Lockheed PBO-1 Hudson, VP-82, Newfoundland, 1942 ***FINISHED 15/04/2020***

[DaveyGair]

When I finally get my JU-87 finished over on that STGB I'll be starting a couple of builds on here.

 

I just recently obtained this kit and really fancy building it right now, not that I haven't got dozens of other projects I want to do as well!

It seems a nice kit, but obviously having had experience of Special Hobby/AZ Models/Sword kits, it will need some care.

I'm going to do the most colourful of the two Navy machines covered by the nice looking decal sheet, all of the subjects are in RAF standard day scheme of Dark Green over Dark Earth over Sky, but around 200 bound for the UK were quickly 'commandeered' as the US needed to build up their forces in the Pacific and elsewhere, so US markings were applied and away they went!

 

There is an error in the kit which baffled me a bit after looking at photos of this machine in question on the internet, that being the choice of exhaust and air intake/scoops.

The box art is even correct! But the instructions would have you fit the small vents on the side of the nascelles, and very short air intakes above and below the cowl, but this is incorrect. Fortunately the long type tube exhausts and the longer air scoops are included in the kit, so all's good!

 

See you soon, Davey.

 

 

[DaveyGair]

Stuka is finished so made a start on this, and the Beaufighter.   

Started putting together the interior, which has LOTS of parts. As usual for an MPM/Special Hobby kit, lots of test fitting and re-test fitting is required although didn't have to remove too much from the main floor, 2nd bulkhead to get the fuselage to close. 

The main floor is not fitted in yet, all ready to paint. Would recommend installing the cockpit bulkhead first before fitting the pilots seat to make sure it clears the bulkhead as, as usual, the location of the parts is not positive.

The detail is good enough for me so won't be adding anything else.

 

Davey.

 

 

[PeterB]

Hi Davey,

 

This is interesting. According to my book on RAF gun turrets, and also the Putnams book on Lockheed, the BP Type C MkII turret was only fitted to the aircraft after they arrived in the UK, and yet I have seen a pic of one of the 20 USN "commandeered" Hudson Mk IIIA aka A-29-LO / PBO-1 in the Punams book on USN planes with the turret fitted as in this kit - presumably by the time they started producing that model Lockheed had aquired a supply of turrets! 

 

I have both the old Airfix Hudson and the MInicraft Ventura, so I will watch this one with interest.

 

Cheers

 

Pete

[DaveyGair]

11 hours ago, PeterB said:

Hi Davey,

 

This is interesting. According to my book on RAF gun turrets, and also the Putnams book on Lockheed, the BP Type C MkII turret was only fitted to the aircraft after they arrived in the UK, and yet I have seen a pic of one of the 20 USN "commandeered" Hudson Mk IIIA aka A-29-LO / PBO-1 in the Punams book on USN planes with the turret fitted as in this kit - presumably by the time they started producing that model Lockheed had aquired a supply of turrets! 

 

I have both the old Airfix Hudson and the MInicraft Ventura, so I will watch this one with interest.

 

Cheers

 

Pete

Most definitely, and you'll notice, they were painted in the RAF Dark Green/Dark Earth/Sky scheme. They just slapped on some US markings and away they went!

Something different to model.

 

Davey.

[rob85]

Missed this one when you started it, very interested to see this built, for the very selfish reason of I have one I want to build!

 

Rob

[DaveyGair]

Alternating between this and the Beau'.

Got the painting and assembly of the interior done. Note to self and a warning to others, place the side windows in BEFORE adding the interior, makes it a tiny bit easier!

The side windows actually went in without to many problems, really good fit. Just maybe a bit of scraping of the holes a little every now and then. Fixed in with Krystal Klear.  I've noiced a couple of them have moved in a little with handling, take care after closing up the fuselage!

 

 

 

Seat belts from painted Tamiya Tape. Haven't a clue if the positioning and number of belts is correct, the photo's I looked a t on the 'net didn't show much.

The interior went in with little trouble, the rear most floor wasn't very clear for the location so just made sure the seat lined up with the turret hole ( I imagine that wouldn't be the actual seat, there is no interior bits for the turret, just the two guns).

 

The fuselage went together quite well, I chose to cut the locating pegs off, just to give a bit of wiggle room., needed just at the very front upper join.

The tail plane went together ok, located ok apart from a bit of filler needed on the lower parts.

The section of fuselage for the turret is slightly too wide and just not long enough when the tail is fitted correctly. Just needs a bit of filler and gentle filing/rubbing down.

 

Final thought, why can't Airfix do panel lines a fine as MPM/Special Hobby et al?

 

Davey.

 

 

[DaveyGair]

Done a bit more on this one, starting to look like an aeroplane now. 

At first I thought this was going to go together none too badly, but it has been a bit of a struggle (for this modeller anyway), more than the couple of other SH, AZ and Sword kits I have done.  It seems that when test fitting the main structure it seemed everything would be aligned pretty well but on applying adhesive has been a bit of chore! You can see where I have added some filler, some of the fitting problems may be my own I must admit but we're there now.

The main landing gear legs had to be fitted before joining the two wing halves together.

The separate, clear moulded nose piece didn't align quite perfectly, no matter what I did, even with a little shavings of plastic to pack it out, there was a step somewhere so have left it as is and we'll see where we are when everything hardens, sanded and I shoot a bit of undercoat.

Still lots more to do, including the engines and nacelles, rear turret which I think needs a little bit of an interior scratch built.

 

Questions, comments and criticisms welcomed.

 

Davey.

 

 

[rob85]

The transparent parts always appear to be a challenge with MPM kits, the Revell reprop of their Boston has similar issues.

 

you look like your getting this one into shape though!

 

Rob

[Edge]

I think the Revell boxing of this kit suggests adding a 1mm spacer between the fuselage halves, ahead of the windscreen.

 

Edge

 

[DaveyGair]

Got the Beau' finished so cracking on with this now, maybe I might get a third on the go!!

 

Spent some time fettling poorly fitting joins, (mainly my doing), and a couple of rounds of undercoat then more fettling and I'm done now! The nose looks like it's been fitted on by a bunch of Mordor Goblins but I'm done with sanding and filling, it'll have to do!

Got a few coats of Sky done, I did treat myself to Eduards' Masking set, before fiddling with the engines and cowlings (should be fun), then I'll do the upper Dark Green/Dark Earth. 

Note most of the side windows aren't flush! 🙄

Still got the turret to mess with as well, no internal detail whatsoever so I'll knock something up.

 

Davey.

 

 

[DaveyGair]

Top camo colours done.  A bit of tweaking here and there needed, a couple of the green/earth demarcations are a bit too soft plus a bit of overspray.

The cowlings are being done separately. The engines didn't fit into them and need much trimming which meant they didn't butt against their location tabs, so needed some care when installing!

 

Not long to go now, contemplating the turret assembly as there is no interior, just stick the guns into place and that's it. Was this the same turret as the early Halifaxs'? I have a couple of Revell MkI/II's but the turrets don't quite look the same as the one provided in the Hudson kit, but apparently both used the B-P C. MkIII turret.

 

Davey.

 

 

Edited April 10, 2020 by DaveyGair

[PeterB]

Hi Davey,

 

According to my book on British turrets, BP produced the Type C Mk I initially as the nose turret on the early Halifax. Later they modified it by adding a new rear section and it became the Type C Mk II which was used in the mid upper position on both the Halifax and Hudson, so yes - they should be the same. and I used a spare Hudson one on my Halifax conversion to the Merlin engined early model.

Crap pic as it has been subject to 40 years of dust and pipe smoke.

 

It was also used on RAF Venturas. Could just be that the Revell kit has a different take on the turret to that of the Airfix Hudson and your kit one - as a matter of interest is your Halifax the new Revell one or the rebox of the Matchbox one?

 

Pete

Edited April 10, 2020 by PeterB

[Graham Boak]

The Airfix Hudson had a circular turret, with the C Mk.III isn't.  It should protrude somewhat lower where the guns come out.  As I recall both Revell and Matchbox captured this to various degrees, but Aeroclub did a replacement for the Halifax kit which was far superior, if more difficult to make.  The Airfix turret is best ignored.

[PeterB]

Interesting you should say that Graham.

 

The book I have only mentions the C Mk I and C Mk II in the text, but in the appendix it lists several other versions! It shows the C Mk I in the nose of the Halifax I and II, C Mk II in the Hudson I, C Mk IIa in the Hudson II and III, C Mk IV in the Ventura and C Mk V in the Halifax II as a mid upper mounting, but as you will see no mention of a C Mk III!. Confusing, as is often the case in this hobby, so maybe it should be different after all Davey! I guess that as ever it depends on which book you read. Mine is "British Aircraft Armament - Volume 1 - RAF Gun Turrets from 1914 to the present day" by R Wallace Clarke, published by Patrick Stephens Ltd in 1993, but the above list is identical to one in the turret section of  "Boulton Paul Aircraft since 1915" by Alec Brew in the Putnam series.  As that was also published in 1993, perhaps both authors were using the same list as a source, and it seems it could have been wrong, highlighting yet again one of the pitfalls we often come across. Maybe the C Mk IIa was also known sometimes as the C Mk III - who knows?

 

Cheers

 

Pete

 

[DaveyGair]

Thanks everyone.

 

2 hours ago, PeterB said:

Hi Davey,

 

 

It was also used on RAF Venturas. Could just be that the Revell kit has a different take on the turret to that of the Airfix Hudson and your kit one - as a matter of interest is your Halifax the new Revell one or the rebox of the Matchbox one?

 

Pete

It's the new tool one.  I taped the parts together and it's a perfect fit into the Hudson.  I'll try both and see which one looks best.

 

Thanks again guys.

 

Davey.

[PeterB]

Great Davey,

 

Incidentally, one result of this has been that I noticed all the BP C Type turrets had a ring of only 38.3" diameter - no wonder the gunner could not wear his parachute!

 

Pete

[DaveyGair]

Bit more progress, it's all the fiddly final bits and pieces coming together now.

 

When the cowlings were offered up to the nacelles it was obvious straight away they were much too far back. I looked through the destructions to find out if I had missed something but no, SH just want you to glue them straight onto the nacelles, obviously taking care to line them up correctly.

So, I added some pieces of scrap plastic card to push them out a bit, using a drawing I printed off the 'net which enlarged was close to 1/72nd.

 

 

I fitted the wheels and oleo fairings, I found out the port oleo was a little too far angled over to the left, but little could be done to fix it so I just set the wheel upright to compensate 🙄

 

 

I also realised I haven't added the lower intakes onto the nacelles, but these can't go on till the cowlings are on anyway as leading openings come over the cowlings. I've got them on now since taking the pics.

Also realised I was going to re-scribe the bomb-bay doors but forgot 

 

More soon.

 

Davey.

[DaveyGair]

…. and some more done.  

Markings added and matt varnish applied.  I decided to use the kit turret as this seems to reproduce the flattened top (maybe a bit overdone).  The Halifax turret hasn't got this. I did use the Halifax turret mounting and guns, had to shave the gun mounts down a bit, but the guns fitted fine into holes I had to drill (not done by the manufacturer, but the marks are there!).

Applying the decals was a chore as they broke up by just looking at them!  Had to do some repairs to the main wing stars using the unused smaller Army ones.  It also appears that the port tail-fin is slightly leaning towards the rear, I aligned the stipes to the rudder hinges but it does show with further investigation it's slightly out! Nowt I can do now without cutting it off and re-joining, which I'm not going to do!

I re-scribed the bomb bay doors but can't vouch for their accuracy because drawings I looked at show some differences, this is how the kit was (I think) so going with that.

Few more bits to do then she's in the Gallery!

 

Davey.

 

 

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

My shes looking good, might just have to reconsider building one of these now. 

[DaveyGair]

4 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

My shes looking good, might just have to reconsider building one of these now. 

As I was building this I was thinking 'never again!' but I may still fancy doing a Coastal Command one.

It's just a typical MPM/SH/ type kit, needs a bit more work than most others, but the results can be good. I wish they had done the front fuselage sections in plain plastic with separate clear parts though.  Also there are lots of misdirections in the instructions re; the intakes and exhausts. Also had you opening up an opening for an observation blister but that's not required!

 

Davey.

[DaveyGair]

Well, that's all the little bits and pieces done, I didn't even swear once when doing the aerial wires!

 

Apart from all the numerous problems that go with these type of kits I'm fairly pleased with the result, even if it has a wonky tail fin!

Wish I had spent more time on the nose section, but with it being moulded in two horizontal parts it wasn't possible to take any plastic off the fit the already completed fuselage. 

 

See you in my RN Airspeed Oxford build (possibly another challenge?)

 

Davey.

 

 

[Cookenbacher]

Excellent build of a difficult kit Davey.

[CliffB]

You've done a beautiful job there Davey.  Congratulations!

I do like Lockheed twins.  IIRC there was a proposal for a Group Build a few years ago, but it got bogged down with arguments over whether the P-38 should qualify (which clearly it shouldn't ).

 

Cheers

[Alan P]

Beautifully done and neat as a pin. Top job!