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Building a MKIIb Tomahawk from the Trumpeter kit.


EvilCarrot

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While looking for a subject to build for the 100 year anniversary ot the RAF I came across the awesome 112 Squadron color schemes for the P-40 Tomahawk. Problem is all of the decal sets seem to be for the MKIIb while the Trumpy is an "a" variant. From what I've read it would need some mounting points and a couple of extra guns in the wings. I was wondering if there are any conversion sets out there (couldn't find any on Scalemates) and if there are any other things that need to be changed. (apart from errors on the kit)

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Curiously, in the handbook of H81a, at the armament chapter it was wrote: "4 x .30 COLT MG40. On the factory drawing about the wing guns installation of H81A, A1 & A2, these wing guns had same caption and the nomenclature specifies: ammo: 2000rds .30 with links, guns: 4 .30 COLT MG40.
H81A2 Tomahawk IIb had a shackle with sway braces under fuselage to carry a 52 gal drop tank or bomb
the Tomahawk instrument panel  was different than P40B or C

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The P-40B = Tomahawk Mk.IIa, the Brit version having Brit equipment and .303 armament.

 

The P-40C = Tomahawk Mk.IIb, and was externally the same as the B/IIa except for adding equipment for carrying a drop tank. 

 

I don't remember if the Trumpeter kit includes drop tank parts or not? 

 

HTH,

D

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Thanks for your input, so in summary:

 

- I'd need a British .303 set of guns barrels, Master Model seems to do a nice set of those

- The cockpit may need to be changed, won't bother with that. I'll try and make what I have look nice, won't see much of it any way.

- For the drop tank I'd assume if it wasn't installed on a mission, the braces wouldn't be installed either? I was looking into maybe trying to fit the drop tank from the Hasegawa P-40N but the tank seems to be of a different type than the one that went on the C

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The Trumpy P-40 is a nice building kit, if you are not worried about the panel, then leave the shallow floor alone. And if you don't plan to open the engine cowling, just assemble the basic engine and paint it all flat black, you can't see anything on the bottom of the engine anyway. I spent days painting and detailing the engine, then closed it all up.

 

Check this site out, they have nice drawings of the drop tank.

http://www.p40warhawk.com/Models/Technical/Technical.htm

Edited by 1to1scale
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Pertinent thread for me

 

I just bought this kit to build and compared it to the 'scanned' Airfix kit and it matches well enough for me.

 

The one thing I do want to fix is the cockpit. I accept I am never going to find a Cutting Edge set. Can anyone recommend an alternative? Does the Eduard set work?

 

Many thanks in advance

 

Will

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Got the Eduard sets with the kit so I'm going to stick with those. Are the Part ones more accurate? I do notice Eduard does nothing to fix the floor, only adds more detail to it.

Edited by EvilCarrot
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The P-40B = Tomahawk Mk.IIa, the Brit version having Brit equipment and .303 armament.

I'm interested by a official source for .303 fitted on H81A, A1& A2.

Do you know where can I find this?

 

I found these detail in the "handbook of the service & maintenance of the H81A airplane - Curtiss"(IWM collection)

 

 

As you can see, it was wrote ".303" one time on diagram drawing in the handbook, and ".30" four time(1 in the handbook and 3 on the drawing.

Is there 1 error or 4?

 

Handbook:

wing_g12.jpg

 

Drawing 81-60-204 for H81A's

(for P 40, P40B& C, the drawings were 81-69-002 & 602)

wing_g11.jpg

 

below, the gun muzzles, P40 top, H81 bottom

the holes in the sleeves were oval(P40) or round(H81)

 

wing_g10.jpg

Edited by waroff
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Thanks, but I look for a .303 installation on H81 as on H75A4(there is a technical drawing which show .303 installation on A4 wing)
US never use H81 but P40 only. H81 was build for foreign customers.
according what I read, H81 seems delivered to british with .30, but it could be possible these guns were removed & remplaced by .303, but is there a document which prove it?

Edited by waroff
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The few close up photographs I've found seem to indicate both type of guns were used. I bought the .303 barrels from Master for my kit. If it's wrong, too bad, doesn't look like anyone will knows for sure. :evil_laugh:

It's quite funny, I asked these questions because I was a bit worried I'd be building a completely inaccurate variant. Now by NOT getting all straight answers I feel more confident about building it. :rofl:

 

Not trying to mock anyone here, all of your answers are much appreciated. ;)

Edited by EvilCarrot
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