PBY-5 XL Extra Long Range SuperCatalina

[Basosz]

Hope you've got somewhere to keep it when you're done!

Dan

Oh bugger... I knew I forgot something !

[gingerbob]

Alright, someone's got to ask: Do you get wafers with it?

bob

[Daniel]

Oh bugger... I knew I forgot something !

I'll look after it for you

Dan

[Basosz]

Looking really good, and those floats added to the new outer wing panels are coming along very nicely. I like what you are doing with this build. Great work.

Wayne

Thank you very much I'm enjoying myself so far

Very nice work

Thank you

I like the retractable floats!

Thank you. As do I !

Looking awesome.

It reminds me of one of those long wing modified RB-57's.

Keep up the good work.

Trevor

I had to look up those RB-57's, but you're right, it kind of does Thanks

Alright, someone's got to ask: Do you get wafers with it?

bob

I have no idea what you mean by this. I'm very sorry *points to an ever decreasing language barrier*

I'll look after it for you

Dan

Hey if you want it when it's done... I'll be happy to ship it to you. Darn thing will take up way too much space anyway.

Things I've done since the last update:

Added some struts to the wings

Built a Leigh-light-ish device from the ball turret of the Privateer

Masked and attached it to the wing

Also made some extra struts from some spare sprues for the extra long wings. They were meant to be flattened like the originals but I couldn't figure out how to get them to be all even. Sanding would make a mess (I tried a few test struts, they were horrible) so they are now round.

added some lumps and bumps from the Privateer. I think they look rather good

Also masked up the first side blister. That was a finicky job! Not looking forward to the second

That's it for now. Progress from now on might (or rather... will) be a lot slower as I have got a new toy to play with which will probably take up most of my time.

The target is to get this Fiat 500 road-legal and ready before the last weekend of June 2013. There's a rather good Club event that I want to get to with my own 500 and the week after that there's a very grand and splendid event in Garlenda in Italy where I want to drive to with this 500. That's a 2600+ kilometre round trip It's in a bit of a sorry state right now. It didn't pass the Dutch version of MOT, so it's suspended till march 2013, needs quite a bit of structural work and when that's done it needs more superficial work done. It's rusty and a bit smelly but the engine is in very good condition. It's a 650 cc two-cylinder with Abarth oil pan/carter and synchronized gear box from the Fiat 126. Engine ran for quite a bit this afternoon (in the garage of course! It's not allowed on the street) and it sounds absolutely marvellous. So there you have it... my newest distraction

[Wayne]

A 1:1 project! Love it! What colour scheme and decals are you going to be applying?

Wayne

[Col.]

So which one is bigger? The Super Cat or the Fiat 500!?!

The model looks great with those extra details added but can understand why you are concentrating on the Fiat. Sounds a lot of fun getting it going again with that motor/gearbox installed.

[Basosz]

A 1:1 project! Love it! What colour scheme and decals are you going to be applying?

So which one is bigger? The Super Cat or the Fiat 500!?!

The model looks great with those extra details added but can understand why you are concentrating on the Fiat. Sounds a lot of fun getting it going again with that motor/gearbox installed.

well that was a bit of a bust. When we finally got some dirt off it and we could inspect the underside, it was mostly gone... the underside that is. Completely rusted away and far beyond the scope of our idea of what to do with another Fiat. We want a project, sure, but not one that takes up all the budget and needs years of redoing EVERYTHING. So we returned it to the previous owner and we now are looking into getting a 650 cc engine for our first 500 that we partially restored over the past winter (see picture below)

We are on the right track for finding one (bigger engine), plus we need a working synchronized gearbox, which we have, but needs a bit of work on pretty much all of the bearings and some of the other internal working. But that is a lot cheaper than we thought so I have good hopes for it ! The target is still for me to drive the Fiat to Garlenda in Italy in July of 2013 for the 30th anniversary of the Italian Fiat 500 Club which should be a LOT of fun. My dad and I have been there twice ('07 and '010) and both times it was a HUGE event and so we want to be there for their 30th

That took up a lot of time the past week but today I finally got some more modelling done. I forgot to take pics during the work today, but here's the result of a good day's work

Did some more masking of the remaining blister and the cockpit, then on to some primer. Bit of a hassle as the thing just about fits in my spray booth, but not really.

Instructions for the decals would have me paint a proper Cat aluminium all over. I've done the bottom like that... don't know for sure if I'm gonna do the top half as well. As it's a bit of a prototype pushed into action (and the fact that's a complete Whif) I might just take some artistic license.

2 different types of engines by the looks of it, but I think I'm correct in saying that the Cat and the Liberator (which the Privateer is based on) had the same engines so even though they look different, they're the same

Assembled and painted some bombs Olive Drab. Was thinking to not even use them as there is a plan for it being just a recon plane, but then I can't justify the BAS. Big-@ss-Searchlight, (and also my name ) So I think they'll have to find a place on the SuperCat

Production line of the props. They're not all the same, but I can live with that.

Well that's it for today. Time for bed!

[trickyrich]

gee it is huge!!!!

Love the spray booth, looks very professional when compared to my cardboard box!

there's always room for more bombs!!!!

[Basosz]

gee it is huge!!!!

Love the spray booth, looks very professional when compared to my cardboard box!

there's always room for more bombs!!!!

Thanks. I'm quite happy with the booth although with some of the bigger kits I have, it might have been better to build a slightly bigger one I know for sure that my 72nd B-1b won't fit, nor my 144th International Space Station. And it's for absolutely sure that Revell's 1:400 USS Enterprise is gonna need a whole different treatment as that won't even fit on my bench

However when you have a cardboard box... that's a lot easier to upgrade to "bigger" than this one so there's something to be said for both

[penfold]

Anyone else think this should be christened the Albatross ???

[ChancerUK]

Great progress and some excellent paint work. realy looking forward to seeing the finished bird.

[Basosz]

Anyone else think this should be christened the Albatross ???

I'm pretty partial to the SuperCat name, but Albatross sounds like a pretty good name.

Great progress and some excellent paint work. realy looking forward to seeing the finished bird.

Thanks. I'm on a bit of a roll. Even got something done two days in a row. Usually I'm more of a weekend warrior.

So here's today's progress:

Made the whole thing aluminium. It was very shiny but I figured I could tone it down with some wash (few pics down)

then I put some colour on the leading edge of the wings. An idea I took from pics of the Cat that's stationed at Lelystad in the Netherlands (PH-PBY, look it up, gorgeous plane)

Then a wash on some parts, not really clear on this pic, but it's there and quite noticeable in the flesh. underside of the wing will have to wait till tomorrow. First time I used HGW Weathering Wash of which I got some last year. Seems easy enough to use although a bit resistant to wiping off. I have some Pro-Modeller that I'm going to try on a FW-190 that is in the pipeline.

Underside too. Don't know if it's visible.

Painted the "gear" bays zinc chromate green. Wash tomorrow

It's very possible that I cocked up the order in which to do this as I think I should have done decals first. Oh well... tomorrow (or the day after... as yet unknown when we're going to pick up the 650 engine for the 500)

[stevehed]

Coming along very nicely. Not difficult to imagine this as the real thing.

[Basosz]

Three days in a row! I'm on a roll! And thank you Stevehed for that Sign of a good Whif I suppose

What the hell is wrong with me? Who am I and what have I done with me? Give me back the real me! <-- just some semi-comedic ways to express surprise at my modelling streak

After yesterday's realisation that first decals, then wash, today some decals. Also did some work on the four privateer engines but that wasn't worth a picture.

Some roundels on the wings and the fuselage. They're uneven on the fuse left and right cause of the registration number that's not yet on there. Also some black stripes from the academy original Catalina kit. Good grief they are horrible !! They just keep breaking and breaking. I had planned to use more of those, but they're just crap. Still... the most usable ones are on and they look OK. Kind of breaks the Sea of Silver that is the giant wing.

The Privateer decal sheet has a shark mouth! It needs some modification (filling in the black) but how can I not use a shark mouth on an amphibian plane? Indeed... I cannot not use it. So it's on. Should look very cool when done.

Tail bits that just like the rest of the plane need some more dressing up with tiny decals from the privateer sheet. Things like "no step" and all that. Wash is a bit more visible in this pic. I really like how the wash pulled down the shiny-ness of the thing.

Decal sheets I've used today. I like the BIG numbers on the third sheet, perhaps on top of the wing, but I need to figure out a combo that is also available in the smaller numbers. Shouldn't be too hard, lots of numbers there. The far right sheet is the Revell sheet for the privateer that has the itty-bitty teeny-tiny stencils on it so that will be pillaged for more dressing up. Also need to dress up 18 prop blades with the stupid yellow-red stencil. Not looking forward to that

This streak is looking good so hopefully more tomorrow

Edited November 20, 2012 by Basosz

[RNoAF Aerobatic Team]

Sweet!!

[Basosz]

So that streak was over rather soon. Being sick sucks. Still, I got more done after a few days and besides some Klear-equivalent I'm calling it done.

I may have gone a bit overboard on the decals but I think it looks way cool.

As you can see I've put the engines on as well. Also several antennae to make it look busy.

Gave the SuperCat a registration number that I still screwed up at the back end with the off-set roundels. I tried to fix it but I couldn't get the offending roundel to move even with copious amounts of Micro-Set or warm water so it will have to stay as it is.

4 bombs that came with the Academy kit. I also dug up two slightly larger ones from the spares that have since been attached, so on each wing there is now two small and one bigger bomb. Looks rather cool although the placement is a bit rough. I should have planned ahead a bit better.

Final pics to follow when I can set up a good photo opportunity

Edited November 28, 2012 by Basosz

[Daniel]

Looks pretty awesome

[Wayne]

Looking awesome mate, very nicely done!

Wayne

[Basosz]

Looks pretty awesome

Thank you very much I enjoyed building it

Looking awesome mate, very nicely done!

Wayne

Thanks. I'm rather pleased with it myself.

Now I just need to write a backstory. Lots of fragments and ideas floating around in the thing I call a brain, time for an editor.

[Basosz]

OK... finally I got some pics in the (quite cold) open air with some modicum of sunlight. Had to photograph it yesterday as I had promised the plane to my little 4-y.o. nephew. I kinda like how it looks in the snow, even though it's quite the wrong phase of matter for it to be on. Also, pics came out ok-ish.

I knocked one of the bombs off when I was handling it and I didn't carry any CA on me, so you'll just have to imagine that the Cat has now destroyed a Japanese submarine.

I'll post some pics in the Gallery along with the Backstory (that I have yet to write)

Comments welcome!

[Basosz]

I got myself a backstory!

Prior to the the period described in http://www.britmodel...opic=52978&st=0 the Dutch had a go at some extremely long range reconnaissance bomber/rescue craft based on the PBY Catalina. This research and the resulting airframe was a real boon to the efforts to keep the Japanese at bay during the period where they got the surplus German subs. To realise this they had a good look at a combination of the Cat and the Privateer.

The advantages of the Cat/Privateer combination were obvious: both used the same engines, both are of of the same manufacturer (Consolidated) and both were sea treated (the Privateer due to Navy bases being close to shore). In 1942, famous Dutch airplane designer Anthony Fokker (who rather fortuitously survived pneumococcal meningitis in 1939) went to work in a rather huge old barn if you can believe it because that was the only building available that was big enough to hold such a plane while not being used in the war effort by the US themselves. Progress was fairly rapid due to a high compatibility of parts between the two planes. Some things had to be re-done though like the retractable floats at the end of the Cat wings which were transplanted to the former wheel bays of the Privateer.

There were also some issues with the increased weight of the airplane. The new one was supposed to have six engines but the hull wasn't displacing enough water for that to work so Fokker stole an idea from the Germans (which was OK as he had grown to dislike them at the time, so he had no qualms about stealing ideas from them) and their seaplanes which sometimes were outfitted with small stubby wings. Fokker liked this for it served three purposes. First it gave the plane extra buoyancy in the water, second it gave the plane extra lift in the air (they are just waterproofed bits of wing) and third it generated the ground effect as first described in the 1920's. During take off the SuperCat (as it was being dubbed) became incredibly efficient and this made it a favourite among pilots who flew it. As soon as the plane attained the smallest amount of speed and the leading edge of the wing stubs got out of the water, the airplane just seemed to want to leap out of the water. This was helped by the 48,96 meter wingspan which gave the SuperCat incredible duration in the air and the opportunity to do long-haul flights at low speeds to aid Submarine spotting or SAR duties.

The SuperCat was eventually fitted with sleeping arrangements for reserve flight crews as flights of over 18 hours were more of a rule than an exception. Fuel for these extended missions was carried in the enlarged wings. The six R-1830 Twin Wasp engines gave the heavier SuperCat the power for take offs or to move in attack or emergency situations and many pilots were amazed at the speed the SuperCat could manage. This speed was especially useful when bombing or strafing subs and even some surface ships. During recon missions it wasn't uncommon to turn off 3 of the six engines (two left on for flight, one used for the light, see below). For defence and strafing Fokker had replaced the single .30 calibre in the nose with a twin .50 turret stripped from the Privateer. This turret somewhat hindered the pilots field of view during take-off, but a clever light-weight and retractable periscope system soon took care of that.

The SuperCat was equipped with the purpose built Cat-Eye light. This remote-controlled light was developed from the belly turret of the Privateer by inserting a HUGE spotlight into it. During nightly ASW/SAR missions one of the engines would be run just to supply the Cat-Eye with power. It was a bit of a drain, but the psychological effect of this light on Japanese subs was immense as it would completely blind them and gave the Cat's crew a brilliant light to bomb the target by. As the light was positioned right next to the bomb rack on the right wing, this made bombing runs extremely precise and effective. "Hit the light" got a whole new meaning during this time. The SuperCat was also equipped with several antennae for SigInt purposes during recon flights. The only thing that pilots didn't like about the SuperCat was its slight anhedral which meant that it was a fairly hands-on bird to fly and required a fair bit of constant attention from the pilots.

The design proved to be very successful though and several hundred of the SuperCats were eventually built with later versions being purpose built instead of grafting Privateer wings and other bits on existing Cats. Dozens of these magnificent planes were used in the Korean war to pick up shot-down pilots over water and even today there are several still flying although engines and engine parts are becoming a bit of an issue.

The plane seen in the pictures shown here is a comprehensive rebuilt of the second prototype after it was raised from the pacific ocean off the coast of Seattle where it was shot down by seven Japanese subs. The Dutch crew of that fateful flight was awarded the highest honour available for foreign military men by Congress for spotting the subs, preventing them from launching a devastating attack on the vitally important Seattle harbour, and destroying 3 enemy subs before going down themselves. This was done in a prototype which wasn't even supposed to be in a military engagement but was flight testing the weapons systems. The fact that they took out 3 enemy subs with what are basically practice bombs and a few .50's is simply astounding.

Edited December 10, 2012 by Basosz

[Wayne]

Fantastic and very believable background story there Basosz, and I love the way your Cat has turned out. She really looks the part in those outside shots you posted above. Great work!

Wayne

[Col.]

Nice to see the finished and very impressive article.