All the B-25B/C/D questions you wanted to ask

[72modeler]

I was thinking (I know, I know- dangerous!) that maybe this topic might be a good idea, now that the new-tool Airfix kit is on its way. I have attached a link to some interesting photos of the only known surviving B-25B. Not much use as a modeling resource, but might be of interest. A shame her wing spars were cut, leaving a static display aircraft as her only real option. I have also attached a link to a B-25 website that might be interesting/helpful to many of you. Enjoy!
Mike

 

http://b-25history.org/aircraft/402347.htm

 

http://b-25history.org/index.htm

Edited February 10, 2018 by 72modeler
added additional link

[72modeler]

My Airfix B-25's arrived today! Pulled out the sprues and gave them a once over; my initial observations can be found below; when I get a chance, I will do a more serious evaluation. It is a very, very nice kit, and the panel lines look much, much better than those found in  earlier Airfix releases.

 

Both Clayton 'S' exhaust cowlings and single exhaust cowlings are included; kit does not have the B-25B exhaust that has a longer exhaust stack on the LH nacelle for a heat exchanger. The way this part of the kit is engineered, it could be done on a new sprue. IIRC, there was another exhaust arrangement that was used between the B-25B and the late C/D's that had 3-4 stacks clustered in groups around the bottom of the cowling, as in some A-20's, but I don't think it was used much, but I might be wrong. The carburetor intakes are correct for a C/D but not for a B, which had intakes that were more shallow; could be fixed fairly easily  though.

 

Props and hubs are OK, but a little thin in chord; blades do not taper down at the shank like the real thing. Engines have two rows of cylinders and separate crankcase housings- IMHO they re pretty decent renditions of CW R-2600's

 

The way the LH and RH window panels have been engineered, fitting right behind the trailing edge at the root, new panels with waist gun blisters could be done  as part of another sprue. The early single gun tail turret could be done, but would require a different stabilizer assembly and transparency.

 

Transparencies look very good; dorsal Bendix turret looks too tall, but easy to fix; nosecap has a hole for the flexible and for the fixed gun, so a B-25B with the single flexible gun can't be done; another possible extra sprue item; two cockpit transparencies are included; one has the extra windscreen framing on each side; there is an astrodome and two bulged observation windows for the navigator's station; so would need flat replacements for all three for a B-25B.

 

Main landing gear struts fit into a shallow square channel in the top of the wing, and with the amount of nose weight that would have to be packed in, it would be a very good idea to make some sort of diagonal reinforcement; what General Melchett did with his build in this regard would be a smart move, methinks!

 

Deicer boots on the inboard wing sections are correct for a B-25C/D; a B-25B had one longer than the other, so a B model  can't be done from this boxing, but it is an easy fix.

 

I'm just guessing, but an early C could be done with minor revision by Airfix, and also C/D's with strafer noses and/or early package guns, as well as a B model with some additional sprue parts. Not so sure a C/D with waist blisters and tail gun position would be in the cards.

 

Hope this helps- I don't think you could go wrong with this one! Unfortunately for me, the General's build has raised the bar pretty high!

Mike

[Jackson Duvalier]

I'm a bit jealous. I've two on order, yet to arrive. Off to check my e-mail to see if any intelligence is forthcoming.

[72modeler]

Here are some more B-25C/D links that might be useful for those of you planning one as a modeling project. If any of these are repeats, I apologize and will remove them upon request. Enjoy!

Mike

 

https://www.skytamer.com/North_American_B-25C.html

 

http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_bombers/b25_8.html

 

https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=B-25 Mitchell&item_type=topic

 

http://www.nmusafvirtualtour.com/cockpits/WWII_tour/WWII-6.html

 

http://www.nmusafvirtualtour.com/cockpits/WWII_tour/WWII-7.html

 

http://www.nmusafvirtualtour.com/cockpits/WWII_tour/WWII-8.html

 

 

[Don McIntyre]

I've got a pretty extensive walkaround of "Briefing Time," the MAAM's (Mid-Atlantic Air Museum, Reading, PA) B-25J that anyone is welcome to use it for reference material.

 

https://postimg.cc/gallery/233wkr4x8/

 

 

 

https://postimg.cc/gallery/1622pmiss/

 

 

 

 

[72modeler]

Don,

 

She is one the best and most original of all the flying B-25J's. I also took a ton of detail pics, but they are all color slides...does that tell you how long ago it was? (I need to get off my bum and start scanning all my airshow and museum color slides one of these days, but I bet I have several hundred!) Thanks for sharing these. (Stopped raining there, yet?)

Mike

 

[Roman Schilhart]

Can you build a RAF Mitchell III from the box contents without surgery/modifications?

I hope to pick up my Airfix kit soon and have a soft spot for the Invasion Stripes as seen on RAF Mitchells.

I'm aware there will be a RAF boxing from Airfix - later this year - but just can't wait and have decals already.

[Work In Progress]

1 hour ago, Roman Schilhart said:

Can you build a RAF Mitchell III from the box contents without surgery/modifications?

I hope to pick up my Airfix kit soon and have a soft spot for the Invasion Stripes as seen on RAF Mitchells.

I'm aware there will be a RAF boxing from Airfix - later this year - but just can't wait and have decals already.

A Mitchell III is a B-25J, with the different deeper rear fuselage and other differences including upper turret position.

The B-25C/D is basicallly a Mitchell II.

 

But if you want invasion stripes then you probably want a Mitchell II anyway.

See this thread

 

[Roman Schilhart]

21 hours ago, Work In Progress said:

A Mitchell III is a B-25J, with the different deeper rear fuselage and other differences including upper turret position.

The B-25C/D is basicallly a Mitchell II.

 

But if you want invasion stripes then you probably want a Mitchell II anyway.

See this thread

 

 

Yes, Mitchell II, of course!

Thank you for clarification

[chrisrope]

So, are the Techmod RAF decals good to go straight on this kit?

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/TM72017

Great looking kit, I’m just not too inspired by the choice of schemes. 

 

 

 

 

Ta

Chris

[72modeler]

2 hours ago, chrisrope said:

So, are the Techmod RAF decals good to go straight on this kit?

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/TM72017

Great looking kit, I’m just not too inspired by the choice of schemes. 

 

 

 

 

Ta

Chris

Chris,

 

Yes- all of the choices illustrated can be used on the Airfix kit, but be sure to  check the armament and window fit with a photo, if possible, to confirm what is shown on the profiles for the one you want to model. 

Mike

[LanceB]

Some thoughts as I am building the new Airfix kit now, converting it to a PBJ-1D:

 

The kit (well, mine anyway...) includes the flat windows for the navigator's station, as well as what I assume is a B-model nose glazing, only one hole for a flex gun and it is higher on the glazing than the hole for the flexible gun on the C/D nose - which is of course in the box as well as the bulged navigator station windows and astrodome.  So it would seem that if one fixed the short single exhaust part provided (but not for use according to the kit instructions) for the port nacelle, scratched a tail skid, as well as did the deicer mods Mike mentioned, one could build a B-25B out of the box.  The question mark here may be the aft fuselage window arrangement - some on other fora have said the B "may" have been different, however the Accurate Miniatures 1/48 B-25B has the same arrangement as the new Airfix kit, and I do not recall hearing people criticize the AM kit for the window arrangement.

 

I am about done installing the waist gun blisters, cut and modified from a spare Hasegawa B-25 fuselage.  So I must report that it would not be possible for Airfix to offer this option in a future release by simply putting in a new sprue to replace the clear fuselage side bits in the current boxing.  The openings in the kit do not go high enough up the sides to allow for this.  One needs to cut the holes higher, going right up to the panel line that marks where the flat fuselage sides meet the round corners of the roof.  

 

Adding a carefully cut section from the Hasegawa fuselage to the Airfix starboard fuselage was actually pretty straightforward.  The fuselage contours match up quite well.  The port side is more of a challenge, as one need to not only cut an appropriately shaped chunk out of the Hasegawa fuselage, but the section you need from the Hasegawa kit is coming from further aft than the hole you need to put it into on the Airfix fuselage.  The H/J guns were staggered, after all, not directly opposite each other as they were on the C/D/G aircraft that had waist gun positions added.

 

The aft end of the Hasegawa section ends up sitting a tiny bit proud of the fuselage contours, fortunately not much, less than half a millimeter but that is as close as I think anyone would be able to get it without messing up the fit further forward.  So I focused on getting the front edge aligned smoothly, then the top and bottom edges as far back as possible, and sanded the small section aft of the gun position down to match the Airfix contour.  A  bit of bother, but I have seen kits that had worse fit if assembled as the maker designed!

 

But back to the Airfix kit if it were built as Airfix designed: I don't like the copilot's seat.  It is just a seat pan, and looks somewhat like what Hasegawa did when they put a B-25H cannon loader's seat in their B-25J, which should have had a proper copilot's position.  I am not certain if the two seats should be identical or not, but searching online leads me to believe that on the bomber versions the copilot at least had a seat with a proper back on it, and both seats should have armor plate added (something else Hasegawa missed).

Edited March 15, 2018 by LanceB

[Graham Boak]

Would RAF Mitchells, in common with British bombers, be single pilot as opposed to USAAF ones being having two pilots?  As the kit is said to be based on the example in Holland, perhaps that's the explanation of this seat matter.  (But then I don't know anything specific about the example in Holland, other than strongly suspecting that it wasn't an RAF aircraft when it started.)

Edited March 15, 2018 by Graham Boak

[occa]

A note on the co-pilot's seat of the new Airfix kit:

I wouldn't call it just a pan,

It has exactly the same appearance as the pilot's seat, only the back rest is quite shorter.

 

To speak for me it is so far the best 1/72 kit Airfix ever made.

Fine panel lines, lots of small features and details, highly convincing shapes and proportions .....