P-40E instrument panel question

[wmoran]

I got the Yahu IP for my Hasegawa P-40E, and it does not have the lower section of the IP that the kit IP does.  Yahu's instructions do not indicate that I should cut that portion off the kit IP and add it to the PE IP like they do with the Revell P-51D IP.  Is that part of the IP associated with external stores, such as drop tanks and bombs?  If so, I will leave it off because I am going to do one of the planes of the 49th FG when they were at Darwin, and I understand that they were not set up for drop tanks and bombs while at Darwin (or at least the 8th FS wasn't).  From reading Osprey's book on the 49th FG, it stated that the 8th FS was stuck in Brisbane awaiting airfield space on New Guinea, and that was when their aircraft were plumbed for drop tanks and bombs.  I figured that if one squadron did not have the equipment until after Darwin, all three squadrons probably did not have it while at Darwin.

 

Thanks for any clarification anyone can give me.

Bill

[RBrown]

The lower panel had controls for cockpit heat and ventilation as well as the wing gun valve charging controls. It is seen in P-40 Es and Kittyhawks of the period.  Photo below is of Kittyhawk AK753...

 

Edited August 22, 2018 by RBrown

[wmoran]

Thanks for the info.  That answers my question.  I will keep the Hasegawa lower panel below the Yahu panel.

 

Bill