How does the VBP-133 “Octopus” PV-1 Ventura really looks like ?

[J.C. Bahr]

The now defunct "Scale Modeler" was the magazine that did the Frog/Academy comparison and I used to have the issue, but let them all go many years back.  What I do remember from the comparison was that they were not the same kits and two differences really stuck out to me... the crew entry door on the left side of the rear fuselage were in slightly different positions between the kits... and the Academy got the nose radome more correct as (when looking down on the nose from above) there's a slight pinch between the radome and the fuselage, whereas Frog represented it as a smooth transition.  I think the fuselage and wing pieces met up pretty closely between their respective mirrored pieces in the opposing kits... but there were enough minor detail differences to show that they were not the exact same moulding... but how closely the Frog "influenced" the Academy is a whole another question.

[christian Boehm]

8 hours ago, J.C. Bahr said:

the crew entry door on the left side of the rear fuselage were in slightly different positions between the kits... and the Academy got the nose radome more correct as (when looking down on the nose from above) there's a slight pinch between the radome and the fuselage, whereas Frog represented it as a smooth transition.  

 

You're totally right J.C.

 I noted the 2 details you relate and was firs astonished by the "slight pinch between the radome and the fuselage"

But it's exactly true , it's such when you study  enough good overlooking photos

 

But , as well , a default of the Academy  there is, wrongly, a second door on starboard fuselage !

You have to switch it off by pluging and re-engraving the fuselage lines

 

Another special thing is the tail wheel problem : on all photos , while plane's flying , it is retracted , not visible

But, on floor , no doors visible; so studying Naval Fighters 86 and logically , it was an automatic doors opening-closing system on the PV-1

Consequently , doors have to be engraved around the tail wheel implantation

 

On Hyperscale a colleague noted the canopy would be 0.5 mm too narrow  and adviced to use falcon's one

I have it but it's difficult to fit it an the academy (it was for FROG) and I finally kept the kit's canopy;

Otherwise the turett  clear part , very thick, is to change  ; I'm searching the best Vacu to use because the Falcon one , while cutted off,  is not  the best here

 

Christian