| "Flying is hours and hours of boredom sprinkled with a few seconds of sheer terror." - Greg "Pappy" Boyington The P-40 was the best known Curtiss-Wright designed airplane of the Second World War. It was also one of the most controversial fighters, vilified by many as being too slow, lacking in maneuverability, having too low a climbing rate, and being largely obsolescent by contemporary standards even before it went into production. The inadequacies of the P-40 were even the subject of a Congressional investigation after the War ended. While these criticisms were certainly valid, it is also true that the P-40 served its country well, especially in China and Burma, during the opening phase of the War in the Pacific when little else was available to the US Army Air Corps. Along with the P-39 Airacobra, the P-40 was the only American fighter available in quantity to confront the Japanese advance until more modern aircraft could be delivered to frontline squadrons. This particular 1:72 scale replica of a USAAC Curtiss P-40B Warhawk Fighter that was attached to the 78th Pursuit Squadron, 18th Pursuit Group, then deployed to Bellows Field, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7th, 1941. New for 2023! #FOV812060D Dimensions: Features:
FOV 812060 series 1:72 Curtiss P-40B Video will open in a new window Using the mobile app? Copy this link into your browser:
Historical Account:
"Bushmasters" - During World War II, the unit was recognized and
stationed in the Pacific theater where the unit flew P-39s, P-40s, and
P-51s. With a combat record from the war of 200 enemy aircraft destroyed
or damaged, versus the loss of only six aircraft assigned to the unit.
The 78th received the Distinguished Unit Citation for actions at the
Musashino Plant, Tokyo, Japan, on April 7th, 1945.
On November 1st, 1952, the 78th Fighter Interceptor Squadron was reactivated, flying F-86 Sabre aircraft as part of the 81st Fighter-Interceptor Wing. In 1954, the 81st became a Fighter Bomber Wing and the assigned squadrons began flying the F-84 Thunderjet. Then in 1958, the 78th received its first F-101 Voodoo aircraft. Please note: We happily combine multiple sales into one order to reduce shipping charges. Please contact us first to determine the cost of shipping before proceeding to final checkout so we can clarify the procedure with you. |