Captured P-40

Some time ago, there was some discussion about the markings of the P-40s that the Japanese had captured. Some pics were posted and as I recall, there were perhaps six birds all in a row in one old photo. Someone (was it Don Marsh?) had drawn a lovely side view drawing.

I have several of the old Otaki P-40E kits sitting around and with the advent of the new higher quality AM kits, these are now surplus to requirements. It seemed a good idea to build one of them as one of the captured birds. The Japanese markings suit the lines of the P-40 and it should make a nice quick build to help me get reacquainted with my modeling chops, so long neglected.

Did the Japanese paint these birds or just leave them in the American OD? If they did paint them, what color? These machines were likely a point of pride for their new owners, were they well looked after and kept clean or shunted aside with a more neglected appearance?

Is the side view drawing available for a look-see somewhere? It would be very helpful in making this model as accurate as possible.

In addition to the use of captured P-40s as documented on this board there is another story that may be of interest.

Five P-40Es forced landed in territory recently captured by the Japanese in China on May 31st, 1943 during a Japanese offensive. They were captured. The pilots had a harrowing escape with Chinese rebels. The aircraft were shipped down the Yangtze on pontoons. The Chinese later reported five P-40s flying in Japanese markings over Hankow in company with Japanese fighters.

Probably related to that incident was the report of a P-40 pilot flying over Canton on July 7th 1943 that he was dived upon by a fighter resembling a P-40 including the distinctive P-40 chin engine cooler. The aircraft had no shark mouth and had large dull red rectangles painted under each wing. The pilot was convinced the aircraft was a P-40 flown by the Japanese but it did not press its attack. The Japanese P-40 was just 200 feet away when the pilot made his observations. Though not expressly stated its seems the other camouflage was standard US.

Thank you for your kind words. It was a fun project working with Sam Tagaya to create this art for him, based on his research. To answer your other questions...

It appears that they left them in their original OD scheme. But obviously overpainted the American insignia with Hinomarus. Often you can see other markings such as the numbers painted out with some other color; probably whatever green was on hand. Also, the US insignias can be seen bleeding through under the Hinomaru.

"Were they well looked after and kept clean or shunted aside with a more neglected appearance?"
Aside for some of the Tachikawa a/c early on, these birds don't appear to have been given any more care than their own operational a/c. Consequently, in most of the photos the captured P-40s tend to look a little "tired."

Photos also show that some captured P-40s sported various unit markings, such as, Tachikawa and Akeno. Even the JNAF had some P-40s. So I wouldn't be surprised if a few other air schools didn't have a P-40 wearing the school marking in their inventory (though this is wild speculation on my part).

I found the drawing in the captured section of this list. It was indeed by Don Marsh. It is just gorgeous, and I have looked it over with the Otaki kit in view.