Hobby Master: 1/72 P-40N “Gloria Lyons” – Diecast Model

The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk first flew in 1938 as a modification of the Curtiss P-36 Hawk.
Warhawk was the official U.S. designation while the name Tomahawk was used by the
British Commonwealth and Soviet forces for the P-40B and C and Kittyhawk for P-40Ds
and later variants. The P-40 was first used by British squadrons in North Africa and the
Middle East in 1941. The P-40 lacked a two-speed supercharger making them inferior
to German aircraft but was an adequate fighter in low altitude combat zones. Almost
12,000 P-40s were produced.

“Gloria Lyons” adorned four different New Zealand Air Force aircraft. The first three
were P-40 Kittyhawks and the fourth was an F4U-1A. Gloria Lyons was a nineteen year
old New Zealand girl with tuberculosis and pen pals with members of the No. 4 Servicing
Unit in the Solomon Islands. The unit decided to make her their mascot and added her
name to the engine cowling. The first two P-40s as well as the F4U-1A were destroyed
but the third P-40N, NZ3220 survived the war. The real Gloria Lyons overcame her
tuberculosis.

• True 1/72 scale.
• Professionally painted.
• Great attention to detail.
• All markings are Tampoed (pad applied).
• Option to display the model on a stand that is provided.
• Model can be shown with the landing gear in the down or up positions.
• Optional armament provided.
• Canopy can be displayed open or closed.
• Pilot figure included.
• Extremely heavy metal with a minimum of plastic.
• Highly collectable.