This new decal
sheet from Cutting
Edge Modelworks includes markings for four different 1/48 P-40B/C
Tomahawks. The recommended kit for these decals is the 1/48 Hobbycraft
P-40B.
The American Volunteer Group or
"Flying Tigers" is a story that will live in legend forever.
These American pilots hired by the Chinese were an impressive disruption to the
Japanese as they fought against the Chinese prior to Dec 7 1941. This
decal sheet includes some AVG fighters as well as a Soviet P-40 and a Hawaii
based P-40 from Dec 1941.
The first aircraft is a P-40C
flown by the Commander of 1266th IAP, Lt. S. G. Ridnyi in the Moscow area in Dec
1941. The paint scheme is a white scheme on top with red stars on the side
of the fuselage and black serial numbers "AH965" on the side of the
rear fuselage. The underside is the original Neutral gray but where the
stars are it is alight gray that was used to paint over the US markings
before red stars were applied. The
second aircraft is a P-40C with the 78th P.S., 18th P.G. out of Bellows Field,
Hawaii in December 1941. The paint scheme is Olive Drab on top and Neutral
Gray on the underside. The plane wear the US pre-war national insignia of
the star with the red dot in in the center. This type of marking was
phased out during the war due to the fact the planes were being mistaken for
Japanese aircraft with the "red meatball" national insignia. The
spinner is wjite and on the4 side of the fuselage is the large bold number
"300". Us underside of the wing has the text "US
Army". On the tail is the number "18P".
The third aircraft is a Hawk
81-A-2 (P-40B) flown by RT Smith, P-8173, when he was the Flight Leader of the
3rd P.S., with the American Volunteer Group (Flying Tigers) in Kunming, China in
January 1942. The paint scheme is Dark Brown and dark Green on the topside
and Aircraft Gray on the underside. Markings include the Flying Tiger on
the side of the fuselage behind the cockpit. This aircraft had 5 kill
markings at this point in time. In front of the cockpit on the side of the
fuselage is a sitting naked red angel with a Halo on her head. This
aircraft has a classic looking sharks mouth and the white number "77"
on the rear side of the fuselage. There is a thin red fuselage band on the
rear of the fuselage. The serial number "P-8173" is on the
tail. This aircraft has Chinese National insignia and an extra set
of faded national insignia is included in case you choose to model your flying
Tiger as a sun faded example. With regards to the Shark Mouth on the
Flying Tiger aircraft......this had a double meaning. For the Chinese the
tiger is an animal representing one of the 12 animal years in their
Zodiac. The Tiger is a much respected and strong animal in the Chinese
Zodiac. But for the Japanese.....an island people.....the sharks mouth
represents something they fear the most.....the shark. Hence the Flying
Tiger aircraft with the Sharks mouth had a very symbolic double meaning.
The fourth aircraft is a Hawk
81-A-2 (P-40B) flown by Tommy Haywood, P-8192, when he was the Flight Leader of
the 3rd P.S., with the American Volunteer Group (Flying Tigers) in Kunming,
China in January 1942. The paint scheme is Dark Brown and dark Green on
the topside and Aircraft Gray on the underside. Markings include the
Flying Tiger on the side of the fuselage behind the cockpit. This aircraft
had 3 kill markings at this point in time. In front of the cockpit on the
side of the fuselage is a reclined naked red angel with a Halo on her
head. This aircraft has a classic looking sharks mouth and the white
number "94" on the rear side of the fuselage. There is a thin
red fuselage band on the rear of the fuselage. The serial number
"P-8162" is on the tail. This aircraft has Chinese National
insignia and an extra set of faded national insignia is included in case you
choose to model your flying Tiger as a sun faded example.
The decals were flawlessly printed and the clear
carrier film is trimmed very close to the crisply printed colored areas.
The colours look good and will cover very well. The artwork is interesting
to say the least.
A very special bonus is you get
extra Chinese National insignia. These Chinese markings often faded in the
intense Chinese sun, so faded and non-faded Chinese national insignia are
included.
Also worth noting.....the AVG
aircraft had fairly complicated camo patterns. The camo had a sharp edge
as it was painted on using the rubber mask technique used by the British.
Black Magic has pre-cut paint masking sets available for the RAF/AVG Tomahawks
(CEBM48153 for the 1/48 Hobbycraft kit or CEBM48154 for the 1/48 Monogram
kit). These are both available from Meteor
Productions.
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