ICM DB-26B/C With Q-2 Drones (48288) 1:48 ICM via Hannants

[Julien]

DB-26B/C With Q-2 Drones (48288)

1:48 ICM via Hannants

 

 

The A-26 was built by Douglas back in WWII as their successor to the A-20 Havoc.  Two types were designed, The C with a glass bomber nose and the B with a full metal nose filled with either 6 or 8 .50cal machine guns, which coupled with the three in each wing gave it quite a punch, deserving of the Strafer title.  It also had a pair of turrets on the fuselage mid-upper and dorsal positions, which were both operated by a single gunner using a complex remote mechanism that flipped between the upper and lower turrets depending on where the gunner was looking through his binocular sights.  This trained the guns accordingly and also calculated the correct offset for parallax and lead, but was very complex and caused some delays to it entering service, and even more issues with maintenance in the field. Then in 1948 it was re-designated as the B-26 by the US Air Force to confuse us, and later on back to the A-26 just to complete that process of confuion.  It was developed a little after the Marauder and despite using the same engines it was designed totally separately from its tubular colleague.  It was initially less than popular in the Pacific theatre where its poor cockpit visibility due to the canopy and engine position rendered it unloved by the first users.  It was more popular in the European theatre and was accepted as replacement for the Havoc fairly quickly. After the war it served in Korea, early Vietnam engagements and other conflicts, ending its days in US service with the Air National Guard in the early 70s.  In the mid 1950s some Aircraft were converted to the Drone carrier role with the DB prefix to launch Ryan Firebee drones in support of combat training. 

 

 

The Kit

This is a brand new tooling from ICM, initially released as the Solid nosed aircraft, this is now the glass nosed aircraft with the inclusion of new parts for that nose (though all the parts for the solid nose are still in the box) This boxing also includes underwing underwing drones the Q-2A and Q-2C drones which have been released separately by ICM. It arrives in the familiar top opening box with a captive inner lid on the lower tray, and inside are nine sprues in grey styrene, two in clear, a decal sheet and the instruction booklet.  A quick look over the sprues reveals that panel lines are very crisp, narrow and restrained, the surface is matt and very neat-looking, with plenty of engraved and raised details on the parts, plus subtly indented flying surfaces mimicking their fabric covering.  You might also notice that there are parts for an open or closed canopy, the open one having the flat top surface, while the closed canopy has the slightly blown roof that was used after 1944 to improve visibility.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Construction begins with the cockpit, creating the pilot's seat, instrument panel (with instrument decals) with built-in door to the nose, centre console with throttle quadrant before adding those and the single control column to the floor.  The aft compartment is built up around the front wing spar with a set of radio gear hanging from a pair of risers, then a pair of bombs on their racks, the reason for which will become clear in a moment.  The port fuselage half is detailed with some side console and panel parts and then has the bomb racks, nose gear bay sides, forward spar with radio gear, rear spar in the centre of the bomb bay, sloped aft bulkhead and another frame behind that, followed by the cockpit floor, so you'll have to do some detail painting as you go.  After this the starboard fuselage side is prepped, and here's where a little cautionary note about sink-marks on the exterior of my sample needs making.  The right side of the cockpit and bomb bay with its detailed ribbing has caused the shallowest of sink-marks on the exterior, which would be best dealt with using a little filler before you get busy building.  You could have dismissed it as oil-canning of the skin if it were consistent and on both sides, but as it isn't you'll need to decide whether you're going to fix it.  Happily the majority of it is in areas that are open enough to allow easy sanding back of filler, so it shouldn't slow you down very much.  

 

 

 

With that and a quantity of detail painting you can then slide the starboard fuselage over the two spars. The instructions then have you building up the tail feathers, with the elevators having separate single-part flying surfaces, plus a two piece rudder to attach to the moulded-in tail fin.  If you are using the glass-nose, it's a modular part that in real-world situations could be swapped for the gun-nose in a short time.  This is built up and added on as a complete unit along with its glazing.

 

 

The wings are next, and the lower parts have a smattering of flashed-over holes ready to drill out for bombs, gun-pods or drop tanks, plus three cartridge ejection chutes to be cut out for the wing mounted .50cals.  The faces of the in-line radiator baths are added to the lower wings and then it's already time to bring the halves together.  You'll notice that there are fairings and a hump in the upper wing where the engine nacelles will be, and these are separate assemblies to be built up later.  First, the separate two-section flaps (oddly with no deployed option), and the ailerons are prepared and added to the trailing edge of the wings, the latter being of one piece each and slotting into wing via two tabs.  The tip lights and underwing landing lights are added from clear parts, and a small insert is glued into the wing that includes three more barrel stubs each and will again need drilling out.  At this stage the instructions have you sliding the wings onto the spars and gluing them in place.  Whether you'd rather wait until you've added the engine nacelles though is entirely up to you though. Holes will need to be drilled as indicated in the bottom wing section to accept the drone pylons.

 

 

There are of course two engine nacelles and these build up pretty much identically apart from their outer skins, which are handed to fit their respective fairings as you'd expect.  They are split vertically, and each half has internal structure moulded-in, with bulkheads added fore and aft of the gear bays, coupled with bay lip inserts that bulk out the edges and also hold captive their bay door.  This may require some clever masking and a little care during handling, but it shouldn't hold you back too much, as the hinge-points are relatively robust.  The two halves are joined together, the prominent intake on the top of the nacelle is made up from two parts, then is added to the nacelle front which is in turn glued to the rest of the nacelle, with the completed assemblies attached to the wings from the underside, as yet without their engine cowlings or props.  If making the clear nose version then ICM recommend adding 100g of weight into the front of each nacelle. The engines are added later in the build, and the Twin Wasps are depicted in their entirety with both banks of pistons, push-rods, ancillaries and reduction housing at the front, plus the collector ring and exhausts at the rear, the latter made up from eight parts each.  So that they are fitted correctly and mesh properly with the nacelles, they are attached using a jig that is discarded later, so remember not to glue it in!  Again the engines are identical and interchangeable with each other, and they fit to the nacelles with a teardrop-shaped tab, after which the engine cowling is slotted over them.  The cooling flaps are last to be added in four sets around the rear of the cowling.

 

The top of the fuselage is still open at this point, as it has an insert where the top turret was.   Flipping the model over there is the same for where the lower turret would be.  Another clear light is added to the very rear of the fuselage, and attention turns to the landing gear, which is of the tricycle variety as became the fashion in late war.  Each of the three tyres are made from two halves with separate hubs applied from either side, then hung on their respective legs, which have retraction jacks and scissor links added along the way. The main airframe is ostensibly complete save for some antennae and the props, and if you've been sparing with the glue when assembling the engines, the latter should still spin once complete. Its then on to the drones. Rather than include the instructions from the drones ICM have put these into the main instructions. The down side for this is the fact that no individual paining instructions are included you have to rely on the small drones attached to the aircraft in the main decal instructions. 

 

 

Q-2A

People think drones are a new thing for the military but in reality they are not. The Firebee was developed by Ryan for the new USAF in 1948 as a jet powered gunnery target with the first flight being in 1951. The USAF Designation was Q-2A, and when the US Navy bought them they designated them KDA-1. The original Firebees were air launched from a modified A-26, or ground launched using a RATO system. The system was later used by the US Army as well. Q-2Bs were fitted with a modified engine for higher altitudes. They were developed over time with the KDA-4 being the main USN version, however differences were mainly internal. The Royal Canadian Air Force purchased 30 KDA-4s which were launched from an Avro Lancaster Mk.10DC. 

 

 

 

This kit is a brand new tool from ICM, The kit arrives on one sprue for the Drone. The model will be just over 100mm long when built.  Here unlike the original boxing there is no ground trailer in the box so these will just be for hanging from a kit as the pylons are on the sprue. Construction is fairly basic and starts with the full length intake/exhaust for the engine.  The rear engine part is installed inside the tube and it can then go together. At the front a forward baffle/bulkhead goes in and then the nose bullet goes in front of that. This can then be installed in the main body and it can be closed up.  The left and right main wings are two parts upper & lower, these have a V tab on them for where they join inside the main body. The tail planes are single piece. Tip tanks go on the end of each main wing, with arrow shaped end caps on the tail planes. A faring goes on the top of the drone. 

 

 

Q-2C

In the late 1950s the USAF Awarded Ryan a contract for a new second generation Firebee this would become the BQM-34A or Q-2C. This was a bigger airframe with longer wings. One of the main recongition features was the fact the original nose intake was replaced by a chin intake for the new Continental J69-T-29A turbojet. As well as the USAF and USN the US Army had a ground launched (With Rocket assist) designated the  MQM-34D, this version having a longer wing than the USAF & USSN ones. The main launch aircraft for these new drones was the DC-130. While initial production ended in 1982 the production line was re-opened in 1989 to  produce more targets. These BQM-34S featured improved avionics and a new J85-GE-100 engine.

 

 

This kit is a brand new tool from ICM, following on from their original kit.   The kit arrives on one sprue for each Drone (shown once).  The model will be just over 145mm long when built. Construction is fairly basic and starts with the full length intake/exhaust for the engine.  The engine is installed inside the main body and it can be closed up, a triangular inert goes in the top.  The left and right main wings are single parts, these have tabs on them for where they join inside the main body to lock together. The tail planes are also single part with tabs again to lock in place. single piece. End plates are added to the tail planes and the rudder goes on the top. 

 

 

Markings

In this boxing there are two options included on the decal sheet, two in bare metal, the other in black. From the box you can build one of the following:

 

• Drone Controller DB-26C 44-35666, Holloman AFB, Late 1950s (Glass nose)
• Drone Controller DB-26B, 44-34652, Tyndall AFB, late 1950s (solid nose)

 

 

The decals are printed anonymously, although they look like DecoGraph's output to my eye.  They have good registration, colour density and sharpness, and include a number of stencils that are legible with the right eyeware. While drone markings are included on the main sheet, ICM have also included the sheets from the drone kits if you want something different. The modeller will have to source the instructions for these as they are not in this kit. 

 

 

 

Conclusion

This model should make a fair few people happy.  Detail is excellent and made so much nicer by the matt surface, and there's a fair proportion of the interior included for what is bound to be a popular kit.  Following on from the drone kits it was highly anticipated the DB-26 would arrive and it has!  Keep 'em coming ICM!

 

Very highly recommended.

 

Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd.

 

Review sample courtesy of

[John_W]

Very nice. Hopefully ICM will do a 1/48 C130 as well...

[Stephen]

I'm no expert but I think that if you were using aftermarket decals , this kit has all the parts to do either the early/ late B-26B/C with glass nose, six gun and eight gun noses.

[Julien]

3 hours ago, Stephen said:

I'm no expert but I think that if you were using aftermarket decals , this kit has all the parts to do either the early/ late B-26B/C with glass nose, six gun and eight gun noses.

Yes all the bits are there.

[arnobiz]

This looks incredibly cool, both the subject and the plastic 😍