Need some help with an article title

[spongemike]

Hi there peeps,

I have an article on a build of the Wairarapa Wildcat going into an upcoming edition of Scale Aircraft Modelling, and am a bit stuck for a title.

Where there any cool nicknames that the P-40s were known by in RNZAF service, or names of places they were stationed?

I only have a lame working title at the moment.

Any help/suggestions appreciated!

cheers

Mike A

[Andy Wright]

Can't get enough of the build, mate, well done.

How about "Wrangling the Wildcat"? Might lead people astray into thinking a Grumman product but that'll only add to the surprise when they see what you've done. LOL.

[spongemike]

Noice! Could go with that or something pretty close.

Cheers

Mike A

[Dave Homewood]

Stunning build Mike, well done. Is that the Hasegawa 1/32nd kit?

I have talked with several P-40 pilots recently and none of them seemed to have mentioned any nickname for the Kittyhawk I'm afraid. I cannot recall ever reading of a nickname for the type either apart from the Kittybomber when they were in the ground attack role.

This paticular aircraft was flown in combat by No. 14 Squadron, 16 Squadron and 18 Squadron, shooting down six aircraft. They were:

F/O Geoff Fisken
14 Squadron
Two Zekes destroyed
12 June 1943

F/Sgt Noel Pirie
16 Squadron
One Hamp destroyed
26 Aug 1943

F/Lt Robert 'Jim' Balfour
18 Squadron
Two Zekes destroyed
1 Nov 1943

F/O Len Rayner
18 Squadron
One Val destroyed
17 Nov 1943

Geoff Fisken told me that it was allocated to him when they arrived at Guadalcanal by the CO Stan Quill because it had the black cat on the cowl (applied by a US repair unit after the aircraft had had a mishap on the transit up from NZ). Stan Quill and Geoff Fisken strongly disliked each other and Quill hoped the black cat would bring Geoff bad luck apparently. Geoff wrote to his wife about this and she suggested the name be painted on as the two groundcrew assigned were both from Wairarapa. Geoff himself was from Gisborne (contrary to many books which have that wrong) but he was working for a short while in the Wairarapa on a sheep station before he joined the RNZAF, and because of those connections and the fact the squadron was born there too, he agreed to the name. I's funny how many varirations there are around to the story of the emblem but I got it from Geoff himself and have it on film.

So maybe a good title might be "The Lucky Black Cat."

[30sqnatc]

Taming the Kiwi Wildcat or Taming the Stripped Wildcat

[spongemike]

Jan 16, 2011 18:30:49 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Stunning build Mike, well done. Is that the Hasegawa 1/32nd kit?

I have talked with several P-40 pilots recently and none of them seemed to have mentioned any nickname for the Kittyhawk I'm afraid. I cannot recall ever reading of a nickname for the type either apart from the Kittybomber when they were in the ground attack role.

This paticular aircraft was flown in combat by No. 14 Squadron, 16 Squadron and 18 Squadron, shooting down six aircraft. They were:

F/O Geoff Fisken
14 Squadron
Two Zekes destroyed
12 June 1943

F/Sgt Noel Pirie
16 Squadron
One Hamp destroyed
26 Aug 1943

F/Lt Robert 'Jim' Balfour
18 Squadron
Two Zekes destroyed
1 Nov 1943

F/O Len Rayner
18 Squadron
One Val destroyed
17 Nov 1943

Geoff Fisken told me that it was allocated to him when they arrived at Guadalcanal by the CO Stan Quill because it had the black cat on the cowl (applied by a US repair unit after the aircraft had had a mishap on the transit up from NZ). Stan Quill and Geoff Fisken strongly disliked each other and Quill hoped the black cat would bring Geoff bad luck apparently. Geoff wrote to his wife about this and she suggested the name be painted on as the two groundcrew assigned were both from Wairarapa. Geoff himself was from Gisborne (contrary to many books which have that wrong) but he was working for a short while in the Wairarapa on a sheep station before he joined the RNZAF, and because of those connections and the fact the squadron was born there too, he agreed to the name. I's funny how many varirations there are around to the story of the emblem but I got it from Geoff himself and have it on film.

So maybe a good title might be "The Lucky Black Cat."

Hiya David

How goes out there in Cam? Thanks for the clarification on details that I so often take for granted without actually verifying. The story about how the aircraft came to be allocated to him is interesting; it's funny how Geoff Fisken's name is remembered but I'd never heard of the other person before!

The kit is indeed the 1/32 Hasegawa one, and uses the kit markings hence the white outline to the cat.

Cheers for now,

Mike

[shamus]

Wow, that is some beautiful model. I wish I could do one as good as that. Well done.