1/48 Monovell (A-24 Banshee conversion) SBD Dauntless

stikpusher

Actually the 1/48 Revell Spitfire did make it into the post merger catalogs. It’s a Mk. II, and was issued under the post merger labels until the end. 

Thanks, Stik!  I didn't know the Spitfire did, but looking now, I see that it actually had a wide distribution across various labels.  I never heard that before.

This is another buid I've dug out and started to make more progress on again. Since there isn't much in the way of details in the pit I've continued making improvements, such as picking out the spare seat and mounting rail from the Airfix P-40 and modifying them to fit in the pilots area. I borrowed the control stick from the Corsair build since I wasnt using it in that build anymore.

Monogram by Mike Brindos, on Flickr

Monogram by Mike Brindos, on Flickr

I chose to use the pilot from the Monogram P-51 because he fits in the seat like he was meant for it.

Monogram by Mike Brindos, on Flickr

I've yet to tidy him up and get some paint on him. But he has some decent datails from this older molding and isn't so soft from years of mold degredation. So there is still much to do as I'm attempting to fit the radio operator in the back seat facing forward to man the radios I plan on building later. I forsee an issue with the forward sliding canopy, but I've already got a plan and the meterial I need to get the job done. But before that happpens I will have to add a few more details to liven up that cockpit. The rear area will be closed so I wont go crazy back there. I just need enough detail to be seen through the canopy.

Monogram by Mike Brindos, on Flickr

Monogram by Mike Brindos, on Flickr

I've got three Monogram builds going at the same time right now. I might be losing my mind a little. The corsair needs final details and I'm done with that one, I've got the P-51D needing some rescribing for the engine panels and the wings need a little sanding, and the A-24 Banshee is still in the building and detailing stage. What am I doing?!

Well, wish me luck, and thanks for looking.

the Baron

 

 

M. Brindos

Baron, thanks for the info. I never did go and look those up to see if they were Monogram or Revell. This clarifies it far anyone reading along...

 

 

 

I'm a made member of the Monogram Mafia

Revell pretty much conceded the 1/48 field to Monogram and focused on their 1/72 and 1/32 scale airplane lines.  But of the few 1/48 scale kits they did produce, they had a couple of nice kits-a P-51D, a Spitfire, and a P-40E.  The Mustang and Spitfire didn't make it into the merged catalog, but the P-40E was the basis for the ProModeler P-40E kit.

 

Actually the 1/48 Revell Spitfire did make it into the post merger catalogs. It’s a Mk. II, and was issued under the post merger labels until the end. Their D is nice, but not quite as nice as the Monogram D. The 1/48 Revell D was issued by Revell Germany in air racer markings post merger. And the 1/48 Me-109G-10 is also an original Revell mold from that brief batch.

Revell also did some 1/48 jets around the same time: Mig-21PF, Mig-25, F-16A, F-15A, F-14A, F-4E, F-4J, F/A-18, and A-10A. The Migs were still around, the F-16 was updated into a C and ADF, but the others haven’t been seen since the late 90s.

GM are you referring to Shep Pain. I was in the South Chicago IPMS Clubin the early 70s and he occasionally did a demo for us. He carved his own figures and did a lot of Dioramas for Monogram, like the C-47. He was very talented. He was an artist.

M. Brindos

Baron, thanks for the info. I never did go and look those up to see if they were Monogram or Revell. This clarifies it far anyone reading along...

I'm a made member of the Monogram Mafia

Revell pretty much conceded the 1/48 field to Monogram and focused on their 1/72 and 1/32 scale airplane lines.  But of the few 1/48 scale kits they did produce, they had a couple of nice kits-a P-51D, a Spitfire, and a P-40E.  The Mustang and Spitfire didn't make it into the merged catalog, but the P-40E was the basis for the ProModeler P-40E kit.

Baron, thanks for the info. I never did go and look those up to see if they were Monogram or Revell. This clarifies it far anyone reading along.

Gary, yes, this is what that phrase means alright. I've seen many a gorgeous build from such kits when better were available. It all depends on what you want to do with what you have.

I've always enjoyed this type of building and I probably always will.

Nice work, Mike!  Is this what they call "turning a sow's ear into a silk purse"? 

Gary

Nice update!  You're making good progress.

M. Brindos

I have both P-47'S Revell has on the shelves right now. The razorback and the bubbletop.

I honestly don't know which one is original monogram. I'll have to check scalemates.

If you're talking about 1/48 kits, those were developed by Monogram. Revell never produced a 1/48 P-47, only one in 1/72 (a bubbletop) and two in 1/32 (bubbletop and razorback)

Thanks, Carlos. 

Nice progress update! It’s all coming together really well. 

Hey there! It's been a good, long while since I've worked on this kit, but I've put some more work into it over the last couple of days and reached a stopping point until the next time I feel like digging it out.

I wasn't happy with the gunner's .30 call as it was so I pimped it out a little with some greeblies and a bullet shield. I also plugged the gap behind the cockpit and I'll sand and scribe the doors in later.

I separated the front windscreen from the rest of the canopy with a razor saw. I'll have to make a new one from some acetate when I get far enough to do so.

I opened up the these air slots in both wing tips, again with the razor saw. Darn thing is awfully handy.

Part of the modifications from Navy to Army standards was the removal of the tail hook as the Army had no need for carrier landings lol. I'm also deleting the bomb dropping mechanism so both of those slots in the fuselage have been filled in.

Another modification for the Army conversion was removing the solid rubber tail wheel in favor of a gnumatic tail wheel, changing the shape slightly because of the difference. I "borrowed" the tail wheel from the monovell P-40B kit as I'm building the next one wheels up to hang her up. It's an almost perfect match.

I've drilled out all of the holes in the dive flaps but I haven't cleaned them all up yet. From dry fitting the parts I can tell I'm going to be spending a lot time "fixing" them so they all fit right without all of the giant gaps.

That's where I've stopped for now. Those dive flaps are going to take some serious rebuilding to get them to look like I want them to. So for now I've switched over to putting more effort into my Hobby Craft P-35A and that's going much smoother because the parts fit much better and scratch building details is less of a planning stage and more of a fun, inventive process.

I have both P-47'S Revell has on the shelves right now. The razorback and the bubbletop.

I honestly don't know which one is original monogram. I'll have to check scalemates.

Thanks for the compliment, Trey. I've got to get something done so I can give you guys an update. Right now it's still in the same state as the last pictures lol. Gotta fix that.

Awesome work Mike! I like the old Monogram kits as well, was especially fond of the P-47 and gave it the 'treatment ' a few years back. Looking forward to the next update

Thanks guys! Nice to get such comments for such a simple thing lol. 

Hi,

That turned out great.  

Looks A Number One, Mike!

Gary

Super work on that!

And I do believe we have a winner, gentlemen.

Looks like I did alright. 

Thanks, Gary. That helped me get the shape right.

I started by cutting out a 3/8" disk with the center marked so I could first drill it out, then enlarge the hole until it fit over the kit hub.

I then used the cone shape I cut out of card stock to check the overall shape as I formed the cone out of Milliput. I get off work at 10pm and I didn't feel like pulling out a bunch of kits. 

Once this sets up I'll gently give it a twist to detach it from the kit part so I can sand it.

This method should do the trick.

Of course you can use Witold Jaworski's profiles to get the correct shape for the hub.

http://wjaworski.pl/blog/sbd/0005-02.png

Gary

Since I plan on using a Monovell P-40's tail wheel (next one's going wheels up) I think I can get away with using the drop tank from that kit as well. 

I haven't had time to check yet. But I think I already have one I didn't use last time either.

I may even have some spare tanks in one of the P-51 kits. Definitely remember some with the P-47's.

Wherever I find one I'll see if the profile is correct. Last resort is going to be shaping some Milliput though. I'm really getting used to using it for basic shapes.

Thank you, Rich and Gary. Excellent ideas!

Plastic mechanical pencils found at the dollar store can have many uses (like rocket nozzles). 

Also, you might check through your "stash" to see if there are any drop tanks included that you might do without when you build it.  I know I grabbed a couple from a P-51 when I needed some for a P-47.

Gary

Or you can look at pen caps or clickers for just the right shape.  I found a Zebra brand pen that had the correct shape for spinners for my Monogram Snaptite B-26.

Thanks for that tip. I'm going to go look.

Look in your spares bin. An old drop tank tip may have the correct profile for  the spinner cover. 

Okay, after some research I've decided to go with an A-24. No -A or -B.

The markings I have to use only appeared on the A-24. So a Vanilla Banshee is what I'll build this up as.

Also, I detailed the engine a little by adding the ignition wire loom, the crankcase downpipe, and the propeller pitch adjuster wheel. That should be enough detail without actually purchasing an AM resin engine conversion kit.

I know I'm going to have to make do with what the kit has provided me with lol. I'm going a little Shep Paine on this one. Not whole hog building an engine out of disks like he once did, but at my level.

So up next; I have to make a new prop nosecone. I'm leaning towards Milliput to get the job done. We shall see. 

Thank you, Gary. I haven't tuned into that thread in almost two years, forgot it existed, and that's now a reference I can get all of my details from.

There's a ton of info I needed there. 

THANK YOU, GARY for bringing that back to my attention.

Mike,

I don't know if you've seen this, but Witold Jaworski is building a 3D model of the Dauntless under "Scratchbulding".

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/44/t/165482.aspx

He gets into the finer details of the differences in the SBD models.  You can also download his Blender model if you wish to view it in 3D.

Gary

M. Brindos

I've been looking at a lot of pictures to see the differences between the varients.

I could get away with an A-24, maybe an A-24A.

An A-24B is possible with some changes to the cowl as you pointed out, Stik. Nothing I can't accomplish.

I just need to make a decision.

 

Most changes to the SBD were internal. Externally, the -1 had a larger cowl scoop. -2,-3, and -4 had the same size scoop. The -4 introduced a new propellor, that continued to the -5. The -5 did away with the scope style bombsight, and replaced it with a reflector type sight. Other changes such as self sealing fuel tanks, armor, changes to the electrical system, more powerful versions of the engine, etc. were all internal.