1/32 B24-D... Quite large

[Suddensky]

Haven't posted anything for a long time (not that I was ever really prolific), but have decided to join my first ever group build. I tend to work better with a deadline, so I'm hoping this will transfer over into sticking bits of plastic together; I looked at my stash, what I want to add to it, what I hope will be released, my average annual build rate, and my age, and it turns out I'll need to live a very, very long time if I ever want to get through everything. 

 

I finished the Lancaster about this time last year:

 

And since then have only managed a Meng ME163 and a Revell Spitfire IX. Too slow, so hopefully I'll get this one done by May:

 

 

 

Selected by my wife and her sister, the other option was the A-6 you can see... I think they'd been drinking. 

 

Full disclosure; I'd started on the bombs before I decided to sign up for the GB, but I'm thinking that's pretty much less than .25%, let alone 25!

 

 

I've promised myself I'll not complain about this kit; it's a B24 in 1/32, and it's relatively cheap for what you get. Having said that, you get what you pay for...

 

I've got the Eduard cockpit set, Eduard masks, and the HGW seatbelts. A set of Brassin weighted wheels are on the way, and I'm pretty sure I'll sucumb to a set of gun barrels too. Probably better throw in some masking for the markings too when the time is right. Apart from that, it'll strictly straightforward, with no messing around adding wiring, piping, or bits and bobs inside. Got to get it finished right?

 

This is my first Liberator, and from what I've read, interior colours in particular can be something of a minefield, and getting the 'right' answer can be almost impossible. I've decided to come at it from the other side, so for me, if there's no definitively right answer, then there's also no wrong answer, so green and grey as per the instructions will do just fine for me.

 

Started in the usual place; Vallejo Interior Green seemed the closest match for the etch, so went with that. The floor is black over dull aluminium, with the black abraded a bit while it was still just a bit tacky.

 

 

 

 

And with the IP and other controls added:

 

 

 

All dirtied up with some sandy-brown pastels. Started on the seats, used a diluted darker green to try to give some texture to the cushions... I'm not convinced, but it looked good when the chap on the internet did it. Got to add the seatbelts, I love how they look, but they are just so fiddly!

 

 

Right, that's about it for the opener, better get on with those pesky seatbelts.

 

All the best, Peter.

[81-er]

That's one big bird to build in the time, good luck! You've made a good start though, I really like the weathering to the cockpit.

 

James

[arfa1983]

[Col.]

Good start on this project Peter. If it turns out anything like your Lanc we are in for a treat. Hope your wife and her sister appreciate it as well.

[Toryu]

Your beginning looks fantastic. How for God's sake will you get this behemoth done within the GB deadline??

[Suddensky]

21 hours ago, 81-er said:

That's one big bird to build in the time, good luck! You've made a good start though, I really like the weathering to the cockpit.

 

James

Thanks! A long way to go though!

[Suddensky]

19 minutes ago, Toryu said:

Your beginning looks fantastic. How for God's sake will you get this behemoth done within the GB deadline??

Yeah... about that... Not entirely certain to be honest, but I'm putting my faith in blind optimism at the monment.

[Wings unlevel]

Now that’s a big beastie! And beautifully detailed already.

[spitfire]

That looks like a great kit, I was sorely tempted to buy one as they are a real bargain, but alas I do not have the room for one , you have made a great start on it and I will pop in and see how you are getting on.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Hewy]

Smashing job so far 

[Alan P]

Interior looks brilliant so far. Certainly made the most of the etch (very neatly done) and the floor looks very authentic 👏👏👏

[desert falcon]

Your are on to a good start, that cockpit is looking great! 

[Suddensky]

Thanks for the kind words folks. Unfortunately enhanced social duties over the weekend meant that my entire output since Friday was the construction of just one pair of seatbelts! Must try harder.

[Suddensky]

OK, so I've made a bit of progress, although it's a case of I feel like I've done a lot, but don't have much to show for it. Quite a bit of building, but very little finishing... 

 

Having said that, I did complete the flight deck, adding the chairs and those fiddly seatbelts. I think one's on upside down, but I can live with that. Then I realised that the back side of the IP would be visible from the front of the aircraft (if you got down really low and squinted up past the bomb aimer's position) so decided to add the instrument casings and wiring. Pretty much guesswork, but it gives an impression of something being present rather than just a plain facing. Incidentally, yes I know I said this in my opening post: '... it'll be strictly straightforward, with no messing around adding wiring, piping, or bits and bobs inside', but you know what it's like...

 

 

 

 

The instrument casings are just the little round bits of waste which seem to be appended to every part, trimmed down and drilled out to accomodate the wiring (Rioja bottle I think). The whole lot was given a coating of Mr Surfacer and then sprayed black. It's probably all in vain, as I think there should be a large board/semi-bulkhead behind the bomb aimer, displaying various technical data and charts, and I'll no doubt end up adding that too. Oh welll, it keeps me off the streets I suppose.

 

Have pretty much completed the undercarriage, Tamiya Dark Sea Grey (53) and then a very diluted oil wash of black and burnt umber. I'll go over the silver bits again, I'm struggling to find anything which even vaguely resembles chrome for the insides of the compresible bits, so any suggestions are welcome! Will add some brake lines and gubbins nearer the time. Worked in some pastels for the underside of the mudguard, pretty happy with that TBH.

 

 

 

 

 

Painted up the wheels (Tamiya Rubber Black 85), The Eduard resin is, as usual, superb, and I'm really looking forward to weathering them. 

 

 

 

Apart from that, it's mainly been just sticking some of the other structural stuff together. I did finish off the bomb bay components though:

 

 

Not entirely sure how the ceiling would get that dirty, but I'm sticking with it.

 

A couple of nights away from home meant I had to just take a couple of sprues and no paint, so built the main gear whell wells:

 

 

And that's about it for now. Pretty busy week ahead, including my wife's investiture at Windsor for her CBE (#soproud), but I do have a pretty free weekend next week, so hope to have done a couple of turrets and made a start on the fuselage interior by CoP Sunday. We'll see how it goes... great expectations and all that.

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Peter

 

 

[PeterB]

Hi Peter,

 

Wow, CBE - certainly something to be proud about even for those who are sceptical about the term "Empire" - the suggested substitute "Excellence" is fine but does not sound quite right to me! As to getting a good chrome effect the Molotow pens, or if you prefer decanting it, their ink/paint is rather impressive.

 

Cheers

 

Pete

[Col.]

Congratulations to your wife on being awarded her CBE.

Nice progress on the B-24 as well  

[Bertie McBoatface]

You have been busy. Very nice work. 

[desert falcon]

Very nice work indeed and also congrats to your wife from my side 👍

[Toryu]

On 13/03/2022 at 21:44, Suddensky said:

OK, so I've made a bit of progress

 

That's actually a lot of progress... Very nice modelling. The gear seems to be a model in itself.

[81-er]

I'd say you've got rather a lot to show for all the work, and excellent work it is. Congratulations to your wife on her CBE!

 

James

[Suddensky]

Well this is taking longer than I hoped... 

 

Many thanks for your kind words - both for the build and Susan's award. As for an update on the kit, well not too much to report I'm afraid; I've painted the interior of the fuselage halves, which is not terribly exciting:

 

And got the key structural bits of the insides stuck together:

 

 

 

 

I think I might have to give the wireless operator a bit of equipment to work with though, it really does look a bit sparse back there. The rear turret is done and dusted, but the masking will stay on until the whole airframe has been painted:

 

As for the ubiquitous seam along the centre of the clear parts at the top, there's no way I could ever hide it, so have instead decided to turn it into a visible piece of the framework, to be painted to match the rest of the turret. Not ideal, I know, but the join goes through the whole depth of the parts, so it's not like buffing out an imperfection. I'll have to do something about the wonky gun alignment too!

 

Looking back, I can see that I wanted '... to have done a couple of turrets and made a start on the fuselage interior by CoP Sunday.' Well I almost made it, although the ball turret is still, as one might say, a work in progress...

 

Incidentally, I'm struggling for an exterior colour for this. The instructions say silver, but I've seen pics of an MTO B-17 with what seems to be grey framework. I'm kind of leaning towards grey, but if it should definitively be silver then I'll happily go with that! 

 

And on the subject of colours, I spent ages trying to decide on the best match for the exterior upper surfaces, before going for Vallejo MA 71.140 US Desert Sand, and I'm really happy with it!

 

Thanks for looking in,

 

Peter

 

 

 

 

[Jasper dog]

Great modelling,  probably never get the chance to build one myself but really looking forward to seeing yours come together.

 

Really nice work so far.

Darryl 

[Col.]

Great progress going on Peter

[Suddensky]

I'll admit that 13 May is looming, and progress has been slow and intermittent. Things were not helped by having a week away on Barra in the Outer Hebrides, although we did get to land on the beach in this Twin Otter...

 

So I finished off the ventral ball turret, going for silver in the end, masking to be removed later, and the barrels aren't squiffy, must be the angle of the photo:

 

And the gubbins to hold it:

 

Have made a start on the fuselage interiors:

 

 

Must find a better way of doing the wood effect:

 

And the etch on the cockpit wall:

 

Today has mainly been taken up with prepping lots of the bits for the starboard side and various other bits. Still got to paint up the static oxygen bottles, stick everything together, and weather it. I've also got the question of whether or not to add some extra detail to the bomb aimers's station and the rest of the nose. There's a lot of glass to look through, but it also takes time, and I'm still in two minds about fitting out the radio operator's room. 

 

 

That's about it for now, must get back to sticking stuff together. Am still cautiously optimistic about getting it finished in two weeks, although going away tomorrow night for the weekend will definitely not help matters. I reckon I can take the clear sprues and their masks and do that, and also copies of the transfers, some cutters and sheets of tape and make the paint masks. 

 

Thanks for looking in, 

 

Peter

[81-er]

Nice work, Peter. I didn't think your wood effect looked bad, quite realistic actually.

 

James