Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Custom Skins => Topic started by: Devil 505 on March 15, 2021, 06:45:43 PM

Title: Nikolai Kuznetsov's P-40K
Post by: Devil 505 on March 15, 2021, 06:45:43 PM: P-40K (our E is used for K's) flown by Nikolai Kuznetsov of 436 IAP in the winter of 1942-43. At this time 436 IAP belonged to Northwest Front's 239 IAD of the 6th Air Army and patrolled the airspace between Staraya Russa and Velikiye Luki.

This aircraft was photographed after Kuznetsov returned after scoring his 15th individual victory. Unfortunately the nose is not seen in the pictures and it's color is a matter of speculation. Most representations show a white spinner, but I believe this to be false. I looked for clues by checking photos of other units in 239 IAD and it seemed that the common practice was to leave the prop spinners in their original camouflage paint - so I also have done this. I painted the 14 victory stars on the fuselage sides to reflect the plane as it was photographed.

Kuznetsov was shot down and wounded on January 6th 1943 and spent a few months recovering from his injuries. He returned to his unit in May and by this point it was redesignated 67 GIAP and reequipped with P-39's. Kuznetsov was awarded the Order of Lenin and Hero of the Soviet Union. He finished the war with 36 victories and retired from the Soviet Air Force with the rank of General Major in 1978

(https://i.postimg.cc/ryJ98X0H/Kuznetsov-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/5jXz3rm5)

(https://i.postimg.cc/yxvhncCK/Kuznetsov-2.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/LggZ8qsQ)
Title: Re: Nikolai Kuznetsov's P-40K
Post by: Nefarious on March 15, 2021, 06:49:06 PM: Amazing work! Can't wait to put it through the wringer this April! <S>
Title: Re: Nikolai Kuznetsov's P-40K
Post by: Vraciu on March 15, 2021, 07:33:32 PM: I like it.

Is the paint metal under the paint chips intended to be metal or gray?
Title: Re: Nikolai Kuznetsov's P-40K
Post by: Devil 505 on March 15, 2021, 07:42:27 PM: It's metal. These angles don't catch the light at the right angle to shine.

I need to Call HiTech about my busted film viewer. Keys still don't work, so I have to take these shots while flying offline. Pain in the arse.
Title: Re: Nikolai Kuznetsov's P-40K
Post by: Vraciu on March 15, 2021, 07:43:54 PM: Ah, okay. Just checking.
Title: Re: Nikolai Kuznetsov's P-40K
Post by: lyric1 on March 15, 2021, 08:39:15 PM: :aok
Title: Re: Nikolai Kuznetsov's P-40K
Post by: Greebo on March 16, 2021, 06:02:02 AM: Great looking skin Devil. :aok
Title: Re: Nikolai Kuznetsov's P-40K
Post by: oboe on March 16, 2021, 01:01:23 PM: Beautiful, Devil. Makes me wish we really had the '40K - with a couple hundred more horsepower than the E, and an enlarged tail to try compensate for the increase torque and power. The least attractive P-40. I thought most of the Ks went to serve in China.
Title: Re: Nikolai Kuznetsov's P-40K
Post by: whiteman on March 16, 2021, 02:05:58 PM: looking good!
Title: Re: Nikolai Kuznetsov's P-40K
Post by: Devil 505 on March 16, 2021, 02:23:29 PM: Quote from: oboe on March 16, 2021, 01:01:23 PM
Beautiful, Devil. Makes me wish we really had the '40K - with a couple hundred more horsepower than the E, and an enlarged tail to try compensate for the increase torque and power. The least attractive P-40. I thought most of the Ks went to serve in China.

57th FG in Egypt also got some short-tailed K's

The K got the long tail of the F/L/M models beginning with the K-15 block. Looks much better than the earlier K's. Not sure which of our P-40's would be best for them. Might be a no-mans-land as far as skinning goes, like the Bf 110F and P-51A/A-36.