KIT #:	SH72486
PRICE:	~$20.00 plus shipping from Czechia
DECALS:	Three options
REVIEWER:	Scott Van Aken
NOTES:	2023  Release

The P-40M was simply a continuation of the earlier P-40E/K with the rear fuselage of later K models and later F models. The extended fuselage was designed to give the aircraft more stability and apparently it worked fine as a fair number were produced. Many of these saw their way to allies such as the Soviet Union and the type was also shipped to the CBI and South Pacific. It was not the last P-40 variant, that was the P-40N, which had a different rear canopy section and in early cases was only armed with four guns. However, all the fittings were there and many units had the additional two guns reinstalled

Special Hobby has certainly made the best of their tooling for the P-40 Warhawk. They have done most, if not all, of the versions from the P-40D through N. The nice things about their kits is that they have provided not only a decent level of detail, but have also tooled the fuselage halves as a single piece, unlike some others who have chosen to provide separate tail sections. This eliminates one seam that is sometimes tricky to blend in.

All the rest of the kit save the transparencies are common to their other multiple boxings. As you can see from the parts image, there are quite a few that are not used in this kit, so if you wish, you can relegate those to the spares box. I know that I will be salvaging the N style prop for use on one of the many Hasegawa P-40Ns that I have in my stash.

The cockpit is nicely detailed for this scale and CMK offers a lot of resin upgrades if one wants to spend the money. I appreciate that a seat harness decal is provided. As with other P-40s in this series, the cockpit floor is the upper wing. SH has molded the upper wing as a single piece so no issues with alignment. The gear well sidewalls are a separate pice that fits in the lower wing.

Once the fuselage is together, the wings, tailplanes and rudder can be attached. Exhaust can be added after painting. This kit includes a resin DF antenna, something you won't find in other /72 P-40s. This item was widely used on CBI Warhawks. The kit offers the option of open or closed cowl flaps. Landing gear are fairly well done for the scale and one is provided the option of a bomb or drop tank for the centerline. I have found the separate braces for the drop tank to be quite a challenge to get properly aligned on other SH P-40 builds. Gear doors have little alignment braces so aren't butt joins. Finally, the kit offers two canopies. One for the open or closed position.

Instructions are well done with some color in the construction areas. Three options are provided. One is a Soviet plane with areas of the airframe painted in aluminum paint. The other two are basically the same plane; one before the armistice with the Soviets, which has the yellow bits and the other afterwards with those parts repainted over. The decal sheet is quite well done and provides full stencils. There are also aftermarket sheets for a P-40M if you so desire.

CONCLUSIONS

Thanks to my discovery of the tricky bits in earlier SH P-40 builds, I expect this one to go with little to no fuss. They really do make into nice models and are now my 'go to' kit for P-40s in this scale.

REFERENCES