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B-24 D inspiration needed


rob85

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I'm no expert but it looks like the Eduard overtrees have the correct nose turret for your GR.VI. The turret in the Pavla set is the Boulton Paul tail turret as used on UK based GR.V and some GR.VI.

 

I have the Eduard overtrees set and don't need the GR.VI turrets so could let you have the parts for those. I also have the Pavla set so have way more parts than I need to complete my GR.V stalled build.

 

I also think I have decals for a rocket armed GR.V other than the one I am building.

 

I won't be able to get to the box containing all the bits I have until the middle of August but if you can wait that long I should be able to help with most of the parts you need for your stalled GR.VI and a rocket armed GR.V. The short shot bomb window for the GR.VI I won't have as I am only doing a GR.V. If you are interested PM me and we'll work out the details when I am back with the parts. I would appreciate a contribution as I did pay the Eduard postage (with another kit as well).

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11 hours ago, bobmig said:

Yes, Jimmy Stewart's a/c was an H model. However, we did have a sheet of "Sub Hunting Liberators", but unfortunately it's out of print. Might be worth re-doing, I suppose, if the interest is still there.

Bob

...

I have a Hasegawa ‘J’ earmarked to do as one of Jimmy Stewart’s Liberators. Just haven’t figured out how to tackle the Ford nose

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6 minutes ago, Chuck1945 said:

I have a Hasegawa ‘J’ earmarked to do as one of Jimmy Stewart’s Liberators. Just haven’t figured out how to tackle the Ford nose

There's a whole heap of turrets on the overtrees, if I can help you as well as rob85 just let me know.

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52 minutes ago, rossm said:

I'm no expert but it looks like the Eduard overtrees have the correct nose turret for your GR.VI. The turret in the Pavla set is the Boulton Paul tail turret as used on UK based GR.V and some GR.VI.

 

I have the Eduard overtrees set and don't need the GR.VI turrets so could let you have the parts for those. I also have the Pavla set so have way more parts than I need to complete my GR.V stalled build.

 

I also think I have decals for a rocket armed GR.V other than the one I am building.

 

I won't be able to get to the box containing all the bits I have until the middle of August but if you can wait that long I should be able to help with most of the parts you need for your stalled GR.VI and a rocket armed GR.V. The short shot bomb window for the GR.VI I won't have as I am only doing a GR.V. If you are interested PM me and we'll work out the details when I am back with the parts. I would appreciate a contribution as I did pay the Eduard postage (with another kit as well).

 

12 minutes ago, rossm said:

There's a whole heap of turrets on the overtrees, if I can help you as well as rob85 just let me know.

Well your Gent!

 

PM inbound! I might need to get hold of another kit at some point too many good options!

 

Rob

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Couldn't see past the crowd at the bar to make any comments, but this is going to be one pretty Lib! The late production J's with the enlarged bomb aimer's station and the blistered canopy really set it apart, and the sharkmouth is the cherry on top! Do you know if it has the late production modified windscreen? If you have Consolidated Mess by MMP, it should tell you, but I think yours probably has the standard production windscreen. I can take a look in my copy to see if your Lib's serial fits in that batch, but I think it's  from an earlier run. No matter, I can't wait to see the RFI photos!

Mike

 

BTW, your Lib, KG991, was written off at Semarang, Java on September 26, 1945, when it overshot on landing and the nosewheel collapsed. From the Joe Baugher website.

Edited by 72modeler
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12 minutes ago, 72modeler said:

Couldn't see past the crowd at the bar to make any comments, but this is going to be one pretty Lib! The late production J's with the enlarged bomb aimer's station and the blistered canopy really set it apart, and the sharkmouth is the cherry on top! Do you know if it has the late production modified windscreen? If you have Consolidated Mess by MMP, it should tell you, but I think yours probably has the standard production windscreen. I can take a look in my copy to see if your Lib's serial fits in that batch, but I think it's  from an earlier run. No matter, I can't wait to see the RFI photos!

Mike

Mike I’m glad you like her! It’s the fault of two people @Procopius as the transfers were sent over by him in an exchange and my son who thought a giant flying great white shark was a good idea!

 

hopefully I’ll finish it and get it right! Libs as the title of that book points at, are a mess! Any info is warmly received.

 

from what I remember they were delivered to the Dutch after being used by RAF/SEAC so are probably early J’s? But I’m not that knowledgeable.

 

I think the b-24 D will be a poelsti AC hopefully in a desert scheme, just got to decide which!! There were 100’s to be fair. 

 

Then possibly go on to build another costal scheme as they appear pretty popular, and I really like white liberators!

 

Rob

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Rob,

 

Just got through looking at my copy of the MMP book. KG991 was a Consolidated Ft. Worth-built B-24J-75-CF. (USAAF serial was 44-10656) Almost all of the the block 75 Libs went to the RAF. They had the nosewheel doors that opened outwards. The Emerson A15 nose turret was fitted, with  an 's' shaped fairing between the rear of the turret and the nose. The cockpit canopy sides and the navigator's windows were bulged.  Hope this helps!

Mike

 

This is an amendment to my original post, as I got the nosewheel door operation and assembly plant wrong! I wanted to get you the correct information. I'll try to find a photo of the nose turret fairing.

Edited by 72modeler
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1 hour ago, rossm said:

There's a whole heap of turrets on the overtrees, if I can help you as well as rob85 just let me know.

The issue isn’t the turret, it is the distinctive ‘S’ fairing of the nose turret and bomb aimer’s perspex onto the fuselage. All Ford produced B-24s had this feature. I’ll probably end up sanding down the kit straight line fairing and either (attempt) scribe the curve or use .005” plastic card to replicate it.

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19 minutes ago, Chuck1945 said:

The issue isn’t the turret, it is the distinctive ‘S’ fairing of the nose turret and bomb aimer’s perspex onto the fuselage. All Ford produced B-24s had this feature. I’ll probably end up sanding down the kit straight line fairing and either (attempt) scribe the curve or use .005” plastic card to replicate it.

Sorry.... the what?! I’ve got an s flairing on the ford built as well?

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2 hours ago, 72modeler said:

Rob,

 

Just got through looking at my copy of the MMP book. KG991 was a Consolidated Ft. Worth-built B-24J-75-CF. (USAAF serial was 44-10656) Almost all of the the block 75 Libs went to the RAF. They had the nosewheel doors that opened outwards. The Emerson A15 nose turret was fitted, with  an 's' shaped fairing between the rear of the turret and the nose. The cockpit canopy sides and the navigator's windows were bulged.  Hope this helps!

Mike

 

This is an amendment to my original post, as I got the nosewheel door operation and assembly plant wrong! I wanted to get you the correct information. I'll try to find a photo of the nose turret fairing.

Your a helpful man to know Mike, thank you

 

Rob

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8 hours ago, rob85 said:

Sorry.... the what?! I’ve got an s flairing on the ford built as well?

Rob,

 

Since KG991 was Consolidated Ft. Worth-built, it did not have the 's' fairing between the turret and the nose. See the photo of what that fairing looked like on a Ford-built B-24J.

Mike

 

http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a72.htm

 

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On 7/12/2019 at 12:24 PM, rob85 said:

Sorry.... the what?! I’ve got an s flairing on the ford built as well?

Ford-built B-24s had a distinctive nose shape.  They used the same Emerson turret as Consolidated-built machines, but the "chin" window was a different shape, as well as the fairing around the turret.  This fairing blended into the rest of the nose with a characteristic "S curve."  Here's a Ford-built B-24, showing the fabled "S curve" behind the nose turret.  On Ford machines, the back edge of the bombardier's window also angles back, and the upper edge angles upward.

 

wuMYOQ5.jpg

 

Here's a typical Consolidated-built B-24J.  It lacks the fairing with the S-curve, and the bombardier's window is a more angular shape.   

 

o1yFOmb.jpg

 

Some years ago, I started experimenting with a Hasegawa B-24J, to see if I could make it into a Ford-built B-24H.  The original kit part is below, which represents a Condolidated-built aircraft.  Above is my attempt to modify it to resemble a Ford nose, with the S-curve and differently shaped bombardier's window.  It looks passable to me, but I'll need to vacuform a new clear part for the bombardier's window.

 

6LfgJyo.jpg

 

Cheers!

 

Steve

 

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On 7/12/2019 at 7:22 PM, Planebuilder62 said:

Hi there

Hussar make a good Assembly Ship decal set in 1/72. HAD also make other Assembly ship decals and can be ordered from Hannants.

 

Regards Toby

I’ll look it up, cheers Toby 👍🏻

On 7/13/2019 at 1:30 AM, 72modeler said:

Rob,

 

Since KG991 was Consolidated Ft. Worth-built, it did not have the 's' fairing between the turret and the nose. See the photo of what that fairing looked like on a Ford-built B-24J.

Mike

 

http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a72.htm

 

Cheers Mike, I have a feeling you rather like liberators! I’m also very glad to hear there is no flaring, probably not within skill set to fix (evidently it is well within @Steve N‘s!) 

22 hours ago, Wm Blecky said:

Either of these grab your interest:

PYND72011.jpg

They do! Currently thinking along the lines of a desert scheme, my girlfriend has told me strawberry b or lil de-icer are best as they have the same colour hair as her... obviously this was my first thought as well 🙄

17 hours ago, Steve N said:

Ford-built B-24s had a distinctive nose shape.  They used the same Emerson turret as Consolidated-built machines, but the "chin" window was a different shape, as well as the fairing around the turret.  This fairing blended into the rest of the nose with a characteristic "S curve."  Here's a Ford-built B-24, showing the fabled "S curve" behind the nose turret.  On Ford machines, the back edge of the bombardier's window also angles back, and the upper edge angles upward.

 

wuMYOQ5.jpg

 

Here's a typical Consolidated-built B-24J.  It lacks the fairing with the S-curve, and the bombardier's window is a more angular shape.   

 

o1yFOmb.jpg

 

Some years ago, I started experimenting with a Hasegawa B-24J, to see if I could make it into a Ford-built B-24H.  The original kit part is below, which represents a Condolidated-built aircraft.  Above is my attempt to modify it to resemble a Ford nose, with the S-curve and differently shaped bombardier's window.  It looks passable to me, but I'll need to vacuform a new clear part for the bombardier's window.

 

6LfgJyo.jpg

 

Cheers!

 

Steve

 

Steve that’s some cracking work! And clearly demonstrates the difference between the noses having the kit parts out like that. Cheers!

 

the Duxford example has me confused 

 

I15oVc7.jpg

 

Hfz7m0w.jpg

 

nQ9thCN.jpg

 

pPuSRxw.jpg

 

UzJI1ux.jpg

 

Looks ford built?

I would love to build this one at some point in life.... but need to be realistic 

Rob

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4 hours ago, rob85 said:

the Duxford example has me confused 

Looks ford built?

I would love to build this one at some point in life.... but need to be realistic 

Rob

 

Yep, it's a Ford-built B-24M.  In this case, the "S-curve is there, but the enlarged navigator's window cuts into it.  Also, for some reason the museum didn't install the bombardier's window when they restored it.  This nose of this particular aircraft was heavily modified when she was being used for research, with the turret and bombardier's windows removed and faired over.  This is the Duxford aircraft around 1950.  I believe it was the last Liberator operated by the USAF.

 

lGX3yaS.jpg

 

To date, the Academy B-24M is the only Liberator kit to correctly portray a "Ford nose," albeit the later version with the enlarged, blown windows (even then, the contours around the turret have been simplified a bit.)  This is how the Duxford example would have been configured when it left the factory, before all the modifications.

 

yvv2ldf.jpg

 

SN

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Rob85,

 

Yep, those color photos you posted (Outstanding pics of the Emerson A15 "beer can" nose turret, BTW!) are of a Willow Run Ford-built late production B-24J; see the link below to a You Tube video on the Willow Run plant that shows late production  J's on the assembly line and being tested pre-delivery. Notice how shiny and polished the aluminum panels appear, just as nice as the Ft. Worth-built J's- pretty Libs! hard to image they were building one per hour at that point! Once Ford adapted their mass production auto techniques to aircraft production, they were able to crank 'em out! 

Mike

 

 

 

 

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13 hours ago, Jordi said:

 

Only for a period of about two weeks in August 1943.  The 479th Antisubmarine Group of the USAAF was based at Dunkeswell, and when VB-103 moved from Newfoundland to England they were temporarily based at St. Eval while the 479th was packing up shop and moving out of Dunkeswell.  I have a very good book on Navy Liberators that goes into the history quite well.

 

12 hours ago, andyf117 said:

Not quite correct - in fact, it was the 479th ASG that was only based at St Eval for a few weeks (18 July to 6 August) before moving to Dunkeswell...

....FAW-7's units (VB-103, VB-105, VB-110, and VB-111) were variously stationed at St Eval for three months, from 1 August to 4 November (plus VB-111 returned from March until July 1944 to participate in Operation Overlord)...

 

The crew of a PB4Y-1 lost during a training sortie on 10 September included a Minor League baseball player:

http://www.baseballinwartime.com/in_memoriam/siens_jack.htm

 

Check out halfway down the left on page eight of this document, dated 24 August 1943:

https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/histories/naval-aviation/Location of US Naval Aircraft - 1943/PDFs/24-8-43.pdf

the bottom right of page 10 of this one, dated 21 Sept:

https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/histories/naval-aviation/Location of US Naval Aircraft - 1943/PDFs/21-9-43.pdf

the top right of page six of this one, dated 5 Oct:

https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/histories/naval-aviation/Location of US Naval Aircraft - 1943/PDFs/5-10-43.pdf

and top right again, page eight of this one:

https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/histories/naval-aviation/Location of US Naval Aircraft - 1943/PDFs/19-10-43.pdf

 

The photos of 'Calvert & Coke' - which were in colour, but mostly reproduced since in black & white - were taken whilst the aircraft was flying out of St Eval.

However, the November 1943 sortie during which she was lost with all her crew - but sank U-508 - was indeed flown from Dunkeswell...

You guys know your stuff, right down to the individual AC’s it’s impressive, wish I had the skill/determination to find this kind of info

13 hours ago, 72modeler said:

Rob,

 

See the link for a very good website for USN VPB squadrons; you can also select the aircraft type in which you are interested. Hope this will be of some use.

Mike

 

http://www.vpnavy.org/aircraft.html

That is a very helpful link Mike! For more than just Lib’s!! 

 

Cheers

 

Rob

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