Special Hobby 1/72 P-40F | Full Build

Greetings everyone! Presenting this fun little P-40F kit by Special Hobby in 1/72 scale. There aren't many kits of the P-40F out there, so this was a fun build to do of a unique version of the P-40! Let me know what you think in the comments below!
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[@oyuyuyo1]

Aviation buffs usually scoff at me when I tell them that the P-40 is my favorite WW-2 aircraft, rather than the Mustang, Thunderbolt or Lightning. The P-40 was there when nothing else was available when we needed a serious combat contender. The lines of the P-40 are way cool! Great modeling job! Super impressive! Thanks for the valuable how-to tips on the build! You taught me much of value. Working on my third P-40; an Academy “E” model in AVG markings! I built the “B” model in AVG markings, as well. ‘Love them Flying Tigers!

[@AB-mw8oz]

I wouldn't call it my favourite, but it certainly was one of the unsung heroes of the war, one of the only aircraft to serve extensively in every theatre. the RAF, and SAAF used it extensively in Africa, with the Americans later extensively using it in Africa and Southern Europe, 2400 served the Soviet Union, it was extensively used by the Americans in China, Burma, India and the Anzacs in the South Pacific

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Considering the P-40 was one of the few US aircraft that was in production the full length of the war, its definitely underrated!

[@Chilly_Billy]

I couldn't agree more. The P-40 was an excellent fighter, just not at altitude. I just watched a YT video on the Battle of Milne Bay in which several Aussie combat veterans preferred the P-40 to the Spitfire. I think that says a lot of this unsung warbird.

[@MDPinsonn84]

The P-40 is my second favorite, the P-40N is my personal favorite of the line, but my favorite of the WW2 aviation lot is the F-6F, so you’re not alone with the differentiating opinions!

[@Billybobjoefromsc]

It was always my favorite plane 😃

[@farklek]

You have such a great voice and a calming way of speaking. Watching you build is a lot like watching wrist watch revival repair or service his watches. I really enjoy your channel. You are definitely among the other greats who have inspired me, and really shown what is possible in this hobby.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Wow, thank you! I appreciate the kind words!

[@KitMasx]

Nice little build. Love the exhaust stains, they just seem to add way more character to a build. Special Hobby kits are great, interesting subjects and the quality just keeps getting better.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thanks Kevin!

[@jcwoodman5285]

Very Cool! I love P40s most!😊 I did the Trumpeter 32nd P40F recently. Curtiss Aircraft documented their production runs pretty well so you can find inspiration for unique builds easily...

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thanks for the info!

[@AB-mw8oz]

One of the best P-40s on the market, built 3 of them

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Nice!!

[@Drewsmodels]

Use semi-gloss before the Flory wash. Holds the wash a bit better. Mr. Flory himself recommends semi gloss. Great build, Brett! Love the desert scheme. Drew

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thanks for the tip!

[@paulsawyer2326]

Nice job with the detailing. Love how the dirt, grime, exhaust, and all that nicely applied. Well done.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thank you very much!

[@scaleffect]

The exhaust staining on this looks very convincing

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thank you!!

[@jonathanhudak2059]

Really love how this turned out! ❤️ I really like the sand colored topside on this one and the weathering you did like the chipping and exhaust staining etc. Very nice! 👏 👏

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thanks so much! 😊

[@jonathanhudak2059]

@@HammerheadModelMaking you're more than welcome! 👍

[@raymondserafin9396]

Great job, really like the paint job on it.I really like that plane.Keep up the good work.Always great seeing your videos

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Glad you like it!

[@jamesmcansh6393]

Thanks for sharing eh! Enjoy your weekend ✌🏻🇨🇦✌🏻

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thank you, you too!

[@grantmiller6570]

Looks great, I like the P40, cool, tough looking airplane.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

It is!

[@MAJMonkey]

It's like you knew I was also working on a 1/72 P40 😂 Great video!

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Nice!! Thanks!

[@septiccalling8341]

Nice work! It's always a learning experience with short run kits and a different set of experiences with each one....... You did her justice though, she looks great 👍🏻👏🏻👌🏻

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thanks! 👍

[@markc7002]

Excellent work with the subtle tonal variations on your paint scheme!! Very realistic.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@christopherjordan5423]

That is a beautiful build!!! I have a P-40C that is in my stash. I have a feeling that a lot of what you just showed will be used on it.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thank you, I hope it proves useful to you!

[@BrianSanders-tn7pi]

Hi Brett. A nice looking little kit, and as usual you did an excellent job with it. Well done.Regards.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thank you!!

[@Ale.Scalemodels]

Beautiful work! I like so much the worn look

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@josephlau8476]

I like model hobby very much.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Glad to hear!

[@xjetpilot]

Nice little kit Brett. Good job on this one!

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thanks 👍

[@kg2995]

Nice job! Thanks.

[@willm5032]

Lovely build! One of the first kits I made getting into the hobby properly was a Kittyhawk (same plane basically) and I want to go and make another one after watching this :) awesome

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Nice, I have a few more I want to do as well!

[@kiwiruna9077]

Brett, Another great build, I've got a bit of soft spot for the P-40.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thank you! Me too, looking forward to Eduard releasing their P-40!

[@deuce-_-]

Looks awesome! Beautiful build as always

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@mets1617]

Great Job

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thank you!

[@edwardknudsen4806]

Really nice build!

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Glad you think so!

[@willwoods6466]

Great build, fun watching you go through the process. I've built 2 Special Hobby P-40 Kitty Hawk Mk.Ia's. Both completed as RCAF, one as Wing Commander James "Stocky" Edwards in the North African Campaign. The only issue I've run into with those kits is that the tailwheel is very flimsy. They are wonderful Kits and I have grown fond of the P-40. I have an Airfix 1/48 P-40 Pearl Harbor built and 2 Academy 1/48 P-40C Flying Tigers in the stash.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

The P-40s really are a great aircraft to model, because there are so many variants and so many nations used them! Basically endless marking options!

[@truthhurts9241]

Hi Brett, I'm glad you built that and not me. It turned out pretty damned good despite Special Hobby's best attempts to sabotage your build. It's not something I would attempt unless I needed a glue covered monstrosity to use as an airgun target. (Yep, I'd chicken out!) Loving your videos and waiting for your next one. Regards Ian.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

From what I hear their newer kits are quite nice, so I'll give Special Hobby another chance or two!

[@williamkoppos7039]

Take some white glue and a toothpick (only because the etched sight is in the way), work some into the fuselage/windscreen gap, smooth out let dry. Should improve the look. P-40 is my favorite too, nice job on this. Very good painting.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thats a great idea, thanks!!

[@pheasantplucker8183]

Great build/video. Ive never had a problem spraying Mig paints, but i have had problems with humbrol enamel thinner and mineral spirit dissolving the cured acrylic.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Yeah, that seems like it would be an issue.

[@argentinianspotter]

I've built two SH kits, both were the 72nd Pucará. It went together fairly well, and now I'm looking with interest the 32nd He 100, which offers lots of whiffer possibilities.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Nice!!

[@darthhokum]

Perfect 👍

[@ChristianSchroter-ok4sk]

Hello mr. Head!greate job done.i really appreciate your efforts delivering fun excitenes and Inspiration.thank u4sharing.with best regards and sticky greetings from sandy Brandenburg/germany.your fellow modellmate.christian

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thank you Christian!

[@ald1144]

I'm building a Special Hobby 1/72 A-20. Like you found, fit is great in some places, not so much in others. No bomb bay at all, cockpit detail is sparse. No locator pins for the engine nacelles, flap assembly, or cowling, which all have to fit together. Overall the kit is just ok.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

I got one of those in the stash! in spite of its simplicity, I'm looking forward to it.

[@Chilly_Billy]

I'm building the P-40K short tail version of this Special Hobby kit. So far it's going together well. I haven't had much trouble in the way of fit. Perhaps they've improved the mold between your F from 2008 and my K a decade later. Nevertheless, you did a great job on one of my favorite warbirds.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Yeah, I have that one in the stash and it looks really nice! Can't wait to try it out.

[@keithm9513]

That splotch on your workbench looks like Iceland.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Lol

[@Bob-b7x6v]

The Warhawk held the line until better fighters came along.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

and even after!

[@skykeg4978]

I have a question…..Why not add the photo etched seat belts after painting the seat??? I understand that parts do not adhere well to painted surfaces but would it not be easier??? Thanks and another outstanding subject done to precision.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thank you for the question, yes the photo etch belts could be added after the fact, but they'd still need to be painted. And even if I painted them ahead of time and attached them later, I would probably still have to do some touch up painting, so I find it just easier to attach it first then paint everything.

[@rutgaurxi7314]

I always seem to miss these limited run kits... Still, it does, look great, a really nice relaxing build, makes me wish I had one now. I'm surprised that you didn't get airbrush on the iconography with various specialist masks. It's always struck me as more convincing than decals, although I can always understand why you would use decals.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

I'm definitely leaning in the direction of painting the markings in general, but I didn't have any masks ready for this one and didn't want to wait.

[@thadrobinson8343]

The 1/72 Special Hobby Merlin-engined P-40 kits are clearly a generation or two behind their newly tooled Allison-engined P-40 kits, but they're still quite buildable.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Agreed!

[@erickirwan8703]

Really cool build, nicely done👍

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thank you!

[@themodellingmuppet]

Excellent work as always 👏 do you use the X20A for thinner all your acrylics or just Ammo?

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

I don't really use other acrylic paints other than those and Tamiya's paints. I've tried it with AK acrylics and Mission Model Paints acrylics and neither of those paints are compatible with X20A.

[@ereremzet]

Consider that this is very old erdition of Special Hobby's P-40. Newer editions (in red stripe boxes) are much much better. In fact it is hard to tell that they are still short-run kits as the moulds are made of steel not aluminium or resin. I do their P-40M with aftermarks from CMK, Master and Eduard and it is great kit.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Glad to hear it! I look forward to the P-40K I have from them.

[@codexintegrum]

You are right that this aircraft is under-represented in the hobby and in the popular culture. The merlin-engined (P-40F/L) P-40s were very important types for the Mediterranean Theater, and had a much better combat record than earlier (and later) types, achieving parity with the Axis fighters in the (MTO) Theater. The book series "Mediterranean Air War" by Christopher Shores et al, lists the actual day-to-day combat losses on both sides and from all nations (including Italian records), which parts the clouds of the fog of war so to speak on just relying on claims totals. The merlin engined P-40s performed about as well as the Spitfires, and better than the P-38s in terms of real combat losses inflicted vs taken, but they had much better range than the Spitfire. P-40F and L equipped no less than five full US fighter groups (15 squadrons) in the Med (57nd, 33rd, 79th, 325th, and 324th), as well as one RAF squadron (250 RAF), one RAAF (3 RAAF), a Free French unit, and the 99th FS (Tuskeegee) which was attached to a couple of different US fighter groups during the various phases of fighting. There was also one US FG - (18th Fighter Group) operating in the Solomon's, which used the merlin P-40s in the Pacific. The aircraft depicted here is from the 66th Fighter Squadron, 57th Fighter Group, flown by Lt. Walter H. Henson, operating near Sicily in early 1943. Thanks to the two-speed supercharger on the merlin XX, P-40Fs were capable of roughly 370 mph at altitude, and had a performance ceiling of about 20,000 ft, compared to about 12,000 for the earlier P-40D and E types, and the contemporaneous K. This was faster than the Spitfire Mk V operating in Theater, which were slowed down by their heavy Vokes type tropical filter. These merlin P-40s were in-demand, and Curtis would have made more of these beyond the roughly 1200 that were actually put into the field, but due to contract agreements with Rolls Royce Packard only made a fixed number of the Merlin XX type engines, before moving on to the more powerful Merlin 60 series which was used in the P-51B (and later) models, and Spitfire Mk VIII and IX. As it was the British had to create a system to track down and distribute spare parts to keep the P-40F and L flying, which they did a good job of (the engine was nearly identical to the merlin XX used in Hurricane Mk II which were also active in Theater.)

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Wow, thats a lot of great info, thanks for sharing!!

[@DouglasDaSilvadds]

hey Hammerhead Model Maker, love your videos. They are great. I am curious and very interested to know , how do you get around masking this small canopies? I myself am building 1/72 P-40 and I am struggling for some reason with the masking of the canopy. Do you have any suggestions on how to cut masks for such small clear parts? Thank you

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thank you! First off, I would suggest, if it fits within your budget to get a mask set for the kit you are working on. It takes most of the work out and makes it a little less stressful for you. That said, here are two videos that show my masking process for 1/72 aircraft: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKC7goJtpsminLMsi=RYi5yXnxKxVNzPiS&t=795 kzbin.info/www/bejne/fX6vfpiNd55qsMksi=4EQYj3dL0bROc8QS&t=989 They should both be queued up to the right spots. Cheers, Brett

[@DouglasDaSilvadds]

@@HammerheadModelMaking Thank you so much. Oh yes mask kits. I live in South Africa, so access to mask kits is very limited. And importing them is very pricey for us. Will watch the video 🤩

[@2-Hands]

Try building the Special Hobby's P-40E and P-40N in 1/72nd scale and see what you think of them.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

I've got the -E in my stash, it looks really nice!

[@Bob-b7x6v]

Much like a Wildcat, what the Warhawk lacked in maneuverability or speed, it made up for in pilot experience, rugged construction, and firepower.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Agreed!

[@yoz1967]

What size pilot fits in it, is it a 1:72 pilot or smaller scale?

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

It would need a 1/72 pilot

[@Michu32421]

How many hours does IT take yOu to make this model excluding drying time

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

I would estimate 20 hours

[@eliredacted1663]

im not familiar with this livery but could it be you put the wing decals on the fuselage and the fuselage decals on the wings?

[@paulhargreaves1497]

I thought that too....but he's correct per the instructions.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

I thought the same thing, but double checked and its correct.

[@neilhaas]

Very nice warplane the P-40 fighter plane. In Hebrew it's arbaim.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thanks!

[@danwilliams1686]

Later this year eduard will be releasing a 1/48 p-40. Supposedly they will do the entire line.

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Yeah, I’m so excited!!

[@brucejackman3446]

Is there a 1/72 p40 with back window glass that looks through to the other side

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

I believe that Hasegawa has a few different boxings of the P-40N in 1/72, it had the larger back window portion that was open all the way through.

[@brucejackman3446]

@@HammerheadModelMaking brill,pretty pointless to me without it

[@fromaggiovagiola9128]

Is that the same P40 John Belushi flew in 1941?

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

I'm not sure he flew the -F model, but he did fly a P-40.

[@Joe-dd3pj]

Man you are talented modeler and I like your videos...good explanation of your technique. Please understand livery is pronounced liv-erey...not live-ery. No offense drives me nutts!!! Great work!

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thank you, and I'll work on my pronunciation!

[@giorgiomoretti9434]

❤💪🏆👏👏👏

[@HammerheadModelMaking]

Thanks!