Dermo245 Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 (edited) Hey everyone, Well the Group Builds seem to be coming thick and fast these days! I've always wanted to do a B-25, probably since first seeing the Airfix kit back in the day - remember that? 3 kit options in 1 box! Fantastic stuff. With it being the 75th Anniversary of the Doolittle Raid this year, I thought it was appropriate to do something marking one of the most amazing feats in aviation...flying a big twin medium bomber off an aircraft carrier. This kit, bought many years ago online from a hobby shop in Italy And this scheme... Probably mostly OOB all the way and will have some fun. Good luck with your builds! Cheers, Dermot Edited November 14, 2017 by Dermo245 photos fixed 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jb65rams Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Good choice. Built a couple of these a few years ago for the Bomber GB. It is a tailsitter and needs a lot of weight up front. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted July 26, 2017 Share Posted July 26, 2017 Welcome to the GB Dermot . It will be particularly nice to have commemorative build. Cliff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted July 26, 2017 Share Posted July 26, 2017 Started that kit many years ago but never finished it. It will be nice to see a finished one Dermot 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyTiger66 Posted July 26, 2017 Share Posted July 26, 2017 I've been looking for this kit at a sensible price for a couple of years Dermot; it's not easy to find. Really looking forward to seeing how it goes together; great choice of subject . Best regards TonyT 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prenton Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 I'll pull up a chair for this one, if you don't mind, Dermot Philip 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davek72 Posted August 11, 2017 Share Posted August 11, 2017 Watching with interest Dermot. Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomBigStu Posted August 11, 2017 Share Posted August 11, 2017 Also watching see how this kit goes togethor 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dermo245 Posted August 20, 2017 Author Share Posted August 20, 2017 (edited) So a quick pic of what's in the box.. Made a start on the cockpit.. And with some paint. I also added some boxes to the sidewalls to make them a bit more interesting. Cheers, Dermot Edited August 20, 2017 by Dermo245 photos fixed 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dermo245 Posted September 8, 2017 Author Share Posted September 8, 2017 (edited) So a bit more on this one..some belts and cushions for the cockpit and a new seat for the bombardier. And the start of lots of weight under & behind the cockpit! Front end painted up and with belts too. Cockpit added. The bulkhead behind the cockpit wasn't there on B-25's but it's with the kit and handy for hiding the weight back there. I also made a little box to include some more weight. Fuselage joined up which fitted quite well though there were gaps around where the wings met the fuselage. Some more weight added to the front of the engines - these are fishing weights held in place with white glue. And the moment of truth - we have a nose-sitter! A quick test fit with the vertical tails showed it needed some more weight so I added this to the engines and under the bombardier's floor Off for some primer next. Thanks for looking! Dermot Edited September 8, 2017 by Dermo245 Flickr fixes on a Friday 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted September 10, 2017 Share Posted September 10, 2017 It's always very satisfying when nose-weighting works Cliff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mancunian airman Posted September 10, 2017 Share Posted September 10, 2017 Excellent progress. I used the weights associated with wheel balancing only because they were flat and sat easily under the cockpit section . . . Would I be right in thinking that they carried no guns or ammo to save weight but carried additional fuel in jerry cans which they threw out once emptied ?? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_W Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 On 10/09/2017 at 09:08, Mancunian airman said: Excellent progress. I used the weights associated with wheel balancing only because they were flat and sat easily under the cockpit section . . . Would I be right in thinking that they carried no guns or ammo to save weight but carried additional fuel in jerry cans which they threw out once emptied ?? Apparently they used painted broom handles in the gun positions. It is one of the few things they got right in "Pearl Harbour"... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dermo245 Posted September 13, 2017 Author Share Posted September 13, 2017 (edited) On 9/10/2017 at 9:08 AM, Mancunian airman said: Enllent progress. I used the weights associated with wheel balancing only because they were flat and sat easily under the cockpit section . . . Would I be right in thinking that they carried no guns or ammo to save weight but carried additional fuel in jerry cans which they threw out once emptied ?? 2 hours ago, John_W said: Apparently they used painted broom handles in the gun positions. It is one of the few things they got right in "Pearl Harbour"... Yep, spot on John. Apparently they also painted black stripes on the tail cone to give the impression the broom handles could move up and down! @Mancunian airman Other modifications included removing the radios, Norden bomb sight and the ventral turret. They kept the Bendix top turret but it was prone to hydraulics issues and had a nasty tendency to stress the fuselage skin when fired on low elevation - they added a metal sheet to help with that. They also got deicer boots added to the wings, a 160 gallon rubber fuel bag tank; ten 5-gallon fuel cans; and a 225 gallon tank in the bomb bay. I can highly recommend Craig Nelson's The First Heroes which is a great read about the training, the crews, the raid itself and the aftermath. Edited September 13, 2017 by Dermo245 typos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dermo245 Posted November 8, 2017 Author Share Posted November 8, 2017 (edited) So a bit more done on this one, all with Revell acrlics and a brush. Grey for the undersurfaces and Nato Olive Green for the sides and upper. When that was done, I masked up and painted the de-icer boots, Revell Matt Black. Italeri 1_72_B-25B_fuselage_9_paint by Because I wanted to make sure I didn't have a tail sitter, I left off the clear nose part so I could mask it separately and add some more weight under the floor. Unfortunately when I went to fit it, it was too wide all around for the fuselage. The cockpit glass also seems too wide when test fitting. I think a small shim in the fuselage nose might help spread the sides a little wider so that you get a more positive fit - anyone who built the old Airfix Sea King will know this one! After a couple of rounds of filling and sanding to try and blend the nose as best I could. Italeri 1_72_B-25B_fuselage_10_paint by Italeri 1_72_B-25B_fuselage_11_paint by And with some paint on......a little better. I'll reinstate the raised detail with some pencil panel lines and should hopefully look better when it gets a coat of Klear on top. Italeri 1_72_B-25B_fuselage_12_paint by Italeri 1_72_B-25B_fuselage_13_paint by Thanks for looking. Dermot Edited November 8, 2017 by Dermo245 text linking to images 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dermo245 Posted November 13, 2017 Author Share Posted November 13, 2017 And with the new paintwork glossed up so I can get to the decals...all 10 of them. And with the decals and final glass bits added. As most of the detail is raised, I went over that with a pencil to show up for the panel lines. From pics I've seen, the mission a/c were quite worn/weathered so I tried to fade the upper surfaces by drybrushing with a slightly lighter shade of the main colour (which is Revell Nato Olive green). She also has a Flory Models wash for the recessed detail. Flat coat next and we're done. Cheers, Dermot 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whirly Posted November 14, 2017 Share Posted November 14, 2017 Very nice Dermot, I like the look of the Mitchell and the Italeri kit is not that bad despite its age. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dermo245 Posted November 14, 2017 Author Share Posted November 14, 2017 (edited) And with final parts added, she's done. The drybrushing was toned down quite a bit by the final matt coat. Overall, happy how it's gone together and looks like a Mitchell, especially as it's a kit from the 80s. The masking could have been better (lesson learned) and for hairy sticks, I'm happy with the finish. Will post some more pics in the Gallery, thanks to the CliffB and Milktrip for leading an excellent, Radial-lovers GB and appreciate all your comments! Cheers, Dermot Edited November 14, 2017 by Dermo245 Fixing photo links 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted November 15, 2017 Share Posted November 15, 2017 Nice work Dermot, looks great. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted November 15, 2017 Share Posted November 15, 2017 Looks great. One question: are the propellers painted black or are they grey? In the photos, they look like unpainted plastic. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dermo245 Posted November 16, 2017 Author Share Posted November 16, 2017 13 hours ago, dogsbody said: Looks great. One question: are the propellers painted black or are they grey? In the photos, they look like unpainted plastic. Chris Cheers Chris. I painted them Revell Panzer Grey (same as the tyres) as I felt black would be too black if you know what I mean? I weathered the edges with some drybrushed aluminium. It's hard to tell from the original 1942 pics....they're probably black. But definitely no yellow tips, that's clear from the pics. All the best, Dermot 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimrod54 Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 That's a really nice build Dermo, I like the detail painting around the cockpit and nose. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberto Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 Lovely work! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qn30jEkPz7 Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 That looks very fine indeed 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mancunian airman Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 Great finish. Would that be a Martin Electrical top turret ?? Ian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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