1/72 MPM Northrop N-3 PB RNAF

[Richard Tucker]

I got this kit second hand a few weeks back and then spotted this GB. It would be perfect! I have 2 aircraft ahead of this one in the queue but I'll begin work on it soon after the GB start.

 

Here are some obligatory box and sprue shots.

 

 

 

The sprues have a little flash which will need cleaning up. The canopy is one I'll need to very carefully cut from the mounting.

 

There are decals for 2 machines, both lost in service. The PE is hiding behind the decals.

 

 

I think I'll do this one.

 

 

 

 

 

[Col.]

Nice to see this uncommon subject in the GB Richard  

[dogsbody]

I've got this kit in the stash, plus a newer Special Hobby kit.

 

 

 

Chris

[Vingtor]

The decals are not very good, though. The GS-G codes should be black, while U should be dull red (as should the British national insignia).

[trickyrich]

great choice and I'm glad to see it in the GB..... even better another Richard!!!!  We shall rule the GB!!  

 

I love it when we have completely different or less common/unknown builds show up.

 

Good luck with the build, I expect there'll be some interest in this one.

[Richard Tucker]

On 8/31/2021 at 9:13 PM, Vingtor said:

The decals are not very good, though. The GS-G codes should be black, while U should be dull red (as should the British national insignia).

Useful to know. I don't think I have those type of letters in the decal stash. I'll have to have a look. I might have roundels that would work from a coastal command set. I'll have a look.

[Richard Tucker]

There aren't many colour photos available and those that are might have been re-coloured. I agree with @Vingtor that the letters GS-G should be black based on the colour photo below. The roundel is very red though - matching the decals provided.

 

 

This next one might have been retouched but I can see why they did the red letters based on the photo below....

 

 

 

 

The other scheme - U, this is a bit variable in photos.

 

 

The photo above looks quite red, but the plane sitting in a museum looks more dull.

 

 

Newly painted in the 80s, it is quite dull.

 

Any advice on how to navigate this minefield?

 

I've found this link also on the BM site so will be reading through it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dogsbody]

Yes, Richard, that second photo has been colourized. When it was done, they didn't colour the bit of water just above the fuselage between the windscreen and the engine cowling.

 

I fixed that omission about ten years ago, at work. Nightshifts sometimes lets me time to do non-work things.

 

 

 

 

 

Chris

[Vingtor]

I have a paper print of the first photo, Richard, processed directly from the film positive. It shows clearly a dull red for the roundel and flag.

 

I have a few other colour photos. There should be no doubt about the colour of the markings. Note that the floats seems to have a lighter grey shade than the fuselage and wings.

 

Colourized b/w photos can never be trusted. Better leave them as they are.

 

 

[Richard Tucker]

On 9/3/2021 at 8:45 AM, Vingtor said:

I have a paper print of the first photo, Richard, processed directly from the film positive. It shows clearly a dull red for the roundel and flag.

 

I have a few other colour photos. There should be no doubt about the colour of the markings. Note that the floats seems to have a lighter grey shade than the fuselage and wings.

 

Colourized b/w photos can never be trusted. Better leave them as they are.

 

 

These photos are really good. Thank you.

 

I'd love to be able to do GS-G but without black letters in the right style, I might have to settle for the dull red U scheme. Does anyone know where I can get these style black letters from in 1/72 scale?

[Richard Tucker]

I've started painting the insides with some US Cockpit Green.

 

 

MPM really made sure that the parts were not going to fall off the sprues by attaching them with plastic the width of fingers

[Bertie McBoatface]

1 hour ago, Richard Tucker said:

MPM really made sure that the parts were not going to fall off the sprues by attaching them with plastic the width of fingers

 

I'm surprised they had any profit left after using that much plastic

[Graham Boak]

Low pressure tooling requires large runners to ensure that the plastic fills the tool leaving as few as possible short-shots.  There's nothing unique to this particular kit nor MPM, although they were probably the most productive of the short-run manufacturers from the 1990s on.  They became Special Hobby, initially a range for higher-quality kits than their standard.  All the East Europeans were working with low-pressure machinery that didn't require hard metal tooling, which could justify low production numbers and still make money.

[Richard Tucker]

18 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

They became Special Hobby

I didn't know this! Interesting

[alt-92]

Oh, I have several kits from their transition period - MPM boxes with Special Hobby design labels and box-art stuck over them

Never managed to find a Douglas 8A-3N  - maybe I should go for a conversion of the A-17A.  

 

[dogsbody]

6 hours ago, alt-92 said:

Oh, I have several kits from their transition period - MPM boxes with Special Hobby design labels and box-art stuck over them

Never managed to find a Douglas 8A-3N  - maybe I should go for a conversion of the A-17A.  

 

 

I got one of these years ago:

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/mpm-production-72525-db-8a-3n-attack-bomber--112223

 

I also have their A-17 and A-17A

 

 

 

 

Chris

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

2 hours ago, dogsbody said:

 

I got one of these years ago:

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/mpm-production-72525-db-8a-3n-attack-bomber--112223

 

I also have their A-17 and A-17A

 

 

 

 

Chris

Definitely wouldn't mind getting one of these, will need to add it to the list of future buy’s. 

[VG 33]

8 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Definitely wouldn't mind getting one of these, will need to add it to the list of future buy’s. 

 

Hello

 

Honestly this one is easy to build with another DB-8 MPM/SH kit as everything is on the sprues and the markings can be made in paint except the "388".

I did that way for the Fokker D XXI and the Martin 139.

I have made my own design for the triangles with my Silhouette cutting machine and I can send to everybody the file.

For the rudder you have to adapt to the actual shape when sanding is finished as for this part the decals usually are not perfect.

 

Patrick

[Vingtor]

On 9/9/2021 at 1:46 PM, alt-92 said:

Oh, I have several kits from their transition period - MPM boxes with Special Hobby design labels and box-art stuck over them

Never managed to find a Douglas 8A-3N  - maybe I should go for a conversion of the A-17A.  

 

 

I did a conversion of the 8A-5 some years ago, from the A-17A. Now I have some extra of this kit, that I will never get time to build...

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/mpm-production-72536-us-attack-bomber-a-33-norwegian-db8a-5-iraqian-db8a-4--112507

[Richard Tucker]

The postman came knocking today and brought me some black US decals. 

 

The are the right colour and NEARLY the right shape.

 

 

I should be able to make something with them.

 

I did a little bit of painting, cutting and glueing too. The fuselage needs some more paint and the canopy will need a trim to fit once the 2 halves of the fuselage are glued together but it is some progress.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 14, 2021 by Richard Tucker

[Planebuilder62]

Hi Richard

Instead of using the new code decals have you thought of using the kit decals and painting the letters black with a fine brush? Mistakes are esy to correct with some of your favourite brush cleaning fluid.

 

regards Toby

[Richard Tucker]

16 hours ago, Planebuilder62 said:

have you thought of using the kit decals and painting the letters black with a fine brush

I did but I don't think I'd be able to do a good enough job of the painting. I'd need to mask it and I think it would pull off the decals

[Planebuilder62]

Dear Richard

With a little practice on a scrap section an old decals you will pick up the trick of freehand painting and correcting. Mistakes are easily corrected. I agree masking will pull off the decals. Give it a try, you will be surprised.

 

regards Toby

[Vingtor]

As the code letters have just straight edges, it should not be difficult to cut them off the backing sheet, using a ruler and a sharp scalpel. Or rather, just cut slightly into the backing paper. Then carefully airbrush black (or nearly black). Finally, apply the decal as usual.

 

Nils

[trickyrich]

nice to see her underway Richard, she looks like she'll go together quite quickly.

 

I don't know if you're an airbrushed or not, but looking at the codes you need, you could almost turn them into masks with a scalpel, as there are no hollow bits. It's quite doable, even in that scale, or photocopy/scan & print them.

 

Anyway keep up the great work.