1:72 Revell Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer

[Navy Bird]

1 hour ago, TheyJammedKenny! said:

Have you got an Academy B-24 from which you can borrow an A6 turret?  The Academy B-24J kit gives you several choices.  When I get around to restoring my old Matchbox PB4Y-2 in French Navy colors, that's what I'll do.

 

I have the Academy B-24J. I'll take a look at what's there if the Cobra parts don't work out. According to my references, the Privateer tail turret was the MPC (Motor Products Corporation) 250CE-6. It's similar to the Consolidated A6, but not identical.

 

Cheers,

Bill

[dogsbody]

Turret info here: https://www.spruemaster.com/wp-content/gallery/manual/Navy-Aircraft-Turrets-1946-Final.pdf

 

 

 

Chris

[Martian]

On 11/12/2021 at 01:10, Navy Bird said:

I spent an entire 15 minutes on the Privateer today.

Clearly you need some assistance, how shall we help? I know! 

On 16/12/2021 at 23:40, Navy Bird said:

 

It's only money,

That's just what Lord Blackadder said to Queenie. You carry on buying kits, to keep both you and us entertained.

On 18/12/2021 at 19:49, Navy Bird said:

Did I mention I hate vacuforms? 

No you don't, you only think you do. Keep taking double tots of single malt Scotch at regular intervals (roughly every ten minutes should suffice) and keep telling yourself "I love vacforms". after the tenth tot, you will come to believe that you really do love the vacform genre. Repeat the treatment as necessary.

 

Doctor Martian 👽

[Navy Bird]

3 hours ago, dogsbody said:

Turret info here: https://www.spruemaster.com/wp-content/gallery/manual/Navy-Aircraft-Turrets-1946-Final.pdf

 

Thanks. I consulted that when I was building the PB4Y-1 a couple of years ago. Lots of good stuff in there.

 

2 hours ago, Martian said:

Keep taking double tots of single malt Scotch at regular intervals (roughly every ten minutes should suffice) and keep telling yourself "I love vacforms". after the tenth tot, you will come to believe that you really do love the vacform genre. Repeat the treatment as necessary.

 

I've tried that, and it only created a unquenchable desire for single malt. I even went to Scotland to drink at the source!     🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

 

*****

 

Things are progressing, I expect to post some more pix tomorrow.

 

Cheers,

Bill

[LorenSharp]

51 minutes ago, Navy Bird said:

 

T

I've tried that, and it only created a unquenchable desire for single malt. I even went to Scotland to drink at the source!     🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

 

*****

 

Things are progressing, I expect to post some more pix tomorrow.

 

Cheers,

Bill

I would have recommended "take 2 fifths every 4 hours "and don't call me in the morning.

[AdrianMF]

On 18/12/2021 at 19:49, Navy Bird said:

 

PS. I hate this project.

Well we don’t, if it’s any consolation…

 

Regards,

Adrian

[Navy Bird]

16 hours ago, LorenSharp said:

I would have recommended "take 2 fifths every 4 hours "and don't call me in the morning.

 

Two fifths? That would be, say, 1500ml? After that, I certainly wouldn't be calling in the morning - I'd be dead.    ☠️

 

15 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

Well we don’t, if it’s any consolation…

 

OK, I was just being hyperbolic. I'll be parabolic next time.

 

Cheers,

Bill

[tonyot]

Wow,.... this is coming along beautifully Bill,...... by far the best Privateer I have seen in this scale,

Cheers

           Tony  

[Navy Bird]

In order to make the waist turret bubble fit onto the trunnion ring, some modifications were necessary. First, the trunnions themselves were removed, and will be replaced later on with styrene rod. These won't be seen anyway, as the aerodynamic covers will obscure them. Next, the half moon shapes at each end of the ring were removed so the lip, over which the bubble sets, can be sanded into shape. Two things are accomplished with this sanding - first, to make the circumference of the lip smaller and second to angle the side of the lip so that it matches the slope of the bubble. I hope that makes sense.

 

 

After re-painting the ring, the bubble now fits over the lip, not yet attached in this photo - with a little persuasion and some CA glue it will set down nicely:

 

 

Once the bubble is firmly in place, some putty work will be necessary to blend it into the trunnion ring and the ring into interior bubble (the other half of the egg). I cut out the gun slot that was moulded into the vacuform, but the moulded slot is far too wide. Chalk up another annoyance with the Cobra set. I will attempt to fix this by constructing framework using 0.005" thick styrene ("plastic paper'). Not completely accurate but it should (I hope!) look better than this wide opening. In addition, inside of the gun slot there is a retractable band with openings for the gun barrels. As the turret moves back and forth this band rolls onto drums at either end. I'll make the band out of styrene strip as well.

 

In case you wondered what these eggs looked like from the inside of the fuselage, here you go:

 

 

I believe this photo is looking forward and the stairs take you up to the rear top turret.

 

The Quickboost props are nearly ready - since they have nothing to do with Matchbox or Cobra, there was no difficulty with them.   

 

 

The top turrets did not have any metal framework in real life - the separate pieces of Plexiglas were glued together. I've simulated that by masking off these areas and spraying some clear flat - I hope you can see it in the photo. I did this on my PB4Y-1 too.

 

 

Lastly, she has some wheels to stand on. Gear doors are painted and ready to go after I add some silver to the oleo shafts. Not sure how I forgot that, but I did. I'm old and have chemo brain - what do you expect?    

 

 

The ERCO bow turret needs only to have the framework painted onto its canopy and that will be ready to go as well. The turret "cellophane" clear part is still vexing me. But that's OK, as vexation is how I relax.    

 

Cheers,

Bill

[janneman36]

Love your build Bill, great work sofar!

And if it helps, I don’t have a chemo brain and still forget things….must be the Corsacov then..

 

cheers, Jan

[giemme]

That last shot is so cool!

 

Transparencies are putting up a big fight, but I'm sure you will prevail,  in the end

 

Ciao 

[tonyot]

Superb Bill,..... I love those waist turrets which are coming along brilliantly,.... also the upper turrets too. I do hope that the chemo is going well mate and you are beating the big C back into submission once again,...... I fear I may be joining you in the near future,....... found out today  I have a cluster of very large Lymph Nodes in my chest, grouped around the Broncus of my lungs and pressing the tubes in!  Once a spcialist has been assigned,.... it should be a biopsy first,...... Merry Christmas eh?

[Shalako]

2 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

 

Cheers,

Bill

We definitely need a close-up on this one Bill because I can't figure out what all those bits and pieces are! We are old men don't test our patience and vision!

 

Cheers,

Bill

[Navy Bird]

2 hours ago, janneman36 said:

And if it helps, I don’t have a chemo brain and still forget things….must be the Corsacov then..

 

Thanks Jan. The only Korsakov I know is that Capriccio Espagnol guy.   

 

2 hours ago, giemme said:

Transparencies are putting up a big fight, but I'm sure you will prevail,  in the end

 

Thanks Giorgio. In this case, prevail may be a relative term. We'll see!   

 

1 hour ago, tonyot said:

Superb Bill,..... I love those waist turrets which are coming along brilliantly,.... also the upper turrets too. I do hope that the chemo is going well mate and you are beating the big C back into submission once again,...... I fear I may be joining you in the near future,....... found out today  I have a cluster of very large Lymph Nodes in my chest, grouped around the Broncus of my lungs and pressing the tubes in!  Once a spcialist has been assigned,.... it should be a biopsy first,...... Merry Christmas eh?

 

Oh no! This is not the kind of news I want to hear - how are your blood counts? With my lymphoma the white count was over 50,000 when I was diagnosed. Lymph nodes can be enlarged for a lot of different reasons, so I'm hoping for the best!

 

I didn't mean to make folks think my cancer was back - I finished my maintenance chemo a couple of years ago. But chemo brain (which is a real thing) sticks around for a long time.

 

21 minutes ago, Shalako said:

We definitely need a close-up on this one Bill because I can't figure out what all those bits and pieces are!

 

They're indiscriminate lumps of resin that bear no resemblance to any control or mechanical gadget in the Privateer. I lost one lump to the monster, so I took it as an opportunity to accidentally lose the matching lump from the other side. I like symmetry. You couldn't possibly see these particular lumps when the bubble is on and painted so there is no big loss. I think the bits were supposed to be part of the ammunition feed tracks. The other bit that is approximately cubical is the drive motor and hydraulic pump. The cylinder on the other side is the elevation hydraulic system. This will be visible through the bubble. I haven't shown it yet, but I did add the armoured glass to the frame in front of the gunsight.

 

Cheers,

Bill

[Fritag]

2 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

I hope that makes sense.

 

You lost me at the first trunnion Bill; but that’s bound to be my own failure and I cared not cos I liked the update so much and she’s looking mighty fine.

[Navy Bird]

1 hour ago, Fritag said:

You lost me at the first trunnion Bill

 

In the vernacular of the peasantry, I just sanded the bejeezus out of it until the clear plastic onion fit.   

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

PS. In case anyone is curious here is what's inside the egg:

 

 

 

[tonyot]

2 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

 

Oh no! This is not the kind of news I want to hear - how are your blood counts? With my lymphoma the white count was over 50,000 when I was diagnosed. Lymph nodes can be enlarged for a lot of different reasons, so I'm hoping for the best!

I didn't mean to make folks think my cancer was back - I finished my maintenance chemo a couple of years ago. But chemo brain (which is a real thing) sticks around for a long time.

Cheers,

Bill

Hiya Bill,..... I`m relieved to hear that you are OK mate,...... phew!!! I have recently had a general blood test which has come back normal,..... so that is encouraging thank goodness,.... but  I have yet to have a specialised cancer blood test,...... I just hope that is encouraging too? Dunno when this will be now, but probably the new year.  I`ve had a cough for 2 years which the docs had just put down to Long COVID,..... I miss breaths and have a tight chest too,..... and thats it really,..... so far! 

Keep up the great work with this Privater mate,... cheers,.... Tony.  

Edited December 21, 2021 by tonyot

[Shalako]

13 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

I think the bits were supposed to be part of the ammunition feed tracks.

 

Cheers,

Bill

I was looking at the photo you have posted on the previous page that shows the interior and particularly how far away the ammunition box is from the guns. This made me wonder how often (or not) the guns must have gone jammed. Do you have any information about this matter Bill?

[Navy Bird]

2 hours ago, Shalako said:

Do you have any information about this matter Bill?

 

Nothing is mentioned in the Ginter volume that I've read so far.

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

 

[Navy Bird]

Just for giggles, I pulled out my digital micrometers and measured the thickness of the vacuform for the rear turret. How does 0.002 inch grab you? I could feel that it was thin, but wasn't expecting that. Cellophane indeed. But...somehow I managed to attach it to the turret. Now I'm adding the framework with pre-painted strips of 0.005 inch styrene. Where is that Lilliputian when you need him?

 

At the other end of the field, we have an ERCO ball turret:

 

 

 

 

This framework was painted on. This is a big improvement over the bow turret that came with the kit. Let's see, that's three down (bow and two tops) and three to go. Of course, I left the hard ones for last. I've made some progress though. As I mentioned, the framework is being added to the tail turret (slowly) and the same can be said for the waist turrets.

 

Remind me not to build this kit again.   

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

PS. OK, I admit that I binge-watched "The Beatles: Get Back" on Disney. All eight hours of it. A couple of observations - the boys seriously looked like they were having a LOT of fun, unlike the perception you get from the "Let It Be' film. There was a lot of chit-chat that could have been deleted which would have reduced the running time a bit. If I ever hear "Don't Let Me Down' and "I've Got A Feeling" again, I may go raving mad. How many takes of those songs were really necessary to include? Let's see, what else - oh yeah, personal hygiene. John should have washed his hair more often and clean his fingernails. Paul should stop biting his. 

 

PPS. George was a genius and Billy Preston was God.

[Jackson Duvalier]

12 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

Now I'm adding the framework with pre-painted strips of 0.005 inch styrene.

 

And doing it ever so tidily.  How on earth are you attaching them that cleanly?

 

From your pictures I'd have guessed strips of painted decal, but the two circular frames either side of the dome must've been a cast-iron PITA to affix, given the compound curve.

[Fritag]

Hyperneat work on the ball turret Bill.

 

BTW - don’t build this kit again.  There, reminder given as ordered; so it certainly can’t be my fault if you do…….

[giemme]

1 hour ago, Fritag said:

Hyperneat work on the ball turret Bill.

I couldn't agree more!    

 

Also, it looks very Star Wars-Millenium falcon-like...  

 

2 hours ago, Jackson Duvalier said:

How on earth are you attaching them that cleanly?

I'd like to know that too....

 

Ciao

[AdrianMF]

Lovely work on the turrets. You can now see why people with “turret’s syndrome” swear a lot 

 

I am now even gladder that I did the coastguard version.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[Navy Bird]

6 hours ago, Jackson Duvalier said:

From your pictures I'd have guessed strips of painted decal, but the two circular frames either side of the dome must've been a cast-iron PITA to affix, given the compound curve.

 

I guess I didn't explain myself well enough, but the framework made from strip styrene is being applied to the rear turret and the waist turrets, which I haven't posted any pictures of yet. (The compound curves on the waist turret blisters were indeed a cast-iron PITA at the start, but then I got smart.) The framework on the ERCO bow turret was painted on. Sorry about that.    

 

4 hours ago, Fritag said:

BTW - don’t build this kit again.  There, reminder given as ordered; so it certainly can’t be my fault if you do…….

 

Reminder duly noted. I shall be sure to blame someone else in the future.   

 

3 hours ago, giemme said:

I'd like to know that too....

 

The strip styrene framework for the rear and waist turrets are being affixed with CA. I should have some photos of the rear turret today. Don't get your hopes up!   

 

3 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

I am now even gladder that I did the coastguard version.

 

Why didn't you warn me before I started?   

 

*****

 

I'd like to finish this by the end of the year, and there is some light at the end of the tunnel. Most likely an oncoming train as they say.

 

Cheers,

Bill