Repaint Request AK-803

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TatoBean
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Repaint Request AK-803

Post by TatoBean »

Hey all you repainter types! Does someone want a fun project of recreating a real P-40!? It's an E model in real life unfortunately but it's my understanding there's only like 2 or 3 surviving B and C models and none of them fly. So next best thing right? I'll post the story behind the airplane in a reply but here's the pictures

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Last edited by TatoBean on 02 May 2020, 09:12, edited 1 time in total.
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TatoBean
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Re: Repaint Request AK-803

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P-40E AK803 was invoiced to the RAF on October 2nd, 1941. AK803 was accepted by the RAF on 8th Oct 1941, and was delivered on the 15th Oct 1941 in fly away condition. The cost of AK803 was US $36,347.00.

1941: A production order that was intended for the RAF was diverted to the RCAF, on October 16th, 1941, AK803 was the fifth P-40 of 156 to land in Canada. Initially posted to the RCAF Station in Dartmouth Nova Scotia. AK803 was utilized in anti submarine patrols. In June 1942 AK803 and 16 other 118 Squadron Kittyhawks made a record breaking 4,000 mile crossing from Dartmouth to Annette Island, Alaska.

1942: AK803 is located at Annette Island, Alaska. Upon take-off, as the P-40 roared down the rough runway a wheel hit a rough spot and the gear collapsed. Later in 1942 the minor damage caused to the P-40 was repaired and AK803's British Serial Number was dropped and AK803 became 1034. After its repair it was posted to Boundary Bay, south of Vancouver, British Columbia. The P-40 was used for fighter affiliation work with Liberators and Mitchells stationed in the Vancouver Area. From Vancouver, AK803 made a short flight to Patricia Bay/ Victoria International Airport on Vancouver Island, a Squadron change to 133 RCAF was issued. Upon landing on the runway the landing gear gave way, and the P-40 ended up on its belly. Soon after the P-40 was barged to Coates Limited on Sea Island (now Vancouver International Airport) across the Strait of Georgia for repair and camouflage removal. 1034 was stripped of war paint, polished and sent on a War Bond drive to sit, shining in the sun at Brockton Point Oval in Vancouver. Later the P-40 was ferried back to Patricia Bay where it was stored in bare metal condition until declared surplus in August 1946.

1946: George Maude, who grew up on Saltspring Island joined the RCAF in 1943. He was posted to Patricia Bay and had a fond interest in aircraft. After the war ended the RCAF held a surplus sale and 1034 came up for auction. George Maude paid $50 for the Kittyhawk. Later that same year, Maude, along with some help from a friend by the name of Pete Stevens, towed the Kittyhawk , on a raft of logs, from Patricia Bay, to Saltspring Island, BC. Upon reaching Saltspring the wings had to be cut off to clear the telephone poles that lined the street leading to the Maude Family house. The aircraft remained on Saltspring for 28 years and was frequently started up. The P-40 was a well known tourist attraction on the Island.

1974: The P-40, with the tail wheel placed in a wooden box in the back of a pickup truck boarded the Saltspring Queen, a local BC Ferry, and headed back to Patricia Bay, where a full wing change took place. The wing change took place first by removing the old cut up wings and there after replaced with a pair that George Maude had found in Champion, Alberta, in 1963, To the present day the Kittyhawk is credited as being one of the most original P-40s in existence, with the exception of the six 50 inch caliber machine-guns. Since the restoration George Maude, and son David Maude have collected many spare parts, including a long-range belly fuel tank and the radios.

Technically she's registered in Canada as C-GHTM so if you are a huge stickler for detail you can put that on there somewhere (I can't see the registration markings anywhere on the airplane, I'd guess it's in tiny letters under the horizontal stabilizer somewhere.) But if not just leaving it blank would be good for anyone who wants to have a registration number in their own country. TIA
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MkIV Hvd
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Re: Repaint Request AK-803

Post by MkIV Hvd »

That's very cool, good luck with the repaint! If it happens I'll pick it up too :mrgreen:

I met George and sat in that airplane at a Victoria Flying Club Open House in the early 80's. We were there in our Jet Commander on a day trip and George had brought the P-40 over for static display. I explored the cockpit while he stood on the wing and we chatted about the airplane's history and the folks we knew in common. He told me about having paid $50.00 for the airplane, "...and it came with gas in it!" :D

The upshot was that he told me that shortly after he bought it, the RCAF's disposal arm had called him and offered him another P-40. George said, "They wanted $75.00 for it!! :shock: , so I told them to shove it!!!" :lol: He had recently turned down a $500,000 offer for the airplane... :mrgreen:

Cheers,
Rob
Rob Wilkinson
A2A: Civilian Mustang, T-6, Bonanza, Comanche, Cub, C182, Spitfire, P-40, Cherokee, P-51 - VATSIM P4 and some other stuff...

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TatoBean
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Re: Repaint Request AK-803

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If you see him again tell him I'd take it if I had the $$$ I mean I've got like $20 in my pocket but it's US dollars so that might be a plus in my favor :lol: :lol: :lol:
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AviationAtWar
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Re: Repaint Request AK-803

Post by AviationAtWar »

I'd say it was a good investment.

https://www.platinumfighters.com/p-40e

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MkIV Hvd
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Re: Repaint Request AK-803

Post by MkIV Hvd »

I would say :mrgreen:
Considering its rarity, that actually seems pretty reasonable!
Rob Wilkinson
A2A: Civilian Mustang, T-6, Bonanza, Comanche, Cub, C182, Spitfire, P-40, Cherokee, P-51 - VATSIM P4 and some other stuff...

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