malpaso Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 (edited) Having watched the entertaining Top Gun [not Gear] Maverick last week (and going to see it again tomorrow!) its time to consider an earlier Hollywood blockbuster about the US Navy. DIVE BOMBER - watch as Errol Flynn smokes, dive bombs, smokes, crashes, smokes, dive bombs and smokes again. But seriously another great and entertaining movie, with colourful biplanes plunging through the air! Okay from memory the biplanes are fairly transitory as it was the change to monoplanes, and the USN repainted or provided older colour scheme "Golden Wings" aircraft to help with continuity. See the trailer here! The USN was a big proponent of dive bombing as the only way to accurately deliver a killer aerial blow on a moving naval target. Ernst Udet whilst in the US saw demonstrations and enthused the early Luftwaffe with the technique. The Curtiss SBC-4 was the final incarnation of the Navy biplane dive bomber, subsequent aircraft would be monoplanes. I picked up this kit at a show, somewhere along its previous 30+ odd years it had lost the front windscreen - though unlike many secondhand kits it still had the stand, is there a black market in purloined stands? Never fear, after an appeal on here @Marklo kindly posted me one of his vacforms to save the day! Why so late starting? I am trying to do one kit at a time but completing my latest one-a-month 370z kit had dragged out for three months, so will I make it? I have this week off so there's a good chance by Sunday. Here's the parts prepared: Subsequently I have drilled for rigging (likely Prym elastic thread, I am not mad enough to do double wires at 1/72 though) and primed. Tonight I plan to paint the interior and can then assemble the fuselage. Cheers Will Edited June 5, 2022 by malpaso Edited to save @Jockney ‘s sanity 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 Great to see this one joining the GB Will. Can I suggest you watch the film Top Gun Maverick instead of Top Gear Maverick. The thought of Jeremy Clarkson playing beach volleyball stripped to the waist, has put me off eating my dinner Best of luck Cheers Pat 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malpaso Posted June 5, 2022 Author Share Posted June 5, 2022 Well, I’ve corrected the spell checker’s horrendous typo to save @JOCKNEYfrom his troubling vision. With an extra two weeks I’m sure this plane will meet the GB deadline. Here’s the fuselage assembled and gaps filled. I cut off one of the front pegs, but probably should have trimmed the lot to allow proper lining up of both sides. That is @Marklo’s vacformed front windscreen, it’s clearer than the original MB parts. The carpet monster had two attempts at stealing it, luckily retrieved and now all in place, I’ll give the Micro Krystal Klear 24 hours to set before masking. Cheers Will 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 Looking good, glad the canopy worked. One of the next jobs on my Helldiver, might do the rigging first. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malpaso Posted June 7, 2022 Author Share Posted June 7, 2022 Greenhouse now masked using Tamiya tape. With all the framing there’ll be even less to see inside than usual at 1/72. Here is the experimental parasol monoplane version. The upper wing is temporarily glued (pva); it’ll be removed once the next stage has set. The upper wing allows positioning of the lower wings and interplane struts, and setting the lower dihedral. It’s a lot easier on kits where the lower wing is in one piece. I’ll leave this to set overnight, then tomorrow I expect the tail feathers will go on and painting can start. Cheers Will 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2996 Victor Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 Fabulous! Just catching up with this and watching with interest - it's not a Matchbox kit I ever built, but I looked at it longingly - it was never in my local shop, though! Love the movie trailer - but what is Fred MacMurray wearing? It looks like a deep sea diver's suit! Looking forward to seeing your progress, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malpaso Posted June 10, 2022 Author Share Posted June 10, 2022 Plane is now all primed, the wings yellow and the tailfeathers blue. I used some of my daughter's nail art craft paint for the tail. It was the best match to the blue stripe on the decals, it thins with washer fluid though not as nice or easy to spray as proper model paint. I'll leave it overnight to cure before masking for the aluminium, which is most of the rest! Cheers Will 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malpaso Posted June 13, 2022 Author Share Posted June 13, 2022 All parts now painted and clear coated, probably another coat needed on the tyres. Fuselage decals to add, then it’ll be the rigging. I won’t add the wing decals until the rigging is complete and any touching up finished. Hopefully can all get done by Sunday, though diary a bit full this week! Cheers Will 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 Definitely regretting moving mine on now I've seen this, it looks super & fun to boot. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted June 15, 2022 Share Posted June 15, 2022 Looking extremely good. Mines finished, thankfully 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malpaso Posted June 15, 2022 Author Share Posted June 15, 2022 No photos at the moment, but fuselage is all decalled and cleared, so I "just" have the rigging and top of the top wing and bottom of the lower wing to finish off. I've also spotted a bit of a faux pas by not reading the instructions or drawings properly - its visible in the photos above but I think correction will wait until after completion and the gallery! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malpaso Posted June 16, 2022 Author Share Posted June 16, 2022 Only 8 lengths of line, but a whole evening rigging! Getting the cabanes to stick and lines to pass through the two part upper wing were a challenge. Time to step away… As I’ll be touching up where the wires pass through I took the opportunity to correct the tail plane braces. I’ve also taken the masking off the canopy, quite pleased with how that’s come out. cheers Will 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 Hi Will It's looking great, don't lose patience it's going to be terrific keep going Cheers Pat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 Looks lovely, great job. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malpaso Posted June 17, 2022 Author Share Posted June 17, 2022 How to touch up the top wing of a biplane! Yes - the rest of the plane is in there. A similar orgy of tape and kitchen roll on the lower wing too… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malpaso Posted June 18, 2022 Author Share Posted June 18, 2022 De-masking I managed to unjoint the top wing! Luckily the rigging stayed attached and I managed to reset the wing without further disaster… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malpaso Posted June 19, 2022 Author Share Posted June 19, 2022 Helldiver is now complete. In a fit of madness I installed the aerial wires as well. Even the propellor goes round in full 70s modelling style! More photos in the gallery. It’s been fun doing this old kit, Matchbox ones always fitted together well. Cheers Will 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 Blimey Will you really have gone to town with this one I am also guilty of always wanting to have a spinning prop even when the kit isn't designed for it ! Talking of props, love the 3 colour tips on the prop blades Cheers Pat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted June 20, 2022 Share Posted June 20, 2022 13 hours ago, malpaso said: More photos in the gallery It looks really good over there too, definitely need to replace the one I had after watching this thread. 👍 Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanC Posted June 20, 2022 Share Posted June 20, 2022 23 hours ago, malpaso said: ...Even the propellor goes round in full 70s modelling style! I consider that an essential. I like to show it in photos too. Hair dryer on, slow shutter speed and bingo! 😄 Lovely model. 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulfman Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 On 13/06/2022 at 12:43, stevehnz said: Definitely regretting moving mine on now I've seen this, it looks super & fun to boot. Steve. Hear hear ! Wulfman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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