The Sets

The simple detail sets each come in a Ziploc bag with a cardboard header. Ultracast have released two alternative sets:

Item #48152 - Curtiss P-40E Tubular Exhausts - which consists of two sets of beautifully cast round exhausts.

Item #48153 - Curtiss P-40E-N Flared Exhausts - which contains a pair of equally well cast fishtail exhaust sets.

In both cases, the reproduction is flawless with absolutely no bubbles, pits, or damage.

Using the sets on a Hasegawa WarHawk

Preparations for usage are simple enough. Before removing the exhausts from the casting blocks, ensure that you recognize that these exhausts must be mounted in a particular order. I prepared them with a Xuron shear and a micro saw. In the photo, I am cutting the exhaust pair from the casting block. Afterwards, I used a micro saw to eliminate a portion of the casting block mounts to allow me to get closer with the shears to the remaining exhaust pairs. After a few swipes with a file to the back the exhausts to make them flat, they are ready to use.

For the photo, I painted one dark brown and then dry brushed with Rub-N-Buff Silver to bring out the details. On many models, the exhausts appear as rusty metal. Having seen many aircraft while in the process of gaining my A & P licenses, I know that this is not the case.

Accuracy

The details are there and in scale. Compared to the kit exhausts, they are a World apart. Ultracast has added the mounting bolts around each pair and the fit is spot on. The exhaust pipes are recessed a bit and look good, but I may deepen the round ones further. In the case of the flared exhausts, I tried to scribe in the tips and was not too successful. Comparing these exhausts to those included in the Mauve/Eduard kits also show that these are better. A good tip go give the impression of a ‘black hole’ is to use leftover copier toner. I get this from the office and it is a lifetime supply. I dust the areas after carefully wetting my target with paint.The finish is absolutely flat and light absorbing.

The work needed to prepare these exhausts is minimal. The price of almost $5USD for a pair of exhausts may seem high until you try to replicate the details oneself. They are a time saver. Seen in this light, they are good valuelue.

Recommendation

These are highly recommended upgrades for the Hasegawa series as shown in the photos.

My thanks go out to Ultracast for the review sample.

References Used

Curtiss P-40 XP-46, XP-60 part 2 by Zbigniew Kolacha and Marek Rys in the Polish Language published by AJ Press
P-40 Walk Around by Lou Drendel published by Squadron Signal
Curtiss P-40 by Ehrman published by MBI (Czech Republic) in 1993
Curtiss P-40 by Ehrman and Roman published by MBI (Czech Republic) in 1998
Model Detail Photo Monograph No 14, Kittyhawk I/IA, by Pawel Sembrat published by Rossagraph
P-40 in Action, Aircraft No 26, by Ernie McDowell published by Squadron Signal