AVG P-40 Tomahawk DONE

I actually finished this last week, but I then decided to add the three antennae... and spent three more days with the little turds.

Anyways, here's the particulars of my planned OOB build-for-fun-and-relaxation which became expensive-way-to-make-a-mediocre-plane:

--1/48 Monogram P-40 Tomahawk (molds from 1964)
--Eduard PE for Trumpeter Tomahawk (I just stuffed stuff all inside and outside)
--Eduard canopy masks (COMPLETE failure; did not fit at all)
--Vector .30 cal wing guns (Eh...)
--Ultracast P-40 tires
--Ultracast P-40 seat
--Quickboost P-40 undercarriage covers (nice, but could've done without)
--Quickboost P-40 exhausts
--EagleCals AVG Tomahawks 1st Squadron (Gorgeous sheet!)
--I added formation lights to fuselage side under cockpit

And... forgive the picture taking skills.  Or lack thereof:















Tail serial number is one digit off... would've been too much for tired eyes to correct at the time.

And, indeed, creative photo taking minimizes (but does not eliminate) build errors and things I should have done better.  But it's mine now, it's done now and I'm happy with it.


Ken

That came out damn fine indeed Ken. The weathering is about 100% bud. The one and only bit of critique from me is - the antenna wires are a wee bit thick. Go into a haberdashery store some time and pick up a roll of invisible mending thread. The stuff is incredibly thin but very, very strong and can take a beating. Thanks for for posting mate.

You are correct, sir. The antennae are very thick.

I had been using invisible thread but it always sagged:

-- I firmly anchored (glued) one end in the wingtip or fuselage, let dry a good two hours

-- Gently pulled the other end to, and through, a PE eyelet-shaped piece I anchored in the vertical stab during assembly.

-- Held the end in the alligator clip end of an extra hands type of apparatus, pulled it taut

-- Applied superglue to the PE eyelet and waited for it to dry.

Kept getting sagging, started over with stretched sprue.

Kept losing the sprue antenna when, after it would sag, I held a blown-out match near it to tighten. Finally settled on thicker sprue with overscale results. Never stop learning.


Ken

Must be different gauges or brands then I guess, fortunately non of my kits experienced sag. You also get some stuff called "Tungsten wire" I haven't seen it but I hear it is the best to use because it is ultra fine and as strong as Steel, see if you can find some.

Nice Ken!! looks real good.

is this the kit?



Strange about the invisible thread sagging, like Geoff I am fortunate not to get that prob.

I do tie two or three knots on the end of the thread which goes into a drilled hole anchored with Ca glue, it's a bit of a measure to point thing until you get the tension right, then I fix the thread to the fuse with a blob of blu tac and leave over night so the suckers don't move. Next day I trim and all done.

Phil,

That's the plane but it was in a 1991 Monogram boxing

http://oldmodelkits.com/index.php?detail=23381&page=3&manu=monogram

I could have stopped at the tail-to-fuselage antenna but 50% of all early P-40 pics showed the tail-to-wingtips antennae so I figured I should give it a try.

Next attempt is gonna be nylon/ invisible thread, which I shoulda stuck with on this plane.


Ken

Regardless of the antenna that came out BEAUT!!! What's next Mr Ken?