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Found 16 results

  1. Hello Everybody, Hello !!! Still cleaning the waiting room, there are no doomed kit in CC's castle....🧹🧹 Here's a relevant proof !! Back in 1987, a young and dauntless CC started this.... Can't show the box art since the box did'nt exist any longer... I just hope that ther will not be too much parts missing.... The curse for that kit is that I bought the Verlinden book about it.... I then think that I cannot build it out of box.... Too much flaws.... I already was ambitious at the time being.... I then bought the Verlinden kit..... I never used any resin and PE parts.... Then IRL has been shaky, I moved 3 times, founded a family (for the 2nd time) When I restarted modelling, around 2003, I dismantled the A-10... Mumble about myself for buying the Verlinden kit which is good only for that.... And the poor A-10 returned to the waiting room.... I then found the subject I wanted to reproduce...🦈🦈 Bought the Eduard PE set to replace some broken parts.... A friend of mine lend me his Trumpeter kit and I did that.... The gun... the turbofan are from Quickboost, inherited from another modeller friend.... Aaaaand back to the waiting room once again.... I gave some Verlinden parts to a friend of mine who did the Italeri one.... Last year, I finished the F-84F started at the same era.... It was in the last century after all.... And since that day, everytime I open my modelling cabinet, I hear the sobbing of my poor warthog !!! I'm not a monster.... His days are back.... I was not painting too badly at the time being..... Well, let's see what I can do with all this mess..... The kit has been THE testbed of some techniques.... There will be a lot of work to repair my own goofs.... Now, since I signed up for the BM family... I will have some support... Wish me good luck, I'll need it.... Sincerely. CC
  2. My possible final one, 1/48 Monogram P-47D Razorback [/url If theres time I may try to do one more, a the Superbolts sibling, the XP-47H . But I', still wrapping my head around doing that on. It's a Poor resin casting that will need ALOT of work before even attempting assembly. So I'll start with the "easy" ones first.
  3. By December 1943 Japanese troops had long since abandoned the Aleutian Islands. Instead, fog, coldness, solitude and boredom prevailed at the US Navy camp on Attu. It was under these conditions that the Vought floatplanes of Cruiser Divison One carried out endless patrols in search of submarines or the occasional Japanese recce intruder. This Kingfisher was of the final OS2U-3 variant, manufactured in 1941 and camouflaged in the early Blue Gray over Light Gray. Overpainted during 1943 with the tri-colour scheme this faded quickly in the harsh environment of the North Pacific. Not what you think! Built from the 1967 Monogram kit, obviously not OOB but AAA+ (all available aftermarket plus considerable scratch work), it was my contribution to the 'Salty Sea Dog' GB, a very appropriate title in view of this Kingfisher's appearance. I hope you enjoy the WIP here and the pictures. REFERENCES NAVY AIR COLORS VOL.1, DOLL / JACKSON / RILEY, CARROLLTON, 1983 THE OFFICIAL MONOGRAM US NAVY & MARINE CORPS AIRCRAFT COLOR GUIDE VOL.2, JOHN M. ELLIOTT, STURBRIDGE, 1989 OS2U KINGFISHER, IN ACTION NO.119, DON GREER / PERRY MANLEY, CARROLLTON, 1991 PACIFIC WAR EAGLES IN ORIGINAL COLOR, JEFFREY ETHELL / WARREN BODIE, FRONT ROYAL, 1997 US NAVY AIRCRAFT CAMOUFLAGE & MARKINGS 1940-1945, THOMAS E. DOLL, CARROLLTON, 2003 U.S. NAVY FLOATPLANES OF WORLD WAR II, IN ACTION NO.203, AL ADCOCK, CARROLLTON, 2006 VOUGHT OS2U KINGFISHER, AIRCRAFT PICTORIAL 3, DANA BELL, TUCSON, 2010 VOUGHT OS2U KINGFISHER, WARPAINT SERIES NO.111, KEV DARLING, BLETCHLEY, 2017 OS2U KINGFISHERS IN THE ALEUTIANS, JEFF GROVES, 2019 (https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2019/02/13/os2u-kingfishers-in-the-aleutians/)
  4. My groupbuild challenge will be this worn OS2U-3 Kingfisher. Doesn't it look like the proverbial 'Salty Sea Dog'? The background of floatplane No.3 is inconclusive. I found various suggestions in my references* - – According to Darling 2017 p.29 and Groves 2019 the photo above shows the aircraft being launched from the light cruiser USS Detroit (CL-8). – A different picture in Darling 2017 p.21 locates it at Kodiak, Alaska, while that same picture in Ethell/Bodie 1997 was alledgedly taken in the Aleutian Islands. – The caption of this colour profile by Richard J. Caruana in Darling 2017 claims that it was flown by Lt Steve Corneliussen of VCS-1 aboard USS Detroit in the Aleutians. Pilot name and squadron are questionable - all VCS had already been disbanded by December 1941 - as had the blue-gray/light gray colour scheme. We'll come to that later (see Frame 11). After considering markings, historical circumstances and more pictures I concluded that No.3 operated in the Aleutians in late 1943 either as contingent of Cruiser Division One (Dana Bell here) which was active around Attu Island at that time, or as part of a VS-56 detachment from Kodiak, Alaska. * REFERENCES NAVY AIR COLORS VOL.1, DOLL / JACKSON / RILEY, CARROLLTON, 1983 THE OFFICIAL MONOGRAM US NAVY & MARINE CORPS AIRCRAFT COLOR GUIDE VOL.2, JOHN M. ELLIOTT, STURBRIDGE, 1989 OS2U KINGFISHER, IN ACTION NO.119, DON GREER / PERRY MANLEY, CARROLLTON, 1991 PACIFIC WAR EAGLES IN ORIGINAL COLOR, JEFFREY ETHELL / WARREN BODIE, FRONT ROYAL, 1997 US NAVY AIRCRAFT CAMOUFLAGE & MARKINGS 1940-1945, THOMAS E. DOLL, CARROLLTON, 2003 U.S. NAVY FLOATPLANES OF WORLD WAR II, IN ACTION NO.203, AL ADCOCK, CARROLLTON, 2006 VOUGHT OS2U KINGFISHER, AIRCRAFT PICTORIAL 3, DANA BELL, TUCSON, 2010 VOUGHT OS2U KINGFISHER, WARPAINT SERIES NO.111, KEV DARLING, BLETCHLEY, 2017 OS2U KINGFISHERS IN THE ALEUTIANS, JEFF GROVES, 2019 (https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2019/02/13/os2u-kingfishers-in-the-aleutians/) Frame 1 ‒ Kit review Monogram's 1967 product will be my third US Navy model for a recent groupbuild after the SB2U-3 Vindicator (Bomber/Strike/Ground Attack GB - here) and the F4F-3 Wildcat (Revell-Monogram Classic GB - here). It's still the only Kingfisher in quarterscale. My kit comes in the 1999 Revell Monogram boxing. Let's start with comparing the mouldings to a scale drawing: Main wing, stabilisers, wheels and prop have the correct size and shape. The fuselage appears 1.5 mm too short (the cockpit needs to move forward to correct this), and the EDO float is not deep enough. Fortunately there are a couple of cooperative producers that have developed excellent upgrades, namely Cutting Edge, from whom I acquired most modification parts while they were still available, and Flightline Engineering. Separate floats, cowling and engine and a full resin cockpit will help improve my build. Frame 2 ‒ Fuselage preparation The first basic operations conditioned the Monogram fuselage for aftermarket treatment - - Cut away float - Sawed off cowling - Extended cockpit cutout forward by 1.5 mm and leveled humps in front - Removed pins etc. inside fuselage - Sanded incorrect panel lines - Drilled rigging holes - Added various small panels - Primed, riveted and merged fuselage halves Frame 3 ‒ Pilot's cockpit Interior photos in most publications are based on early Kingfisher versions or museum exhibits. My aftermarket items, therefore, don't in part represent combat equipment. All cockpit elements are from Cutting Edge (CEC 48300) and were modified as follows - (I wonder how the pilot found enough space in there to steer the aircraft...) - Drilled and thinned instrument panel - Opened bulkhead structure, removed headrest, bored and glazed round window - Different (= armoured) seat from spares box, added head armour and seat belts - Detailed cockpit with miscellaneous odds and ends - Painted interior with two shades of Dark Dull Green (cf. Vindicator chapter 3) Frame 4 ‒ Observer's cockpit On to the rear compartment - - Opened rear shelf frame structure - Repositioned life raft (already done here - initially moulded across the rack) - Added ammo boxes and rudder bars - Embellished gunner's swivel mount - Detailed machine gun (Air Master 48-029 gun barrel) Frame 5 ‒ Fuselage assembly Integrating the aftermarket parts was a real pleasure. All Cutting Edge cockpit components could be eased in through the open front which was much better than fixing them to one of the fuselage halves. With very minor adjustments they fit perfectly inside the fuselage. I had Squadron 9542 aftermarket canopies in my stash but needed a second batch in order to segment the elements for which I bought the Falcon set No.7. Both products are identical and, after meticulous cutting, matched nicely. Other improvements - Frame 6 ‒ Powerplant The Pratt & Whitney R-985 came from Engine & Things, who are now closed for business. Not as delicate as a Vector replacement it can still be crafted into a decent looking engine. The cowling (unmindfully placed upside down on the left photo) and the bulkhead are Cutting Edge parts (CEC 48301). - Pruned cylindre heads to fit the cowling and added ignition harness and pushrods - Detailed the Monogram prop with pitch actuators and a front plate from the spares box - Installed surplus exhausts from my Vindicator kit (with sleeves cut from a plastic straw) - Reduced bulkhead rim depth to match original profile - Patched up cursory oil tank & cooler on the bulkhead (barely visible inside cowling) Frame 7 ‒ Main float As mentioned earlier the Monogram float (1) is too shallow and Cutting Edge's CEC 48317 aftermarket float (2) turned out to be frustratingly short. So I invested again and bought the excellent substitute from Flightline Engineering* (3). The 3D-printed part rests on two dozen support sticks that leave as many small dents on the bottom that I puttied and sanded. * Many thanks to Mark Buchler from Flightline Engineering who sold me the float apart from the full Kingfisher set. Removing the wire fairings (as per original photo of Kingfisher No.3) and drilling rigging holes made it easy to root the wires inside the hollow two-piece float. (Right picture after priming). Frame 8 ‒ Wing preparation It looks like the wing distinguishes itself as the most onerous piece of work. Monogram wants it to be put through the fuselage as a whole, but the slot is now partly obstructed by the cockpit. Cutting Edge provides a custom-made 'wing spar', a smart solution that still requires careful cutting and positioning - More upper wing detail - Frame 9 ‒ Landing flaps Monogram's simplistic lower wing is moulded with integral control surfaces whereas the real Kingfisher had slotted flaps and ailerons with quite a gap to the main wing panel (2-3 mm in 1/48). Separating the parts with a cutter was hard physical work due to the thick granite-like plastic of 1967 (I didn't use the Dremel saw for fear of an uneven separation line). Note the Salmon-coloured primer showing through the light gray flap interior Further improvements of the lower surface - - Wing interior lining (curved paper strip reinforced with white glue) - Landing flap internal structure and aileron ribs (inserted small shapes of robust paper) - Aileron leading edge contour (paper strip and filler) - Restored landing light (scratched) - Holes for wing tip struts in a corrected position You will observe that I work a lot with (different grades of) paper and cardboard. In my inventory it's a ubiquitous, flexible material, quickly cut to shape and made resistive with glue. ... and again: scribing, priming, riveting Frame 10 ‒ Auxiliary floats & Tailplane Having the choice between the original Monogram wing tip floats and those from Cutting Edge I decided to stay with the kit's parts. Their shape is closer to the real thing, the surface rendition is a little more structured and the struts are easier to fix. Nevertheless, there remain a few issues to be corrected - - Struts separated to reduce spacing and match wing panel lines (see Frame 9) - Front struts shortened by 1.0 mm to get a tilted sit - Strut-float connection strengthened with a PE strip / metal pin - other modifications as shown in the graphic The tailplane asked for a few actions, too - - Repaired a couple of sink marks on the underside of the stabilisers - Deepened hinge line and added hinges - Primed parts and scribed panel lines Frame 11 ‒ Ready to paint? Completed sub-assemblies laid out for the next step(s) - We first need to unravel the mystery of which camouflage colours had been used on this Kingfisher. After careful study of the picture at the top of the post and the similarly weathered specimen below I chance the following assumptions - – All OS2U-3 were factory-painted in US Navy Blue Gray upper and non-specular Light Gray under surfaces as per Commander Aircraft, Battle Force directive of August 20, 1941 (Bell 2010). – Specification SR-2c of January 5, 1943 directed that all aircraft be painted in the new tri-color (actually four-color) camouflage scheme (Elliott 1989). This included aircraft already in service. Since my model is dated end of 1943, it was certainly subject to the change. This is further corroborated by the stars-and-bars with a red border implemented after June 28, 1943. – While the photos suggest that the underside was re-painted in non-specular Insignia White it can be conjectured whether the Blue Gray was actually replaced by non-specular Intermediate Blue on the fuselage sides and floats. – The top wing and float surfaces show a strongly degraded (glossy) Sea Blue coat which was either bleached by salt water and/or washed away so that the original Blue Gray re-appeared. Frame 12 ‒ Adding colour From theory to practice - I try to reproduce these variations using the following paints: – ColourCoats ACUS06 USN Blue Gray left over from my recent Wildcat build, slightly adjusted to represent intermediate blue or (a re-surfaced) blue-gray or a washed-out sea blue (thus covering all possibilities). – Mr. Color Spray 14 Navy Blue for the faded sea blue areas on the airframe top surfaces blended into blue gray. – Pigments for further contrast conforming with the photos. – Finally, a wash of white oil colour to make the sea dog saltier. Here is the first couple of parts in the salty sea dog dress - Treatment of the bottom half is less elaborate: Alternate coats of Mr. Color Spray 97 Light Gray and Tamiya TS27 Matt White, applied in thin layers over white primer until an off-white hue emerges. Next I finished the wing's upper surface camouflage. Some colour detail and an oil wash will come later. The outrigger floats are not fixed yet. Rummaging in my archive I found an unused 25+ year old Super Scale decal sheet (48-342) with the four over-sized stars I needed. My surprise and bliss were even greater when the decals behaved marvellously after so many years. Now back to assembly... Frame 13 ‒ Float meets fuselage I was afraid that the unlucky number brought evil upon this critical phase in the build, but eventually it seems to have worked well. I spent considerable time and brainpower - if I ever had any - on preparing this step. What appeared so complicated? (The half-finished beaching gear is just pushed in to steady the float for the picture) (1) Pin holes had to be drilled in the right places, and the float had to be firmly fixed and vertically adjusted. It helped that Flightline Engineering did an excellent job with calibrating the pylons to the curvature of the fuselage. I had arranged for the centre pylon to bear the main load of the connection via a metal pin with counter-ring (see Frame 7). (2) The rigging had to be entered into the equation. There were double wires on each side of the first two pylons. As on my biplanes I prefer structural (as against cosmetic) rigging. Firstly, real wires look more authentic than 'PE cables' for instance, and secondly they yield a stronger tie. Rigging holes and room for linking the wires were already factored in when I worked on the fuselage. The whole contraption is rock-solid now. The sea blue top coat had to wait for the bulkhead which in turn had to wait until rigging was complete, which means we're coming to final assembly now. Frame 14 ‒ From assembly to detail Another long session later the main airframe components have been connected. They conformed surprisingly well and only small corrections were wanted. I went straight into some detail on the fuselage - ... and on the underside - * Dana Bell spotted factory drawings that describe this rig as a target tow fitting. Since my Kingfisher operated in a war zone I consider it possible that the device was also used to tow sonobuoys for instance, stowed in two tubular containers behind the observer's position (see Frame 4). ... and a few more on top - Finally - canopy, prop, pitot tube and antenna, and... Frame 15 ‒ The salty sea dog is completed Visit the gallery now.
  5. Hello dames and Gents !! Not my best one for sure but I'm glad to have finished it.... First, I want to thank my friend @Dunny for the decals !! Here we are Roger !! That was the box.... The decals were worn and unusable... As I started the kit and 3 other Eduard P-39, I modify and improve the old Monogram one.... Engraved it too but the plastic fought back, so many parts broken... and repaired... So let's go to Port Moresby It surely would have been easier to build it from the box but... The original was flown by Lt E. Whal from 39th FS in New Guinea ! Paint are a Gunze basis but brewed with the help of old Eyeball Mk II and a half to have a rendition of the Du Pont paints... Since this P-400 was intended to get sent in U.K I will add more pics tomorrow if the weather permit it !! Comments are welcome as usual... Bantering is mandatory !! Sincerely. CC
  6. Hello Dears, Here we go again in Korea, it look like I got a bunch with Korean war... Moons ago, I was in touch with Dave Klaus, I was a fan of Meteor productions... Dave's uncle was Cdr Gary M. Witters, a Skyraider pilot from VF-194.... Amazing is'nt it ?? The Skyraider was so amazing that it has equipped some FIGHTER Squadrons.... Nonetheless, they carried bombs too... So, let's go back in May 1953 aboard USS Boxer. The kit is the old Monogram one, heavily modified.... I should have used the resin kit but I choose another path... I sanded all the armour plating since at the time being, AD-4NA did'nt carried it, or sometimes only part of it... AD-4NA ??? It's an AD-4N from which all the night fighting apparatus has been removed... That's why, this one has the side doors but painted over.... AD-4 from late blocks carried the 4X 20mm guns, and all the 4NA has been retrofitted to carry it... The large air scoop on the spine is still from the night fighting version Ventral and inner wing bomb racks are from the ancient model... The engine cowling has been enlarged too, because the original one was clearly undersized... As usual, the cockpit has been clearly enhanced.... Bombs came from an armament boxing from accurate miniatures, since the original bombs were Mk 82 from Viet Nam era.... And whatever, all the external loads from the original kit can get to the spare box... it is either undersized or wrongly shaped.... Now, that yellow thing under the outboad pylon???? It's a rescue canister, Admiral Jocko Clark insisted that one over every four aicrafts have to carry this rescue pack... Even if it's not perfect, I'm quite glad of this conversion mostly done with putty and sanding... Glad too to give a new life to another old kit !! More to come tomorrow, outside and family pics... It's up to you now Gents !! Comments are welcome, banter is mandatory !! For the one interested in my Skyraider lunacies, here's the link Sincerely. CC
  7. While waiting for pieces to dry on my Frogfoot, I'm going to throw cation to the wind and start another project for this build. And since I'm in Soviet bloc mode might as well start Monogram's 1/48 Mil-24 Hind D I know I'll have to do some modifications and corrections but hopefully it won't be too hateful
  8. A-72 Péronne Airfield on December 23, 1944 - 0715h - Checks completed ... starting engines It was in 2000 when I stumbled over this Monogram kit in my stash which I had long put off because I had no idea of how to make the rather big model more exciting. And to be exciting it deserved. I have liked the Marauder since my early days because it looks very smart, probably the smartest of all US medium and heavy bombers. Somehow I had the inspiration that this model would lend itself to electrification. The spacious bomb bay, the large engine nacelles and the easy access to the various points of illumination made it an ideal object for such an experiment. 0740h - Awaiting take-off clearance ... Target: Rail bridge at Eller, Germany I installed two electric circuits (1.5V for the engines - 3V for the lights) which are fed by two batteries in the bomb bay. The navigation lights, landing lights and both engines can be activated separately or in unison by the dorsal turret turning a switch in the rear fuselage. The model was built with a few accessories like landing flaps, wheels, machine gun barrels, canopies and metal Pratt & Whitneys from Hi-Tech. These with the electric motors behind them - their shafts reaching through the engines - are heavy enough to hold the nose firmly down on the ground. In the end I was delighted that everything matched so well. 0850h - Passing over the Ardennes ... trying to avoid trouble Missouri Mule II was a B-26B-55-MA of the 9th Air Force's 596th BS, 397th BG ('Bridge Busters'), assigned to 1/Lt George W. Parker and crew. After relocating from Rivenhall to the continent X2-M completed at least 93 missions before it was lost in a take-off accident with a different crew on April 6, 1945. 1/Lt Parker is second from right I hope my pictures live up to the perfect shape of this plane. Michael 1105h - Mission accomplished - we were lucky ... 10 group aircraft lost (3 to AA - 7 to fighters) REFERENCES MARTIN B-26B & C MARAUDER, PROFILE PUBLICATIONS NO.112, RAY WAGNER, LEATHERHEAD THE 9TH AIR FORCE IN WORLD WAR II, KENN C. RUST, FALLBROOK, 1970 B-26 MARAUDER AT WAR, ROGER A. FREEMAN, NEW YORK, 1977 B-26 MARAUDER, AIRCRAFT IN ACTION NO.50, STEVE BIRDSALL, CARROLLTON, 1981 B-26 MARAUDER UNITS OF THE EIGHTH AND NINTH AIR FORCES, OSPREY COMBAT AIRCRAFT 2, JERRY SCUTTS, LONDON, 1997 THE MARTIN B-26 MARAUDER, J.K. HAVENER, ST. PETERSBURG, 1998
  9. The final example of this year-long modelling journey is again a recent refurbishment of an old Monogram model which I built in 1984. It's the most radical upgrade that I have undertaken on any of my P-51 classics so far. U'VE HAD IT! P-51B-10-NA G4-H 42-106462 Capt John B. England 357th FG 362nd FS F-373 Leiston June 1944 "Hey dude, can't we move the cart any closer?" - A close-up of the fuel trailer here This was Johnny England's second P-51B in which he scored at least three of his impressive 17.5 confirmed victories making him the second-ranking ace in the 357th FG. He served two tours with the group, became 362nd Squadron CO and survived the war. When England received a P-51D in July 1944, G4-H was re-assigned as G4-Y and participated in the shuttle mission to Russia flown by Flt Lt Eric Wooley, an RAF exchange pilot. On 4th October the fighter's life ended when its tail broke off during a training flight with Lt Richard I. Potter. The tale of his hair-raising escape from the plunging wreck is told in Merle Olmsted's excellent history of the 357th FG. This source, however, offers a different cause for the demise of 42-106462 according to which it was salvaged from battle damage (and thus not involved in the accident?). Whatever the fate, one more distinguished Mustang disappeared from the roster. In order to restore and upgrade my original model I replaced many parts with aftermarket items, such as exhausts (Ultracast), windshield (Squadron), tailwheel (Tamiya) and housing (Quickboost), landing gear (SAC), wheels (Brassin), bomb racks (Tamiya) and 108 gal tanks (Monogram P-51D). In addition several PE parts were used for internal and external improvement. The biggest modification was to disembowel the fuselage, cut off the molded section behind the headrest and open the radiator exit in order to insert a revised cockpit left over from my group build Tamiya P-51C (see here). To my relief it slid in perfectly. Comparing the fuselage shapes of Monogram and Tamiya (in this case the Loon Models replica) underlines the remarkable workmanship of the Monogram kit released in 1967! U'VE HAD IT! during restoration compared with the finished fuselage of LUCKY LEAKY II (Tamiya / Loon Models) The half-painted Mustangs of the 357th FG sported one of the most attractive finishes in the Eighth Air Force, more so in combination with full invasion stripes*. As principal colours I took Tamiya TS-17 Gloss Aluminium and Tamiya XF-81 RAF Green with some pre-shading and lightly oversprayed with TS-2 Dark Green under a clear coat. The decals are A48-003 from AMDG which needed only very small corrections but due to the extremely thin carrier film demanded full concentration to avoid crumpling. A 'zebra-stripe' perspective... I hope you enjoyed this topic which now concludes my venture into P-51 modelling for a while. I have added this latest creation to my Eighth Air Force collection here. Thanks for visiting, Michael * A couple of considerations for the 357th FG aficionado: There are different opinions about the origin of the half-paint scheme and the type of green used. Reference (2) claims that those Mustangs had been OD/NG before the colour was removed from the lower half. I don't think this is true. Serial numbers 42-106... were allocated to P-51B-10-NA's delivered in bare metal. The upper surfaces would have been painted upon arrival at the 357th FG (probably with RAF Dark Green). The picture w/o invasion stripes (as displayed above) supports my assumption: The demarcations running along the fuselage and wing roots are too sharp to be the result of stripping; the green colour is wrapped around the leading edge of the wing; and the tip of the code 'G4' that reaches into the camouflage has a silver background from masking, i.e. the black letters had been there before. It wouldn't make sense to first strip the B-models and then give D-models a full camouflage two months later. The half-paint job apparently was an interim solution for silver birds. The nose chequers, besides being a challenge to apply, present the bean (-er- square) counter with a puzzle that I haven't found discussed before. All my decal sheets for the 357th provided 20 squares all-around. A close look at photos however reveals that there were only 18 squares (16 in a few cases), in symmetrical or asymmetrical order. The latter separated the rows along the centreline of the nose resulting in a reversed sequence of colours on the opposite side. After some research I concluded that G4-H was chequered asymmetrically. Firstly, this is what ensued when I applied the squares according to the picture using a 6x6" standard and secondly, it is reflected by photos of G4-P JOAN, a contemporary P-51B, for which pictures of both sides exist. REFERENCES (1) TO WAR WITH THE YOXFORD BOYS, MERLE C. OLMSTED, HAMILTON, 2004 (2) MUSTANG ACES OF THE 357th FIGHTER GROUP, AIRCRAFT OF THE ACES 96, CHRIS BUCHOLTZ, OXFORD, 2010 (3) WWW.CEBUDANDERSON.COM/357FG.HTM (4) WWW.LITTLEFRIENDS.CO.UK
  10. While working on LUCKY LEAKY II for the P-51 group build here I used the opportunity to renovate some of the Mustang models that I built in the 1980s and 1990s. Now I'm delighted to present Capt Duane W. Beeson's 'BEE' in her new dress - P-51B-5-NA 4th FG 334th FS F-356 Debden April 1944 The Monogram kit was first released in 1967 I built BEE in 1988 and had been satisfied with my work for 15 years when, during a major P-51D restoration project, I decided to do something about her too. After a little while I realised that there was not much synergy between versions so I put her to rest, stripped of all accessories and markings. Now, a further 16 years later, the improvement act was completed. Retrieving the blank airframe I upgraded the cockpit and installed a canopy, wheels, exhausts and wing pylons from my aftermarket spares box. The propeller, landing gear and 75 gal drop tanks are enhanced original parts. The gun ports and radiator ramp have also been modified. Finally, markings from the AMD 48-213 decal sheet were applied on an entirely new camouflage. Duane Beeson achieved all of his Mustang victories in this aircraft and was eventually shot down in it by flak on April 5th, 1944 to become a POW. The shiny red nose had replaced the former white one just about a week earlier. I hope you enjoy this bit of nostalgia. Cheers, Michael REFERENCES (1) MUSTANG AT WAR, ROGER A. FREEMAN, LONDON, 1974 (2) NORTH AMERICAN P-51 & F-6 MUSTANG, CAMOUFLAGE & MARKINGS NO.16, ROGER A. FREEMAN, LONDON, 1974 (3) ACES OF THE EIGHTH, GENE B. STAFFORD / WILLIAM N. HESS, WARREN, 1977 (4) MUSTANG ACES OF THE EIGHTH AIR FORCE, AIRCRAFT OF THE ACES 1, JERRY SCUTTS, LONDON, 1994 (5) VIII FIGHTER COMMAND AT WAR, AIRCRAFT OF THE ACES 31, MICHAEL O'LEARY, BOTLEY, 2000 (6) P-51 MUSTANG UNITS OF THE EIGHTH AIR FORCE, USAAF COLOURS 4, ROGER FREEMAN, HERSHAM, 2003 (7) P-51 MUSTANG – DEVELOPMENT OF THE LONG-RANGE ESCORT FIGHTER, PAUL A. LUDWIG, HERSHAM, 2003 (8) 4TH FIGHTER GROUP IN WORLD WAR II, LARRY DAVIS, CARROLLTON, 20 (9) THE NORTH AMERICAN P-51 EARLY MUSTANG, AIRFRAMES & MINIATURE NO.6, RICHARD A. FRANKS, BEDFORD, 2013 (10) WWW.AMERICANAIRMUSEUM.COM/AIRCRAFT/13716
  11. February 16, 1945 marked the combat initiation of yet another Hellcat formation in the air war over Japan. USS Randolph had joined Task Force 58 with VF-12 and VBF-12 on board. Sixteen F6F-5s, led by VBF-12 CO Lt Cdr Pawka, attacked Chōshi Airfield. When they entered hostile airspace the approaching Hellcats were awaited... (read the opposition's account here). I first built this 1963 Monogram kit in the nineties more or less OOB with a few scratch upgrades. It is one of those toy-like Monogram creations that had a number of workable parts but lacked accuracy and detail. In 2015 it returned to the bench for a complete overhaul. The general dimensions are OK and the raised rivet detail looks more realistic than on later products - so why not try it? The most substantial modification is a Quickboost replacement cowling of which I used only the nose ring and the lower half to trim the width to the fuselage. Inside works a Verlinden P&W R-2800-10W that I had in storage. The propeller is a surplus Corsair unit the origin of which I forgot, and the gun barrels are from Quickboost again. Another area of major improvement is the undercarriage assembly. A wheel bay consisting of Aires resin and Eduard PE parts was inserted into the big Monogram emptiness after the outer wings had been removed. The undercarriage legs and tailwheel are white metal parts from Scale Aircraft Conversions, completed with wheels from CMK. The bomb racks are scratch-built. After reassembly of the wing I re-scribed the folding joint, the landing flaps and the gun access doors because Monogram's panel lines were 'a bit' off. The decals except stars-and-bars are home-made. The external tank was provided once more by Quickboost, and the 5 in. HVARs were taken from the Accurate Miniatures 9900 Armament Set. The cockpit, finally, is embellished with parts from an early Reheat PE set, which was one of the first I ever used when I built the original model in 1994, and is topped with a new Squadron vacuform canopy. The gunsight - you guessed it! - comes from Quickboost. Well, I suspect I used aftermarket parts of nearly all suppliers in the modelling universe to bring this model up to date. I hope my venture was not in vain. To finish the story, VBF-12 returned to their carrier also recording a success when LT Lou Menard destroyed a Ki-61 'Tony' which crashed in the water after he had fired a rocket at it. Thanks for your interest, Michael REFERENCES GRUMMAN F6F HELLCAT, FAMOUS AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD NO.22, TOKYO, 1972 F6F HELLCAT, AIRCRAFT IN ACTION NO.36, JIM SULLIVAN, CARROLLTON, 1979 HELLCAT, DAVID A. ANDERTON, JANE'S, LONDON, 1981 U.S.NAVY CARRIER FIGHTERS OF WORLD WAR II, AERODATA INTERNATIONAL, CARROLLTON, 1987 F6F HELLCAT WALK AROUND, RICHARD DANN, CARROLLTON, 1996 HELLCAT ACES OF WORLD WAR 2, OSPREY AIRCRAFT OF THE ACES 10, BARRETT TILLMAN, LONDON, 1996 F6F HELLCAT AT WAR, CORY GRAFT, MINNEAPOLIS, 2009 GRUMMAN F6F HELLCAT, NAVAL FIGHTERS NO.92, CORWIN MEYER / STEVE GINTER, SIMI VALLEY, 2012 GRUMMAN F6F HELLCAT, WARPAINT SERIES NO.84, CHARLES STAFRACE, DENBIGH EAST More naval fighters? Visit my Corsair here
  12. Hi All, With the Gracious assent of our GB Host, I would like enter this kit This has been sitting in my stash since I started it for the carrier GB last year, but did not finish (barely started), so these Group builds are a Chance at redemption to finish a kit I plan to build mostly OOB with the addition of some resin seats. The markings will be as my topic post says, a F4J for VF-31, with the squadrons only MIG kill in Vietnam with the type - Markings by Superscale Decal Instructions Ever since my Dad had the older Revell model of a Brewster Buffalo with the "Felix the Cat' emblem, whether it be VF3 or VF 6 or VF 31, I have always wanted to build Aircraft with the Felix emblem - so here we go Sprue/parts shots The fuselage is still quite big for 1/48 scale Instructions Kit Decals - not used From Wiki - photo of a Tomcatters F4J USN F4J VF-31 Tomcatters Story (one of them) behind the MIG kill VF-31 Mig Kill More Soon, thanks for looking in Regards Alan
  13. Hi All, Had a look through all the Awesome Builds ready to start here on this Group Build, and I had been Umming and Argging about my Build Choice when the penny dropped There's no (yet) F4 Phantom build!! So it was decided I plan to build an F4J Phantom of VF 31 Tomcatters which (AFAIK) was the only F4 in VF 31 to score a MIG Kill in the Vietnam War. I Plan to build mostly OOB (no AMS on this one) but with Aftermarket Decals. The Kit It's old, but is really nice (to me any way) , some flash but nothing a sharp #11 blade won't handle. Box Art Sprues (She's a big kit even in 1/48) Instructions - Well laid out, typical of Monogram Kits I have built previous Kit Decals Aftermarket - SuperScale - I cannot verify the true accuracy, but in looking a a Colour Photo of a VF 31 Phantom in the link below, they look good IMHO Link to a VF 31 Phantom (Possibly the CAG's Bird) VF 31 Phantom Thanks for looking in, and looking forward to "Launching" this GB off the bow Regards Alan
  14. Here's my monogram Skyraider, purchased at the SMW kitswap in November and started pretty much straight away. Oob except for QB cannon barrels. I also hand painted the green trim. Far from my best build, but I quite like it. It certainly has presence... Regards Martin
  15. This is a 1/48 scale Monogram model of the sleek and missile-like F-104 Starfighter. Back in the mid to late 1950's when this astonishing interceptor-fighter first appeared, it certainly looked like a spacecraft from the future, ready to blast off to defend the planet from Ming the Merciless or anyone. It most definitely was my favorite jet fighter when I was a small kid ! Here, it's in a bit later F-104C form with a camo finish which generally succeeded it's initial gleaming silver form. Of course, the Starfighter also served with several air forces and had great capabilities at low-level as a powerful strike fighter. Edited to add a P.S. : After I accidentally broke off the Starfighter's nose pitot tube when taking some snapshots, I painstakingly fabricated a detailed custom one from specially-alloyed aluminum. Ummm, in other words, I cut a length from a paper clip and super-glued it on to act as a stand-in !
  16. Hi all, Not the best light here in the UK for photos... The model depicts an aircraft belonging to the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing, Detachment I, Luke AFB (circa 1975). The detachment was responsible for operational test and evaluation of F-15 weapons at both Luke and Nellis AFB (hence the LA tail code and 57th FWW markings). This aircraft, 73-0085, is typical of an early F-15A / B, in that it wears the short lived Air Superiority Blue scheme. Monogram F-15A Eagle (released in 1979)· Scratch work cockpit details, including Bay 5 ‘boxes’· Aires ESCAPAC seat· Re-scribed panel lines· Scratch built jet pipe interior· Eduard remove before flag tags· Scratch built intake covers · Xtracolour paint NOTE- Air Superiority Blue (X601 – Flanker Medium Blue)· Decals were from various sources – Microscale, Two Bobs, Afterburner… I decided to keep weathering to a minimum. I'll save that for the Ghost grey & Mod Eagle ones I have planned. Andrew
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