B-25, Mitchell, Revell Kit

I built two of the original Monogram B-25's and have started a couple others. It's a typical Monogram 48th kit, good detail and decent fit.

One thing I didn't like about the kit(s) was the fact that the nose gear is attached before you button up the fuselage. On the second kit I built I simply modified the gear leg with brass tubing to allow me to attach the lower part after assembly of the fuselage.

You're going to need some putty in various areas, especially along the fuselage seams and where the tail section joins to the fuselage. You may have to pay a bit of extra attention to joining the engine nacelles to the wings, as well.

I haven't built a glass-nosed J variant, just the solid gun nose J as well as the cannon-toting H variant, so I dunno how the clear parts are gonna fit there. If I'm not mistaken, this release of the kit retains the changes made to the ProModeler release including the altered glass nose with holes for the mounting of additional .50 cals. If these were just altered original parts or newly-tooled parts, I don't know.

You'll have a bit of work ahead of you, but this is a good kit and you should enjoy it.


Fade to Black...

Thanks for the info. I was hoping to get info on a review of the kit in FSM. I went to the index but that's rather confusing and I really don't want to have to thumb through all my back copies. I get easily distracted. Again, thinks.

I'm afraid a review on this kit from FSM might not exist, the kit was first released in the 70's long before FSM was around. And it's doubtful if any of the subsequent reissues of the kit have been reviewed in FSM because they normally only review new kits. I just looked through all the rags from the first in '82 up to around '89 and there was nothing on this kit.


Fade to Black...

Yeah, Blackwolf is right. I checked my back issues and can't find one either. His description of the build is right on as well. don't forget to add a little weight to the engine nacelles if you don't want a "Tail-sitter" on your hands. Plenty of aftermarket decals out there, too. - Ed

I built this kit this winter. The tail section/fuselage and engine nacelle/wing fit was really bad on mine. I lost so many panel lines I finally sanded them all off. Leave the wings and vertical tail fins off until the painting is done. Watch the wing dihedral when you attach the wings. The nose gear is a pain to work around. Use Terry Dean nose weights (search on www.google.com) to ensure you don't end up with a tail sitter. Watch the decals, they are old and brittle. One advantage is you get two complete sets of canopies and turrets. So, you've got some room for error there. The canopies needed a little fitting, but nothing serious.

With all this, it's a really good looking model when done.

i biult this kit its great but the engins can be a pain to attach the latters are a bit week so a weight in the nosae maybe helpful

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the info. I've been working on several of the Smithsonian P-47, ME-262, FW-190, in 1/32 but had to have a B-25 and it only comes in 1/48. Hope I can do as well as you.

check out this site http://modelingmadness.com/
here you will find a review of the monogram b-25 h I build a b-25j glass nose about 19years ago the model is not with me anymore since my son decided he wanted to a modeler as well but if remember correctly be careful with the glass when you glue them dry fit them before gluing them mine had a step where the glass meet each other but that can also be my mistake because at that time my experience was not so good

hope this is some help

rob