAF's primers were very strong.

The painting steps can be seen here:

I used Lifecolor's Zinc Chromate Yellow for primer. I chose O.D. of Gunze H-78 and H-304 and a combination of both of them. For the undersides I used Neutral Grey of Gunze.

When primer applied, I draw some salt on selected areas. I left it for 12 hours to dry enough. Then I start painting it with O.D. tones.

When the colors dried, I removed the salt.

The next steps are known.

SPECIAL THANKS

I wish to thank my masters and good friends Rodney Williams, Brian Cauchi and Guillermo Bazan, for their Help. Special thanks to my friend Patrick Spitaels for providing to me many stuff. Great thanks to all guys of www.P40warhawk.com, Brad Hagen and Mark Joyce.