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SAAF Marauder Mk.III, 30 Sqn, Italy, 1944 *** FINISHED 23/04/2021 ***


DaveyGair

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I think I'll jump into this GB with this Airfix marauder with Xtradecal markings for an 'unknown serial' 30 Sqn. Marauder Mk.III.  I find the Dark Earth over the Dark Olive Drab interesting. If anyone can confirm, is it correct that these were fitted with just the two guns up front below the cockpit, photo's seem to show that?

 

Davey.

 

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2 hours ago, vppelt68 said:

Look what I just recently asked 🙂

So it looks like you'd need the Hasegawa F or G kit for your Mk. III, but actually quite few can or should tell you it's wrong if you just go with that option on an Airfix Mk.II :coolio:. V-P

 

Mmmm...... I care not my friend, the Airfix kit looks like a late Marauder with the tall tail-fin and wider wing span compared to say the earlier version Valom one I have with the narrower wings and shorter tail-fin, so that's good enough for me 😁

No doubt some people may think the colours I use aren't correct either but, again, I worry not about such things and neither did the people who flew and fought in them and that is also good enough for me 😁

 

Davey.

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The first Marauder I built was the old Frog one - supposedly "Dominion's Revenge" which was I believe a short span Mk I or more likely Mk Ia though I am not sure Frog got it right - unfortunately it is long gone so I cannot check. Their later kit is said to be a Mk II and I suspect that it is the same mould, though I could be wrong!

 

Pete.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Still wrestling the Dora Vega Gull into shape over on the ANZAC GB, I decided to give it a rest for a while and start this.

Got the cockpit together and sprayed some undercoat and Zinc Chromate Primer for the interior. I added a couple of boxes either side in the cockpit, thought about adding the insulating padding(?) but decided I wanted to crack on and get the airframe assembled quickly. Some wash and dry brushing to do, seat belts and adding the joy-sticks as well to add.

I glued the wings together which went ok. A curious mix of raised panel lines and engraved access panels, I'll just leave as is.

 

More soon.

Davey.

 

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Bit of an update.  I think I'm in for a bit of 'modelling' with this one.  Putting together the fuselage meant removing the locating pins and trying to line everything up, clamping and taping here and there. When it dried overnight I have one or two steps along the seams to sort out so out will come the filler.

 

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Guess who forgot to add the control columns AND add weight to the nose !!!

The closed bomb-bay panel isn't too bad a fit.

 

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Other bits and pieces assembled, engines given a rough Black coat.  There's those forgotten control columns, easy to put in after the event!

I managed to pop one of the windows into the fuselage, I did rescue it and might try to pop it back in after trimming.

 

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Those nascelles are going to need a lot of work to blend in!

 

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I really think Airfix need to make a new mould, which I think would do well because trying to find a Hasegawa one is next to impossible and expensive!

More soon.

 

Davey.

Davey.

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10 hours ago, Col. said:

Good start Davey but I think you're in for a bit of work with the fit of this one.

 

You may be right, it will look like a Marauder when done, just one that was assembled by a bunch of Orcs in a Mordor workshop! 😁

 

Davey

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Here we are after a bit of hacking and filing, the flying surfaces are cleaned up a little bit then glued on.  A bit of filler and a lot of smoothing down should fettle the seams, especially around the nascelles and wing roots.  I can't decide whether the tail-plane is a bit off or not, the photo's make it look better than by eye :shrug:. I think maybe the starboard one is a little to high an angle. It seems I got the cockpit assembly a bit skewed when looked head on.

Lots to do before paint, an initial test fit of the cockpit canopy also seems promising.

 

Davey.

 

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Hi Davey,

 

this old kit has always had a good reputation: lots of details for its age, among other things.

Only one big mistake if I remember correctly: the horizontal stabilizers are located in the wrong place and should be moved forward.

And a Marauder in British markings will look real nice!

 

Keep enjoying it.

 

JR

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  • 2 weeks later...

Got the Percival Vega Gull finished over on the ANZAC GB so the Marauder now has my full attention.

After giving joins a rub down I gave it a shot of primer to see what things were looking like and there were a few bits and pieces needing extra attention, the photos showing where we are at so far.  

More soon after more attention and undercoat.

 

Davey.

 

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I got some paint on over the weekend.  Vallejo ModelAir Dark Olive Drab and Dark Earth, the lower 'Neutral Grey' is Medium Sea Grey, I think it looks OK.

I didn't have a Medium Green to do the 'splotches' on the flying surfaces leading and trailing edges.  I tried a few different colours but nothing has given a good demarcation, most of it is covered by the Dark Earth though so I'm not too worried. 

One thing niggling me is I've made the demarcation between the upper and lower colours a bit too high compared to the decal plans and some photo's, not so obvious when viewed from a higher angle, more so from side on, need to have a think if I can be bothered to change it or if I can live with it!

 

More soon.

Davey.

 

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Still soldiering on  with this, had admittedly become a bit of a chore but I got the varnishing and decalling done the last couple of days.  Here we are with a couple of coats of Vallejo Matt Varnish applied. Got the undercarriage and doors, a couple of glazing to replace and aerials and stuff to attach to complete.

 

Davey.

 

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On 4/20/2021 at 3:39 PM, Col. said:

Almost there and looking well Davey.

 

Not quite there, got the props done and painted and assembled the undercarriage and gear doors.  I fitted a pair guns from the spares box into the rear position and added some filler to represent the canvas cover these aircraft were fitted with around the guns, no photo yet as I have to clean up and faff about with this to look Ok 🙄. Lots of touching up to do to paint, dulling the Aluminium down with a wash and some weathering to do as well, plus aerials etc. Nearly there!

More soon.

Davey.

 

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Well, I got this all done and dusted. A bit more trouble than I expected and certainly not the best job I've done but I think it looks the part.

Of course I forgot all about adding nose weight, having done tail sitters for the last few years I got back into modelling!

Fairly restrained weathering as usual.  

I may add an African MiG-15 or two in this GB if time on other builds allows, will definitely remember to add nose weight in them! 🤔 

Thanks for all the comments and see you in the Gallery.

 

Davey.

 

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  • DaveyGair changed the title to SAAF Marauder Mk.III, 30 Sqn, Italy, 1944 *** FINISHED 23/04/2021 ***

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