Revell/Matchbox PB4Y2 Privateer 1/72 - Finished (at long last)

[AdrianMF]

Hello All,

My next project is a Privateer. I'm using the Revell re-pop of the Matchbox kit. It's for a friend whose dad flew in one for the US Coastguard back in the 40s/50s, so there will be some light conversion to remove the armament. This will be a wheels-down desktop model (gonna need a bigger desk...), so I'm hoping to keep it simple and avoid AMS. For this post I'll kick off with the box, followed by the parts:




Thanks for looking,
Adrian

Edited January 19, 2017 by AdrianMF

[miniair]

i've always fancied doing this kit, i had the original matchbox one many moons ago, wonder where it went?

[woody37]

I sold one of these on here some time ago, even though I quite fancied building it. Looking forwards to seeing your build as it's a great looking aeroplane IMO

[Jim Starling]

Privateer's always been a favorite

[Dave A]

Dunno about anyone else's experience, but making it without armament will probably be a good idea: the side-turret inserts were a pain to get level, and the assembly of the nose turret requires great finesse to stick that which should be stuck [the supports] without glue making its way to that which shouldn't [any part of the turret itself]...

[AdrianMF]

Hello All,

Finally, some progress. The cockpit, with some seat arms, wine-bottle-belts and throttle levers installed:

The progress so far on the fuselage:

The kit can make either the transport or the bomber version, so all the little windows are skinned over. You have to open up the window skin and insert a transparent piece that fits inside the window opening itself (it doesn't have a stepped rim). Unfortunately, the openings and windows are different sizes, so I had to cut down the larger transparencies to fit in the smaller holes. I could have used clearfix but the windows are maybe a bit large for that. I'm going to fill all the windows with green putty and sand them all back to flat because they are all shaped like, and act like, little magnifying lenses. I'll do that before I join the halves together in case one falls in...

The coastguard version had the side sponsons removed and a big picture window installed. I moulded two pieces of clear plastic over the smoothed down transport version inserts (shown above the fuselage) and cut the sponsons off the bomber inserts to create the opening. It all seems to fit quite well so I just hope I can smooth it all together to keep the window transparent. I will be cutting the bars away from the window and masking in the frames - that was an experiment.

I have to plunge mould a transparent nose cone and a transparent canopy where the tail turret used to be - you can see the modified transport nose cone which will act as the mould for the new nose.

If the big windows live up to my expectations there will be lots of fuselage to see. I'm making it busy but I'm not trying to duplicate the real thing - I have no interior pictures of that version and that's FINE with me! From the outside you can see there are two observation chairs by the windows. It must have been quite a view. I will add some boxes, wires and pipes to make it busier before I finish, and I have to do the nose interior and front wheel well too before I can close up.

There seems to be plenty of space for nose weight - I hope I don't forget!

Thanks for looking,

Adrian

Edited February 3, 2013 by AdrianMF

[tonyot]

This is looking very interesting and I`ll be closely following what you get up to. I fancy doing the transport version in RAF markings or even the RCAF option on the kit decals,

Cheers

Tony O

[Nobby]

Got one of thhese in the stash, so i'll keep an eye on this! Nice so far though!

[Stesca]

Great start, I tried this one decades ago in its Matchbox guise, it ended up part built in the bin, will be nice to see what it should look like,

Steve.

[VonkeyVong]

Any progress on this build?

Matt.

[Martian]

Super start, especially on the rear fuselage structure! What happened to avoiding the AMS though?

Martin

[AdrianMF]

I am in the departure lounge having had a pleasant week working quite hard and drinking beers with the man whose dad was in the coast guard! It is in the queue of shame with a Gladiator, Fairey Long Range Monoplane and lesser-built airforces entry(Nepal)!

If only I could get a week at home...

Regards,

Adrian

[Winenut]

I understand

When you're ready. ;0)

I'm a hopeless Matchbox tragic so if you need a hand let me know !!!

All the best

Bruce

[VonkeyVong]

I have been in the loft digging out Liberators and Fortresses on and off this week, and the count at present looks like this:

Minicraft B-24D = 2

Italeri B-24D = 1

Hasegawa B-24D = 1

Minicraft B-24H = 1

Minicraft B-24J = 1

Hasegawa B-24J = 1

Minicraft PB4Y-1 = 2 both different versions.

Matchbox PB4Y-2 = 1

Revell PB4Y-2 = 1

Italeri Fortress Mk.I = 1

Academy B-17C = 1

Academy B-17D = 1

Academy B-17F = 1

Revell B-17F = 1

Academy B-17G = 2

Revell B-17G = 1

I reckon that lot of Liberators alone could keep me busy for a couple of years!!! Anyway I think I am going to start with the Matchbox PB4Y-2, so it would be great if you could resurrect this build. Got to love the old Matchbox kits, I built so many of them as a kid but never got round to this one as it was out of my pocket money budget. Happy days.

Matt.

[AdrianMF]

Hello All,

Here's my "in progress" pile:

Given the interest in the Privateer, it was the first one out of the gate when I got back to my modelling bench.

The kit provides a very deep lattice to represent the framing of the undercarriage bay. I cut it back a lot to give the wheel a space to retract into, which improves the realism quite a bit:

I added some finishing/fictitious touches to the fueslage before painting. Someone used the term "imagineering" and I think that sums it up. Chunks of solder have been PVA'd in to help with the balance problem. For some reason two years ago. I used cardboard for the nose wheel well bulkheads and top, so I carried on using a box flap for the sides, detailed with plastic strip: The fire extinguishers are made from sprue offcuts to add a bit of interest:

Here's a closer view of the cockpit and nose area:

Well, this seems to be back on track now. I will add the observation seats and close it up, because I don't think you will see much more, even through the big windows.

Thanks for looking,

Adrian

Edited March 16, 2015 by AdrianMF

[VonkeyVong]

Looks good Adrian.

I have chickened out of doing the PB4Y-2 and opted for the simpler Liberator C Mk.IX so I can get away with putting as little effort as possible into the interior.

I have so far assembled the engine nacelles, put the blanking panels into the fuselage side, opened up the many windows required for the C Mk.IX and filled the side panel joins and the panel lines which depicted the bomb bay doors.

Matt.

[AdrianMF]

Looks good Adrian.

I have chickened out of doing the PB4Y-2 and opted for the simpler Liberator C Mk.IX so I can get away with putting as little effort as possible into the interior.

I have so far assembled the engine nacelles, put the blanking panels into the fuselage side, opened up the many windows required for the C Mk.IX and filled the side panel joins and the panel lines which depicted the bomb bay doors.

Matt.

Matt - get yer camera out and let's see the in-progress shots! (and which kit is it?)

Regards,

Adrian

[rob85]

Looks amazing Adrian. Good to see you progressing as it would have been a shame for such a great subject and your great work to go unfinished

Rob

[VonkeyVong]

Matt - get yer camera out and let's see the in-progress shots! (and which kit is it?)

Regards,

Adrian

I will do that.

I have decided to build the Matchbox kit as it has been knocking about for years now. It came to me with all the parts removed from the sprue's for some reason.

Here are some pictures I took the other day before showing glue to plastic.

[Val]

I love the multi-coloured plastic you get in the Matchbox kits Believe it or not, I don't remember ever building an original Matchbox kit when I was younger; the toy shop in town stocked airfix so that's all I remember doing....

Loving this build, I too have the Revell in the stash, so gathering plenty of inspiration.

Val

[NikolaiBolekoff]

Hi,

Just a quick question: I'll be building 4-1/72 PB4Y-1's (2 Revell, 2 Academy/Minicraft -1 with the B-24 D nose and 1 with the ERCO bow turret) and the Matchbox PB4Y-2 kit. Would the Revell/Gemany kit be a better choice? I have the Cobra Company upgrade for the PB4Y-2 as well as many other aftermarket items (engines, props, canopy sets, photo etch, etc.) for all 5 aircraft...including 2 of the Pavla sets with the "Dumbo" radome and the Leigh light (Got it from UMM USA-they have a LOT of B-24 stuff!). I've been collecting this stuff for the last 8 or 9 years, so I want the build to look as nice as possible. Yes, I know about the rivet detail on the Revell PB4Y-1...it'll be sanded off and the surface polished, with panel lines re-scribed as necessary. I'm planning on one of the aircraft to be done as a Liberator V VLR MKI or a LR/GR MKII.

Also, do you think it would add to or detract from the model to add some VERY restrained rivet detail? I have some tools that make a very small (at least 10 different sizes) of recessed, circular impressions in the plastic. When done with restraint, they look like flush aircraft rivets, after the paint is applied. I also have a selection of tools that make a straight impression inside the circular one, to create a Dzus fastener...nice for engine panels!

Thanks!

Nick

[AdrianMF]

Hi Nick,

I should make it clear at the outset that I am by no means a Privateer expert! I am building this one on request for a friend who is really after more of a desktop model, so I am leaving quite a number of issues unsolved and not going overboard with accuracy or detailing. My friend's Dad was in the coastguard and flew in them, the photos I have of the coastguard aircraft show a pretty uniform surface of painted aluminium, so I will be going with that.

The Revell Privateer kit is simply a re-pop of the Matchbox, so the plastic is the same. The Revell decals seem very nice, probably better in quality than the original Matchbox ones. If you already have the Cobra upgrade set for the Privateer you will only have to use about 50% of the original kit, and I think you will be all set for a great model. That's the one extra that everyone seems to agree is a "must have". The Eduard brass wheel well inserts will also give you a much better result than the kit and there are plenty of generic accessories (such as gun barrels) that you could use as well.

Lots of photos of Privateers in service, such as this one, show a very riveted and oil-canned surface, so there is plenty of scope for rivetting.

Good luck with the models and I look forward to seeing some works in progress on this board. You might even get them finished before I finish mine!

Regards,

Adrian

[NikolaiBolekoff]

Thanks,Adrian.

I always thought that the plastic in Matchbox kits felt "softer" than that in other kits. I know that the molds were the same. I've got the Matchbox kit. I think I’ll pick up a Rvell PB4Y-2 (I can use it for the spares), as well as the Cobra Company upgrade,metal landing gear legs, weighted tires and wheels. vacu-form canopies, photo etch exterior and interior sets (PB4Y-1'S) retracted bomb bay doors, engines, oil coolers and prop sets. I'll probably look for a set of decals in 1/72 for the finished model. I'm going to do it in 3 colour pain scheme, rather than he all sea blue scheme. I picked up 2 of the Revell PB4Y-1 kits as well as the Academy/Minicraft PB4-1 with the ECO bow turret and an Academy/Minicraf B-24 D kit...I have a couple of the Pavla Liberator III conversions. The only version I shall not build is the one with the ventral ball turret..very few of those built.

I recently had an opportunity to examine an R3-Y (a former US Coast Guard Aircraft) at Mirimar MCAS...at times your retired rank actually does benefit you-all those,Lieutenants, Captains, Majors and LTC's bowing and scraping made my day! They made reservations for my wife and I in the Flag rank VOQ. They probably wouldn't have been so respectful had they known that I was a lowly Retired US Army Reserves Nurse Corps O-6. Those Marines are funny that way.

The R3-Y is, as far as I know quite different from the PB4Y-2...different engines, the port and starboard turrets removed and replaced with teardrop shaped windows, large fuel tanks in the bomb bays, no tail turret, no bow turret, no top turrets-just a pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer ans some observers. Couldn't even climb over 18.000 feet.

I guess at I should mention that before I got my BS and MS in Nursing, I was in the USAF…C-123's, C-130's, C-133's and C-141's. The Fast Movers referred to them as "Dump Trucks " and "Trash Haulers"...until they ran out of bullets and beans. That's when they decided that they loved us.

I'll post some pictures and notes as the project progresses. Right now I'll be starting he PB4Y-1's re-scribing, sanding, polishing, painting, sanding painting, polishing, etc.

Nick

Edited October 19, 2015 by NikolaiBolekoff

[David H]

Nicolai, a very useful data point you will find here is the excellent build by "Navy Bird" Bill Gill man of the antiquated but still serviceable Revell, built as a 4 by 1. He have a very detailed narrative on building the kit, and it might be a useful guide to help determine what is and is not worth adding to the model.

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234946964-172-consolidated-pb4y-1-liberator/

In terms of adding rivets, just my opinion but in 72nd scale i think worn rivet heads would be better depicted with a sharp silver pencil, or perhaps silver rivet decals. However, i do think adding dzus fastener detail to the engine covers is a good idea. The dirtiest part on Liberators was the engine nacelle area, and anything recessed to help trap a wash or oil streaks done with an artists oil paint certainly cant hurt.

Looking forward to your builds. Want to do one myself, but i have higher priority projects in the qeue right now.

david

[bbudde]

Hi Adrian. Looks very good so far. With a bit of extra work and the obligatory house hold stuff ( food packaging) these classic kits could be turned into little gems. Always liked the way Matchbox chose their subjects. Will you engrave it?

Cheers

P.s: I don't know why nobody repops the cobra company upgrade setor do they sell it still? Indeed this one is an inevitable must have for the kit.

Oh, forgot to say: I'm in here