mike romeo Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 Placeholder for my build of the Matchbox A-20G. Rgds Martin 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 Hi Martin Great to have you with us and of course your A-20G is especially welcome. Best of luck with this one. Cheers Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike romeo Posted January 6, 2022 Author Share Posted January 6, 2022 16 minutes ago, JOCKNEY said: Hi Martin Great to have you with us and of course your A-20G is especially welcome. Best of luck with this one. Cheers Pat Cheers, Pat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted January 7, 2022 Share Posted January 7, 2022 A belated hello and appreciation for this A-20 WIP placeholder Martin. We look forward to seeing what you end up making of this kit. Cheers, welcome aboard and best of luck.. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike romeo Posted January 8, 2022 Author Share Posted January 8, 2022 15 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said: A belated hello and appreciation for this A-20 WIP placeholder Martin. We look forward to seeing what you end up making of this kit. Cheers, welcome aboard and best of luck.. Dave Thanks, Dave. Might do a bit of cockpit gizmology and open up the nosegear bay. Currently wondering what to do about the 'orrible engines and the too large diameter cowlings / nacelles. Rgds Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 10 hours ago, mike romeo said: Currently wondering what to do about the 'orrible engines and the too large diameter cowlings / nacelles. Yes, I only found out about these issues not long ago. Seems like some drastic corrections are required to sort those out. I'm sure with your skills and foresight, you will come up with a suitable plane. Cheers.. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_W Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 Allegedly the kit was based on a restored example that had been re engined post war. Don't know how true that is though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike romeo Posted January 17, 2022 Author Share Posted January 17, 2022 On 1/15/2022 at 4:49 PM, John_W said: Allegedly the kit was based on a restored example that had been re engined post war. Don't know how true that is though. Interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike romeo Posted January 17, 2022 Author Share Posted January 17, 2022 Hi folks. Being nothing if not unconventional, I shall eschew the usual kit content shots for now and consider the engines / cowlings; in my opinion, the kit's Achilles heel. I think they look dreadful . . . Cowling, with initial stage of losing mould line Engine choices. Which one looks better to you? Put kit engine and cowling together, and . . . Yep! Still looks awful. So, need to do something about them. The grey engine is a Quickboost item intended for the B-25. It's an R-1600, and although the sub-variant is probably wrong for an A-20G, they're what I'm hoping to use. So, first task is to try to get the cowling to fit the new engine. If I can't hack a decent solution, this build is dead in the water, so we'll do that first. Rgds Martin 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike romeo Posted January 17, 2022 Author Share Posted January 17, 2022 My first task then is to reduce the cowling diameter. So, cut along the 4 panel lines, and: Then, a bit of sanding along the cut lines to lose a bit of circumference followed by some judicious bending to reduce the radius of curvature, and I ended up here: Hopefully you can see that the gaping maw at the cowling front has reduced somewhat on the cowl with the engine. No? OK, this may show it a bit better: Bottom modified; top, as it came. I think the engine nestles more snugly in the modded one. I have done no measurement; I'm doing this by eye. However, I think the mod should make the kit look a bit better. Now, just need to get the second cowling the same size, then fill, sand and ensure both are round, and we'll be golden. Of course, I will then have to mod the nacelles to fit . . . More soon, hopefully. Rgds Martin 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted January 19, 2022 Share Posted January 19, 2022 Well done Martin, best to tackle those modifications early to see how things go. Should it not work out, just ditch it and start something new. I do say, the modified cowling and engine do look better so you're well on your way to getting a good result here. Cheers.. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike romeo Posted January 22, 2022 Author Share Posted January 22, 2022 Still fighting with the engine cowls. The one on the right is a bit further on. I'm waiting on the sprue goo to cure. The one on the left needs more circularising.😁 In other news, I have removed the 'orrible engines from their bases. These will form a base for the new engines. The new engines will need bringing forward a bit. The bases, which currently fit the nacelles, will need some reduction in diameter too. Which of course implies a reduction in cowling diameter. Still mulling what to do here. While all this has been going on, I've begun to look at the fuse. So far, all I've done is open up the ludicrously shallow NLG bay and the small supposedly glazed ovals in the lower rear fuse behind which lurked fire extinguishers. I will do my usual basic additions to cockpit and NLG bay. No super-detailer, me! So, this is turning into one of my classic kit wrestling sessions which always seem to end up looking less than the sum of the work added. Still, we live and learn, and it should be an interesting comparison to my classic Airfix and Revell A-20s. 🤗 Rgds Martin 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike romeo Posted January 23, 2022 Author Share Posted January 23, 2022 It occurs to me that I didn't provide the traditional box shots. So, here goes: Apologies for the orientation of the pics: Revell boxing of the A-20G. Fairly uninspiring box art with none of the drama and movement of the original Roy Huxley painting, but cool D-day scheme! No multi-colour plastic here! Just a monochrome mid-green. Cool decal sheet, though! Not convinced I'll use the invasion stripes. Rgds Martin 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike romeo Posted January 24, 2022 Author Share Posted January 24, 2022 And talking about my other vintage A-20s: Airfix Revell I'd like to see Airfix bringing out a new tool Havoc / Boston / A-20. Rgds Martin 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 On 1/24/2022 at 9:55 PM, mike romeo said: I'd like to see Airfix bringing out a new tool Havoc / Boston / A-20. So would I Martin... big time! You are making really good headway with all those engine improvements. It all takes time, however looks like you've got a vision and a good plan to get there. Nice Airfix and Revell A-20 models too mate and I've always liked the shape of the early Revell kit, prior to the later SH kits I still regarded this as the pick of the bad bunch. Cheers.. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 Lovely work Martin I've got a Frog A-20 which if I remember rightly is missing one of the engines although I haven't seen the kit in years, was that version any better ? Just wondering whether to bother with it, if I ever manage to find it ! Cheers Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike romeo Posted January 27, 2022 Author Share Posted January 27, 2022 9 hours ago, JOCKNEY said: Lovely work Martin I've got a Frog A-20 which if I remember rightly is missing one of the engines although I haven't seen the kit in years, was that version any better ? Just wondering whether to bother with it, if I ever manage to find it ! Cheers Pat Hi Pat, It's always worth making a model you've got, if you can find it. I don't really rate the FROG one, tho'. The glazing - particularly the bombardier's compartment - is not up to much shapewise. Rgds Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike romeo Posted January 27, 2022 Author Share Posted January 27, 2022 10 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said: So would I Martin... big time! You are making really good headway with all those engine improvements. It all takes time, however looks like you've got a vision and a good plan to get there. Nice Airfix and Revell A-20 models too mate and I've always liked the shape of the early Revell kit, prior to the later SH kits I still regarded this as the pick of the bad bunch. Cheers.. Dave Still struggling with them, tbh. And I'm making up the plan as I go along! 😁 I'm going to get a coat of paint on the cowlings to see where I am. Then I'm going to have a change of pace by having a play with the cockpit and nose gear well. Rgds Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek D. Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 On 24/01/2022 at 11:55, mike romeo said: I'd like to see Airfix bringing out a new tool Havoc / Boston / A-20. It's hard to see that happening anytime soon, more likely to see a classic kits reissue if the tooling is still useful. I've recently acquired the Special Hobby A20B into the stash to build an Aussie New Guinea based gunship. My expectations are low given its 2007 MPM origins. The fact that Revel reboxed it also, is encouraging in that it can't be too short run like.... I don't think I would or could undertake the modifications that you have. Looking forward to the next steps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike romeo Posted January 28, 2022 Author Share Posted January 28, 2022 22 hours ago, Derek D. said: I don't think I would or could undertake the modifications that you have. Looking forward to the next steps. Not sure I can either . . . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike romeo Posted January 30, 2022 Author Share Posted January 30, 2022 OK, got some primer on the cowlings. They look pretty circular to the eye, and both front and rear diameters seem close enough. I am reasonably encouraged, although it has taken me 3 weeks! I said I'd be playing with the fuse interior and I started this afternoon: I opened up the dinghy compartment at the top of the rear cockpit bulkhead, thinned the fuse skin in that region and added a floor to the dinghy compartment. I might add some milliput for the dinghy, but nothing's gonna be visible with the lid on. I also added a piece of oblong rod in front of the rear bulkhead level with the sill. I will subsequently add an angled bulkhead from there to the cockpit floor, on which the pilots seat will be attached. I hope to add some gubbins to the sidewall, an IP and coaming, and a better shaped pilot's seat. Must have a look in the spares box . . . I also will add a nosegear well roof beneath the cockpit floor, some walls, and - if I can be bothered - some gizmology. We'll see. Elsewhere, I'll add the little resin bits to the engines, paint them up and get them attached in the cowlings. Then I can start to think about the nacelles and main gear bays. Lots to do, lots to do, as well as a Stirling to finish. Rgds Martin 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted February 1, 2022 Share Posted February 1, 2022 Great job of those cowlings Martin, they look very circular to my square eyes! Lovely work there mate. Cheers.. Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike romeo Posted February 7, 2022 Author Share Posted February 7, 2022 Work was busy last week, so little time for modelling. However, got a bit done at the weekend. Slow but steady on the cockpit / dinghy compartment. I am rubbish at drilling holes in styrene sheet evenly. Any tips: It even fits together: In other news, I got the engines painted and fitted in the cowlings: Quite happy with these. And they even fit the nacelles: So, that's where we are. Need a bit of bulkhead work in the wheel bays, then they can be painted, joined and the cowlings added. Will also continue with the cockpit work. Rgds Martin 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 Great going Martin. She's all looking good so far and although its a lot of work, you will be proud of the finished example once you get there. Cheers.. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 Progressing nicely Martin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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