THE LATES T OFFERING in Kyosho’s “SQS”
(Super Quality Series) of WW II warbirds is
the famous Curtiss P- 40 “E” model, single-seat fighter/bomber. This is one of the most
recognizable airplanes of the era, especially
of the ones sporting the distinctive shark
mouth. Although they could not compete
against the technically superior Luftwaffe
fighters, they were used with great success
in the North African, Pacific and Chinese
theaters.
Available in either the nitro (GP) or electric (EP) versions, each is purpose-built for
the powerplant. The GP version reviewed
here is extremely light and can handle 50-
size two- or four-stroke engines. The
primary structure is balsa and ply with the
turtle deck formed from foam, which
KYOSHO CURTISS P- 40 WARHAWK 50
For scale-like performance, the Magnum XL52 is a
good choice. It’s reliable and has more than
enough power.
enables the model to faithfully reproduce
the compound curves of the original. The
model is covered in Kyosho Master Coat
color film, which has all the detailed graphics, panel lines and other details printed.
The only decals you need to apply is the
nose art, and you have a choice of the
shark’s mouth or “Miss Trixie.” I chose the
shark’s mouth, as it seems to be synonymous with the P- 40. A nice set of 90-degree
rotating mechanical retracts are included,
along with plastic wheel-well fairings. The
model also features spit flaps for easy land-
SPECIFICATIONS
MODEL: Curtiss P- 40 Warhawk 50 GP
MANUFACTURER: Kyosho
( kyoshoamerica.com)
TYPE: ARF sport-scale warbird
WINGSPAN:
56 in.
WING AREA: 527 sq. in.
LENGTH:
46. 5 in.
WEIGHT:
5 lb., 15 oz.
WING LOADING:
25. 9 oz./sq.ft.
POWER REQ’D: .40-. 46 2-stroke; .52-. 56
4-stroke
RADIO REQ’D: 6-channel
PRICE: $175
HIGHLIGHTS
■ Great scale appearance
■ 90-degree retracts installed
■ Fantastic flying characteristics
■ Outstanding construction and hardware
ings. The kit also includes a spinner,
canopy, foam wheels, composite motor
mount and hardware package. The P- 40’s
sport-flying flight characteristics make this
a great plane to get your feet wet in scale
warbird flying.
UNIQUE FEATURES
After taking the parts out of the box, I
inspected the covering and found only a
few wrinkles, which were removed with
low heat. The illustrated instruction
manual is adequate, but it would help if
you have a couple of ARFs under your
belt. For instance, there’s no mention of
using CA to harden the balsa in key areas
