Sheet:

Aeromaster 48-620: Mohawks over SE Asia

Units: See review

Price

$

Reviewer:

Scott Van Aken

To my knowledge, this is the first sheet ever dedicated to the RAF's Mohawk IV. Now before you go grabbing that Hobbycraft P-36 kit for this sheet, I should mention that the standard P-36A/C is only good for the Mohawk III variant that had the P&W Twin Wasp, a double row radial of 14 cylinders. The Mohawk IV had a Wright Cyclone, a single row 9 cylinder engine. Fortunately, Hobbycraft does do a dedicate Mohawk IV kit so that is the one you want.

The Brits found them unsuitable for Western Europe or even the desert so carted them off to serve in India (where at the time, no fighting was taking place). They were used operationally by 5, 146 and 155 squadron; 155 squadron having to keep them until January 1944. These were basically operated on the Burma front where opposition from the Japanese was not as intense as in some other theaters. The Burma theater also had the 'benefit' of having a very intense monsoon season where any sort of air or ground combat came to a halt until it was over.

The vast majority of Mohawks were painted in US equivalent Dark Earth/Dark Green over Medium Sea Grey. Because the markings on Mohawks are not particularly intensive, there is room for 8 schemes on this sheet.

First is the lone dark earth/midstone over azure blue aircraft from 1 OTU of the Indian AF that was 'diverted' to the RAF.

Next is a 5 Sq aircraft from the early war years and the retreat of the British out of Burma.

From 5 Sq as well is the next plane with a small nose art of 'the saint' on it. This aircraft has yellow wing tips and a small yellow leading edge band on the outer wing panels.

A 155 Sq plane is next, coded white Y. In addition to the small nose art the lower cowling is yellow

This is the 'Mohawk Wing' commander's plane of William Pitt-Brown, hence the WPB on the fuselage. Note that it has no sky fuselage band or lower cowling yellow.

White B is yet another 155 Sq Mohawk. Few 155 Sq planes carried the DG code given to it.

With an early SEAC roundel is White H-, also from 155 sq in Mid 1943. It was made simply by painting out anything red.

Finally another 155 sq aircraft with a yellow surround to the fuselage SEAC roundel.

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