1/72 Rareplanes PBM Mariner GR1

[Kiwikitbasher]

Just a brief post now that I've finished Red Roo's beaching gear from their conversion set intended for the Minincraft PBM kit:

The angles where the main legs meet the Rareplanes hull are slightly different to Minicraft's, and the stern gear is too long because this is an area of significant difference between the two kits

As can be seen above, the vertical portion of the where the hull rises to blend with the rear fuselage is quite a bit longer on the Minicraft kit.

Here are some shots of the gear fitted:

Edited April 4, 2016 by Kiwikitbasher

[Pin]

Which of the two do you think is more accurate - Academy/Minicraft or RarePlane ?

[Kiwikitbasher]

Which of the two do you think is more accurate - Academy/Minicraft or RarePlane ?

To be honest Alexey, I haven't agonised over it enough to make a detailed assessment as this was mainly an exercise to build my first vac-form kit and take part in a Gordon Stevens memorial group build. This said, I think Rareplanes may have the edge in accuracy, but is let down by asymmetric mastering faults that is a bi-product of the hand-made nature of the masters, and I understand is commonly found in vac kits (and I know in some older injection kits whose moulds were pantographed off wooden masters).

My first impressions were formed when I had the fuselage halves cut out (pleas refer to page of this post), although I haven't really dwelt on the issue much since then:

1. Minicraft is longer in the rear fuselage.

2. Minicraft has a longer vertical section from the end of the planing hull to the beginning of the rear fuselage.

3. Minicraft cockpit canopy is a lot less rounded in both plan and profile.

4. Minicraft is shallower in the fuselage where the nose and especially the tail turrets sit.

5 Minicraft has a shallower up-sweep to the chine.

At glance, I think Minicraft is better 3 & 5, but less accurate on 1,2 & 4. Also Minicraft has terrible props, tail-plane position issues and missing door and surface detail.

Red Roo has conversion/correction sets that address both major an minor failings of the Minicraft kit, I reviewed two sets on HyperScale some time ago before I had the Minicraft kit:

http://www.hyperscale.com/2014/reviews/accessories/redroorrr7251reviewmd_1.htm

http://www.hyperscale.com/2015/reviews/accessories/redroorrr7257reviewmd_1.htm

Rareplanes' v Minicraft's PBM has been discussed previously on Britmodeller, please see:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234987501-most-accurate-mariner-rareplanes-or-minicraft/

[Kiwikitbasher]

On the home stretch now, with almost just the gun-turrets left to do.

[Ed Russell]

Which of the two do you think is more accurate - Minicraft or RarePlane ?

I think Mark has summed it up correctly. We feel the Rareplanes is more accurate in fuselage depth but we tailored our beaching gear to the Minicraft as that is what we are fixing up.

That's looking extremely good Mark - a great pleasure following your build, warts and all.

[Kiwikitbasher]

Thanks Ed,

Should be finished over the next couple of days if I can find time between doing reviews!

[Kiwikitbasher]

My first vac-form kit is finally finished!

In the end I decided I could not live with the Minicraft mid-upper turret because it's transparency shape seemed so wrong. I spent ages sanding down an an old Airfix Hudson turret transparency but then elected to use the Rareplanes one. It's shape is much better, but the gun slots are too close together, so I had to modify the Minicraft turret structure to accept it. I used the Minicraft nose turret unmodified except I made the canvas gaiters around the gun barrels. I also used the Minicraft rear turret, but it has a horrible join through its centre which I had to hide with spurious framing. From what I can tell, the PBM's turrets had very little framing, being almost entirely perspex.

In truth, the vac-form side of things presented few challenges or frustrations (other than having to scratch-build a master for the canopy and plunge-mould the transparency). A bit of extra work was needed to incorporate Red Roo's conversion set intended for the Minicarft kit, but it w as worth it. I'm not so sure the extra work to use spare Minicraft PBM turrets was worth the extra effort involved because they are not all that accurate in my opinion. The biggest drama was huge patches of paint lifting off after masking, despite priming with auto lacquer primer. An industrial chemist mate of min with a background in paints and plastic moulding said release oils on eh original moulding could have become very hard to remove with age, and that my warm water & detergent wash was probably insufficient to clean them away.

Anyway, thanks to all who persuaded me to carry on when I was ready to bin the project; here's my finished tribute to the late Gordon Stevens as part of a group build on HyperScale:

Edited April 7, 2016 by Kiwikitbasher

[Space Ranger]

Nice work, Mark; Gordon would be proud, I think.

P.S. I only today realized your real identity (from your avatar)! Thanks again for all the info you recently sent.

[Kiwikitbasher]

Thanks Michael.

[Marcus.Q1000859]

Top work Mark, look forward to seeing it in person.

[phildagreek]

Very impressive work!

[Ed Russell]

Very nice job. While I tend to partially agree with you about the Minicraft turret, it's not all that wrong in shape. I can live with it. It wasn't an issue for RAAF ones (transports) but we felt we had to draw a line somewhere with the other conversions and it was at the turret.

[kev67]

Lovely build, you have done yourself proud especially as it is a vacform model, so welcome aboard the vacform band wagon, a great tribute to Gordon Stevens

[Kiwikitbasher]

Very nice job. While I tend to partially agree with you about the Minicraft turret, it's not all that wrong in shape. I can live with it. It wasn't an issue for RAAF ones (transports) but we felt we had to draw a line somewhere with the other conversions and it was at the turret.

Thanks Ed,

I don't blame you - You have to draw the line somewhere, and I suspect many are happy with the kit turrets as I have not read any criticisms of them. I just feel they could have been much better

I also did not like the join seam on Minicraft's turret which would basically be impossible to hide. This said, I will probably use my one when I build my Minicraft PBM, as the more I look at it, the less I care for it - It seems to me that the CAD-work.was done by someone with little no feel for the details and subtleties of the real plane. My feelings may change when I get round to building it, at which time I may try plunge-moulding new turrets to avoid the seams and try to achieve the near frameless look of the originals.

[Kiwikitbasher]

Thanks to all above for your feedback.

[Caerbannog]

Very nice build. It looks great in this livery.

[Roberto]

Modelling at its best, top tier work. Bravo!

[Brandy]

Very impressive. I, for one, am very glad you stuck with it and got it finished.

Ian

[Convair]

I also did not like the join seam on Minicraft's turret which would basically be impossible to hide.

Minicraft has the annoying habit of making turrets in that way. The nose and tail turrets of the Minicraft B-24s are also made with glued seams.

Your Mariner is fantastic. A+++++!

[Kiwikitbasher]

Thanks to everyone who posted above for your feedback, I'm glad you liked it.

[F4u]

Hi Mark,

Just had a nice read through the WIP and what a build, I never had the bottle to do a vac form so a very well done for doing a great job.

The paint and weathering looks very effective so congratulations on a lovely Mariner.

Guy

[Kiwikitbasher]

Thanks Guy, glad you liked it