**** DONE: 1/48 P-40E 'Tex Hill' Aircraft of the aces GB

[Nxthanos]

Username: Nxthanos
First name: Chris
Category: Casual
Scale: 1:48
Manufacturer: Amtech (from ERTL molds)
Model Type: Curtiss Model 81 US Army designator P-40E 'Warhawk'
Details: Single seat Fighter/Fighterbomber
Aircraft Assignment: Sdr Leader David Lee 'Tex' Hill, American volunteer group (Flying Tigers)
Accessories: None
Decals: kit supplied

This one is out of the box, with the small exception of a old Monogram pilot added!


David Lee "Tex" Hill
AVG Flying Tiger Ace, 18+ Kills
By Stephen Sherman, Dec. 2002. Updated July 5, 2011.

David Lee Hill was born on 13 July 1915 in Kwangju, Korea, the son of Presbyterian missionaries, who moved to Texas when he was 6 years old. After finishing Austin College in 1938, “Tex” completed naval flight school and served in a torpedo squadron (VT-3) on USS Saratoga and in a dive-bomber squadron (VB-41) on USS Ranger.

American Volunteer Group
He was recruited in 1941 to serve in the Claire Chennault’s American Volunteer Group (AVG).

He reported in July and served as flight leader and then squadron leader of the 2nd Squadron, flying the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk.

In his service with the Flying Tigers, he was credited with destroying 10.25 Japanese planes, one of the top aces of that famous unit.

His first victories came on January 3, 1942, when he downed two Ki-27 Nates over the Japanese airfield at Tak, Thailand. He claimed two more on the 23rd, and "made ace" on the 24th, when he shot down a bomber and a fighter over Rangoon. In March, he succeeded Jack Newkirk as Squadron Leader of the Second Squadron.

On May 7th, 1942, the Japanese Army began building a pontoon bridge across the Salween River, which would allow them to move troops and supplies into China. To stem this tide, 2nd Squadron Leader David Lee "Tex" Hill led a flight of four new P-40Es, bombing and strafing into the mile deep gorge. During the next four days, the AVG pilots flew continuous missions into the gorge, effectively neutralizing the Japanese forces. From that day on, the Japanese never advanced farther than the west bank of the Salween. Claire Chennault would later write of these critical missions, "The American Volunteer Group had staved off China's collapse on the Salween."

USAAF
After the deactivation of the Flying Tigers in July 1942, Hill was one of only five Flying Tigers to join its USAAF successor, the 23rd Fighter Group. He was promoted to major in the U.S. Army Air Corps, and activated the 75th Fighter Squadron and later to command the 23rd Fighter Group.

Before returning to the United States in late 1944, "Tex" Hill and his P-51 Mustang scratched another six Japanese aircraft. It is believed that he was the first to down a Zero with a P-51. Altogether, Hill destroyed 18.25 enemy aircraft.

On Thanksgiving Day 1943, he led a force of 12 B-25s, 10 P-38s, and 8 new P-51 Mustangs from Saichwan, China, on the first strike against Formosa. The Japanese had 100 bombers and 100 fighters located at Shimchiku Airfield, and the bombers were landing as "Tex" Hill’s force arrived. The enemy managed to get seven fighters airborne, but they were promptly shot down. Forty-two Japanese airplanes were destroyed and 12 more were probably destroyed in the attack. The American force returned home with no casualties.



During the closing months of World War II, Hill commanded the 412th Fighter Group, the first jet unit in the Army Air Forces. The group flew the Bell XP-59 and later the Lockheed P-80.

Post War
In July 1946, "Tex" Hill resigned his commission and left active duty. Shortly thereafter, he joined the Air National Guard and became the youngest brigadier general in the history of that service. He retired from the military in 1968. He passed away on Oct. 11, 2007.

Colonel Hill's honors include: Nationalist Chinese Order of the Cloud Banner, Chinese Victory Medal, British Distinguished Flying Cross, U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross, 2 Air Medals, Silver Star, and Legion of Merit.

[Rogi]

Woo Nice, another P-40 can't wait to see it unfold

[Nxthanos]

Let's take a look at the kit and get started:









The first thing is to paint the interior parts green, and I think i will add a pilot as I hate empty aircraft.

[N4521U]

Go man go!
By my calcs, you've got about 10 days left........

[Rogi]

"By my calcs, you've got about 10 days left........ "

The build is till the 30th of Nov. so hes got more than 10 days

[T Bolt]

The next Group Build starts on Nov. 1st. You still have 43 days in this one.
That kit is essentially the same one I’m working on to make R.L. Scott’s P-40K. It doesn’t exactly fall together like a Tamiya kit, but it has real nice surface detail and with a little work, will build into a nice Warhawk. Plus, making the “E” version, you don’t have to cut off the tail and replace it, which is a real pain.
I’ll be watching to see how it turns out.

[brucejscott]

Great choice Chris. Very sweet.

[Nxthanos]

Go man go!
By my calcs, you've got about 10 days left........

Now you know it won't take me THAT long!

[Nxthanos]

Woo Nice, another P-40 can't wait to see it unfold

Thanks Rogi, P-40s are my favorite planes.

[Nxthanos]

The next Group Build starts on Nov. 1st. You still have 43 days in this one.
That kit is essentially the same one I’m working on to make R.L. Scott’s P-40K. It doesn’t exactly fall together like a Tamiya kit, but it has real nice surface detail and with a little work, will build into a nice Warhawk. Plus, making the “E” version, you don’t have to cut off the tail and replace it, which is a real pain.
I’ll be watching to see how it turns out.

I have been following that thread, Col Scott is one of my heroes of old.

[Nxthanos]

Great choice Chris. Very sweet.

Can't have aces without the AVG Bruce!

[Wayne Little]

Nice choice Chris! Go for it man!

[N4521U]

I just have to start reading the details more carefully. I guess I just assumed the start of one GB was the end of the one before. Sorry if I put the fear of God in you Nxthanos. But then I have 13 days before I can tear into my Fw!

[Nxthanos]

Today's update;

No pilot figure is included so an old Mongram pilot is taken from the spares to be Tex Hill, and is painted up accordingly.




The interior stuff is also painted, so construction will soon begin.

[T Bolt]

Nice start