IPMS Book Review: Histoire & Collections -- Planes and Model Kits Series #2: Curtiss P-40 Warhawk

Histoire & Collections

Planes and Model Kits Series #2: Curtiss P-40 Warhawk

by Emmanuel Pernes and Olivier Soulleys

Reviewed By Keith Pruitt, IPMS# 44770

MSRP: $24.95
ISBN: 978-2-35250-065-0
Distributed by Casemate Publishing: www.casematepublishing.com
82 pages, softbound

I love books on modeling! Always have…and I guess I always will.

This is the second volume in Histoire & Collections "Planes and Models" series (the first volume was on the Focke-Wulf FW 190). I’ve always been a fan of the Curtiss' P-40, just because it looked so cool with that big shark mouth painted on it. While the Warhawk had its limitations, it was used in every theater of WWII, and was very effective in the hands of some pilots. This books doesn’t delve too deeply into the history or development, but focuses on building models of four P-40 variants, in 1/48th scale, including a P-40B, a P-40E, a P-40F and P-40N.

In the first section, Pernes builds a P-40B, using the Monogram kit. He includes a detailed building plan on the first page of the article, which is a very nice addition. He demonstrates the additions of Eduard photo-etched details, along with scratch built and spares box parts, to increase the accuracy and appearance of the model. There are more photographs than text in these chapters. Each photograph is numbered, and all of the captions are included in a text box on each page.

In the second section, Pernes builds and superdetails a Hasegawa P-40E. He uses the CMK ammunition bays, the Aires Allison Engine and Eduard photo-etched detail sets in addition to a multitude of scratch built parts. The final display has most of the front structure, including the engine, exposed and highly detailed. Each step of building this model is covered in the photographs.

In the third section, Soulleys performs a conversion; backdating Hasegawa’s P-40M into a P-40F in French service. The conversion is not as complicated, but there is quite a bit of work around the cowling and intakes to make them accurate for the Merlin-powered "-F" variant. There is less emphasis on increasing the level of detail and more on the construction techniques used in the conversion.

In the fourth section, Soulleys builds a (Hasegawa) P-40N, basically out-of-the-box. In this particular build demonstration, there is much more information on painting and finishing techniques. The builder goes much more in-depth in covering techniques such as pre-shading, paint chipping, paint fading, and decal setting solutions.

This is an outstanding book on the subject of scale modeling…period. It covers basic and advanced techniques in great depth with simple explanations. From the beginner to the master modeler, anyone can learn something from this volume. For those P-40 fans out there, this book is a must-have for their reference shelf. This one has my highest recommendation.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Casemate Publishing and to IPMS for this review sample.

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