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Well after more delays finally managed to get this one completed glad to say I have actually managed to complete one this year will try harder in 2023. WIP : https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235106452-hms-gorleston-banff-class-sloop/ Stay Safe beefy

This is my entry for the GB: Maybe an odd choice but the "PB" is Patrol Bomber, and the 'Black Cat' variants used in the Pacific, especially during the Guadalcanal Campaign were used to great effect in harassing Japanese naval and land targets at night. The A variant (as opposed to the PBY-5) is the amphibious version with landing gear. Looking on Scalemates the moulds date back to 1993 and have also been released by Revell and Wolfpack over the years. The Academy instructions don't seem the clearest so I maybe referring to the Revell ones online as I go along! Sprue shots, etc. once we get underway - I've peeked in the box and there's a large amount of black plastic (not sure how well I'll be able to directly spray black on black, might need an intermediate colour primer). Other than the base kit, I have some Eduard Masks (will be useful for the gunner pods), PE and Kits-world aftermarket decals (some interesting nose art and the stars and bars are in grey, rather than the kit supplied white ones). I may fish around in my parts and see if I can find some crew figures too.

I was looking through the hard drive's photographs, seeking stuff I could ditch to keep the files down when I came across about 300 or many more pictures of the time I was building my Black Cat Catalina I bought the kit at SMW a few years ago, it was cheap So am I This one I had not long rejoined the Birmingham IPMS after thirty odd years absence and in one of the meetings our magazine editor was demonstrating his approach to salt weathering on a Matchbox Privateer I was impressed and determined that I should give it a go some day (This is a result of a co-incidence chain by the way) Next there was a discussion here in the WW2 aircraft section about the Black Cat operations during the war, including if I recall correctly the proper 'stopped' position of Catalina props No doubt many of you will remember that Anyway it sparked the build so I got researching, I do love the research aspect of this game, and discovered that the black paint used on the Black Cats was home brewed with soot and dope and BINGO the idea for a salt weathered Cat was ON Now I was determined to build this sitting on its own three feet, mistake number uno Airfix do not give a reasonable version of the under carriage, what I ought to have done was buy this More on this mistake later I got the box open and began fitting out an interior, there are lots of photos of interiors including a magnificent large scale build by JR Wolf Here is a shot of some interior stuff being worked out (with a pencil, it's true) Bulkheads and dividers being made here and the rib former positions added Some of these dividers are not quite bulkheads as they can be stepped over without opening doors These doors here along with the particircular walkways for the rear blister gunners The walkways have been formed with a conical section which left the gunners able to dash around with the .50cals to follow an attacker The bulkhead got stiffeners strips added before they were fitted and these were made from opposite pairs to aid me getting some symmetry not always a strong point I am off to beddybyes soon so I will drop this in here before I head up towards the cockpit tomorrow, the bulkheaded tail end with its odds and sods in place The stringers and bulkheads in the blister position have been fitted and the runways are being placed for the gunners OK more tomorrow if you like this one We'll head through the pylon area towards the cockpit pausing by the radio shack and the navigator's table Airfix do not spoil the enthusiast with good informative details That seems to be our job Night all

Hello dear friends. I present you with my latest build that has been completed for the float plane group build that can be found here. (link to add) I ended up taking quit a lot more pics than needed hence this post but I though I'd share anyway. Hopefully you'll like them. We have for you today the.... Catalina PBY-5 "BLACK CAT" by Academy. She has been a venture into black paint schemes, salt weathering and many more new techniques that I'll strap in the old brain box for future builds. The WIP can be found here. WIP And the Gallery for the GB can be found here. Gallery I have also managed to squeeze in an RFI for my last build of the HPO400 "Last Days" that can be found here if you're interested. HP O/400 RFI Without further annoyance from my jabbering here she is. AAAAAnd there you go. Thank you fellow Britmodellers for letting me once again indulge my flights of fancy and post about a zillion pics of my latest endeavours into plastic and lead shot. Hope you have a great Sunday. I need to choose a new kit to build over Chrimbleton. Merry Christmas to you all. Johnny Cat.