Detail & Scale | P-40 Warhawk; parts 1 & 2 (also the P-36)

Reviewed by Brad Hagen

Detail & Scale
P-40 Warhawk; parts 1 & 2 (also the P-36)
by Bert Kinzey

Information on the P-40 isn't easy to find, and kits in our scale are very scarce. Only the CraftWorks P-40C is in production now, Scratchbuilders P-40B/C conversion for Revells P-40E is OOP, Revells P-40E is long OOP but available on trading boards for reasonable prices, or eBay for unreasonable prices.

CraftWorks P-40C is good OOB, but the Revell kit needs LOTS of work, and for that you need good reference material. The D & S books will help you detail CraftWorks kit, and will help save your sanity with Revells kit.

Vol. 61
Y1P-36 through P-40C

Vol. 62
P-40D through XP-40Q

The first volume covers the Y1P-36 through the P-40C. The first half of the book is devoted to the P-36, while the second half is devoted to the P-40B/C, and a little devoted to the YP-37. This book is a good buy if you want to use it for either or both of CraftWorks kits and is needed to help with Scratchbuilders conversion. There are the usual detailed pictures that are a detailers dream, but some of the photos look as if they are of restored birds and sometimes little details get changed.

The drawings aren't the best, they are good for general layout, but I don't think I would use them for guidelines for rescribing.

Both books have an expanded color section with a variety of WW2 color photos, and a small, but nice selection of color profiles.

The second volume covers the P-40D through the XP-40Q, most of the detail photos are from a restored P-40E which is good because you'll need all the help you can get with Revells kit!!

The color section covers details of both the P-40E, P-40N, and the Allison engine. This volume also has a good selection of WW2 color photos, color profiles, and drawings that are a bit of a let down.

If you want to make any version later than a P-40E, you're on your own as there are no conversions out there. The P-40K is an easy conversion, the P-40F/L requires you to redo the top of the nose, the chin cowl, and lengthen the tail (except on early Fs), the P-40M will require a longer tail and cowl vent, the P-40N will require both of those as well as a new canopy, the P-40Q…well…redo basically everything!! The down side is that this book won't be a big help with any of these versions except for some detail on the P-40N. The wing is pretty much the same, except for the P-40Q, but the detail level drops off for these versions.

I can highly recommend either book for the P-36, P-40B/C, and the P-40E. It's too skimpy on details for the later versions and other references will be needed.

Detail & Scale | P-40 Warhawk; parts 1 & 2 (also the P-36)

Reviewed by Brad Hagen

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