Mighty 8th GB 1-Nov-2010 - 31-Oct-2011

Thanks Doogs, i will give it a look when it comes to it. Luckly most of my aircraft are German, and they mostly have hard edged schemes or mottle. But i might give that a go on my B-17 for the demarcation line.

1/72nd suits me not only because i am used to it but also because all my kits are built with dioramas in mind. So 72nd mean it takes up less space plau all the extras that are availiable.

jbrady

 

Bish: Is it too late to add another... I got a line on an AC P 51B that would go well with this build.

Sorry mate, had so much to catch up on forgot about this bit. No, deffo not to late. Just let me know scale and unit and i will add it to your list.

It should read an AM P51-B. I want to do Nicholas Megura's "Ill Wind". That's 4th Group 334 Squadron at RAF Debden. I think they were there from April 42 to July 45.

jbrady

It should read an AM P51-B. I want to do Nicholas Megura's "Ill Wind". That's 4th Group 334 Squadron at RAF Debden. I think they were there from April 42 to July 45.

Is that AM as in AM Models. I take it it's 48th scale. I will add it now.

Yeah sorry 1/48 Accurate Miniatures.

Alright gents - having a bit of a conundrum here.

I've got the markings for "Petie 3rd", blue nose and whatnot, but I'm thinking I might put those on hold and try my hand at Henry Brown's second "Hun Hunter ~ Texas", an early filletless P-51D (second in the image below). I'm already planning to build his P-51B, so it'd be a nice progression...and I dig the scheme...

What do y'all think? That, or Petie 3rd?

Hey Doogs, I can't keep up with you! La-5, P-38, P-47, P-51A,B,C,D...My head's spinning.  Petie 3rd looks pretty good, lots of color, and lots of markings, but it's also fun to lock in on personalities, research their careers, and build their aircraft.  But Petie 3rd is pretty!  Also, Squadron is running a pretty good sale on aftermarket decals this month.  There are a few Thunderbolt sets included.  They could possibly help you out for a great price.  Rick.

Go with the Hun, Petie 3rd looks good, but blue noses are over done IMO. Hell theyve got an entire FS of replicas flying atm. (I think theres about 4 or 5 blue noses that turn up to oshkosh most years)

Wabashwheels

Hey Doogs, I can't keep up with you! La-5, P-38, P-47, P-51A,B,C,D...My head's spinning.  Petie 3rd looks pretty good, lots of color, and lots of markings, but it's also fun to lock in on personalities, research their careers, and build their aircraft.  But Petie 3rd is pretty!  Also, Squadron is running a pretty good sale on aftermarket decals this month.  There are a few Thunderbolt sets included.  They could possibly help you out for a great price.  Rick.

Yeah...I get almost as much of a kick planning future builds as I do working at the bench - love reading about the pilots and units.

For the record - I'm planning on doing both eventually. I'm just trying to narrow down with -D I want to tackle first.

First pics of the cockpit!

Overall, I'm ridiculously impressed with this kit so far. The cockpit is extremely well done. The IP decal is phenomenal. I've never had much luck with IP decals before, but this one's so good I don't see the need for an Eduard set. This pic is the decal still curing. I can't wait to see it once I've flattened the panel and added Future to the gauges to simulate glass!

Speaking of which, the Eduard placard set is pretty sweet in its own right. Love that it includes the throttle quadrant. If the levers look a bit silly, it's because several of them have CA beads that I'll be painting tomorrow.

There's also the Ultracast seat. This one has the belts molded on - definitely harder to paint than using Tamiya tape, but I think once the wash goes on it'll help pick out the contours and improve the look.

While i would love to see Petite, go with the Hun Hunter. I like doing build's that are related to somthing else i have done. I even do them as several Dioramas all on one board, thats what i am eventually doing with my 3 Blue Nose's. To see his first and second Hun Hunters would be greta.

I' impressed with your cockpit. The next P-47 I do will include the Eduard placards and the seat. I wish I could have gotten the IP decal to work on the one I'm doing now. It disintegrated under Micro Set.

Bish

While i would love to see Petite, go with the Hun Hunter. I like doing build's that are related to somthing else i have done. I even do them as several Dioramas all on one board, thats what i am eventually doing with my 3 Blue Nose's. To see his first and second Hun Hunters would be greta.

I'm kinda leaning that way. Love both planes and I'm fascinated with both pilots. My favorite story involving Henry Brown was the aftermath of a strafing run after an escort mission. The rest of his flight headed for home, and he headed toward a flight of 109s, mistaking them for P-51s. By the time he realized his mistake, he was too close, and out of ammo, he lined up in formation with them. They didn't notice until they did, and then he got caught in a dogfight, out of ammo, and ended up forcing all four 109s out of a Lufberry and sent them running for home.

That and, strangely, I think Hun Hunter will be easier to mask (that curve on the blue noses still freaks me out). And it'd be an excuse to play with Ultracast's tail conversion:

jbrady

I' impressed with your cockpit. The next P-47 I do will include the Eduard placards and the seat. I wish I could have gotten the IP decal to work on the one I'm doing now. It disintegrated under Micro Set.

Thanks, man! The way it's coming along, I can't wait to see it after the details are painted and everything's washed. 

I'm kinda shocked to hear about your IP decal disintegrating under Micro Set. Maybe you mean Micro Sol? Mine was actually nice and tough. I had a bit of it fold under itself and managed to extricate it using Micro Set and a small, stiff brush. After it settled a bit, I hit it with Solvaset to finish it off.

After those terrible Monogram decals, it was a nice change of pace!

Doogs, back to the P47.  I started on the Tamiya Razorback a while back and am moving along at a slow steady pace.  I've thrown a couple things at you and have a couple more thoughts plus a bit of an update on where I'm at.

First, look closely at the parts E5 and E8.

They both appear to be covers for the forward cockpit above the instrument panel. 

They attach to the windscreen and fit in the V in the forward cockpit.

  The instructions call for E8 and I do not find E5 as even being an option.  E5 creates more of a hood over the panel and seems to have a square hole for the gunsight to fit through.  I'll probably go through some cockpit photos to see which one might be more appropriate.  What do you make of it?  That being said, you might use the part that you don't use on the Tamiya P47, on the Monogram P47 where you had the gap in front of the IP.

Tamiya's P47 series provides a wealth of spare parts. The D and M version each provide 4 sets of propellers and sets of nicely detailed underwing stores.  The M version also contains a complete cockpit except for the seat and back wall.  It looks like a fit for a D version. 

Well, I've pushed ahead on "Donnie Boy".  I preshaded panel lines (with a Sharpie) and painted the cowl band and stripes on the tail.  Actually, I've got the painting pretty well done, But I'll show that with the completed photos.

Doogs I know what you mean about the curve on the blue noses. I have given thought to my 3, and i won't even be doing those for a couple of years.

Washbashwheels Is there an item that is not used but looks like it will fit into that hole on E5. I love that cockpit. That box on the left looks like it could be the real thing, those red knobs really stand out. re they from the kit and painted or are they AM.

Bish, thanks.  Yes, there is a part that goes in the slot on E5.  It's a clear piece that sets in front of the gunsight.  I think it is a bullet proof shield.  I don't think it's part of the gunsight.  The painted up cockpit is nearly all out of the box. I did use Eduard stuff in a couple spots, but the kit panels are resin aftermarket quality.  I'm with Doogs on the IP.  I had an Eduard panel to use, but I thought I'd try the  Tamiya instruments decal on a lark.  It came out remarkably well, so the Eduard panel will get used elsewhere.  Rick

DoogsATX

First pics of the cockpit!

Overall, I'm ridiculously impressed with this kit so far. The cockpit is extremely well done. The IP decal is phenomenal. I've never had much luck with IP decals before, but this one's so good I don't see the need for an Eduard set. This pic is the decal still curing. I can't wait to see it once I've flattened the panel and added Future to the gauges to simulate glass!

Speaking of which, the Eduard placard set is pretty sweet in its own right. Love that it includes the throttle quadrant. If the levers look a bit silly, it's because several of them have CA beads that I'll be painting tomorrow.

There's also the Ultracast seat. This one has the belts molded on - definitely harder to paint than using Tamiya tape, but I think once the wash goes on it'll help pick out the contours and improve the look.

Looks like I may have to give in and buy those Ultracast seats.....

Wabashwheels

Doogs, back to the P47.  I started on the Tamiya Razorback a while back and am moving along at a slow steady pace.  I've thrown a couple things at you and have a couple more thoughts plus a bit of an update on where I'm at.

First, look closely at the parts E5 and E8.

They both appear to be covers for the forward cockpit above the instrument panel. 

They attach to the windscreen and fit in the V in the forward cockpit.

  The instructions call for E8 and I do not find E5 as even being an option.  E5 creates more of a hood over the panel and seems to have a square hole for the gunsight to fit through.  I'll probably go through some cockpit photos to see which one might be more appropriate.  What do you make of it?  That being said, you might use the part that you don't use on the Tamiya P47, on the Monogram P47 where you had the gap in front of the IP.

So...I actually looked up from the cockpit last night, skipped ahead in the instructions, and realized there is no equivalent of E8 or E5 with the bubbletop. At least, not that I could find. Seems the windscreen just goes over the IP and the empty space behind it. Which matches the photos in my P-47 book, hinting at a nest of cables hiding behind the IP. 

Glad I figured all this out before I started gluing the cockpit together!

Now...question time. I'm planning to depict the wiring behind the IP, probably with monofilament thread. I want to run all of the cables out of the cockpit by drilling a hole or two in the firewall. But I'm trying to figure out a good way to attach cables to the back of the IP without them breaking off under mild handling (getting fed through the firewall holes, IP installed).

Since the IP's already painted and detailed, I'd really like to avoid drilling. I'm thinking maybe some styrene tubing? Need holes or something of some kind for the lines to grab to. I'm just not sure styrene rod comes that small...

Update! Picked up some 3/32" styrene tubing over lunch today. Should be perfect for my needs. 

Also received my Eduard 109E-7 Trop today courtesy of UPS. I think I might have just fallen in love with 1/32 scale, and I haven't done more than glance at the sprues. Must...fight...urge...to...start...

DoogsATX

 

Also received my Eduard 109E-7 Trop today courtesy of UPS. I think I might have just fallen in love with 1/32 scale, and I haven't done more than glance at the sprues. Must...fight...urge...to...start...

Anyway you can think of fitting that into an 8th AAF GB.

hmmm, a 109E-7 with USAAF markings on it?

Bish

 

DoogsATX:

 

 

Also received my Eduard 109E-7 Trop today courtesy of UPS. I think I might have just fallen in love with 1/32 scale, and I haven't done more than glance at the sprues. Must...fight...urge...to...start...

 

 

Anyway you can think of fitting that into an 8th AAF GB.

Don't think I could fit it into any of my GBs, actually. 8th AAF, NMF, Alleycat are flat out. Ostfront? Don't think they took a lot of E-Trops to Russia...

Cockpit's done...

That cockpit is very very nice.

The Ostfront GB might be worth looking into. I know they had Ju 87R4's on the Eastern Front. Failing that, a North African or Med GB might be an idea for the future.

Bish

That cockpit is very very nice.

The Ostfront GB might be worth looking into. I know they had Ju 87R4's on the Eastern Front. Failing that, a North African or Med GB might be an idea for the future.

Thanks man! Cockpits are one area where I think I've been improving my skills a little with each build. This one's definitely my favorite so far, though I don't think I'll be able to keep the streak going with the Academy P-38 that's also on the bench. The detail's just not there...

As for Ostfront, I've already got a second La-5 and Zvezda's Bf-109F-2 (which looks like a honey of a kit) on the roster. Think I'm going to be doing the E-7 for my Weathering GB for sure, though. 

Cockpits are an area that i haven't given a great detail of attention to. Being 72nd, you can get away with doing a bit less. But i am deffo going to put a bit more into them.

Would love to see that in the weathering build. Really looking forward to seeing one of those Eduard 109's get built, i am leaning towards their E-4 kit.

Bish

Would love to see that in the weathering build. Really looking forward to seeing one of those Eduard 109's get built, i am leaning towards their E-4 kit.

I'd love to see ANY Eduards get built. Seems to be a lot of respect for them on the forums, at least their newer kits, but outside of my Yak-3, don't think I've seen another get built up on here since I joined.

I'm also contemplating tackling my Eduard Hellcat next, instead of the Corsair. Need to put a dent in some of these GB commitments, and a lot of the weathering elements will still apply.

Ye, now that you mention it i haven't seen any either.

All the kits i have built the last 2 and a half years have been for GB's. I have just bounced from one to the other and havn't finished any Dioramas. I really need to stop joining GB's till i have cleared the back logg, but theres always another one pops up that i just can't resist.

To stencil or not to stencil. Any thought on how many stencils to add on a 1/48 scale model...

I've also got to figure out how to get "all HELL" in script on the right side of the nose... it's not included on the AEROMASTER set I bought.