Revell 1/48 Pv-1 Ventura

[Harvs73]

I picked up two of these kits from Sprue Brothers in the USA for approx $40 delivered each as it served in the RAAF, RZNAF and the RCAF.

You are provided with the following options:

- Wings tanks (not really an option unelss you fill in the holes in the wings)

- full bomb bay

- Gun pack for the nose

You also receive decals for the following variants:

- US Navy PV-1, Bu 48895, Patrol Bombing SQN VP-133, Iwo Jima 1945. Scheme is Flat/Gloss Sea Blue, Intermediate Blue and White.

- US Navy PV-1, Bu 48891, Patrol Bombing SQN VP-135, Attu, Alaska 1945. Scheme is Flat/Gloss Sea Blue, Intermediate Blue and White; and

- RCAF Ventura no 2195, 149BR SQN, Prince Rupert, British Columbia 1943. Scheme is Intermediate Blue uppers and Light Grey underneath.

The kit is very nicely made with minimal clean up required on any parts. I found with test fitting and especialy now glue is getting added that the parts are very well made and lines match and parts fit with minimal clean up. A few points:

- the side windows clear parts are fractionally large for the openings. This was easily remedied by shaving a sliver of plastic from the window on one end.

- the tail unit sat fractionally up on one side and needed a touch of filing to make it fit better. This may have just been me not checking it proprly but it is easily fixed.

- The clear parts are remarkably clear on the kit, to the point that I don't think they REALLY need a dip in One Go. They will probably come up a little better if you do polish them and dip them but I don't beleive that it is needed.

- There is no interior in the main cabin so it will need paint to hide the bare plastic. I have been using Humbrol US iNterior Green enamel.

It looks like there are going to be other versions of this kit produced as there seem to be one or two parts that are not used and could be used for bomber versions or something like that.

All up this is a very nice kit that goes together easily and quickly which also allows you to go to town on detailing if you so desire.

The bomb bay is not getting used so is missing the centre piece and the bombs in this image

The wheel wells comprise the area molded onto the wings and a few extra parts to fill them out. The engine nacelles fit nicely over the top of this and test fitting has shown that they will go on with minimal filler.

This image shows the nose being held on to illustrate how well the lines match up.

This is the kit after working on it this weekend. The wings and nose are sitting not attached yet and the cockpit has to have the last detail paint done to it (seat belts etc):

I will be using some Kits at War Decals to make a SAAF aircraft.

Edited April 5, 2012 by Harvs73

[Mark M]

looking good mate never seen this kit before

[Troy Smith]

looking good mate never seen this kit before

new kit, not out in europe yet, or just out, Feb release date.... been subject of many many threads on Hyperscale Plane talking!

cheers

T

[pacificmustang]

but what about all that half finished stuff in the background????

[Harvs73]

Alas due to the lovely weather we have had here in Brisbane for the last few weeks I have been unable to work on them as they are all up to the airbrushing stage. I can't do the airbrushing in the house as my wife gets upset (damn allergies) and if I do it in the garage with the door open I get chewed to pieces by the mosquitos, the humidity also mucks up some of the paintjobs as well. Now the weather is getting better I can work on them - hooray!!!!

[pacificmustang]

Ah, yes, the humidity, Don't miss that at all Harvs, and you're right, it pretty much bought painting to a halt, wonder if someone will do markings for Whitlam's a/c?

Regards

Bruce

[jimbuna]

Nice start.

[MikeR]

Coming along nicely!

Mike.

[Harvs73]

A few more images of the progress:

The kit engines without anything done to them, I think they could be good without extra detailing.

As has been reported by a number of others, there is a scratch across the canopy that needs polishing out, this is a manufacturer fault and shouldn't be there in the first place. The yellow line shows the rough positioning of the line on the outside of the canopy.

A few more images with the engines on and a few extra bits added.

One frustrating part is the brittle plastic that the kit is made of, despite being careful I stil managed to take chunks out of wing edges and leave marks on the clear parts.

[Harvs73]

A bit of a combined update:

All main parts are on and sanded. I have hit it with MR Surfacer 1200 to see if there are any flaws. If it wasn't raining so much I would have given it the first part of its paint job.

I have painted the sides and when I went to paint the upper surfaces I discovered that the Model Master Acrylic I was going to use had gone off so I had to change my plans and do the black undersides.

Whilst I was airbrushing the model I remembered that it would most likely have de-icers on the leading edges so I did the wongs. Unfortunately it turns out the tail planes have them as well so I had to hand brush the black on there.

Here it is with Humbrol Hu 144 on the sides, Humbrol Hu33 underneath and Testors Model Master 1718 Flat Sea Blue FS35042 on the top. I am going to put the decals on first then weather it. I now have to work out the mix to weather the top Flat Sea Blue(FSB), maybe add some white to the mix or use the MM FS15042 Dk Sea Blue which is a bit lighter and 'bluer' than the FSB.

[christof]

Looking good. Seen a few being picked up at model shows.

Christof

[Silver Fox]

Great looking work, I'm looking forward to seeing this one finished.

With all the discussion aboout shape and detail sets it is nice to see what a great model can be made staight from the box. Thank you for posting.

[smuts]

Nice work, & it looks a really nice kit too

Andy