Popular Post Marcello Rosa Posted May 15, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 15, 2022 Neptunes of the Brazilian Air Force used to fly low over the beaches of Salvador, in Northeastern Brazil, where I spent a few years as a child, and I still remember how loud they were. Attached are the first pictures my just completed rendition of the Hasegawa P2V-7 Neptune kit, of 1987 vintage. This model represents a plane that served with VP-11 in the mid-60's, undertaking long and lonely patrols of the North Atlantic in the search for Soviet submarines. The Hasegawa kit has raised panels, little interior detail, and no detail at all in the wheel bays. However the shape is accurate, the fit is fine, and there is almost no flash. It does have some annoying features, like the canopy that comes in two halves to be joined along the midline, and propellers in which each blade comes separately. These require a lot of test fitting and tweaking to look good (best to use slow setting cement). This second-hand kit came bundled with an Eduard internal detail set, which was OK, but to be honest did not add much. In addition, the decals that came with the kit disintegrated upon testing, so I purchased a set from PrintScale (cat. no. 72-106). Alas, this aftermarket set was incomplete, and somewhat inaccurate, requiring some improvisation using bits and pieces from the spares box, and even rescuing some bits from the Hasegawa set (piecing them together like a mosaic). I also show here a couple of pictures of the Neptune next to the PB4Y-2 Privateer, the previous generation of US Navy patrol bombers (both 1/72). This is just to make the point that the Neptunes are about the same size as a Privateer (itself a stretched B-24 Liberator), which was a bit surprising to me. I think the Neptunes look smaller than they are, mostly on account of the large canopy (which reflects it being designed for the ocean patrol job) and huge engines. For more pictures and details about the build, check this model in my web page (address in the signature panel). 82 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulfman Posted May 15, 2022 Share Posted May 15, 2022 Very nice Neptune, great build ! Wulfman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcello Rosa Posted May 15, 2022 Author Share Posted May 15, 2022 Thank you. I keep telling myself that I should do some modern kits, but somehow end gravitating back to old kits of not-so-popular planes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maginot Posted May 15, 2022 Share Posted May 15, 2022 Great subject nicely modelled. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmerboy Posted May 15, 2022 Share Posted May 15, 2022 What a great model, you have done a masterful job on an old kit, pleasure to look at. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roman Schilhart Posted May 15, 2022 Share Posted May 15, 2022 Great model of a very interesting subject. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted May 15, 2022 Share Posted May 15, 2022 I like the Neptune very much. And the Privateer too. I'm surprised to see how big the Neptune is in comparison. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAT69 Posted May 15, 2022 Share Posted May 15, 2022 Both models are very well done. Congratulations! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cardiff guy Posted May 15, 2022 Share Posted May 15, 2022 love the Neptune, you've done a great job, well done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Strasser Posted May 15, 2022 Share Posted May 15, 2022 Nice build!!! Mark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted May 16, 2022 Share Posted May 16, 2022 Nice Neppie, I like the early darker scheme too 🏆 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcello Rosa Posted May 16, 2022 Author Share Posted May 16, 2022 40 minutes ago, Romeo Alpha Yankee said: Nice Neppie, I like the early darker scheme too 🏆 Luckily we still have some restored ones, with a similar colour scheme, still in flyable condition in Australia e.g. https://hars.org.au/lockheed-p2h-p2v-7-neptune/ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wlad Posted May 16, 2022 Share Posted May 16, 2022 13 hours ago, Marcello Rosa said: Thank you. I keep telling myself that I should do some modern kits, but somehow end gravitating back to old kits of not-so-popular planes. Keep at it as long as you're having fun. I appreciate the photos at eye level, as if we were looking at the real aeroplane. Great build of a beautiful airplane. Cheers, Wlad 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertielissie Posted May 16, 2022 Share Posted May 16, 2022 Lovely work. You've done a great job of turning an older kit into a superb model. I've always loved the Neptune since seeing them fly at airshows at the old RAAF base, Laverton, Melbourne. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcello Rosa Posted May 16, 2022 Author Share Posted May 16, 2022 49 minutes ago, bertielissie said: Lovely work. You've done a great job of turning an older kit into a superb model. I've always loved the Neptune since seeing them fly at airshows at the old RAAF base, Laverton, Melbourne. I've loved Neptunes for the best part of my life. when I was 11/ 12 I lived in a place where Neptunes used to fly really low over the beaches we used to go to. On one occasion one of them shook every window of my house during a low fly past. As you can imagine, as a young boy, I was deeply impressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snafu35 Posted May 16, 2022 Share Posted May 16, 2022 Hello Marcello, Like you, I remember this big bird flying over my head when I was a kid. I used to spend my holidays at the seaside in the 70's, and the beach was a few hundred meters in the axis of the runway threshold of the naval air base of Lann Bihoue in Brittany, France. I plan to build two Neptunes, one French and one US. I have engraved the Hasegawa plastic, and I am currently looking for time and motivation to continue the project! I also intend to install the PE Eduards, but if you write that the result does not reward the effort... I'm hesitating, so Anyway, your work is superb, thanks for sharing.👍 Regards, Eric-Snafu35 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcello Rosa Posted May 16, 2022 Author Share Posted May 16, 2022 24 minutes ago, Snafu35 said: Hello Marcello, Like you, I remember this big bird flying over my head when I was a kid. I used to spend my holidays at the seaside in the 70's, and the beach was a few hundred meters in the axis of the runway threshold of the naval air base of Lann Bihoue in Brittany, France. I plan to build two Neptunes, one French and one US. I have engraved the Hasegawa plastic, and I am currently looking for time and motivation to continue the project! I also intend to install the PE Eduards, but if you write that the result does not reward the effort... I'm hesitating, so Anyway, your work is superb, thanks for sharing.👍 Regards, Eric-Snafu35 Hi Eric The Eduard set is not bad. My argument is more that it does not provide anything that can't be scratch built with ease, just from wire and spare photo etch sprues. If you already have it, then go for it. For me it was more or less the same. I bought this second hand from eBay, and to my surprise the Eduard set came inside the box. Just could not resist using it. I had some problems with the Eduard set from the fact that I chose to keep the crew figures. Without them, it may be just matter of sanding the seats a bit more to make them narrower. Otherwise, you have to do some knee surgery in the pilot and co-pilot, and remove some of the side consoles, among other things. You can see the explanation here: https://www.marcellorosa.com/1-72p2v-7neptune Having said that I liked having the windscreen wipers, and seatbelts. Oh, and be prepared to use A LOT of ballast near the front. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy350 Posted May 16, 2022 Share Posted May 16, 2022 Cracking builds, came out really well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinpin Posted May 16, 2022 Share Posted May 16, 2022 Great aircraft. Fantastic model 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David H Posted May 16, 2022 Share Posted May 16, 2022 Great build, Marcello! Makes me want to go back to work on mine! -d- 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael51 Posted May 16, 2022 Share Posted May 16, 2022 Great builds on both. The Neptune brings back Laverton airshow memories - what a sleek machine it was for its time, Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcello Rosa Posted May 17, 2022 Author Share Posted May 17, 2022 3 hours ago, Michael51 said: Great builds on both. The Neptune brings back Laverton airshow memories - what a sleek machine it was for its time, Michael Did you have a chance to go inside? That observer station overhanging the clear nose - best office view in the world! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomcat101 Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 Great build of an unusual subject. Like the late 1950's colour scheme. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busnproplinerfan Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 I never knew how close in size the Neptune is to the B-24. I only ever saw a Neptune up close once. Models look well done, those are good stablemates, almost like the Neptune is replacing the Privateer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcello Rosa Posted May 17, 2022 Author Share Posted May 17, 2022 1 hour ago, busnproplinerfan said: I never knew how close in size the Neptune is to the B-24. I only ever saw a Neptune up close once. Models look well done, those are good stablemates, almost like the Neptune is replacing the Privateer. Maybe I should build an Orion then, and take another group photo... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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