Matchbox – PK-31 (40063) – Curtiss P-40N Warhawk

Description:

Curtiss P-40N Warhawk

Unassembled plastic model kit in 1/72 scale of a U.S. WWII fighter aircraft Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, produced in over 13000 units was one of the main fighters and attack aircrafts of the war, seeing service with almost all Allies. P-40N was the last major production series, known as Kittyhawk Mk IV by Commonwealth countries who operated it (Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Britain).

An original Matchbox kit tooled in 1972. The kit was released two times with different box arts but same decal sheet in 1972 and 1982, the later release of 1995 not only changed the box art a third time, but also decal sheet, hence got a new code number (40063) instead of what could have been expected 40031 which never existed, as previous releases were always PK-31.

The original release and the 1982 release had a decal sheet with two markings, one RAF and one USAF, while the 1995 release introduced a decal sheet with two markings also but one for Australian (RAAF) and one for the Dutch East Indies, a very popular topic in Matchbox range, probably influenced by the high number of Dutch hobbyists.