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B-25J gunship


Beard

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I've been admiring this Group Build from afar and, as I only have two kits I  progress at the moment, have decided to join in.

I usually build single-engined RAF or FAA aircraft, although I have several B-25s in the stash, so this will be a departure from my comfort zone.

I dug these two from the stash:

20180427_202303

 

20180427_202246

 

My preference would be to do the Italaeri one, because it has an RAF option and is rendered obsolete by the new Airfix one, but the transfers are yellowed so I decided to do the Revigawa one.

Anyway, I've made a start.

Interior painted with Humbrol 226:

20180429_201300

 

Some Humbrol 33 to undercoat the wheels and engines:

20180429_201311

 

Thanks for looking.

 

 

PS. I've stuck the Italaeri transfers to the Helix window in the loft, in the hope sunlight can work it's magic, but I'll probably (for probably, read certainly) be buying the DK Decals sheet.

Edited by Beard
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20 minutes ago, CedB said:

I'm in! Two engines eh? Nice :)

Thanks Ced but if you want to see how one should be done, check out Tony O'Toole's builds.

Edited by Beard
to correct spelling.
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Hello Beard

 

Welcome to the GB, its never a bad thing to come out of your comfort zone occasionally!

 

Cant go wrong with a nice RAF B-25, nice start too

 

Simon

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I've painted the interior, it'll get a dry-brush and wash next:

20180430_203602

 

20180430_203739

 

Bomb bay also painted

20180430_203652

 

Turret and tail guns have had a dry-brushing of Humbrol Metalcote Gunmetal over a base coat of Humbrol 33

20180430_203541

 

I've also started to assemble and paint the cockpit, painted the engines and, glued the wings together. started to assemble and paint the cockpit.

 

Thanks for looking.

Edited by Beard
there's only one cockpit.
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Coming along nicely,...... this is a lovely kit isn`t it? The gunship looks great with its long solid nose and battery of guns,.... and those with the nose art are amazing.

 

Cheers

          Tony

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6 hours ago, tonyot said:

Coming along nicely,...... this is a lovely kit isn`t it? The gunship looks great with its long solid nose and battery of guns,.... and those with the nose art are amazing.

 

Cheers

          Tony

Thanks Tony. It is a lovely kit so I'm a little sad that I've only got one more in the stash (an RAF -J). I've found a couple of photographs of the one I plan to do and, sadly, it doesn't have the cheek guns but the nose art makes up for that.

I suspect that I'll be ordering the DK Decas sheet for when I do the two Italaeri ones, which'll be an excuse to get at least one of the Airfix Mitchells.

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2 hours ago, Beard said:

Thanks Tony. It is a lovely kit so I'm a little sad that I've only got one more in the stash (an RAF -J). I've found a couple of photographs of the one I plan to do and, sadly, it doesn't have the cheek guns but the nose art makes up for that.

I suspect that I'll be ordering the DK Decas sheet for when I do the two Italaeri ones, which'll be an excuse to get at least one of the Airfix Mitchells.

Some of the Mitchell`s had cheek guns on the right side, but they were deleted on the left,..... so that may be the case on yours? I think it was because many were flown by a single pilot who sat on the left,... this was the case for B-25H`s for sure. Just do a Google images search and have a mooch around or check your references to see if you can find photos of your subject.

DK Decals also have a great decal sheet for Pacific based USAAF B-25`s with lots of colourful noses and tail insignia too.;

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/DKD72041

 

I get what you say about being sad that you only have one more Revegawa Mitchell left in the stash,.... I`m in the same boat!

 

Cheers

           Tony

    

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9 hours ago, tonyot said:

Some of the Mitchell`s had cheek guns on the right side, but they were deleted on the left,..... so that may be the case on yours? I think it was because many were flown by a single pilot who sat on the left,... this was the case for B-25H`s for sure. Just do a Google images search and have a mooch around or check your references to see if you can find photos of your subject.

DK Decals also have a great decal sheet for Pacific based USAAF B-25`s with lots of colourful noses and tail insignia too.;

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/DKD72041

 

I get what you say about being sad that you only have one more Revegawa Mitchell left in the stash,.... I`m in the same boat!

 

Cheers

           Tony

    

Thanks Tony.

I've managed to locate a photograph of my intended victim but it only shows the port side and I'm a little short on Mitchell references (Spitfires, on the other hand...) but the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence so I might put a gun pack on the starboard side and let anyone who disagrees provide evidence that I'm wrong.

Please don't tempt me with any more colourful B-25s, I'm feeling particularly vulnerable to suggestions regarding twin-engined aircraft at the moment (if I don't get an RAF Mitchell done for this GB, I'm planning on doing a RCAF Ventura GRV next) and I really don't want to go down the slippery slope that leads to aeroplanes with four engines.

*heads off to have a look at the DK Decals sheet and to see if there are any cheap Revegawa B-25s on a well-known internet auction site.

 

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39 minutes ago, Sgt.Squarehead said:

 

Only a barmy person would build the Italeri version if they already had this one in their stash.  :mental:

 

I have TWO of the Italaeri B/C in the stash...

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3 hours ago, Sgt.Squarehead said:

Yup, I have that one too.....I believe the Italeri kit is generally OK(ish) for the early versions, but no good for the J or H (and I'm currently building the latter).  :mental:

 

When you wrote Italaeri, I immediately thought B/C not the H/J. Thanks for the heads-up; I've had my eye on the AZ re-boxing, I'll pass on it now.

Edited by Beard
to correct spelling.
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They may have corrected the issue, IIRC it's the shape of the fuselage, so I'd imagine it would be a pretty major modification:

 

Testors/Italeri 1/72. Two kits- one the C/D, the other H/J. The C/D kit is accurate and well detailed AND has the correct narrow rear fuselage. The H/J really goofed because there is more to making a late model B-25 than merely moving the turret up front. The most important thing they failed to take into account is the fact that the earlier airplanes had a more tapered rear fuselage 7" ( in the side view) narrower( or less tall). In 1/72 this is only about 2.2mm but it really does alter the whole "feel" and look of the model. Because of this the early B-25s appeared much more lean and sleek.

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15 minutes ago, Sgt.Squarehead said:

IIRC it's the shape of the fuselage

I think that was the problem too, the B-25s  H & J had a deeper fueselage but the Italaeri haven't; there's a lengthy thread about it somewhere on here.

Edit: found it

 

Had an old friend over today so spent the afternoon drinking tea and talking about Spitfires, local history and, I got to handle a Wembley MkVI (Not something I do everyday) but have done some work on the B-25...

The interior has had a watercolour wash and a dry-brush with a light grey and just needs a matt coat:

20180502_190729

 

As had the bomb bay:

20180502_185728

 

The cockpit is done:

20180502_185810

 

The waist guns have had a base coat of Humbrol 33 and a dry-brush with Metalcote Gun Metal and the wheel hubs the same base coat but a heavy dry-brush with Tamiya (acrylic) Flat Aluminium:

 

20180502_185826

 

Finally, the engines were base-coated with Humbrol 33 and a dry-brush with Metalcote Gun Metal and Steel:

20180502_185829

 

That's all for today, I have to source a nose-weight before joining the fuselage halves.

 

Thanks for looking.

Edited by Beard
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On 5/3/2018 at 12:02 AM, stevehnz said:

Looking good Simon, that interior is very smart. if the exterior is up to that standard, we're in for a treat. :)

Steve.

Thanks Steve, hopefully the exterior will be up to my usual standard.

 

On 5/3/2018 at 8:34 AM, CedB said:

Very nice work Simon, those internals look great - good job! :)

Thanks Ced, shame they won't be seen once the fuselage is joined up.

 

On 5/3/2018 at 9:30 AM, modelling minion said:

Very nice work on the interior it looks excellent.

Thank you, I'm fairly happy with it.

 

Not much progress over the last few days, the due to the weather being lovely and the resultant imcrease im my alcohol intake, but I'm almost ready to glue the fuselage halves...

2018-05-07_03-35-38

 

Thanks for looking.

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My head has been turned by other Group Builds but it's time to see if I can get this finished in the next six weeks.

This is where it is now:

2018-05-20_08-00-38

 

Thanks for looking.

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On 5/8/2018 at 2:46 AM, Beard said:

due to the weather being lovely and the resultant increase im my alcohol intake

Best hope for some crappy weather then Simon, for your liver's sake if not for your modelling. ;) :D

 

Steve.

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5 hours ago, stevehnz said:

Best hope for some crappy weather then Simon, for your liver's sake if not for your modelling. ;) :D

 

Steve.

We're heading toward summer so there's bound to be rubbish weather.

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I've decided on one of the NMF options: which means brush-painting the largest aircraft I've made since returning to the hobby.

Here the result of the first coat of Humbrol 27001:

2018-05-22_08-49-12

 

I might (by might, I mean if I can be bothered) do some bits in 27002 and 27003 to add a bit of variation.

 

Thanks for looking.

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