Great subject, gotta love the Black Widow. Looking forwared to seeing plenty more.

I'll be watching this one too...

I didn't want to buy any more kits until my stash got some needed attention but OOOOOO a P-61. In your hands it's gonna be an inspiration and learning experience for me just to watch.  TY for posting Mate.

Joe, I'm using stuff from Flexi-File that acts like Tenax to me, even has the same Touch and Flow applicator.  The call it Plast-I-Weld.  The glue is Item #7112.

http://www.flex-i-file.com/adhesives.php

Hello lawdog114!

Nice start on this Black Widow!

As for the glue - I'd like to suggest you don't wait until you run out of Tamiya - just mix some MEK right in. That should give you a better "bite" right away. Pure MEK is a bit annoying because it evaporates so quickly. I prefer using lacquer thinner for glue - I'm doing this for like 20 years or so. Lacquer thinner has some additives like Toluene that prevent it from evaporating too soon and that allows me to apply the glue (=lacquer thinner) with a small brush (a dental micro-brush actually).

Hope it helps - good luck with your build and have a nice day

Paweł

Looks like a great start on what I'm sure will be an epic build. The P-61 sure is a monster! The interior looks great - especially the decals. They really dress things up.

jeaton01

Joe, I'm using stuff from Flexi-File that acts like Tenax to me, even has the same Touch and Flow applicator.  The call it Plast-I-Weld.  The glue is Item #7112.

http://www.flex-i-file.com/adhesives.php

 

I've been using this too since running out of tenax it's good doesn't seem as hot though

Another fun WIP to ponder.

This IS your full time job .. right Joe?

Another fantastic cockpit!!! 

Looking forward to more photos! 

Pawel

I'd like to suggest you don't wait until you run out of Tamiya - just mix some MEK right in. That should give you a better "bite" right away.

Thanks guys for all the suggestions.  I will try this as I am now down to about half the bottle.  I never realized you could use lacquer thinner too,very interesting. 

1943Mike

This IS your full time job .. right Joe?

 

I wish!  Thanks for all the kind words guys.

I got a bit of bench time in the other night, mainly fuselage and wing work.  GW gives you an insert for leading edge wing intakes that is supposed to simulate the vents.  I must say this looks like complete ka ka, especially for an $80 MSRP kit.  I decided to improve these areas.  I carved out the inside "wall" with an exacto, then added sheet styrene to simulate the vents.  

Much better. This was actually very easy.  I'm not sure why GW couldn't come up with something similar, especially for this price.

Wings are together and fuselage is joined.  Almost time for the booms.

Rambo

Do you know if they changed them vents in later releases?

Thanks Clint. No idea, I was just going for realistic looking. I'm sure it's far from accurate.  

Trying to fix up my house for sale has been really cutting into my bench time lately. I did get some quality bench time in over the last few days.  I figured that before I started joining wings and booms, I'd knock out the canopy masks then attach them first. I procured the Eduard set for this. Whoever designed these must have been drunk because alot of them didn't fit at all.  I might as well have used Tamiya tape.  I had to trim alot of them with and Exacto and fill in with Tamiya tape here and there.  What a nightmare.  Also, the front canopy (by the nose) is too thick and leaves a step where it meets the body. I filled it in the best I could with putty. I think it's passable.    

The booms went on without issue.  They fit fairly nice actually.

This area needed a bit of attention.  Nothing serious though.

A little sanding filing, no big whoop.

All together....

I got Quickboost cowls.  The kit example is on the left with the "pin hole" opening.  GW fixed this on later releases. 

I added some fishing lead to the nose to keep it on it's landing gear.  I hope its enough.  Here's a test fit of the nose.  I also sprayed the canopies interior green then flat black.  seams were checked with grey Alclad primer.  I'm pretty happy so far.  It's been fairly painless.  

I deflected the rudders for effect...

Now with the cowls tacked in place...not bad.

Almost time for some paint, but I think I'll direct my attention to the Pratt & Whitneys next.   

Again, missed the start of another of your splendid builds. Great subject matter and, as usual, well executed. Would love to build a bomber or similar one day, when I get time and learn patience.

Looking forward to the remainder of this build.

Thanks Damian, Nice to have you along.  

Exceptional work lawdog114!!!  You are one of my favorite top five builders. You also inspire beginning modelers on FSM Forums like myself.  I’ve built a GWH P-61 a few years ago but it fell from the ceiling and upon impact the P-61 exploded all over my modeling room.  lol!

Your friend, Toshi

P.S.  I hope to be at your level sometime sooner than later!

Thanks Toshi, your always so kind and a good friend.  Your positive attitude is an inspiration to us all.  I'm also glad you get use out of my threads.  It's funny how in today's day in age you can make friendships with people and never actually meet them face-to-face. On that note, I just read about the loss of fellow modeler (and hero) Hunter Anderson to an unfortunate accident.  He was always so inquisitive and eager to learn about our unique but great hobby.  I just read all the PM's conversations we had, with the most recent a few months ago, and it pretty much brought me to tears.  My thoughts are with his family and I will dedicate the rest of this build to his memory. 

I decided I was going to chip up certain areas without getting to carried away.  I fired down some Alclad Aluminum on the wing leading edges and the front of the cowls. I then sprayed some AK worn effects fluid, which is basically the hairspray technique. After the paint is fired down,  I will go back and expose some Aluminum, well that's the hope...lol.

I then took a break from the air frame and switched to the radials.  I opted for the open cowl flaps option, but I wasn't happy with the single row "teeth".  I improved this area with some styrene. 

The GW Pratt & Whitneys are kind of lousy.  The gear box is wrong and should look like a canister on the P-61 (actually I think it's a cover that goes over the gear box, not sure). They also forgot the magnetos and the box in the middle (distributor?).  I found some from Tamiya P-47 parts in my stash to solve this issue. Accurate? Dunno, but better than nothing.  They corrected these issues on the later release.  I used the kit supplied PE ignition harnesses and must say they dont look half bad. I used copper paint to make the "wires" look round. Here we are after a wash and dullcoat.  I may grime these up more, not sure.   

I added the cowl flaps and exhausts.  The fit was poor and I needed to snip off some of the longer pipes to make it fit in the back. No biggie since they won't be seen. 

A test fit...not bad

I painted the general area red where I will tape off the wing walk stripes and angled tail stripe.  It's much easier than decals. 

I'm definitely ready to start painting this turkey. 

So the ETO and the PTO had really divergent aircraft requirements. 

The ETO mostly were issued a new aircraft when one was damaged. In the PTO they repaired them a little more frequently.

Those ignition wires look great!  I would never have thought a PE harness could ever look good.  See now you made me want to try it!   The engines look terrific too!

tempestjohnny

Great work as always Joe. And a big kudos for dedicating this. I'll bet Hunter is upstairs with a big smile looking down

 

Thanks for stopping in guys...

I hope so Johnny, this one is for him.

As usual looks great, esp love your engines! 

And thanks for the warning about the issues, lucky for me my version is a later kit.