RC Boater Bill Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 (edited) Just finished my latest addition to my collection of US Coast Guard aircraft in 1/72 scale. The patchwork finish is because they were war-weary planes converted by the Navy to land-based SAR duty. The old squadron markings were painted over with fresh Dark Sea Blue, and new insignia and markings were then applied. (Shows how much the original color had faded!). The USCG had three of them in San Diego, where they were used for rapid delivery of life rafts and provisions, and to evaluate their potential for post-war use. I must say, the Academy kit is really nice- the current boxing (Operation Iceberg) includes PE dive brakes, if you want to use them. (I didn’t.). The markings for a Rescue plane were only ever offered by Academy in the first Deluxe release of the kit- back in 2006. ( The first boxing that included PE dive brakes.). Fortunately, it wasn’t hard to come up with necessary markings. I used my Silhouette Cameo4 to make masks, and painted the “RESCUE”. This was my first attempt at really fading a plane painted in overall Dark Sea Blue. I really like how it came out- the “fresh paint” patches really stand out! The model was painted initially with Vallejo Dark Sea Blue. I then lightened the color by mixing in a little intermediate blue, and applied it heavily thinned. I did this several times, adding a little more of the lighter blue each time. Decals went on near the end- they were “new markings”. I also tried the Kits World “3D Seatbelt Decals”, and I like the way they look. I like them a lot better than PE belts in this scale! Edited January 11, 2022 by RC Boater Bill added photo links 54 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 I love that, Bill :). It epitomises my slant on all things - never following the crowd and being different. Well done Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tbolt Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 Very nice 👍. Some larger pictures would be better though. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 Brilliant! I never knew the USCG had such aircraft in their inventory. This is Oh so different! Well built and extremely well painted. Congrats! JR 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 That is nicely done, very tidy indeed, that yellow is very, VERY yellow though. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 Love it Bill,...... I didn`t even know the Coast Guard used them,..... every day is a school day eh! Cheers Tony 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swamp Donkey Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 Ooh, that’s different. Very nice indeed SD 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djos Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 Yes, for sure different and great looking Helldiver Regards Djordje 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RC Boater Bill Posted January 11, 2022 Author Share Posted January 11, 2022 4 hours ago, Tbolt said: Very nice 👍. Some larger pictures would be better though. Here’s a link to my gallery: https://billmichaels.smugmug.com/Bills-Stuff/Modelling/n-fK4qbP/ProjectsBuilds/Plastic-models/SB2C-4-Helldiver 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tbolt Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 1 minute ago, RC Boater Bill said: Here’s a link to my gallery: https://billmichaels.smugmug.com/Bills-Stuff/Modelling/n-fK4qbP/ProjectsBuilds/Plastic-models/SB2C-4-Helldiver Thanks. They look better posted that size. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josip Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 Just two things to correct on any Academy 1:72 kit! The lower frame of the pilot's sliding hood was noticeably higher and the upper landing gear covers should lean on the lower ones. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberto Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 Really nice, I like it👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 That looks great! Nice job on the fading, too. One question: How did you get the bomb-bay doors closed? The kit only has open doors. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejboyd5 Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 Thanks for teaching me something about the plane's post-war use as well as making a nice replica. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackem01 Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 Great build with very original finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnl42 Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 You did a fabulous job on that, particularly with the different markings! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RC Boater Bill Posted January 11, 2022 Author Share Posted January 11, 2022 4 hours ago, dogsbody said: That looks great! Nice job on the fading, too. One question: How did you get the bomb-bay doors closed? The kit only has open doors. Chris Chris, It was a pleasant surprise at how easy it was to do! All I did was to carefully cut along the molded line, then a little gentle sanding yielded a perfect fit. -Bill 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 7 minutes ago, RC Boater Bill said: Chris, It was a pleasant surprise at how easy it was to do! All I did was to carefully cut along the molded line, then a little gentle sanding yielded a perfect fit. -Bill That is good to know. I've a couple pf these & generally prefer such detail to be closed & had wondered how it might go, so good to know its doable. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulfman Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 Lovely job on the Helldiver, I will attempt to match your blue on my French Bearcat ! Wulfman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAT69 Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 On 1/11/2022 at 4:06 AM, jean said: Brilliant! I never knew the USCG had such aircraft in their inventory. This is Oh so different! Well built and extremely well painted. Congrats! JR I have to agree! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RC Boater Bill Posted January 12, 2022 Author Share Posted January 12, 2022 On 1/11/2022 at 5:06 AM, jean said: Brilliant! I never knew the USCG had such aircraft in their inventory. This is Oh so different! Well built and extremely well painted. Congrats! JR Thanks! FWIW, the first “Deluxe” (with PE parts) release of the kit was in 2006- that is the only release to ever include “Rescue” markings. But they got the description wrong- calling it a USCG aircraft from NAS Kanoehe, Hawaii, in 1945. (The Hawaii-based planes were USN, not USCG.) All my Coast Guard aviation references say that the CG only had a 2 or 3 Helldivers, all based at CG Air Station San Diego. It is a trivial thing, as the planes were all Navy-owned, and the few given to the Coast Guard looked just like the ones used by the Navy in Hawaii. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viking Posted January 13, 2022 Share Posted January 13, 2022 Well you learn something new every day, the USCG using Helldivers! Lovely model. Cheers John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RC Boater Bill Posted January 14, 2022 Author Share Posted January 14, 2022 (edited) On 1/12/2022 at 6:39 AM, Wulfman said: Lovely job on the Helldiver, I will attempt to match your blue on my French Bearcat ! Wulfman Since I hadn’t tried anything like that before: I had a copy of the old Airfix helldiver in the stash, so I slapped the basic airframe together, and used that as a testbed for practicing the fading of the topside color….. Edited January 14, 2022 by RC Boater Bill fixed old typos, added new ones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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