MS Style Curtiss P40-E design and build

bwarz

Master member
I started building this around March or April and then other things pushed it to the side of the workbench. I came back to it in June before FF to do some beta work on the skin and lost time again. Tonight I sat back down to try my skin plans and have hopefully decided to continue working on it - maybe the thread here will push me to get more done!

It was born from the plans of my Curtiss P36 (oh yea, maybe I should just upload those...). I had thought it might be as straightforward as modifying the front of the cowl, but in further looking at prototype drawings, it was off too much for my liking, so the entire fuselage underwent a rework. (The wing on the other hand is pretty much identical to the P36) The front of the cowl has been challenging as I really wanted the curves where the intake curves into the 'original' P36 round cowl. While this isn't going to be the easiest of builds with this character, I think I may have a method that won;t be too bad.
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This has my 'signature' servo placement under the removable canopy/cowl top and an enormous battery compartment. I'm expecting to have a functional intake on the top cowl scoop in case one chooses to use a spinner (this really needs one!) and the ESC will mount where the radiators were as there's plenty of room for airflow to keep it cool.
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While the wing is technically exactly the same as the P36, I originally took the opportunity to try doing the wing where it would be taped at the front seam and folded over like a one-piece wing - to get a nicer leading edge. The first try I didn't quite like the LE - it wasn't curved enough. I did do some rework on the plans but have not yet printed and tested the changes. This one as with the P36 can be built with split flaps.
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Let's hope that this does serve as motivation to finish the design / build! (I want to start on the Vultee XP-54 or XP-68!)
 

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Tench745

Master member
Your P-36 was beautiful, with that experience to build on, I have every confidence this P-40 will be just as beautiful.
Now everybody join in with the chant of our people. "Plans, plans, plans, plans..." ;)
 

bwarz

Master member
The P36 plans are "pending approval" for a day or two - so soon? The P40 will be once I get the skins. At the pace I've been on with this one - maybe Thanksgiving :ROFLMAO::sick::eek: (hopefully not....)
 

CrshNBrn

Elite member
"Plans, plans, plans, plans!" I'm looking forward to this one as well. I look forward to building it over turkey and stuffing ;)!
 

bwarz

Master member
I was lucky to get a few hours this evening to clean off the workbench and give the rework of the skins a go. Fitting much better (so much time into one little part!) and just needs a bit of an extension to have the ends meet under the nose. I've been a bit stumped with a bit of the front of the cowl - I guess we'll see how it plays out once I get the rest of the fuselage skins done.

On a side note, the P36 plans finally got approved and are up - the moderators must be a bit busy these days as it took like a week and a half :p)

I've already started eyeing up another few designs and I haven't even come close to getting this one done - I have a problem:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO: I know I need to get this one done - it's been dragging on too long.