1:48 H-81A-2(AVG)

The Hawk 81 in the colors of the Flying Tigers

The designation H-81A-2 belonged to the export version of the Curtiss fighter that went to China for the American Volunteer Group. In the armament of the US Army Air Forces the machine corresponded to the P-40B and P-40C types: a liquid-cooled V12 engine in the elongated nose, a low-set wing, retractable landing gear and a radiator slung under the nose, which gave the aircraft its unmistakable profile.

The group of volunteers under the command of Claire Chennault began fighting over Burma and southern China at the close of 1941. The pilots knew that they could not compete with Japanese fighters in a turning fight, and so they staked everything on a steep attack from above with an immediate break away. The shark mouth painted around the radiator opening became one of the best known combat markings of the whole war, and the nickname Flying Tigers outlived the group itself.

The model in 1:48 scale offers a rewarding subject for practicing a colorful finish. The moldings arrive raw and unpainted; the build calls for cement for polystyrene and a palette of paints according to the machine you choose.

The finish that does all the work

The volunteers' machines wore a mismatched mixture of shades from British deliveries, which for the build is more of a gift than a problem. The boundaries between the fields were sprayed softly, so working with a mask raised above the surface or with a very fine spray pattern suggests itself. The nose painting is commonly sold as a decal nowadays, but the hand-painted version looks livelier. Worn areas at the wing root and around the cockpit entry will give the finished aircraft credibility.