Curtiss Kittyhawk IA – 3 Sqn, RAAF, Robert Gibbes, North Africa 1943 (Nose Art Panel)

Corgi Aviation 1/72 scale US35207: Curtiss Kittyhawk IA of 3 Sqn, RAAF, Robert Gibbes, North Africa, 1943. One of the Nose Art series, with a large scale panel showing the aircrafts Nose Art insignia. Limited Edition of 2,010 models, intended mainly for US issue.

Length 5.5 inches Wingspan 6.25 inches

One of Australia’s leading aces in World War II, the diminutive Bobby Gibbes rose from pilot officer to command No.3 Sq., RAAF, flying 274 sorties and scoring ten and two shared victories during almost two years of service in North Africa. He flew “ET953,” marked with his personal letter “V”, while CO of the unit, claiming a Bf109 destroyed and a second damaged with it. Subsequently serving with 250 and 5 Squadrons, “ET953” was written off while still with the latter unit when it stalled on takeoff after its pilot tried to avoid a gun post at Neffatia on March 2, 1943.

During WW2, young airmen separated from home, family, loved ones and a familiar way of life often sought ways of escaping the harsh reality of war by personalising their aircraft with what has become known as nose art. Humour, slogans, nicknames, cartoons, girls; all were used to bring a touch of light relief to their deadly day-to-day existence. The Corgi Nose Art range aims to capture some of the superb works of art that adorned aircraft on all sides of the conflict. Each model includes a diecast body panel featuring the art in colourful, large-scale detail.

Designed to meet a USAAC requirement for a pursuit aircraft, the P-40 Warhawk was first flown on October 14th, 1938. This aircraft was tough, virtually trouble-free and saw continual improvements to arms, armour and engines. The P-40 served in numerous combat areas; often outclassed by its adversaries in speed, manoeuvrability and rate of climb, it earned a reputation for extreme ruggedness. Its strong construction, heavy firepower, and ability to dive enabled it to compete with enemy fighters, and it was a formidable ground-attack aircraft. P-40s were also flown by the famed Flying Tigers against the Japanese in China.