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  • Please see the most recent updates in the "Where did the .com name go?" thread. Posts number 16 and 17.

    Post 16 Update

    Post 17 Warning

44th fighter squadron P40s

roger-wilco-66

Administrator
Staff member
Hi,

I wonder if one of the many talented repainters could do a repaint on the A2A P-40 of the follwing aircraft based on Munda, New Georgia in the fall of 1943.
Background is that I research a bit about the units stationed on Munda and stumbled upon the 44th FS stationed with P40s there and some amazing stories.
I found some nice images in books and on the net of the paint scheme like this:

Joe-Lesickas-P-40M-125-44th-FS-7-43.jpg


munda-12%20%288%29.jpg




munda-p40.jpg



munda-12%20%286%29.jpg



Sorry for the big size, but it's rare to get good photos with a quality that good, so I left them as they were. More photos are in my Munda collection at

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/x0skkam7xu8zz8r/H2D4JpFVIo/Solomon-Original-Images/New Georgia - Munda#/

I found some images of the aircraft in one of my books and made scans of the paint schemes:

img004.jpg


img005.jpg





Would be great if the A2A P40 could get a nice battle weary repaint with one of these schemes! Gipsy Rose Lee was flown by an ace, by the way, Capt. Joseph L. Lesicka. A bit of his story is here (bold text).


Thanks!
Mark
 
Thank you very much for those high res pics and the link to your collection!

As for repaints it would be tempting to wait for Flight Replica's P-40N, especially if it comes with with a P-40N-1 variant.

This variant has an extremely similar appearance to the P-40M type that was used in the Solomons alongside the P-40L, and would suit the scenery better than the P-40B/C.


Owen

PS: desperately looking forward to the Solomons scenery. Can't wait to land on a coral strip... :icon_lol:
 
Owen, thanks for your thoughts on that. I also thought about the difference in the variants and come to the conclusion that the A2A might be better, because the N version is really different from all others in section behind the cockpit.

Oh well! Can't have it all.

The Solomons are well on the way. Beta is out soon. I had / have a few road blocks with some technical issues to solve.
Also made this since I didn't have a decent model:

ms-lcm3-16.JPG





Cheers,
Mark
 
Just to let you know, Mark, the P-40N-1 had the birdcage canopy and earlier behind-the-cockpit fuselage. However, I'm not sure yet if this will be in the FR package, and so you may as well go with the A2A aircraft.

Mike
 
Continuing off from what Mike states, the rear section of the cockpit/fuselage is just as different (if not more) between the P-40B/C and the P-40M and F, than it is between a mid-late model P-40N and the P-40M and F. The cowlings, fuselage and wings are the same, from what I can recall, between the P-40N to the P-40M, where as the P-40B/C cowls, fuselage, and wings are different. While one late-model P-40 paint scheme will look just as great on another late-model P-40 type, I can't say that the same goes for a late-model scheme on the P-40B/C - to me, it just always looks wrong (especially when it comes to any sharks mouths or nose-art - just as it will look wrong if you try applying a P-40B/C shark mouth to a late model P-40 - the surface areas and contours of the cowlings are just too different).
 
Well I've been looking through your screenshots and your skills amaze me. It's going to be fantastic all those black&white photos of airstrips like Munda coming to life, so to speak.

The first 400 P-40N, the P-40N-1-CU, had the same canopy as the later P-40F & L and the P-40M. From what I've read, it was also the best P-40 to fly.

All further variants (P-40N-5-CU onwards) then received the redesigned canopy we recognise the "N" model by.

I remember that Mike was thinking of doing the N-1 variant. If he does we'll be able to be very naughty and repaint it as a Pacific theatre P-40M (just like "Gypsy Rose Lee" featured on the Osprey book cover in the thread) and no-one will know!

:redface:

And thanks for the update!
 
John's right, the only major external difference between the P-40M and the P-40N is the redesigned canopy.
Whereas the P-40B/C is basically a different plane compared to those two.

But I suppose only purists will care, so maybe a PTO repaint of the A2A bird would prove popular... In fact Thomas Weiss has already done Richard Johnson's bare metal P-40 (in reality an N) which operated over New Guinea.

BTW, I am absolutely not campaigning for an N-1 model in any way.
 
Iris has the X-payware P-40E, and its an FSX model. I know its not an F or M model, but would look better in these paints than the A2A B/C model.

Joe
 
Welllllll, If you folks want to use the iris model, i'll be happy to rework the flight model for it..
 
Ahhh GHG... drool....

:ernae:

@ Pam, FF1 and BB17: Never tried the Iris version, off to download that now!

Cheers,
and muchas gracias,
Mark
 
Started playing with the Iris P-40F paintkit. Still a ways to go, and I need to find some stencils and markings for the 44th FG.
Anyone know a good spot to look? Here is what she looks like as of now.

2013-1-23_20-45-0-448_zps4680ef14.jpg


Joe
 
Ahhh GHG... drool....

:ernae:

@ Pam, FF1 and BB17: Never tried the Iris version, off to download that now!

Cheers,
and muchas gracias,
Mark

Ihad located an enormous amount of information including maintenance manuals, pilot manuals, field modification data, tons, and misinterpreted about 70% of it. The flight model was further modified by someone at Iris and the result was far from what was intended. Thats why i wouldnt mind reworking it now..
 
gradyhappyg,
I had Groundcrew and simmerspaintshop bookmarked already, and use the latter alot for info. Thanks for the link to the Fonts.(one I didn't have)
I did find a couple Decal sheets with 44th FG markings that i can use, but i'm still looking for more.

warchild,
Would luv to have any FM you could do for the Iris P-40F.

Joe
 
I'mon it joe.. ;)

Christ.. I'd forgotten i made this plane for fs9.. bear with me.. gonna bring it up to date ...
 
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