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Monogram Helldiver SB2C 1/48th ***FINISHED***


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Hello Monogram addicts!

 

Thanks for letting me play with you.

 

I built my first Monogram model when I was fifteen years old. It was a revelation. The few model magazines at the time were more complimentary of Asian models, but these were rare and very expensive. Monogram offered the planes I wanted to build. I was a fan of the battles of the Pacific, and a fan of American naval aviation. I built Monogram models, and the Navy planes offered by this brand.
As time passed, I wanted to rebuild them. 

I bought the Curtiss SB2C Helldiver again.

01_sb210.jpg

Lol! This is the first box I've ever had! 😋

 

02_sb210.jpg

This model is a hybrid of Dash 4 and Dash 5, the shape is more of a free adaptation of the mould designers, but the aim is to build this model out of the box. 

I will build the plane like I did when I started. Hopefully for the better!

 

I've always loved the appetizer photos on the side of the Monogram boxes:

03_sb210.jpg

 

The arrangement of the parts shafts is an example of the simplification of swarming. The parts of the kit fall out by themselves, no need for a sharp knife.

04_sb210.jpg

Note that I had kept the ghost squadron patch, which comes from the Monogram Hellcat box.

 

I had started to drill the dive brakes on one piece, but that doesn't even represent 20% of the assembly of the beast, right?.

05_sb210.jpg

 

I think I just need to get serious about it.

 

Ready, Steady ? go !

 

PS: in your opinion, should I engrave the model, or should I leave it like that? 

 

Regards,

Eric-Snafu35

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Snafu35
Adding precision on the title
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Hi Eric, nice to see the good old Helldiver here. I think the fuselage shape is generally OK, but the tail is too narrow, as are the wings at the root. That‘s why I built mine with the wings folded.

Keep the raised panel lines or it would be too much work.

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This brings back memories. I remember building this on holiday many years ago.
Didn’t paint it as I recall but do remember playing with the working bomb.

 

Will be following with interest, good luck with the build.

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One I started...but never finished, may well even be under 25%.....

 

Look forward to seeing more of this one.   When I was a child, the first proper modeller I knew built a series of the Monogram USN planes, 1/48th was a pretty niche in the UK then,  and Monogram not widely available....   but summer 77 I most of the range were in a shop in Stoke when on 'holiday' visiting relatives,  but this did include some spending money and I got my first 1/48th kits.... 

My Helldiver is the exact same boxing....  The box art  assembled model is impressive...

 

8 hours ago, Snafu35 said:

in your opinion, should I engrave the model, or should I leave it like that? 

that one is a rabbit hole.... I'd leave it, maybe knock back the detail a bit with a light sanding...  or do that with some fine sanding block after the main paint job carefully, which would expose the dark blue plastic,  instant panel lining...  just a though.

 

cheers

T

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Hello everyone,

 

I'm glad to see that I'm bringing back good memories for many!

 

11 hours ago, Toryu said:

Hi Eric, nice to see the good old Helldiver here. I think the fuselage shape is generally OK, but the tail is too narrow, as are the wings at the root. That‘s why I built mine with the wings folded.

Keep the raised panel lines or it would be too much work.

It is especially the problem of the width at the wing root that I had noticed .

The memory of the folding of the wings at a 90° angle is also a subject that bothered me. I'll see if I can fix that.

10 hours ago, Jb65rams said:

Didn’t paint it as I recall but do remember playing with the working bomb.

I have also played with the bomb, and I confess that my wish is to do it again!:P :party:

 

8 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

that one is a rabbit hole.... I'd leave it, maybe knock back the detail a bit with a light sanding...  or do that with some fine sanding block after the main paint job carefully, which would expose the dark blue plastic,  instant panel lining...  just a though.

Well, eeeuh!

 I can't help it, I can't help it!:

06_sb210.jpg

I started to engrave the model, just to remove all the rivets that swarm on the model. The plastic is hard, but I must be pretty damaged because I like playing with the needle!

 

And as I had started to drill the holes in the dive brakes a long time ago, I continue:

07_sb210.jpg

1278 holes to be made (I counted). Help! I'm crazy!:clown::banghead::fool::tease:

 

but I won't do the comb teeth on the edges!

 

Regards,

Eric-Snafu35

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Hello All,

 

Thanks for the tip, Toryu.

I went to see the Eduard product, then I changed my mind; As the dimensions look approximate on the Monogram model, I stay with the idea of drilling the holes. Besides, it allows me to stay in the spirit I had when I built my first Helldiver Monogram in ...1981?

I found a photo of this model in my teenage bedroom at that time:

004_mo10.jpg

 

Anyway, I pierced the dive brakes:

08_sb210.jpg

I realised that the flaps don't go all the way to the bottom of the fuselage, so I added some more little holes! :christmas: :banghead:

 

It looks better, now:

09_sb210.jpg

 

All parts are ready now: I have engraved, sanded and polished:

10_sb210.jpg

 

to be continued...

 

Regards, 

Eric-Snafu35

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello all

 

The project is still on the table and unfortunately the summer transhumance and the many projects on the table are not going to boost the construction!:lol:

On 02/07/2022 at 03:52, GAF said:

Your a better man than I am!  Drilling all those holes.

 

Gary

I don't know if you can say that I am a better man! Crazier? certainly.

Imagine the time I wasted making all those holes; This Helldiver is the spiker's hell! :giggle:

 

The parts are primed, I have started the painting operations:

11_sb210.jpg

I want to find my childhood soul and rebuild this model like the one I had in the early years 80'. 

However, the design was revised in the 90's; a new propeller with spinner was added, as well as a cockpit for the pilot; the movable wing attachments disappeared, the bomb no longer leaves its fork. 

No problem, I will adapt.

 

I made a quick aesthetic improvement to the wing folds, just to fill the gap:

12_sb210.jpg

 

13_sb210.jpg

I think that will be enough.

 

And then I have to move on now!:waiting::whip:

 

Regards,

ERIC-Snafu35

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  • 2 weeks later...

Good morning, all.

On 15/07/2022 at 15:25, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Agreed looking forward to the next stage of the build. 

Here is the continuation!

 

An early Monogram model is nothing without its crew; so I put it together:

14_sb210.jpg

 

the pictures look a bit overexposed, I'm sorry about that

15_sb210.jpg

But that hides my incompetence in painting miniatures! :P

 

I added an armour plate in front of the gunner, firing handles and ammunition belts on these weapons which look more like 20mm guns than 50' Browning :

16_sb210.jpg

 

that's enough, and I closed the fuselage:

17_sb210.jpg

 

Then comes the sweet moment of sanding. The parts are almost all ready, I also added a hydraulic line on each landing gear leg.  

18_sb210.jpg

 

I also found a bomb that armed the SBD Dauntless Monogram, it will fit very well on this model!:yahoo:

 

to be continued...

 

Regards,

Eric-Snafu35

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Hello,

 

I thank you for your follow up.
I assure you that I am not simpering when I write that I can do better in painting figures. I donot master oil painting, so I colour like a cartoon character, with the shadows marked.

Sorry if I offended you. :oops: !

 

Anyway, the model is well advanced.

19_sb210.jpg
Unfortunately I will not be able to bend the wings more than 90°, and the system is very fragile.

 

I think I am not done sanding, when I see the gap between the wing and the fuselage:

20_sb210.jpg

 

Regards,

Eric-Snafu35

 

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Good morning,

 

My Helldiver is ready to paint now:

21_sb210.jpg

 

For convenience I have already painted the underside in white, but I will have to do some touching up: 

22_sb210.jpg

 

I improved the exhaust pipes, as well as the cooling flaps of the oil cooler:

23_sb210.jpg

 

to be continued.

 

Regards,

Erci-Snafu35

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Hello,

 

Painting the white is not an easy task, especially for me.
I have applied a good coat of Tamiya Matt White, because it covers relatively well, and now I am going to spray with Gloss White. 
Before that I will have to grind some sanding on the leading edges of the wings near the fuselage.

Paint is a revealer of faults!

 

Regards,

Eric-Snafu35

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