rwoolven76 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Ladies and Gents, After a failed attempt at a NMF with a brush and an almost total collapse in my enthusiasm for the hobby, a post by rs2man selling some of his stash caught my eye. A quick PM and exchanging of funds found this little lady on my doorstep: I figured after the success I had with my Hasegawa HE-111 that maybe another one of their kits in Olive Drab was what I needed to create a bit of interest and self-belief again. With the box opened and the sprues examined, I was pretty happy that this was a kit that I could do business with. The moulding is superb, the kit decals involve not a scrap of NMF and I figured that my challenge for this build would be my first nose sitter (I need to find some weight somewhere) and my first go at external photo etch. PE and I don't get along, but I have some etch primer and a desire to make this bird fly so you never know. The obligatory sprue shots are here: So I'm pretty much ready to get things underway. I'm off to Flying Legends on Sunday with a camera in hand to see if I can photograph anything useful and then I'm probably good to go. I am still looking for two things. Firstly a good set of technical drawings for a solid nose mitchell seem a lot harder to find than I thought they might be so if anyone has any or can point me in the direction of a good set it would be appreciated. And then secondly, I'm wondering if anyone out there has built the Hasegawa version of this kit (or the glass nose version) or has it in their stash and would mind scanning the instructions for me? I have the Revell instructions, but Revell kits and I have a history of falling out because of their frankly appalling diagrams and I quite fancied taking a look at what the Hase guys did with the same kit. As always, all support and encouragement is greatly appreciated. If I fail at this one, I'm giving up and buying die cast in the future. :-) Cheers, Richard 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winenut Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 No die cast for you!!! LOL! I'm watching this one with interest. Just starting to get interested again in something with more than one damn engine so this is EXACTLY the thing I'm looking at settling down to and checking out. Pass me the popcorn........ and post away! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfqweofekwpeweiop4 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 It's a very nice kit. I picked up the Hasegawa boxing for a mere £12.50 at the Bolton show a few years ago. I wasn't going to until I saw the price! Now I have a pair of 'solid nosed' Hasegawa B-25's, this one and the H with the 75mm cannon. Enjoy Duxford, Red Bull are displaying their aircraft including a B-25, F4U and P-38. I'm envious of anyone going this year, as I can't be there! thanks Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwoolven76 Posted July 8, 2014 Author Share Posted July 8, 2014 Winenut, Thanks for the encouragement. A quick dig has found me this site with the Hasegawa instructions. http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10075716 Turns out they're exactly the same as the Revell ones apart from the colour callouts which is fine. At least I now know and can choose. :-) Mike, It does look lovely and 12.50 was a snip so you did well there. Shame you can't make Duxford. I assume it's partly because of your move and everything else, which I hope is going well. I wasn't intending to go but when a free pair of tickets landed on the doormat it seemed rude not to. :-) I was pondering the differences in people today and what it is that makes us all tick. I shall confess that I haven't been as excited about an event as I am about Sunday since, well since as long as I can remember. But apart from the people here on BM I can't find anyone that has looked at me in total disbelief that I could be even slightly interested or excited by it. I'm taking my father in law with me as he's never been to an airshow and fancied a free day out, but I've found myself ever so slightly annoyed that not one person I've spoke to about it thinks I'm doing anything other than utterly wasting my day. I suppose I shouldn't need other people's approval to enjoy myself, but hey, I'm posting a WIP so clearly I do. ;-) It's not going to be a quick build, by any means, but slow and steady is my way so we'll see how I get on. Cheers, Richard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfqweofekwpeweiop4 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 It's a good day out, you'll enjoy it. The only downside is you won't have time to see all the museum parts, traders, flight line and the show itself all in one day, still can't grumble at free tickets! thanks Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanja #66 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Great to see you back, Richard, I got me an Airfix one, reboxed, it will be a part of my USAAF stretch (P-51D, B-25J in RAF colours cause I like black bellies and B-17G), after my current build and two short and fast projects... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwoolven76 Posted July 8, 2014 Author Share Posted July 8, 2014 You're a brave man Vanja. That airfix mould is nearly 50 years old. Look forward to seeing what magic you can work on it. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanja #66 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 http://www.airfix.com/north-american-b-25h-j-mitchell-1-72.html This thing, 50 years? Really? Well, I just picked it cause I liked this scheme... I kind of liked the simplicity of it... I'm almost tempted to go OOB with it now, as an homage to its age. Probably won't, but still... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwoolven76 Posted July 8, 2014 Author Share Posted July 8, 2014 Yep. 1965 was when it was tooled, according to scalemates: http://www.scalemates.com/products/product.php?id=137319 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwoolven76 Posted July 8, 2014 Author Share Posted July 8, 2014 I hope they're paying the bloke who does their new box art well. He must be making them an absolute mint. Even knowing it's a total dog of a kit, that image makes me want to go out and buy one. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 I've got the Revell kit and can scan the instructions if you want? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwoolven76 Posted July 8, 2014 Author Share Posted July 8, 2014 Thanks for the offer Sarge, but I've found what I was looking for in terms of instructions. Now I just need a good technical drawing. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tipper Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Isn't the Revell a re-boxed Hasegawa kit? Also, a friend of mine just built that same kit, he said he used 'a lot' of nose weight and yet it still barely stands on it's nose gear, not to discourage you from building it but beware. That's just another challenge for us plastic addicts, isn't it? lol!! Tipper 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwoolven76 Posted July 9, 2014 Author Share Posted July 9, 2014 Tipper, You're correct. The Revell is a re-box of the Hasegawa kit and I have the revell instructions as part of the kit. I just don't like them. Applying an obvious national stereotype, the revell ones are very german. Everything has a very strict build order and you're expected to do each in thing in isolation. The Hasegawa ones show the full construction with a suggested build order on a couple of pages and give a better overview. I guess I'm more a kind of wing-it sort of guy. :-) The nose weight is an interesting one. At least this kit has a solid nose. I know getting weight into the glazed version is an utter pig, but I believe that if you can add some to the access tunnel, as well as the nose it helps. I need to get some lead shot ordered. Anyone know a good place to get it from (or a reasonable alternative)? Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfqweofekwpeweiop4 Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Tipper, You're correct. The Revell is a re-box of the Hasegawa kit and I have the revell instructions as part of the kit. I just don't like them. Applying an obvious national stereotype, the revell ones are very german. Everything has a very strict build order and you're expected to do each in thing in isolation. The Hasegawa ones show the full construction with a suggested build order on a couple of pages and give a better overview. I guess I'm more a kind of wing-it sort of guy. :-) The nose weight is an interesting one. At least this kit has a solid nose. I know getting weight into the glazed version is an utter pig, but I believe that if you can add some to the access tunnel, as well as the nose it helps. I need to get some lead shot ordered. Anyone know a good place to get it from (or a reasonable alternative)? Richard I got some Lead dust shot from Eileen's Emporium but that was a couple of years ago when I last went to a model railway exhibition. I've not used that bag yet as my old bag as only just run out! I think they do 1/2 kg and 1 kg bags, they should last a good while. thanks Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miggers Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Always though Revell's Billy was a re-pop of Matchbox's,now I know differently. One of my favorite aeroplanes the old B-25,still looks modern and contempory somehow even today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_W Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 I remember building the Monagram 1/48 B25 and stuffed weight in everywhere including the engine nacelles. It was bow leged but sat on the nosewheel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwoolven76 Posted July 9, 2014 Author Share Posted July 9, 2014 Not wishing to be controversial, but I personally think that on the ground it's an ugly looking thing. I like my aircraft to be tail sitters. They're more graceful and majestic. No idea therefore why the bug has bitten me with this one, but it has. At some point I might actually find time to make a start on it. I have the plans now (thanks Mark) so now it's just getting started that needs to happen. Probably be able to make a proper start next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Vanja #66: The first thing to watch out for on the Airfix Mitchell is that the top turret sit too high, and needs to be lowered. I don't think there's anything else particularly wrong other than what you'd expect from the age of the kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_W Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Interesting. Had a look at the instructions out of curiosity and it looks just like a scaled down version of the Monagram 1/48, right down to the step under the rear access hatch to keep the nose on the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan B Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 I have a feeling the real things were very close to being tail sitters if the ground crew weren't careful. I normally don't do Allied stuff either but also have a B25 to do for a neighbour. Mine'll be a C/D model though. I'll be watching with interest. DB 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwoolven76 Posted July 28, 2014 Author Share Posted July 28, 2014 Sorry for the delay in getting started chaps. Finally got some paint on the interior of the fuselage and some of the internal structures. Will post some pictures when I get the chance. I also started applying the canopy mask I have and came a bit unstuck. Below is a link to the instructions for the make. I've been looking at the one for the turret and it doesn't seem to make any sense or bear any resemblance to any of the pictures I've found so far. http://www.eduard.com/store/out/media/cx230.pdf Can you guys take a look and see if it's just me? Thoughts would be appreciated. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwoolven76 Posted July 29, 2014 Author Share Posted July 29, 2014 (edited) So it turns out that the problem is a money saving exercise by Eduard. They use the same instruction sheet for the glazed and solid nosed versions of the B25J masks and simply cut the second page off for the solid nosed version. Sadly that second page contains the instructions for applying liquid mask so that you don't end up with random splodges of paint all over the turret. Instructions for the glazed nose can be found here: http://www.eduard.com/store/out/media/cx016.pdf Richard Edited July 29, 2014 by rwoolven76 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanja #66 Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 Great to see you're back, Richard... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winenut Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Those tricksters at Eduard! Glad you found the good oil to resolve the masking and thanks for posting. Now .....chocks AWAY! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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