Revell U.S. Curtiss P-40B Tiger Shark Aircraft 1/48 Model Kit

5209 US Curtiss P40B Tiger Shark WWII Fighter Aircraft 1/48 Plastic Model Kit by Revell. The best U.S. fighter at the time of Pearl Harbor in World War 2, the P-40 blazed across the skies of China in the hands of the famous Flying Tigers. This beauty captures all that excitement, from the shark-mouth nose to the pilot figure. Features: Flying Tigers markings, detailed cockpit. Decals for three aircraft; water activated decals contain national markings, aircraft identification letters, and aircraft artwork. Detailed 1/48th scale plastic kit for static display. 61 parts in olive drab and clear with raised rivets and panel lines. Detailed cockpit interior – canopy may be posed open or closed. Rotating propellor and main wheels. One centerline drop tank included. MARKING OPTIONS: One decal sheet with markings for three aircraft: 1: 4 8P Stateside USAAF P-40B (Top: Olive Drab; Bottom: Neutral Grey), 2: KH o R Royal Air Force North Africa (Top: Dk Green\Dk Earth Camoflage; Bottom: Azure Blue), 3: 14 All Volunteer Group (AVG) Flying Tigers China (Top: Dk Green\Dk Earth; Bottom: Sky). This plastic scale model kitset requires assembly, paint and glue to complete. Specs Length: 203mm (8") Revell Number: 85–5209 Scale: 1:48 Parts: 61 Skill Level: 2 (Revell-Monogram has three skill level models 1 being the easiest, 3 the most challenging). Age: 10+ The 1st American Volunteer Group (AVG) of the Chinese Air Force in 1941–1942, famously nicknamed the Flying Tigers, was composed of pilots from the United States Army (USAAF), Navy (USN), and Marine Corps (USMC), recruited under presidential authority and commanded by Claire Lee Chennault. The ground crew and headquarters staff were likewise mostly recruited from the U.S. military, along with some civilians. The group consisted of three fighter squadrons with about 20 aircraft each. It trained in Burma before the American entry into World War II with the mission of defending China against Japanese forces. The Tigers' shark-faced fighters remain among the most recognizable of any individual combat aircraft and combat unit of World War II, and they demonstrated innovative tactical victories when the news in the U.S. was filled with little more than stories of defeat at the hands of the Japanese forces.