CoxP-40 Warhawk, Flying Tiger

Hello,
I think the handle is original, that version was made up till '77.

The newest model in my Cox Warbird collection, a Sweet Cindy P-51, wanted one for a while and it came along at a good price.
This is one of the last issues around 1990 with the red box, the early issues, about 1975 had side mounted engine and 2 speed throttle and I believe a
yellow box. This model is still factory sealed and will never see fuel. (shelf queen).




Thats me in the cockpit


And once again who wouldn't want to be this kid

I was wondering if anyone (Mark the Expert) could tell by this photo if this Flying Tiger is the first issue with the defective bell crank or the reissue with the redesigned wing?
I've been comparing photos in .049 Collectors Group and still can't tell for sure. There was not a good enough photo of the canopy to tell if it is the redesigned one either.
This photo is all I have to go on till I get it in my hands. I bid on it hoping to get a first issue Flying Tiger.

Hi Crank, I don't consider myself an expert (that would be Mud) maybe just reasonably educated...

Here's what Mud says:
"The P-40 ‘Flying Tiger’ ran its course from January 1959 until September 1960. However, the initial issue version of the model was in production for less than a year, and most likely not more than a few months. The initial issue is set apart from other P-40s, including all other Flying Tigers, because the wing, canopy, and fuselage are not interchangeable with any other version of the airplane. Why? Because shortly after its release controllability problems began surfacing. It was discovered that the bellcrank post was bending during flight, thus causing the bellcrank to jam inside the wing. The fix was to add an extension to the upper portion of the bellcrank post which clamped the post between the fuselage halves. In addition to this, the bellcrank outlet holes in the wing were enlarged.

I'm thinking it's the revised version.

.

Thanks for the good info, I appreciate it. I received the Flying Tiger today and it is the revised issue, one tab on the canopy. It does have "Flying Tiger" molded in the right fuse behind the exhaust.
Still a nice model, never fueled, in a nice box. Great model for the collection.

Nice P 40 , That's the next one on my wish list, I think I had 3 of them in the early to mid 70s. Sure wish I still had them

New in box from 55 years ago, very nice! If your gonna collect just one that's the one to have, congrats!

crankbndr wrote:Thanks for the good info, I appreciate it. I received the Flying Tiger today and it is the revised issue, one tab on the canopy. It does have "Flying Tiger" molded in the right fuse behind the exhaust.
Still a nice model, never fueled, in a nice box. Great model for the collection.

crankbndr: When you open the box, do you have to say Yes, Sir?     The plane must be older than you by at least 2 decades? I'm just jealous, that's all.
    It must be nice to have a plane NIB after seeing and flying one for some time.
   I am still wishing/hoping to get the Cox TD-4 trainer that I flew when I was about 10 years old. I saw an old beat up one on ebay for #165.00 plus $44 shipping. It was listed as a "Cox Thimble Dome .049 TD-4 Trainer?. I liked the Thimble Dome part the best.
   I hope you enjoy the plane for a long time.

happydad        

Nice looking bunch there Crank , p-40s are real eye catchers and that Sweet Cindy I Like ! I don't think I have seen that one before . There just a little to rich for my blood though for something to just eyeball . But that's just me Eric

HI Happy, Im not as young as that (get my first SS payment next mounth ), I also played with many Cox toys around 1960.
Around early 1980 I took a road trip to visit my brother, we walked into the local hobby and bought Cox models, I got the Stuka.
We flew em all day and had a blast, I never really thought there would come a time when you couldn't walk in a store and get a Cox toy.
Now to me they are a piece of Americana, a part of a better time gone by. I like the high degree of detail on the models and really enjoy collecting them.

crankbndr wrote:HI Happy, Im not as young as that (get my first SS payment next mounth ), I also played with many Cox toys around 1960.
Around early 1980 I took a road trip to visit my brother, we walked into the local hobby and bought Cox models, I got the Stuka.
We flew em all day and had a blast, I never really thought there would come a time when you couldn't walk in a store and get a Cox toy.
Now to me they are a piece of Americana, a part of a better time gone by. I like the high degree of detail on the models and really enjoy collecting them.

Crankbndr:  of course I was just kidding, but your age did' show with your avatar so I had to think of a clever way to get you to reveal your age.
   My first memories of the Cox cars and boats was at a gas station ironically here in a tiny town called Escondido in the early 1950's, maybe 1955 at the latest. That is about when we stopped going to Yosemite EVERY summer.
Anyway when I went into the USAF in 1966, my parents threw all my "toys" in the trash. The pro prod, the TD-4 trainer and the Water Wizard that the engine pod had broken off and we tried every kind of glue for that period and nothing would keep the pod stuck to the main boat. So I converted the Water Wizard to an inboard hydroplane Water Wizard. We dad a little pool in the back yard about 10 feet x 6 feet x 8 inches deep and I would run the WW back and forth until my neighbors would complain. Now those were the days. Oh to be 10 - 12 years old again and know what I know now. That could really be dangerous. But that's another story.


Happydad              

Just got this on ebay. Needs work, but it will be fun

It definitely is fun restoring old plastic, here's my p-40, i'm sure i probably posted it years ago, but it's kinda neat to see before and after photo. Please note i took some liberties with the addition of pilot and red spinner.

Mark Boesen wrote:It definitely is fun restoring old plastic, here's my p-40, i'm sure i probably posted it years ago, but it's kinda neat to see before and after photo. Please note i took some liberties with the addition of pilot and red spinner.

WOW, Mark, Very nice, I hope I can get mine that nice. What did you use on the plastic to bring it back to brand new looking?

There's several different ways to go about it and it's really a personal preference what you prefer. I used to use brake fluid a lot, but Windex works about as good and doesn't need to soak. Brasso metal polish is a good thing to have around as well as rubbing compound, if needed.
If you can get plastic clean with a soft tooth brush and Windex, a small piece of a really soft (clean and dry) terry cloth towel works wonders for adding a little shine to the plastic, without overdoing it and making it look like its been redone. What i try to do is just make the plastic look like new and not over polish it.

Mark,
Nice job on the P-40, the red spinner looks good on there. Where did you find the Flying Tiger insignia? What do you know about little pilot figure (General Chennault), they came in newer Cox models?

I read the tiger was designed by Disney


The real Hell Angels

I also heard that Disney did the tiger logo, i found it on ebay. The pilot is suppose to be General Chennault, the original sculpture sold on email for a crazy low price, can't remember but still kick myself for not bidding!

In 1970, Cox released the P-40 equipped with a painted, molded pilot in the cockpit resembling Gen. Claire Lee Chennault. This is the cast that was used by mold makers to panto-graph the three parts into the mold cavities. The figure is held together with a rubber band, includes all three parts; the left body half, the right body half & head. Figure was sculpted by hand using plaster of Paris & then coated in plastic.

.

I thought it was yours, but not 100%! i thought somebody bought it, if you ever do decide to sell it please let me know!

akjgardner wrote:Just got this on ebay.  Needs work, but it will be fun

Have you found any parts yet? I bid on this and lost a few days ago. I think the spring starter is unique to this model and maybe the Stuka, comes out on the side. Hard to find.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/COX-049-model-airplane-engine-/111761660998?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEDWX%3AIT&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=6zlezfX%252Ft3Fdi8v4s12qDqfjqPM%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

I have that P-40 Warhawk in the sealed packaging. Never been opened.  I've had it since the 70's, sitting on the shelf.