A-26 C Invader

[georgeusa]

I have made the decision to experiment with my old/new airbrush on a model other than the 1/24 Airfix Mosquito being built. So, I dug out the old Monogram 1/48 A-26C Invader as I have the Promodeller version in the stash. Starting out slow and plan to do it in a gloss black finish. (Baby steps I know.) So, the shots of the box cover and sprues are:

Okay, before I begin, a bit of a rant (I know, like I never do this.) All weekend I have been trying to upload pictures for this WIP. And all weekend, nothing but grief. I now can chalk it up to the wonderful Microsoft company that seems to be a bit peeved at us old folks that are not switching to their Chrome product as quickly as they would like. I truly appreciate (please read that with the heaviest amount of sarcasm you can) their upgrading basic Internet Explorer to make it impossible to use with forum such as this. While at the same time, if I use their new product, Chrome, it works like a charm. Not being cynical here, (oh yes I am), but it seems odd the same company putting out both products would have trouble with a new update for their old program not working while their new program which they desperately want everyone to convert to works fine. Okay, nothing I can do about it, is now out of my system. Back to the build

The kit was done in 1993 (at least that is the stamped date on the lower wing). I am amazed at the level of detail that is in the interior of this kit given the time it was produced. Hope I can do it justice. Here goes with an OOB build.

Start with the cockpit and interior. Again, the level of detail is terrific and the fit is good too. For your amusement and comment:

Going to button up the halves and hope everything fits. This is the second try as on the first, I stupidly forgot to put in the top turret before closing up the halves. Pried it apart before the cement had dried, second attempt with turret in place.

Well, it fits, but there is a seam. And I am chalking it up to me, not the kit. I don't know how there are builds out there that do not need sanding and filling. I always have to sand and fill. (Next to taping canopies, I detest filling and sanding).

Started the rough sanding, will wind it down with finer grades of paper and more filler and primer.

Okay, checked the fit of the wings to the fuselage and it seems as if I can paint and then put together if I am careful. (A huge assumption.) So the fuselage is in the last stages of fill, sand, and prime for painting. And the wings and nacelles interiors are being finished. Here they just have the base coat.

Nacelle interior pretty well finished.

Engines are up next with the beginning base coats.

One still in base coats, one for the most part weathered. (Still need to remove a bit of the excess wash.)

Okay, now the hard part for me. I have read the instructions for the air brush about 5 times; read three beginning articles about spraying and thinning paints; and picked out a very glossy black paint for this bird. I am hoping to avoid total disaster as I am just using one color scheme. How hard can it be to just spray on one color in an even pattern? (I guess the captain of the Titanic probably wondered how hard it would be to avoid a rather large iceberg? Custer probably wondered "Where did all these Indians come from?) And the results of my first ever use of an air brush:

Not too shabby and not as difficult as I thought it would be. Even cleaning up was not that big of a chore. The wings are just slotted in and not affixed yet, but you can see the fit, when joined will be quite good. Just have to add the decals and all of the little nit picks. Have to also repair all the damage I did in handling the model. Have succeeded in knocking off the pilot's seat, bomb sight, gunner's chair and station, 4 of the 8 interior bombs and 1 of the 4 bomb racks. Also need to touch up some paint bleed on the wheel well doors that I did not tape up properly.

Okay, to whoever cares, the finish right now is a very glossy black. With the red lettering, it will look pretty awesome. The question is, do I leave it in the pristine, just off of the assembly line, spit and polish finish . . . or gum it up with all sorts of weathering to make it ratty and tatty? Just do not know which way to go.

[John_W]

The Monogram 1/48 twins were awesome kits for detail.

I remember the B25 fondly.

Nice work so far.

[gingerbob]

Having to do the fuselage twice probably didn't help, but Monogram kits were never (in my experience) ones that fell together without having to do a fair amount of work on the seams, so I doubt it's "just you". And I'd much rather mask a canopy than sand! (Of course, that's based on "good old days" experience- wait 'til I try to cut around the frames on something like a 48th Dauntless with my older eyes and I might sing a different tune.

With all these bits coming off, are you trying to glue where parts are painted? Plastic to plastic should hold much better. Or maybe you just need to take a deep breath and moooooovvvvveeeee mooooorrrrreeeeee slllooowwwllllyyyyy ?

I'll leave the degree of "ratty and tatty" up to you, but even if "pristine" I'd do a little bit- knock the gloss down some, make the gear legs/ wheels look like they've actually encountered the real world... your engine looked really nice, but it too looks shiny, as do the bombs. Too much 'gleam' bouncing back from a model just doesn't work.

But I'd say you're doing fine, and I'm looking forward to seeing this one completed!

bob

[infofrog]

looks good so far

Rick

[georgeusa]

Okay, stuck in due to inclement weather here so have a chance to model a bit. I have tentatively weathered one of the wings. The pictures are not the greatest at pointing it out, but also did it very subtle to start. The one weathered is at the top in both pictures. I am very tempted to stop here as I rather like the glossy black finish. So stay with the light weathering or go a bit more heavy. I have another in the stash that will be an old tired olive green example so can tatter that up quite a bit. So, stay with what is there or make it a bit heavier?

[Dave A]

That's coming up nicely!

BTW, Chrome (Google) and Explorer (Microsoft) aren't made by the same people... Though you could argue which giant global semi-monopoly you opt for these days makes little difference...

[Tim T]

I think the weathering looks spot on. Less is more in this case I think!

[gingerbob]

Keep in mind that the way your model bits come across to us may not be the way they look to you in person, so don't let us lead you astray.

bob

[snapper_city]

Always wanted to build one of these.

[georgeusa]

Okay, I think I will continue with this light weathering and see what the entire model looks like. I can always add more, but right now, it seems about right. Time to see if I can keep a very light touch with the weathering for the whole model and not muck it up.

[hendie]

Looks good as is George

[georgeusa]

Always wanted to build one of these.

They have reissued the solid nose version recently. I would, without hesitation, recommend this kit. It fits quite well, has great detail for its age and is rather easy to build. Plus, I have always liked this plane. The other plus is it is very inexpensive for what you get. Picked this one up just recently for less than $20.00 second hand. In the store I think they are only $30.00. Get one, you won't regret it.

Thanks Hendie. Will post results later today as am snowed/iced in today.

[gingerbob]

Where are you? I'm in Maine, where it was raining earlier, but so far we've only had a dusting (though I'm on the coast, which helps).

bob

p.s. On the A-26, be careful which kit you get- the original release (what George is working with, I think) doesn't have the ventral turret, and I don't think any allow you glass OR hard nose. So it pays to know what you want to end up with- or just get a couple of 'em!

[georgeusa]

Bob is correct about the kits. I have 3 different boxings and none, including the pro modeller version has both noses. I am in the process of weathering this kit at work and just realized I am using paints while still dressed in a white, long sleeved dress shirt. How bad am I tempting fate at this point in time?

[georgeusa]

Have put everything together and now working on the last fiddly bits. Still have to line up the bombs in the bombay better. Only thing left is the undercarriage and this is where I have found the kit weakness. The attachments for the undercarriage are tenuous at best. I have modified the nose wheel and will see how that works. The main undercarriage, I am still working on a more secure attachment than exists. Here are a couple of pictures of it buttoned up.

I was quite pleased at how well the canopies fit. With the exception of the undercarriage, kit has been a delight to work on.

[georgeusa]

Another little update. Putting on the undercarriage. Got to love the detail on the wheels and struts for a 1996 kit.

Have inserted the nose wheel, but think it might be sitting too low. Will be able to tell when the other gears are put in and stand the model and see how she sits.

I am trying an easy solution to the main wheels. It looks like the span of the gear is shorter than the span of the attachment points inside the nacelle. So, found some appropriate sprue, glued it on and will then sand to fit. I do not know if this will be strong enough. Otherwise, it is break out the metal tubing and cut precisely. Trying the lazy way out right now, but will probably end up using metal tubing.

Okay, we all have problems with the carpet monster eating various items, but what is the largest item you have lost. I was working on one of the propellers (realize this is a 1/48 kit) and it flew off. You wouldn't think a black, yellow, green painted propeller would be hard to find. 30 minutes of searching for it, wondering if I was going to find it when I hear the crunch under my feet. And, I swear it was in plain sight in a location that I had already combed over at least 3 times. Carpet monsters have gremlins that help gather items.

(Bad picture, but you get the scale and size of the part.) Do they train seeing eye dogs to gather lost kit parts?

[GRIM REAPER]

One time, I lost an entire fuselage half of a Revell F-84 in 1/48. Three days of searching and I just about gave up. I was throwing fits! Then in comes my brother, looks up on his shelf and says to me, "isn't this the fuselage half you've been looking for?" As my modeling desk is in his room, all I had to do was look up from my desk. So I feel your pain.

[Shalako]

Quite neat and dandy!!! As a 1940s pilot would say (I guess)!

[georgeusa]

Okay, it is now finished. Rest of the finished pictures in RFI.