Pearl Harbor 80th Anniversary Build - Airfix P-40B

Join me for this special video commemorating the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. I am building Airfix's P-40B in 1:48th scale.
Special thanks to my father who helped provide content for this video.
And special thanks to all those who gave their live that fateful day.
Music: Bensound
Please check me out on Instagram: I post weekly updates and work in progress content.
Thanks,
Brett

[@brignorth9662]

Obviously the model is top notch, but having your dad share his thoughts and memories really made this a wonderful video. Thanks.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Glad you enjoyed it! It was great to have him be a part of the video!

[@BwoahBwoahBwoah]

For my 80th anniversary project I'm doing the Arizona herself.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

That’s awesome! One of these days I’ll get around to doing a proper Arizona.

[@JMdfcv]

Outstanding build and nice tribute to those that took off into the wild blue yonder and gave ‘em the gun!

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thanks for watching!

[@mach1ine]

Great. Build an especially wonderful story provided by your father about your family. Thank you.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

I'm glad you enjoyed the story, thanks for watching!

[@thecreekwalker0174]

I wish more model building channels have a background section about the history of the aircraft

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

I really need to try and incorporate it into my builds more!

[@stephenhenion8304]

This shows how much history matters! I have this model in progress and I'm truly amazed by the story. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Enjoy the build!

[@williamkoppos7039]

Beautiful! P-40=my #1 fave. They look so good in plain old OD/Grey with the pre war stars.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

I agree, I love the OD/over Gray! Classic look.

[@stephenthomas2311]

Thanks for remembering Pearl Harbor Day, "...lest we forget." Great build, well done.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@busarider29]

Very nice model. I built it a few years ago in AVG markings. I'm pretty sure I used aftermarket decals, but thanks for the heads-up on the inaccurate Chinese stars in the kit decals. I would definitely build another, it was that nice of a kit. Airfix has come a LONG way!!! Love it! Your father telling the story about his mother at Pearl Harbor was a nice touch to the video. Always fascinating listening to the stories of the persons that were there or had close approximation. Both my grandfathers served during WWII. One was in the Army in Europe as a truck driver, and the other was in the Navy in the Pacific as an aircraft ordnance man. They're both passed on now, but it was fascinating listening to their accounts of the war. My father was in Vietnam and his stories of that war are just as fascinating.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thank you for watching and thank you for sharing a small bit of your family history! I agree, Airfix has come a long way and this is quite a hidden gem of a kit. I've also built this one up in AVG markings, and I imagine I will do more! Take care!

[@paulcorrigan649]

Such a powerful testimonial of Pearl Harbour.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Cheers!

[@TheLittleThingsJunkie]

Wow, what a beautiful video. I wish I could give more than a solitary 'thumbs up'.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

You are so kind! Thanks for watching!

[@skcoleman1150]

What a beautiful story and well done, and your model of course is beautiful. Thank your father for sharing this.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching and I'll pass along your thanks to my father.

[@lauraprusso2853]

Well done ! Thanks for sharing the build as well as the personal connection and for remembering Pearl Harbor and those who gave their lives.

[@BDTMAT24]

😊😊😊

[@aleks1939]

Excellent video and you're a very skilled builder. I really love your style and picked up some tips just from this video. You have a new subscriber here!

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thank you very much, I appreciate the Sub!

[@TommyEvans12]

Really good video. Enjoyed the play by play. Nice model. Enjoy your builds.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

I'm glad, thank you for watching.

[@Sniper_Cat_71]

Nice build, and the personal connection to 12/7/41 makes all the more tangible. Great job!

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thanks!

[@GVBiggs524]

I like the 'chipping' wear you put on the floor plate, I tried the same thing but made the wear on the floorplate inline like someone had been shuffling their feet kind of like buffing the plate with a polished scuff but yours is nicely done! My next build will include what you've done.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thanks, that makes sense! With the masking fluid its a little more difficult to do more targeted chipping, but in the end its hard to see anyways, good luck with your next build!

[@kyleSD70MAC]

Nice build and nice tribute! My grandmother and grandfather were nextdoor neighbors to Ed Socha (who was on the USS Maryland during the attack) for 32 years. I gotta build a model of the Maryland sometime.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

that would be an interesting project!

[@MrWiking61]

Very beautiful model

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thank you!

[@laMoort]

lovely model and a beautiful presentation there.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@anthonyb27]

Nice, I'm getting ready to start this kit. This will be very helpful, thanks.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

I'm glad to hear that, good luck with your build!

[@JackFF49]

wonderful video, a big thank you for your dad and his stories about Pearl Harbor, it made this video so interesting and emotional! And of course great job on this built.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Much appreciated! I will pass on the complements to my father, thanks for watching!

[@weprusso]

Good Job, Brett... made me cry...

[@michaelmyers2327]

Dope opening song.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thanks, I wish I could take credit for it, but it’s just some free stock music 😂

[@michaelmyers2327]

@@HammerheadModelMaking where did you find the instrumental version? The lyric version is called F*ck the Fakes.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

@@michaelmyers2327 I believe this is where I got it from: soundcloud.com/best-music-promotion/dj-freedem-street-rhapsody

[@stevewyatt9546]

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM Great build

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thank you!

[@stevewyatt9546]

@@HammerheadModelMaking Subbed

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

@@stevewyatt9546 I really appreciate that, thank you!

[@Majja13]

Fantastic as always. I have been moving away from both Vallejo and AK primer in favor of MR Surfacer 1500 for the lifting reason you speak of. And a great history lesson from you father Thank you.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thanks Matt, I'm going to have to give Mr Surfacer a try.

[@genemoon3793]

Lov e he way you keep it

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thank you!

[@tomalexander4835]

awesome video

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!

[@genemoon3793]

Great vid!

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thanks!

[@francescofissore161]

... hello from Italy, my compliments for your great work and usual skills!! Results is top notch, and choosing not to have here the airplane too weathered is utterly Ok. Please just a question here, in case anyone could reply to a my longtime curiosity I wasn't able to find the answer to. Are there any comproved documentation, including pilot's memories backed by period photos, letters, written details etc. that #160 was Welch's plane that historic morning? My question stems from thinking about how the least thing perhaps was, among all what had happened in those terrible and frantic couple hours, taking note or keeping memory of P-40's fuselage number with total certainty. Or maybe, it could have been not all that extraordinary even if a small detail. Just to get a better idea about the matter... I've thought more often than not. Thanx again!!

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Greetings! Thanks for watching. Regarding your question about Lt Welch's aircraft. I have not come across anything the definitely states that he flew #160 that day. However, I think it would be reasonable to conclude that on that given day, it would have been a known fact which aircraft were at the airfield and serviceable, and while perhaps it wasn't recorded the day of, there would have been some sort of record made of which aircraft were armed that day, even if it was recorded days later. It wouldn't be difficult then to narrow down the list of possibilities provided one had access to those records. That said, I haven't done the research to confirm this, it is however, popular belief that he flew #160 that day.

[@SippinSoda71]

Your finish looks very good. I plan to browse more of your videos. Is there one in particular in which you talk about your varnishing technique? (Both gloss and matte.) I’ve been struggling so much that I dread the varnishing moments. If you don’t have such a video, perhaps you could explain a bit more in one of your upcoming ones? Things like air pressure, how many layers, distance between airbrush and aircraft, thinning of the varnish. At any rate, I’m looking forward to seeing more of your work.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thanks for watching. I do not have a video yet that goes into detail about the varnish layers, however that is a great idea for a video and I will absolutely work that into my release schedule. In the mean time, I'll try to type out the details you are looking for: For a gloss varnish I have started to use Alcald Aqua Gloss almost exclusively. I really like the quick drying nature of the finish and it's easy clean up. Generally, it holds up really well to further weathering and such, it handles Oils with out issue. It will handle mild enamels like the Ammo products, but it doesn't like the tamiya enamels. I generally spray it straight from the bottle at around 25 PSI. It is a little on the thicker side, I've tried thinning it, but find that thinning makes it not as glossy. I generally do a mist coat first then give it a second, wetter coat. I think I usually hold the airbrush about 4-5 inches from the surface of the model unless I'm trying to get a harder to reach area and I might take it in a little closer. The Aqual Gloss is usually dry to the touch after 20-30 minutes and cured in hours. For a matte or satin finish I've been using the Vallejo Mech range and I have really been happy with the results. These I will thin with water, usually just adding a drop or two into my airbrush along with the varnish. I will also add a small drop of dish soap. I've found that the dishsoap helps with the leveling properties of the varnish and provides a smoother coat. I will usually spray these at about 20 psi from the same distance as the gloss in misting layers until I achieve the level of matte/satin I'm looking for.. Drying time on these is very quick and I can usually handle the model after only 10 minutes. I hope this helps, and I will for sure work on a doing a video for all of this in the future! Thanks for your question, Brett

[@SippinSoda71]

@@HammerheadModelMaking Thank you very much for all your great info! It helps a lot. Looking forward to your new videos. I also subscribed to your Instagram (under a different name). Greetings from the Netherlands

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

@@SippinSoda71 Awesome, I really appreciate that, I'm definitly more active on Insta, so if you ever have any more questions feel free to reach out to me there!

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

@@SippinSoda71 Also, I had the pleasure of visiting the Netherlands about 18 years ago, and it is a beautiful country! Cheers!

[@SippinSoda71]

@@HammerheadModelMaking Nice to hear that you liked it over here! I’m from the Rotterdam area myself. My only trip to the US was a short visit to New York City, back in 1997, I think. One day, I hope to visit Oahu. But that’s a long shot. :) Great explainer by your father on the Japanese attack and the P-40s, by the way!

[@wonderbreadmodelsandhistor1566]

Wow! Great build! Which rustoleum primer do you normally use? Just curious if you decant and spray it through the gun or if you spray it from the can. Reason I ask is that when I've tried to spray from the can it tends to go on thick and flood it out...the tip being designed for coverage and not fine work.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Hi joe, thanks for watching. I use the Rust-Oleum Painters Touch 2X Ultracover Paint+Primer for my normal priming. Have been using it now for the better part of a decade. I spray it straight from the can. Using it so long I've found that sweet spot that gives me the best coverage without flooding out any fine detail. But really, I've found that this specific primer really works well on plastic and doesn't flood fine details unless I really over spray. I haven't tried decanting and running it through my airbrush, only because, my work bench is in my house and even with proper ventilation, the smell can still permeate and the family wouldn't like that too much. Having said that, it probably would do really well through an airbrush.

[@wonderbreadmodelsandhistor1566]

Great info thanks. I spray inside the house too and can’t use anything other than acrylics. I agree with you on the Vallejo primer…I could see where yours pulled and ripped on the seem after sanding. How does the rust oleum sand and feather?

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Give it a good 24 hours to cure at room temperature and it sands down really nicely. I've even been able to polish it to an extent and get a really smooth finish.

[@joeokabayashi8669]

Great build video. Provides many insights into kit build; I may avoid this kit.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

To each their own, I think in spite of the faults of the kit, it is the more accurate one available on the market currently. Thanks for watching though!

[@planetastic8522]

So long ago yet so detailed! My only problem is your voice only plays in the left ear!!!

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Yeah, I was still new to the whole video production thing, I've since rectified the audio issues on my newer videos.

[@planetastic8522]

@@HammerheadModelMaking Thanks! I’m always happy you reply to almost every comment. I think the fact you made mistakes in the past and grew from them rather than staying perfect forever really shows improvement.

What is the issue with the Vallejo primer? Does it not stick well?

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Yeah, I just always have issue with it pulling up from the plastic.

Ok thanks. I’m trying to find a quality acrylic primer. I was hoping the Vallejo primer worked well.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

I have heard generally good things about Ammo Mig One Shot primer, but I have not personally used it.

Thank you

[@opeltorana]

❤️👍👌

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Cheers!

[@blacknass1943]

so bad wath happens to Lahaina . i am has observd it from day 1 and it was strainger as hell. a grait model and telling. thank you frends . i belif we wana al a peac full world and to understand we need to watsch and open the mind. do you know tat USA s fleet was also atacked by I-DF airplains ?!. ter was a insident. i belif the peral was not atacked by Ja no it was the 5 pointetstar.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

No, pearl harbor was not attacked by IDF, that wasn't even a thing in 1941.