Matchbox Kit PK405. B-25H, my way. 1/72. Ready For Inspection! Te-en hut!

[Markh-75]

This was a kit that at the early stages looked like being a bit of a flop if I'm honest. There were parts missing, it was way different from the first B-25 I made (Tee-Kay), and as time went on it didnt get that much better😳; I found that the main wheels were too small, not only that, the main legs were too short! No matter how much nose weight I fitted it was just gonna tail sit. I didnt hold much for it after building the Italeri version but its now shed its 'ugly duckling' looks and become something quite special! I fitted it with larger (more correct sized) wheels, and added a 2mm height extension in the main landing legs; that did it!😀

You may remember in the WIP that it was supposed to have been painted in colours and markings of the 1st Air Commando in India depicted with its forward pointing white stripes on the fuselage, but the decals weren't much use as its not a new kit. Mine is painted in Colourcoats Olive Drab 41 above and Colourcoats Neutral Grey on the undersides, and I applied decals from an aftermarket set I bought specially. These ones,

 (the top set).

 

Once its 'posture' had been addressed, it was well on the way to becoming a very good model. I will NOT throw a model away if its mostly built, even if it has issues that seem insurmountable, I'd rather put it aside, think about it, get advice, opinions from others because really I WANT it to work out. I'm in no hurry now and in fact the more relaxed view helps alot because it allows time to develop ideas!

I started the decals yesterday but I ran out of steam when I got to the ones on the nose; I knew that the dragons head would be an awkward pair of decals, and once again Decal set and Decal sol performed admirably, but still required some patience. I had fitted the underwing decal on the wrong wing but luckily I had a replacement, and then one on the port side at the waist went a bit 'south', and this gave me a little extra work to correct in both cases. I couldn't fit the rest of the nose decals until the dragons head was on and happy, it's three different decals rather than one larger one. I knew if I could get both halves of the dragons head at the same height I could match up things like the red outline around the mouth, as it was there was some vertical  overlapping and a tiny area of the nose uncovered, which I very carefully painted in AFTER I'd varnished all decals with Klear. I'm VERY pleased at how this one has worked out, I stuck with it and its turned out rather nicely; and I still have a third B-25 to make, this one will have a glazed nose, a C or D model, the Airfix one.

 

I don't know if it will be my next build or if I'll take a break and do a smaller one this time! I'll be sure to let y'all know!

 

So, here are the pictures of the final outcome! I proudly present....

 

 I'm really pleased at how these engines have turned out!

 I again added the exhaust trails using lead scraped from a pencil, I tried dusting it on with a brush but it didnt work out (I couldn't see it!) so I reverted back to my original Mk. 1 finger and smeared it on and rubbed it back wards. This always looks great on a B-25!😀

 

 I bent two little bits of wire to fit around the engine bell on both engines.

 I also added some smudging around the cheek guns and nose guns; not too much though, didnt want to spoil the overall look of the model!

 

 The decals on the tail I carefully positioned so that I didnt cut through a digit when bedding them in.

 

 A little Humbrol 155 (olive drab) on the canvas skirt around the tail guns! Make it look like 'army' canvas.

 

 Again, I have pencilled-in the panel lines.

 

 

I'm very pleased this turned out as well as it did.  I wanted three different types of B-25 (there were hundreds of different versions. and the next one will be a C or a D version with the glazed nose. I'll need to find it a space in the cabinet now!🙄

 

 

[Bertie McBoatface]

That's very tidily built and painted. I'd say each model you present shows improvements over the last one and you don't half churn them out fast!

[Markh-75]

Thank you Bertie; that's kind of you!👍 I thought I'd taken an awful long time with this, I had hold-ups and interruptions galore! Still considering actual build time including waiting for at least four coats of paint to dry, one at a time, I say its worked out very nicely! It really pays to take all the time required; it will always turn out much better than a hurried one.😉 I dont think the kit quality on this one was anywhere near the quality of the Italeri kit I made the first time, but its worked out to be very nice even if with certain improvements.😀 Thanks Bertie!

[Tallyho]

Great build and an interesting subject!

[John_W]

Nice work on a vintage kit. I had forgotten how heavy those Matchbox canopy frames where.

[Markh-75]

5 hours ago, Tallyho said:

Great build and an interesting subject!

 

47 minutes ago, John_W said:

Nice work on a vintage kit. I had forgotten how heavy those Matchbox canopy frames where.

Thanks guys, its been a challenge but I won through in the end; in the days before I had special brushes for canopy frames these would have been a God-send, now, with the special narrow brushes its a task to make sure the whole canopy frame gets its share of paint with no bare areas left unpainted, it often means going onto the flat panes but I know how to remove the paint from the panes.

Thanks for your kind words chaps😀, Mark.

[Pete Robin]

Nicely done. Always surprised at the amount of different "schemes" these a/c were presented in.

Regards

Pete

[Markh-75]

Yes, there were quite a lot of types, for example, the first B-25G, that I made (Tee Kay), the G models were in fact C types after some reworking. They shortened the nose section and fitted the 57mm cannon in the bomb Aimee’s crawl way. The B25 was used by pretty much every one of the Allies including Russia, even the US Navy!

Thanks for your kind words Pete, regards Mark.😀

[bigbadbadge]

Great job on this old kit Mark, looks fantastic,  glad you got hold of the wheels .  

Chris

[Markh-75]

21 minutes ago, bigbadbadge said:

Great job on this old kit Mark, looks fantastic,  glad you got hold of the wheels .  

Chris

Thanks Chris😀; yes, I'm very pleased with it, its come through alot (so have I) lol. Its really looking the part now, once I got the landing gear fixed it improved its posture and I knew I could continue with it😉 Chuffed with it!👍

[Wulfman]

Lovely work on the old Matchbox, what’s next ?

 

Wulfman

[Markh-75]

Well, I haven’t decided yet but I opened the box and bag for the Airfix B-25C/D version to see what’s involved: and it does look VERY involved. But the new Airfix kits are quite thorough and this one has a choice of an open bomb bay which I’m interested in, and this one has the glazed nose. It was just a bit much to take in today as I usually take a couple of days out (tomorrow is my birthday) after completing a build; in a couple of days I’ll be better able to take the instructions in, and there’s the choice of model as there are two options for decals! I’ll take a look at the colours and see what they are so I can see if I have them, then I’ll decide!😉 

I’m in no great hurry but I do want to start something else soon because I get mightily bored with no model on the table.

I was thinking of something smaller but I think it’s the third and final B25 👍that’s next for the operating table!😀

 

Thank you for your kind words, much appreciated.👍😁