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1/72nd Academy Catalina,....poss RAAF Black Cat, RNZAF or RAF.,.......FINISHED!!


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Hiya Folks,

                  Hopefully I`ll manage to get stuck into this soon;

DSCF5369

 

The interior is part painted,....but I`m sure that this s OK?

DSCF5371

 

I`ve got these extras too,..... especially since the Academy nacelles are said to be too small;

DSCF5366

  

I`ll compare the kit and resin nacelles soon;

DSCF5367

 

These fishtail exhausts are very nice too;

DSCF5368

 

Cheers for now,

                      Tony

Edited by tonyot
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Hiya Folks,

                 I`d like to represent a RAAF Black Cat with camouflage above the top wing,...... but there are so many theories about what these colours were that I`m a bit stumped really;

 

catalina 11_Squadron_RAAF_Catalina_Lake_Boga_Aug_1944_AWM_P00448.039Catalina A24-73 OX-M being serviced by No.1 Flying Boat Repair Depot Cats-Lake-Boga-AWM-KOM (1)catalina A24-64 THE DABSTER 43 Sqn RAAFCATALINAS OF 11 AND 20 SQNS 1944, A24-78 FJ-L leading, A24-59 RB-L,  A24-55 FJ-E. P921589.sized

Catalina 2

 

So for this reason,..... I may fall back on a RNZAF Cat instead;

Catalina XX-F NZ4007 at Halavo Bay, Solomon Islands

 

Or even a RAF/RCAF wartime aircraft,....

 

Cheers

          Tony

Edited by tonyot
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What a great choice Tony.

I was looking into doing a 1/48 PBY5 in the RAAF scheme you have shown above and like you have become more confused than I was at the start as to what the colours might be, I seem to be favouring the fact that they were originally in the overall USN blue/grey scheme and have had black applied pretty solidly to the fuselage but in a camo pattern on the upper surfaces of the wing.

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7 hours ago, tonyot said:

So for this reason,..... I may fall back on a RNZAF Cat instead;

Catalina XX-F NZ4007 at Halavo Bay, Solomon Islands

Hi Tony,

 

An RNZAF one would be nice :thumbsup:

Behind NZ4007 in your photo is  XX-C (NZ4003) which is is one of the rarer RNZAF cats in

NS Sea Blue/NS Insignia White

 

Look forward to your build (which ever you choose)

 

Regards

 

Alan

 

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13 hours ago, LDSModeller said:

Hi Tony,

 

An RNZAF one would be nice :thumbsup:

Behind NZ4007 in your photo is  XX-C (NZ4003) which is is one of the rarer RNZAF cats in

NS Sea Blue/NS Insignia White

 

Look forward to your build (which ever you choose)

 

Regards

 

Alan

 

Cheers Alan,.....yes the one in the background is on my radar and I might push it forward,...... so many models that I`d like to build!

Thanks Alan 

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13 hours ago, Romeo Alpha Yankee said:

Your Cat will be a fine addition to the GB, pity it won't be RAAF (very biased I am!)

 

The painted parts are fine, time to sit back and enjoy your build.

Brilliant cheers,...... the RAAF Cat isn`t off the card yet,..... I`m just in a quandry about the camo,..... I`m in two minds about it being light grey or EDSG applied to the black?

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Hello @tonyot & Craig @modelling minion I have built an 1/48 RAAF Black cat and have a good amount of info in these threads. I used DSG & Black on my build. 

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235040132-my-aussie-black-cat/

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235036672-more-help-with-raaf-catalinas-particularly-ordnance/

 

Please i hope you can use this info. I also have compiled a number of photo’s as well so if i can help please ask. 

 

Dennis

Edited by Corsairfoxfouruncle
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6 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Hello @tonyot & Craig @modelling minion I have built an 1/48 RAAF Black cat and have a good amount of info in these threads. I used DSG & Black on my build. 

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235040132-my-aussie-black-cat/

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235036672-more-help-with-raaf-catalinas-particularly-ordnance/

 

Please i hope you can use this info. I also have compiled a number of photo’s as well so if i can help please ask. 

 

Dennis

Your Black Cat looks great Dennis,........ and I think that you have got it right,...... I`ll be going ahead with this then I think,

Cheers

         Tony

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Hiya Folks,

                 I got started yesterday and I`ll post some pics later,...... I meant to add that for the RAAF option I have this sheet from DK Decals

;

DK72005 Catalina & Do 24 WEB (1)

 

And quite like the one with this nose art;

Catalina A24-65, Some Chicken 43 sqn,...in the background is A24-67 OX-J.

 

But,... from the only pic that I can find it isn`t clear whether it had black or camouflaged uppers,.....the sheet depicts all black which isn`t what I really wanted,....whereas it looks to have lighter upper cowlings and wing to me, but is it a trick of the light/shadows?

Catalina A24-65. OX-H 'Some Chicken' Landing accident

 

So,....I`m still looking for firther reference info!!!

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I believe that is “OX*H” A24-65 of 43 squadron RAAF.

P3ez6G0.png

 

http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/Catalina

 

This gallery helped me quite a bit in my research. I also have from one of my emails to someone in Australia that most of the PBY-5a(M)’s were camouflaged Black with upper wings in Nite/DSG. 

 

Dennis

Edited by Corsairfoxfouruncle
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Thanks Dennis,........ oh yes, any modeller of Aussie subjects would be much poorer without the excellent ADF Serials Gallery and website,..... the RAAF/RAN modellers go to stop for info,....... I`ve been trawling the Catalina info myself!

 

Well,..... a bit of an update,...... I decided to build this model alongside a PBY-2 kit that I had in the stash,..... whether I get to build them both and finish them is another matter,...... but we`ll see and I`ll add the updates for both here, starting with the wings;

 

DSCF5385

 

Tail;

DSCF5386

 

Fuselage,..... basic interior from the kit,.....

PBY-5;

DSCF5387

 

...and PBY-2, with the early small fin and rudder, plus the sliding gun hatches without glass bubbles;

DSCF5388

 

Now,..... everybody says that the Academy engine nacelles are too small,..... hence why I bought the resin `correct sized' nacelles, so imagine my surprise when after cutting the new resin parts away from their pouring pugs to find that they were in fact,....... smaller than the kit parts,.....wow! 

DSCF5389

DSCF5390

Cheers

         Tony

Edited by tonyot
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The resin bits are basically copies of the kit parts, but less useful. A ripoff if ever there was one, Mr Quickboost should be ashamed! There's a thread somewhere on BM about a hopefully upcoming proper replacement for the undersized kit cowlings and nacelles. They may not be available before this GB ends though.

 

Edit: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235046121-preliminary-inquiry-correction-for-academy-catalina/&page=2&tab=comments#comment-3202757

 

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Cheers Fella`s,...... yes I`m rather disappointed in the cowlings,..... especially as I`d bought two sets!!! Ah well,..... it`s only money, ......... something which I don`t particularly have a lot of!!

 

Here is a bit more progress,.... I have buttonned up the fuselage of the PBY-5 and added the tailplanes;

DSCF5403

 

And the PBY-2;

DSCF5401

 

You cannot see much in the cockpit so I won`t bother adding much more detail,

 

Cheers

           Tony  

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Hiya Folks,

                  It has been a research day today and I`m still stuck as to which subjects to model,..... my first option for the PBY-5 is;

 

A24-65, OX-H `Some Chicken' from 43 Sqn RAAF,...... I`m pretty sure that it has camouflaged wing upper surfaces from these pics;

Catalina A24-65, Some Chicken 43 sqn,...in the background is A24-67 OX-J.Catalina A24-65. OX-H 'Some Chicken' Landing accident

 

And for the PBY-2 kit,...... I was thinking of another RAAF `boat,...... PBY-4- A24-28/C, Seaplane Training Centre, Rathmines, it originally had the early `art deco' rounded rudder before it was replaced with a later style larger fin and rudder. This aircraft was a US Navy aircraft from VP-101 and fought in the Phillipines, on to Java where it was abandoned and then taken over by Dutch aircrew who flew it to Australia;

catalina A24-028_01_zps63a4ef69

   

However,...... there are a lot of Catalina`s that I also want to model and the colours for the RAAF ones are `problematical',........ some other alternatives are;

 

PBY-5; 

 

RNZAF,..... and I have decals for all of these;

CATALINA XX-T 2catalina dumbo markingsCatalina XX-T NZ 4017. XX-F NZ 4007 is in the bacground. Halavo Seaplane Base...CATALINA XX-Tcatalina 2342239981_b9fb1341c6_mCat_segond1944

 

 

RAF, 205 Sqn, SEAC;

5

 

PBY-2 kit;

 

PBY-4 of VP-101, Phillipines and Java, 1941/42,..... wearing a unit applied three colour upper surface camouflage pattern;

pby42CATALINA US NAVY Pacific scheme post-6-1343629754

 

RAF,.....1st Catalina, P9630, MAEE, Felixstowe, 1939,..... some show this one to have a yellow upper wing like the US Navy aircraft, but I think that it was probably silver? I have found a photo showing what look to be red wartme code letters applied to this aircraft, the letter F on the fuselage side and a pair of squadron codes on the rudder,... which can just not be made out,...... this aircraft was also used by a number of operational squadrons before it was lost in a crash in 1940, it was also used for wartime proving flights to Iceland and for searches off the Norwegian coast for a German pocket battleship,..... and it appears to have retained the silver finish throughout and no fin flash could be seen either;

British PBY-4 P9630 1939 PBY-4_P9630_39un-modele-consolide-28-5-p9630-amarre-a-felixstowe-suffolk-uk-peu-de-temps-apres-avoir-rejoint-laeronef-maritime-creation-a-titre-experimental-pour-les-proces-en-juillet-1939-p9630-a-vole-avec-nos

 

consolidated-model-28-4-p9630-san-diego-jun39-mfr-a-298-EHP2FE

 

 

I have decals for most of the above,..... and spares box for the US Navy & RAF options;

DSCF5406

 

And also a few reference pics for the early version boats;

 

16348184552_598003e52a

 

consolidated-pby-1-30-cal-tunnel-gun-position-30sep36-mfr-2982-EHP2R3

 

 

Cheers

          Tony

Edited by tonyot
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Hell Tony, talk about teasing & tantalising! 😮 Whatever comes from this are sure to be winners. Although of course I'm keen on a Kiwi ship, I'd also like to see what you can do with a VP-101 bird too. The story of this unit, "In the Hands of Fate" by Dwight Messimer is simply one of the best & most compelling stories of the air war in any theatre I've ever read & that unique unit applied camo made a purchase of the Academy kit with markings for the one in your 1st photo of the pair a must for me. Bring it on mate. :D 

Steve. 

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5 minutes ago, stevehnz said:

Hell Tony, talk about teasing & tantalising! 😮 Whatever comes from this are sure to be winners. Although of course I'm keen on a Kiwi ship, I'd also like to see what you can do with a VP-101 bird too. The story of this unit, "In the Hands of Fate" by Dwight Messimer is simply one of the best & most compelling stories of the air war in any theatre I've ever read & that unique unit applied camo made a purchase of the Academy kit with markings for the one in your 1st photo of the pair a must for me. Bring it on mate. :D 

Steve. 

Cheers Steve,...... I`m in a terrible quandry mate,..... I want to build them all!!!

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Hiya Folks,

                A quick update,...... I`ve sanded both models and they are ready to paint,..... I`ll attach the wing after painting and they are dry fitted here;

 

PBY-5;

DSCF5414

 

And PBY-4;

 

DSCF5413

 

 

Cheers,

              Tony

 

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 Thanks for the kind words fella`s,....... here is another update after the models have received a coat of black from a Tamiya Rattle Can, with masking applied ready for a coat of US Navy Sea Blue;

 

PBY-5;

DSCF5418

 

 

PBY-4;

DSCF5419

 

You can also see the decal option which I am attempting to replicate alongside, both from DK Decals sets.

 

After consulting with Syd, my RAAF expert,...... he sent me some reference material which confirmed what I thought about the upper surfaces of the PBY-5 not being black or even black with light grey disruptive camo! I can see a definite demarcation line along the wing leading edges and engine cowling and it appears that the upper surfaces were left in the US Navy Sea Blue colour with EDSG disruptive camo applied, which tended to fade and chalk quickly under the strong sunshine. On the PBY-5 `Some Chicken' the EDSG still seems not to be too faded, so that is what I shall aim for. I`m still unsure whether this Catalina had the upper surface camouflage carried down onto the forward fuselage or whether the entire fuselage was black,....... some Cat`s appear to have this and some don`t while others have the camo on the entire fuselage. 

The RAAF adopted a colour called Dark Ocean Blue which seems to be all but identical to US Navy Sea Blue and this was also applied to the PBY-4 along with EDSG which appears to be quite faded and the camo covers the fuselage as well as the upper wing.

 

Cheers for now,

                         Tony   

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And another update,....... the US Navy Sea Blue is applied,....... not sure whether it needs to be darker though? Mind you,.... the flash has made it look lighter still, having been forced to take a photo in the dark as the sunlight vanished around 1445 hrs today!!!

 

PBY-5;

DSCF5424_NEW

 

 

PBY-4;

DSCF5422_NEW

 

 

Cheers,

          Tony,

 

Edited by tonyot
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Hiya Folks,

                  A bit more of an update,...... sorry for the poor photos but the daylight doesn`t seem to be willing to show itself at the moment! 

 

PBY-5,..... I have tried to make a darker representation of the camouflage scheme using Aeromaster US Navy Sea Blue and EDSG from Pactra,... you can see why the blue is mistaken for black in many b&w period photos of the real thing;

DSCF5429_NEW

 

DSCF5425_NEW

 

 

And the PBY-4,...... The colours look more faded on this one, so I used Tamiya Rattle Can US Navy Sea Blue with Aeromaster EDSG which is a more faded version of this colour,......plus Dark Sea Grey was dry brushed over the fabric areas to make them appear more faded still. I`m still toying with replacing the blue on this one as it doesn`t seem right to me,........ we`ll see!

DSCF5428DSCF5427_NEW

 

Cheers

             Tony

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