Along came a spider...Monogram P-61A

[seadog]

Hi, first posting of a model... I built one of these back in the 70s when it was new. Time hasn't been overly kind to the moulds, but what the hell. The beast oozes menace. This time I'm going to do one in OD. Had enough of gloss black doing a Mirage III as South Africa's 'Black Widow'. Anyway. I bought this one while living in Prague, and picked up the relevant Eduard PE while I was at it... Here's where I am with it as of now

I want to add gills to the left hand pod to make them both open, did it once before on a Corsair, now I'm mulling over the best way to reduce the existing closed gills without cutting off the end of the pod...

Any ideas,suggestions, witticisms...

Fraser

Edited May 14, 2010 by seadog

[David H]

Hi Fraser,

IIRC, Terry Dean makes a cast resin puck that comes with an open-flap Cowling. That's probably the easiest route to making the two cowlings the same. You make the cut just aft of the cowl flaps, super glue the puck on, file file file, sand sand sand, and you're off to the races. Then the only problem you're really faced with is the atrocious fit of the clear parts.

There may be other options as well. IIRC Meteor made a similar upgrade kit back in the day.

HTH. So far, the fuselage pod looks great.

david

Hi, first posting of a model... I built one of these back in the 70s when it was new. Time hasn't been overly kind to the moulds, but what the hell. The beast oozes menace. This time I'm going to do one in OD. Had enough of gloss black doing a Mirage III as South Africa's 'Black Widow'. Anyway. I bought this one while living in Prague, and picked up the relevant Eduard PE while I was at it... Here's where I am with it as of now

I want to add gills to the left hand pod to make them both open, did it once before on a Corsair, now I'm mulling over the best way to reduce the existing closed gills without cutting off the end of the pod...

Any ideas,suggestions, witticisms...

Fraser

[Alan P]

Great plane, one of my faves, looking forward to seeing more....

Al

[thx6667]

Great old kit, shall watch this with interest - whatever happened to those AM TECH ones touted some years back?

[Shar2]

I love this aircraft and built this kit back in the late 70's. Was gutted when a duster wielded by Mum swept it off it's shelf.

[Murdo]

That cockpit looks very nice.

[Angels49]

If the pit is any indicator of the final product....this is going to be a stunner!!!. Keep up the excellent work.

[Steve N]

whatever happened to those AM TECH ones touted some years back?

The company and any of its future products faded into history after the owner became ill. I don't think the P-61s ever got past the preliminary research stage. When they were announced at the 2001 IPMS USA Nationals, there was great wailing and gnashing of teeth over the proposed price tag of $75 USD for a 1/48 twin. Now, Hasegawa is getting that for 1/72 bombers, and many 1/32 kits will set you back 100 bucks or more.

SN

[seadog]

Thanks for the kind comments everyone. I've seen the resin cowlings, and they look good but are outside my non- existent budget, having lashed out for a Neomega twoseat conversion, exhausts and bulgy tires for my next idiocy a Jag T2. So scratching gills is what I have to go with. I did a test shot the other day and it ought to work OK...ought to.

It was a shame about Amtech. I kept looking at their website, hoping to see progress.

F

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Then the only problem you're really faced with is the atrocious fit of the clear parts.

Easily sorted, if a tad expensive.

Linky 1 Linky 2

[seadog]

Easily sorted, if a tad expensive.

Aieee, Cheewahwah! That is a bit steep - they look good though. I shall have to have a close look at the transparent bits in the box...and then think about it...

F

[seadog]

Just had a look...Holy crap. The shape of the forward pit cover, leaving aside the bubbles and gaps at the front, is not even the same shape as the fuselage at it's rear. Bugger!

F

[Uncle Uncool]

Hi there, Fraser

Any ideas,suggestions, witticisms...

One question, does the Monogram kit bring just the right hand pod's gills open or is the cowling with the gills open in the picture from another kit? That's odd... I don't remember having ever seen the P-61A kit up close and personal, but I did see it at local hobby stores; box closed and wrapped up in cellophane, sitting on the shelves. Y'know how stubborn hobby store owners are when it comes to showing ya kits when their boxes are closed in that way.

Incidenatlly, do ya think there really is a way to reduce the existing closed gills without cutting off the end of the pod...?

Cheers, mate!

Unc²

[seadog]

Yes Monogram only give the single open cowling. At the moment I'm working on the closed one to reduce it ...carefully. The plastic is fairly thick so it ought to work. I'll post a pic or two later.

F

[seadog]

Just Checking out the dubious fit of the canopy...dubious.

I suppose I could file down the fuselage to match the canopy...

Meanwhile, the cooling gills worked out OK...note the signature fingerprint.

Now, do I rescribe the beast...I've certainly removed a lot of panel lines so far...

[Alan P]

Nice work on the cowl flaps.

Can you shim the canopy at the base with plastic card so it lines up with the top? You could gradually slope it up from the nose to the rear of the canopy.

[chadders]

Watching with great interest

Mark

[seadog]

Nice work on the cowl flaps.

Can you shim the canopy at the base with plastic card so it lines up with the top? You could gradually slope it up from the nose to the rear of the canopy.

Don't think that'll work, the curves are different! Still thinking...

[David H]

Hey Fraser,

Not sure if you knew about this. I completely forgot about it but i was reminded when somebody mentioned improving the canopy fit.

Link: http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index....howtopic=125113

Hope this helps. Nice job on the Cowl flaps, BTW.

david

[keefr22]

Just Checking out the dubious fit of the canopy...dubious.

At least yours is all there - I have one of the 'short shots' as mentioned in that ARC thread, half of the top section is missing....

Was thinking of filling the canopy with milliput or similar & plunge forming an acetate replacement, but haven't got round to it. Have a 1/72 Dragon one to do instead....!!

Nice work on the pit, looking forward to seeing this one progress!

Keef

[seadog]

Hey Fraser,

Not sure if you knew about this. I completely forgot about it but i was reminded when somebody mentioned improving the canopy fit.

Link: http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index....howtopic=125113

Hope this helps. Nice job on the Cowl flaps, BTW.

david

Thanks for the link. The main canopy in is, in fact, short shot, notalot, but there it is. I can pack it out , but I can't get rid of the bubbles in the plastic! How are Revell/Monogram about replacing bits?

Incidentally, from checking my references it appears that the curve of the canopy is correct, the front edge of the fuselage is a trifle too square...

F

[David H]

Hi Fraser,

Revell-Monogram are actually one of the better companies when it comes to replacing defective or damaged parts. At least here in the States. Overseas, i am not so sure. Not the best of news, but there it is.

Cheers,

david

Thanks for the link. The main canopy in is, in fact, short shot, notalot, but there it is. I can pack it out , but I can't get rid of the bubbles in the plastic! How are Revell/Monogram about replacing bits?

Incidentally, from checking my references it appears that the curve of the canopy is correct, the front edge of the fuselage is a trifle too square...

F

[HOUSTON]

seadog,

COOL build...

[Habu12]

I also opened up the cowl flaps on mine I built yeeeears ago. Did it very similar, only I used the kit flaps, not new ones from plastic card.

[seadog]

Rescribing... I wasn't going to, but having damaged so much raised detail sanding, I thought awww, what the hell. Lotta work, lots of re-dos etc. I'm simplifying somewhat as I don't have much in the way of templates for the access doors etc.

The work goes on....

F