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1:72 Revell Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer


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Thanks guys. The top turrets on the PB4Y-2 were Martin 250CE (variant 16 fore and variant 17 aft). The only real difference between the two variants was the mechanism to prevent shooting portions of the aircraft itself. The sloping Plexiglas dome seems to me to be best represented by the Falcon vacuform parts. The Cobra parts don't have the slope at all, and the kit parts won't really work with the Cobra resin which is much more detailed. Pix to follow. Sometime.

 

Cheers,

Bill

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Here is a quick comparison of the kit parts and the resin replacements for the top turrets. I think it's easy to see that the resin has more detail, including the ammo feed belts heading into the guns. The resin turret assembly can go on at any time of the build, as it does not have to be captured between the fuselage halves.

 

IMG_5993

 

The kit parts are on the left. I wasn't too enamored with the "guns" so I bought enough of the Eduard resin M-2 Browning guns to go around. How well these will fit into the Cobra turrets remains to be seen. I suspect some adjustments might be necessary. But at least they look like the actual guns! We'll make them work one way or the other.

 

The vacuform turret domes from Cobra are not of the "high hat" variety, and test fitting shows that they are a wee bit too large in diameter for the resin turret. I think I could make them work, but the domes from Falcon have the correct sloping top and seem to fit perfectly over the Cobra resin even though they're likely designed for the kit parts. Odd, methinks. Anyway, I'll be using the Falcon domes.

 

Cheers,

Bill

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A few updates...

 

Some windows need to be opened up for the USN PB4Y-2 version of the Privateer (as opposed to the RY-3 transport version) and these were opened up in the usual way. I have not test fit the clear parts yet, so let's hope I didn't make the windows too large! If I did, I'll have to use Micro Kristal-Kleer or whatever it's called instead of the kit bits.

 

IMG_5996

 

IMG_5997

 

The new fuselage side panels for the ERCO waist turrets were removed from the casting blocks and test fit against the gaping hole in the fuselage side. Guess what? The resin panels are just slightly oversize. You can pop them in, but they bow out slightly. The way they are designed (following the kit parts) includes a lip which provides the gluing surface. Due to the lip, it would be difficult to sand the resin panels to make them smaller, so I decided to open up the hole in the fuselage instead. It didn't take much to create a nice fit.

 

The ring that contains the gun turret is held in the side panel with a pair of resin retainers.

 

IMG_5999

 

For now, these are simply held in place with superglue, but I think this warrants some five-minute epoxy for additional strength. Once the ring is in place, it looks like this:

 

IMG_6001

 

Obviously, the remainder of the turret must be built first before being attached to the model. The fore and aft aerodynamic fairings that are so prominent in photos will go over the ring pivots on the outside of the fuselage and I reckon it might be possible, if you're really careful with the glue, to have the turrets actually pivot up and down. Shades of Monogram 1960! Imagine the fun you can have shooting at imaginary submarines that have just surfaced for a cocktail party. Nah, I think I'll just pose 'em and glue 'em. Leaving them moveable will just invite my grandson.    :)

 

Now, about those rings. I going to refer from now on to the Curse of the Calamitous Cobra Crud (C4). Seriously, someone should have taken the time to clean the moulds prior to casting this set of parts. I've already shown you some C4 - if you're squeamish you best look away now.     😱

 

 

IMG_6000

 

On the left note the rather large chunk of C4 at the top, inside the ring. It's the bit that looks like an errant unconstrained sneeze. Both rings were like this when I started, since they were both made from the same tool. The ring on the right shows my attempt at cleaning out the crud. There is still more work to do here before I'm completely satisfied. You can also see some nasty "air pockets" in the protruding pivots at the bottom. Thanks to the putty fairy these will be taken care of.    🧚‍♀️

 

I know that Lone Star Models will be re-releasing this Cobra set either later this year or sometime in 2022. I trust they will clean out the moulds before they start casting. By the way, the first photos I've seen of their 1:48 resin kit of the PB4Y-2 look very nice indeed, and surely a model that will be quite popular. And expensive.     💷

 

Back to work...

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

PS. I'm up to 30 minute sessions at the workbench, as well as walking each day for 30 minutes. I'm doing very well with my physio, or so Heather my therapist tells me. Science!

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Good to see you managed to get increasingly more bench time (neat job as always, BTW :clap2:

 

It's also great to know you're healing properly :thumbsup: This Heather girl sounds like she knows what she's doing :winkgrin:  :D

 

Ciao 

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1 hour ago, giemme said:

This Heather girl sounds like she knows what she's doing :winkgrin:  :D

 

She's not exactly Torquemada, but she doesn't take any crap.    😬

 

Cheers,

Bill

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Great added details as ever Bill, it’s really coming along. Ever the more impressive with everything you have on health wise! Wish you a continued good recovery, recovering for these big issues is on par with your modelling so I have every faith you will nail this one two. 
 

Christ knows how you do it (modelling and putting up with the pain) hat is well a truly off to you.

 

Rob

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2 hours ago, rob85 said:

Christ knows how you do it (modelling and putting up with the pain) hat is well a truly off to you.

 

All I have to do is think about building a Mach 2 kit, and suddenly my back doesn't feel so bad.    :drunk:

 

Cheers,

Bill

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10 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

 

I think I dated her sister.     :banghead:

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

10 hours ago, LorenSharp said:

You too? Small world!

I think I married her! Oops, don't let Mrs Martian see that!

 

Tactful of Mars 👽

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1 hour ago, Martian said:

 

I think I married her! Oops, don't let Mrs Martian see that!

 

Tactful of Mars 👽

Oh oh............................................................................................................... .  .   .

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14 hours ago, Martian said:

I think I married her!

 

Share and share alike!     :)

 

*****

 

The new resin side panels for the waist turrets have been epoxied into the fuselage halves. I did what I could to get them to align nicely, but a bit (read: a ton) of filler is going to be necessary, applied in several sessions. But we will get there.

 

A while back I ordered the High Planes Models (HPM) PB4Y-2 engine/cowlings in case we were unsuccessful in making resin copies of my one good Cobra cowling. So, a quick update. First, my mate from our local club tried in every way we all could think of to make good copies. The man should be knighted for his efforts. Unfortunately, we were not successful. Bummer part one.    :(

 

The HPM cowlings arrived - although it looks like the master used for casting is quite nice, these particular copies had some nasty air bubbles and voids in the worst of places - like in the edges of the small oil cooler (I think) intakes. These would have been devilishly hard to fill and sand. Bummer part two.    :(

 

A quick email to HPM and a new set was whisked on its way from Singapore. These arrived in 12 days, not bad I think, and they look perfect! My hat is off to Christopher at HPM for the quick service. Right good bloke in my book. (He also let me buy a copy of a kit that is no longer available so I can use it for a future kitbashing extravaganza.)

 

OK, back to sanding those side panels...

 

Cheers,

Bill

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37 minutes ago, Navy Bird said:

 

A quick email to HPM and a new set was whisked on its way from Singapore. These arrived in 12 days, not bad I think, and they look perfect! My hat is off to Christopher at HPM for the quick service. Right good bloke in my book. (He also let me buy a copy of a kit that is no longer available so I can use it for a future kitbashing extravaganza.)

 

OK, back to sanding those side panels...

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

I agrre about Christopher at HPM for his excelent service, I ordered two x RAFAEL Derby missiles which come in packs of two but received one pacr of two. One email later and a second set was on it's way... excelent customer service !

 

Gondor

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Sure especially if it has pichurs and little puzzle games to make you turn the pages along the way. The written parts are usually mindless incoherent drivel that make absolutely no sense what so ever. And might work for building a model, just not the one you are working on at the moment Those bit I ignore.

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Quote

Quick question - are you supposed to read the instruction booklet prior to and during the build of the model?    

 

Oh definitely after, usually when you realize something's gone horribly wrong with the build sequence, due to your default 'I've done this a hundred times before, instructions are for wimps' gland  has malfunctioned (yet again) and you end up rummaging through the trash bin to retrieve what's left of it, frantically scraping off the soggy vegetable peelings and tomato sauce....

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21 hours ago, LorenSharp said:

Sure especially if it has pichurs and little puzzle games to make you turn the pages along the way.

 

Ah, it were the pictures that led me astray. The instruction booklet has these nice little diagrams that show what look like the windows (the ones for the spots where I had to open up the fuselage) being modified to be a millimetre or so shorter in each dimension. Sounds easy to me. Only the pictures are telling you to make the opening in the fuselage smaller than the moulded in cut lines, not the windows. Needless to say, I opened up to the cut lines, and now have windows that are too small. This leads me to wonder why Matchbox would have moulded the cut lines larger than the windows that they knew you were going to put in there. Seems rather asinine to me.

 

No big deal, I will now have to make new windows some other way. I think I'll use clear sheet styrene.

 

*****

 

Remember how I said I might need a "ton" of filler for the waist turret side panels? Turns out it was a ton and a half.    :)

 

IMG_6018

 

I think this will be OK - we'll see when we get some primer or paint on her. When sighting at a grazing angle everything looks smooth.

 

Cheers,

Bill

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On 25/07/2021 at 00:30, Navy Bird said:

Quick question - are you supposed to read the instruction booklet prior to and during the build of the model?    :drunk:

 

Cheers,

Bill

What a shocking q. Bill, but man I really love your sense of h.

 

You had me there, for a minute, phoowie.

 

:) :) :)

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On 26/07/2021 at 11:45, perdu said:

You had me there, for a minute, phoowie.

 

Hey, it was a serious question. After my fubar, I thought I might have been doing things wrong all my life.     :banghead:

 

*****

 

Speaking of fubars, I've done some work to make new windows. I had some clear sheet styrene, but it was too thin. Then I remembered that the CMK aftermarket sets which contain both resin and photoetch and/or film, always use a small piece of clear plastic to keep the photoetch and film separate from the resin whilst in the package. This small sheet was fairly thick - maybe 2/3 to 3/4 of a millimetre. I measured the holes that I made in the fuselage, and cut some pieces from the CMK plastic, and sanded these to fit the openings. I even put the funky rounded corners on. Before I glued them in place, I sprayed the interior of the fuselage halves with Interior Green. Why? I have absolutely no idea, which came to me about halfway through the painting. I guess I was just fulfilling my obligation to line the coffers of my favourite Japanese conglomerate. Nanotechnology indeed.

 

I pondered the best way to photograph the clear windows and, of course, I settled on reflection. Otherwise, you can't really see the buggers. So here goes:

 

IMG_6022

 

IMG_6021

 

The window panes were glued in with Gator's Grip Thin Blend, which dries clear and should be strong enough. They will get a coat or three of Future/Kleer/Floor Polish Name of the Month at some point. These windows are merely OK, but at least they are much better than the kit windows which I can't use anyway.

 

I still have to do the four windows at the rear of the fuselage. Once those are done, seeing as I am not going to do any further detailing inside and that the turrets can all be added later, It will be time to close up the fuselage and combine it with the nose section. Then the wings and vertical fin can be attached as well.

 

The slog continues...

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

PS. Recovery proceeding as planned. All well. As long as my ships are not beset by the ice and I have to drag sledges overland, I should be back in great shape sometime next year. Or the year thereafter.

 

PPS. Mr. Gator has exited the adhesive business. If you're like me, you sorry sod, better stock up on Gator's Grip now. It's starting to go for stupid prices here and there. I managed to get three bottles at the normal price and as long as the shelf life is good I shouldn't need to buy any more.

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Just in case you kinda sorta wondered what this puppy is going to look like:

 

IMG_6023

 

Obviously, this is an exercise to see how much weight is required to prevent a tail-sitter. The Revell instructions say 40g right underneath the forward top turret. In the configuration shown above, I have 36g and it is adequate. The nacelles and engines are solid resin and will go on forward of the pivot point. The props and front turret are also resin. However, I think I will add some more weight just in case (there is plenty of room) to make sure I compensate for the waist and tail turrets.

 

What baffles me is that it required 83g (double what I'm using here) to balance my Revell PB4Y-1 (essentially a B-24D). I would have expected the two PB4Ys to be closer - but who cares as long as they stay on the nose gear.

 

BTW, everything seems to fit quite well. Famous last words, as he reaches for the closest wood to knock on and smacks himself in the head.     :banghead:

 

Cheers,

Bill

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