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Ultimate Soldier, Xtreme Detail 1:18 Scale P-40B Warhawk. Fully finished and assembled plastic display model. Recommended for use as a shelf display piece or as a hanging aircraft. Box to display ready in just a couple of minutes. For teen and adult collectors. Orders placed today, ship today! Taylor is number 316 and Welch 160.
Model Features:
- Rotating propellor
- 90 degree retractable landing gear
- Sliding Canopy (Open or Closed)
- Detailed Cockpit
- Plastic Construction
- Articulating Pilot Included
- For ages 6 and up
- 21" Length
- 25" Wingspan
1:18 scale plastic replica of the P-40B Warhawk. Produced by 21st Century Toys, these aircraft are the historically correct adversaries of our exclusive 1:18 scale Pearl Harbor Zero. To our knowledge, never before have two 1:18 adversaries been positively proven to have been in the same battle.
From 21st Century Toys:
21st Century Toys is pleased to announce the Special Edition 1:18 scale Pearl Harbor P-40s. AREA-21 has learned that both aircraft flown by Lt. Taylor and Lt. Welch will be produced and sold individually as part of a limited run within the same batch. Lt. Taylor and Welch were among a small group of pilots that were able to get into to air to battle against the Japanese during the Pearl Harbor attack, making them some of the first American pilots flying under US colors to do engage in aerial combat during the opening moments of WWII. These P-40s wear the basic U.S. Army Air Corps paint scheme found at both the Wheeler and Hick ham Field airbases in December of 1941.
21st Century Toys has faithfully recreated this moment in our nation's history where brave men fought hard and lost lives during the attack on the Pacific Fleet. These Special Edition P-40's are shipped in a unique box that presents original artwork and brief history about the actions of these two valiant pilots. The estimated release is scheduled for late Jan. to early Feb. in 2007. As Fan Club President I have personally seen a finished production sample and I am pleased to report that they are beautiful airplanes with a nice touch of light weathering included on the classic green and grey U.S. Army paint.
Pearl Harbor Story By Roy Sutherland:
December 7, 1941
At exactly 7:55 in the morning of Sunday December 7, 1941, the US Naval Base at Pearl Harbor was attacked without warning by aircraft of the Japanese Navy, dragging the United States (who had remained uncommitted up to this point) into World War II.
At that moment, two young Army Air Corps 2nd Lieutenants, George Welch and Ken Taylor of the 47th Fighter Squadron, were leaving an all-night party at Wheeler Field, the center for fighter operations in Hawaii. Just ten miles to the south, the Imperial Japanese Navy had launched a meticulously planned attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor.
As the two pilots walked past a field of newly delivered P-40B Tomahawks (which were parked wingtip to wingtip to deter sabotage attempts), unfamiliar airplanes suddenly filled the skies. Japanese D3A Vals and A6M2 Zeros strafed and bombed the parked aircraft and buildings, leaving flaming wreckage in their path.
Driving their car to Haleiwa Air Field at speeds approaching 100 mph, Welch and Taylor survived 3 separate strafing attacks. Without any clearance or knowledge of the enemy situation, they took off with only their .30-caliber guns loaded, and attacked a formation of Val dive-bombers. Welch shot down an enemy aircraft, and Taylor also claimed one. With Welch's P-40 already struck by enemy fire, both pilots turned toward Pearl Harbor. Welch, who’s Tomahawk was now down to one working gun, overtook another Val and sent it down in flames.
Low on ammunition and fuel, the two landed at Wheeler Field to rearm. As they prepared to take off a second time, a wave of Vals escorted by Zeros swept toward them. Launching directly into the enemy formation, Welch quickly shot down two more aircraft. Taylor wound up with a Zero on his tail. Welch chased it off, but not before Taylor was hit in the arm by an enemy bullet. Both returned safely to base.
By the time the Japanese aircraft departed for their carriers, the Pacific Fleet was in ruins. Most of the US military aircraft at Wheeler Field had been destroyed. Luckily, the three American Pacific Fleet Carriers were not in port at the time of the attack.
These two courageous young airmen will be remembered as the first US Army Air Corps pilots to shoot down enemy planes in the Pacific War, and as two of the great heroes of Pearl Harbor. The next four years would be marked by the same courage, skill, and determination displayed by so many untested American pilots during our country's first hour in World War II.
