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1:72 Revell Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer


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Hi mates,

 

I'm about to start painting my current project, so that means it's time to think about a new project! Some of you may remember that I ginned up an old (like in 1965) Revell PB4Y-1 Liberator with all sorts of resin, photoetch, scratch-built stuff, sheets of card stock, and some great aftermarket stickers in an attempt to make people think it was actually the Hasegawa kit. Not sure that I succeeded in that endeavour, but it sure was fun. Here was the result for reference:

 

 

So why not make a model of its offspring? The PB4Y-2 was quite a bit different, especially around the engines, nacelles, and waist turrets, with a single vertical tail reminiscent of the B-32 Dominator. I believe the fuselage was also longer. The only 1:72 kit that I'm aware of is the venerable Matchbox kit that first appeared in 1980. It's one of the better efforts from Matchbox and lucky for me, Revell re-released it in 2009. Why lucky? Because it's not moulded in three different colours! Just nice plain old boring grey. I picked up this kit for a mere $10 from a vendor table at an airshow several years back.

 

Let's have a look. starting with the Gawd-awful, end opening, designed to never stay closed, collapse upon sight Revell box:

 

IMG_5857

 

Nice artwork. The styrene parts have both recessed panel lines (for major control surfaces) and very fine raised lines for everything else. I haven't decided whether this will need to be re-scribed; it may look fine just the way it is. First, the fuselage and tail:

 

IMG_5861

 

Next, the wingy thingies and other assorted bits.

 

IMG_5859

 

IMG_5860

 

The engines, nacelles, cowling, waist turret panels, landing gear, and other goodies:

 

IMG_5858

 

Finally, the clear parts and there be a lot of them!

 

IMG_5862

 

The kit has the typical instruction booklet that Revell produced at the time. The decal sheet has options for VPB-106 of the US Navy on Tinian during 1945, a RCAF Liberator C.Mk.IX (RY-3) from 168 Squadron, and a French PB4Y-2S of the Aéronavale during their adventures in Indochina.

 

IMG_5863

 

It probably builds into a nice replica right from the box. But what fun would that be? Anybody can build out of the box, right? Besides, we got another box! This one here:

 

IMG_5864

 

Resin! Be still my heart! Take off your mask and put on your respirator! (I wonder if you can kill coronavirus with resin dust?) This little box of goodies is chock full of nicely cast detail parts in addition to bits that "correct" the kit. I have no knowledge (at present) of what might be wrong with the kit, but whatever. Let's see what's in Pandora's Box! Er, Privateer's Box!

 

First, some cockpit stuff. This will be a big help in tartin' up the pit - the kit is woefully inadequate here.

 

IMG_5869

 

I think I can combine this with some Eduard B-24 Liberator photoetch that I have. Next, new engines, nacelles, and cowlings. I've read that this is one area where the kit needs correction.

 

IMG_5865

 

New propellers and tyres - the props have better shaped blades than those in the kit, and the tyres are much more detailed:

 

IMG_5867

 

And some very nicely detailed replacement parts for the waist, nose, and top turrets.

 

IMG_5868

 

Lastly, Cobra included several vacuform clear parts, and one clear resin part. Not sure why that one part (I think it's the lower bomb aimer's window) was done in resin, but there it is.

 

IMG_5866

 

Holy Frijole! I think there are more resin parts than there are styrene. Needless to say this will be a bit of a big project, so don't expect anything to happen quickly. But I will start working on this one while I'm finishing up the Hornet. When the Privateer is finished, she should look real nice sitting next to the PB4Y-1, who is a bit lonely all by herself in the Bomber wing of my display case.

 

Cobra, who produced this resin set, is no longer in business but its tooling was acquired by Lone Star Models and this set is scheduled to be released again in 2021. Just in case one of you crazy people out there want to give it a go.   :) 

 

That's it for now. Stay tuned and stay safe!     😷

 

Cheers,

Bill

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Great choice Bill. I remember lusting after a Matchbox boxing of this kit as a lad but never having the pocket money to buy one!
 

Edge

 

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I'll be watching this!

 

Your link to your PB4Y-1 only shows this:

 

Service Unavailable

The server is temporarily unable to service your request due to maintenance downtime or capacity problems. Please try again later.

Additionally, a 503 Service Unavailable error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.

 

 

 

 

Chris

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27 minutes ago, Edge said:

Great choice Bill. I remember lusting after a Matchbox boxing of this kit as a lad but never having the pocket money to buy one!

 

Now that you're grown up you can afford one! If we ever get airshows again just rummage through the vendor tables.    :)

 

6 minutes ago, dogsbody said:

Your link to your PB4Y-1 only shows this:

 

Service Unavailable

The server is temporarily unable to service your request due to maintenance downtime or capacity problems. Please try again later.

Additionally, a 503 Service Unavailable error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.

 

That's a known forum issue - there's a huge thread about it in the Help section. Just keep refreshing your browser until the page comes in. Usually only takes one or two refreshes for me.

 

Cheers,

Bill

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Hello, I'm also in for this one. First saw it with nine in my old Matchbox catalogue, but never built one.  Only a B-17, ,a  Lanc and the Halifax of the brown series, but that is long ago. The resin also looks very promising. This will be a nice addition to your great looking PB4Y-1.

Cheers

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All ingredients looks very tasty and promising. Untill now it is in modeller's hands. Good luck!

After looking at your Lib I am pretty sure it will be very interesting and satisfying thread. I'll stay with you, if I you please.

Best regards, 

Michał

Edited by socjo1
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Is there room for one more? 

Looking forward to seeing what you do with this one Bill

 

   Stay safe               Roger

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12 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

So why not make a model of its offspring? The PB4Y-2 was quite a bit different, especially around the engines, nacelles, and waist turrets, with a single vertical tail reminiscent of the B-32 Dominator. I believe the fuselage was also longer. The only 1:72 kit that I'm aware of is the venerable Matchbox kit that first appeared in 1980. It's one of the better efforts from Matchbox and lucky for me, Revell re-released it in 2009. Why lucky? Because it's not moulded in three different colours! Just nice plain old boring grey. I picked up this kit for a mere $10 from a vendor table at an airshow several years back.

 

Great find, and a bargain price!  and you've got all the extras.

I swapped another model to receive a Revell Privateer - then built OOB in 2015 (+different decals) as this RY-3 Liberator Express.

Revell-Liberator-Express.jpg

I compared it with a B-24, during build, thinking it had fuselage extensions front and rear.

NON,  front fuselage the same - rear fuselage very different.

I've also built tri-coloured, Matchbox PB4-Y2.

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This is actually a pretty good kit to start with, despite coming in three different colors.  I built mine about 22 years ago without the benefit of the Cobra parts, and it fit together well.  At that time, Koster was the only game in town, and it was in 1/48, so I can be excused for some inaccuracies, particularly on the outboard engine nacelles.  Cobra fixes all that, and you are blessed to have the Cobra parts.

 

Be sure to check the fit of the nose turret to ensure that it doesn't bulge up to block the pilots' view.  There's a bit of plastic on the kit you'll likely need to remove first to ensure that doesn't happen.

 

I chose to build a French example.  Be advised that the box illustration on the back shows the French privateer with the dorsal spine turrets removed.  The kit gives you parts to fair over the openings.  This is fine for an Algerian War aircraft, based in Bizerte, and a participant in the infamous attempt by Tunisia to drive the French into the sea.  If you build an Indochina War example, then you need to include those turrets, which were still on the aircraft through to '54, when they dropped thousands of Lazy Dogs on the Viet Minh.

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15 hours ago, bbudde said:

Hello, I'm also in for this one. First saw it with nine in my old Matchbox catalogue, but never built one.  Only a B-17, ,a  Lanc and the Halifax of the brown series, but that is long ago. The resin also looks very promising. This will be a nice addition to your great looking PB4Y-1.

 

I never built many Matchbox kits when I was younger as they weren't readily available (neither was Airfix until MPC started distributing in the States and USAirfix came along). I remember building the 1:32 Sea Venom though, as I had a beast of a time with it. I donated it back to the hobby shop where I bought it and they hung it from the ceiling. Full circle modelling!    :)

 

13 hours ago, CedB said:

I'm in too Bill - looking forward to seeing what you do with all that resin! :) 

 

Thanks Ced. Hopefully I won't inhale it all - there is a bit of sawing and sanding on the horizon.    ☠️

 

13 hours ago, socjo1 said:

All ingredients looks very tasty and promising. Untill now it is in modeller's hands. Good luck!

After looking at your Lib I am pretty sure it will be very interesting and satisfying thread. I'll stay with you, if I you please.

 

Thanks Michal. I may need that good luck, I think this will be a big project.    🤞

 

13 hours ago, Hamden said:

Is there room for one more?

 

Always room for you Roger!    🪑

 

11 hours ago, Max Headroom said:

Comfy chair pulled up, beer and sandwiches ordered from the bar...

 

Thanks Trevor. Since you're mentioned it, see if they have Doom Bar. I'll take a pint.     :beer:

 

11 hours ago, theplasticsurgeon said:

Great find, and a bargain price!  and you've got all the extras.

I swapped another model to receive a Revell Privateer - then built OOB in 2015 (+different decals) as this RY-3 Liberator Express.

 

The RY-3 looks very nice indeed. Great job! I may have got the kit at a bargain price, but not the resin! I bought it a while ago, but I seem to remember paying about $75 for the Cobra set. Don't tell wifey!       :nono: 

 

5 hours ago, TheyJammedKenny! said:

Be sure to check the fit of the nose turret to ensure that it doesn't bulge up to block the pilots' view.  There's a bit of plastic on the kit you'll likely need to remove first to ensure that doesn't happen.

 

Thanks, I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Tips like these can save a lot of time and heartache later on.    👍

 

*****

 

I'm leaning toward a USN version but the French scheme looks good too. Lone Star Models have announced a new 1:72 decal sheet with several liveries featuring pin-up nose art, but it hasn't been released yet. Plus, their website is currently shutdown while the owner works through his backlog. Maybe he'll be back up and running by the time I get around to deciding on the scheme.

 

I've begun researching so I don't make any really silly mistakes. My first question concerns the colour of the flight deck and forward fuselage area. Cobra says it should be grey, but I thought that was odd for an aircraft that saw service in WWII. I know that many were built in the immediate post war period so perhaps some were grey. Does anyone know?

 

I have a suspicion the Ginter volume on the Privateer will come in handy. I thought I had that one, but I can't find it. Hmm...

 

Cheers,

Bill

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Ooh! A Matchbox and Navy Bird build in one thread and, I suspect loads of white styrene into the bargain. This alien's cup runneth over!

 

Spoiled of Mars 👽

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On 5/6/2021 at 11:28 PM, Navy Bird said:

 

IMG_5864

 

I wish I could afford to buy one of these aftermarket sets for my Privateer but, unfortunately, those that I have seen from time to time on Ebay are quite expensive ($70+)

 

At least, when the aircraft was parked the bomb bay doors were closed. That's a relief.

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I built the Matchbox incarnation when it first came out for a co-worker who flew one during WW 2 (I also built him a PBY-5 which he also flew). I have another Matchbox boxing in my stash along with the Cobra set that I plan on building some time next year, so I will be watching this intently to see how you make out with it.

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1 hour ago, Navy Bird said:

I'm leaning toward a USN version but the French scheme looks good too. Lone Star Models have announced a new 1:72 decal sheet with several liveries featuring pin-up nose art, but it hasn't been released yet. Plus, their website is currently shutdown while the owner works through his backlog. Maybe he'll be back up and running by the time I get around to deciding on the scheme.

 

I've begun researching so I don't make any really silly mistakes. My first question concerns the colour of the flight deck and forward fuselage area. Cobra says it should be grey, but I thought that was odd for an aircraft that saw service in WWII. I know that many were built in the immediate post war period so perhaps some were grey. Does anyone know?

 

I have a suspicion the Ginter volume on the Privateer will come in handy. I thought I had that one, but I can't find it. Hmm...

 

Cheers,

Bill

Bill   I have the Ginter reference if you should need any help. I got it for my own build/restoration of the 1/48 Koster version. Which I'll get back to soon, I promise. From what I could find there isn't any mention of the flight deck colours.From all the pictures that are supplied and there are MANY! Even though in B/W they appear to be standard issue interior green. Hope this helps some.

 

P.S. I am definitely following along:bye:

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At the back there is a reference to the Matchbox/Revell kit. It was the easiest of kits to build as it had fit problems with the tail,bow,and upper turrets. Care also had to be taken with the fit of the wings into the fuselage joints. Additionally, the fit of the fuselage windows in the PB4Y-2 versions was poor and difficult to correct.

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2 hours ago, Martian said:

Ooh! A Matchbox and Navy Bird build in one thread and, I suspect loads of white styrene into the bargain. This alien's cup runneth over!

 

Down boy!     :dog:

 

1 hour ago, Shalako said:

I wish I could afford to buy one of these aftermarket sets for my Privateer but, unfortunately, those that I have seen from time to time on Ebay are quite expensive ($70+)

 

At least, when the aircraft was parked the bomb bay doors were closed. That's a relief.

 

$70 may turn out to be a steal. Lone Star Models indicated a price of $120 for its re-release of this set. Yikes!

 

56 minutes ago, hsr said:

I built the Matchbox incarnation when it first came out for a co-worker who flew one during WW 2 (I also built him a PBY-5 which he also flew). I have another Matchbox boxing in my stash along with the Cobra set that I plan on building some time next year, so I will be watching this intently to see how you make out with it.

 

Welcome aboard! I'll try not to screw it up. From what I've been reading on-line, the Cobra set is not shake and bake. Lots of fiddling around.    :violin:

 

53 minutes ago, LorenSharp said:

Bill   I have the Ginter reference if you should need any help. I got it for my own build/restoration of the 1/48 Koster version. Which I'll get back to soon, I promise. From what I could find there isn't any mention of the flight deck colours.From all the pictures that are supplied and there are MANY! Even though in B/W they appear to be standard issue interior green. Hope this helps some.

 

P.S. I am definitely following along:bye:

 

Ooh, I'll take you up on that offer! I just looked on Amazon and found a copy for...get ready...$498. Third party seller, of course. Ginter's website lists it for $50, but then it's not on the order form so it must be out of stock. Interior Green is what I would have expected, but with my luck I'll paint it that colour right before someone finds a colour photo that shows it was grey.    :doh:

 

49 minutes ago, LorenSharp said:

At the back there is a reference to the Matchbox/Revell kit. It was the easiest of kits to build as it had fit problems with the tail,bow,and upper turrets. Care also had to be taken with the fit of the wings into the fuselage joints. Additionally, the fit of the fuselage windows in the PB4Y-2 versions was poor and difficult to correct.

 

Not surprised about the windows - it seems like all injection moulded windows like those are a pain. And they usually have a big sinkhole right in the middle of them. Let's see, where is my clear putty?     :drunk:

 

Cheers,

Bill

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If it's war years, I'd go with the interior green, at least thats what the photos look like, though in B/W. Post war might be a crap shoot. I went with interior green for mine. But if yo need picture let me know nd I'll scan what I have and get them to you.

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1 hour ago, Navy Bird said:

it seems like all injection moulded windows like those are a pain

I substituted clear plastic sheet on mine, filed the window holes a little larger than the window itself, and masked off the windows so they were absolutely flush with the surrounding skin.  I don't recall the wing fit being much of a pain, but do yourself the favor of strengthening the upper and lower fuselage halves with plastic shim, just in case there's some brute force involved. 

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I will see what I can find regarding the interior/cockpit colors; see two period photos I found of the cockpit-one is a PB4Y-1 and the other is a PB4Y-2 The dash-1 cockpit looks a lot darker than interior green to me; more like bronze or dull dark green, but that might be due to the PB4Y-1's being modified B-24D's, and the PB4Y-2's were new-builds.. Consolidated might have used a proprietary cockpit green, much like Curtiss and Bell. @Dana Bell might know the answer. I would think the nose, tail, and waist turret interiors would either be the same green as the cockpit or interior green, but that's just a guess on my part. Might be the cockpit was finished the same as their PBY's? I have also attached a link to the Privateer folder of the World War Photos website for your viewing pleasure- hope these help.

Mike

PB4Y-1

https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/usa/aircrafts-2-3/pb4y/pb4y-1-november-1942/

 

 

PB4Y-2

https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/usa/aircrafts-2-3/pb4y/pb4y-2-66304-cockpit/

 

https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/usa/aircrafts-2-3/pb4y/

Edited by 72modeler
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12 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

I never built many Matchbox kits when I was younger as they weren't readily available (neither was Airfix until MPC started distributing in the States and USAirfix came along)

Hello, in the late 70' in my former hometown, which was a small town, we had no real hobby shop. Only two or three household stores that had also model kits.  a real one was in the next bigger city, which was 20 km away. Strangely enough as in my town there were only Airfix and Matchbox kits available  and in one also Monogram ones. You could get Revell only in the city although the Revell of Germany plant in Bünde near Bielefeld was only 70km away. Airfix were about 900km away, Matchbox 650 km and Monogram 6800 km :shrug::mental:

Cheers

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