501 P40 kit - finally complete

[daveoh]

Back in 1997 I started building the #501 P40 kit. I completed the frame but never got around to covering it before moving.

Fast forward 20 years and I finally decided to finish it as part of a major garage purge and re-org. This is my first stick and paper effort. I tried everything - tan colored paper on top, white paper on on the underside with gray dope painted on, attaching paper with glue and/or dope as necessary, etc. The wings have a lot of wrinkles, but I suppose I'll get better.

I mixed and matched decals with those in the kit and a set I purchased on eBay. For the mouth I scanned the decal sheet from from 400 series kit, scaled it down, and then printed my my own set. I printed my own "Curtis Electric Propeller" decal on the prop from images on the internet. I probably needed to a bit smaller.

The wheels I purchased at a hobby shop and then used 3/32" styrene tubes to build them up. The green paper for the camo was cut out using a Gyro-Cut tool, and I really like how it gave me smooth curves. I laid them on by using a glue stick, then doped over them.

I forgot to use the paper on the frame behind the cockpit - oops. I don't like how the clear parts behind the cockpit came out, but I wasn't going to do it a third time.

For the trim painting I used a set of acrylics I purchased at Michaels.

I don't have the courage to fly it, so my next kit will be the Guillow Fly Boy. I'm looking forward to it.

Pictures can be found on at this google photos album. https://photos.app.goo.gl/NhMUNba2CzatNb1i2

-David O.

[Blacksheep214]

Good job! I had a Spit that sat like that for several years before I got off my duff and finished it too. Funny how something completely unrelated will make you finish something started so long ago.