Mitchell Madness - 1/32 B-25 WIP in 3 weeks

I have no idea how I missed this post!  First, and foremost, congratulations on your new baby boy!  I hope that by now you're able to sleep through the night.  I think you've got an excellent idea and kudos to your wife for going along with it!  I can't wait to see the finished product.  Again, I apologize for not seeing this sooner and, again, congrats!  Raymond

Great build, good luck and congrats!

That thing is massive ! Looking good

Did not see this past update...looks really good!

Looking good!

Mike

Hey all,

Crazy long time since I have last updated, but I got most of the color coats on it.  I need to paint the vertical stableizers and flaps.  I left the flaps off so I can control the color on them a little better and get some nice modulation.  I know I could have masked but I am not so great at masking...haha

This is my first attempt at multi-layered colors and color modulation.  Its hard to tell but the vertical surfaces are slightly darker than the horizontal areas.

Also, the pre-shading on my panel lines on the OD green areas came out way dark.  I have never experienced this before and had a real difficult time blending them in.  The grey underside looks great but the effect didn't really work on the green.  Next time, if I pre-shade an OD Green job, I will shade with OD Green instead of black.  I am hoping to do a little more post shading a weathering after decaling to see if I can get a more pleasing blend, but for my first attempt at a more dramatic (and at the same time subtle) color modulation and color layering, I am pretty pleased.

In any case, enjoy.

Preshade with red-brown

Congratulations, all the best. The b-25 is looking good also.

Ray, thanks for the info. Bob

Congrats !  Hope Mom and the little one are doing fine.

I'm watching this build with keen interest.  I,m wanting to  buildi in larger scales and seeing how this one goes.

Congratulations! The plane is looking great, can't wait to see some OD on it.

Congrats on the addition of the fellow modeler!  Glad mom and baby are doing fine.  Looking forward to see how this one comes out.

Mike

Congrats on the new addition, and great progress so far

Hey all,

Quick updates -

First off, exciting news - My son was born on Monday 8/4/14.  Mom and baby are all healthy and recovering well.  Thank you all for the support.

Second, I have been plugging along.  She is all primed, masked and pre-shaded.  Last night, I started to throw down the first color, the green for the eagle nose.  It was very fun and satisfying to finally lay down some color.

I also did a lot of color testing on the OD green to see how I can create different shades and tones.  I have my formula and will post as I go.

[URL=http://s141.photobucket.com/user/john0087/media/B25/Painting/Green.jpg.html]

Thanks for checking in.

John

Hey all,

Thanks for checking in and all the kind words.  The wife canned the idea of dropping bombs in the baby's room.  HAHA great idea but I need to give in on this one.

In any case, I am she's all primed up.  I need to do some seam touch up and a little priming touch up and I am ready to start throwing down some color.  Very exciting.

Thanks

John

Very impressive work so far.  About the only place you could display that is from the ceiling.  What a beast.  I like the dropping bombs idea.  I have two Accurate Miniature B-25 that I waiting...perhaps someday..

Joe

Bob, the B-25 gunships carried bombs.  Their crews developed the tactic of "skip bombing" where they would drop 500 pound bombs at very low level causing them to skip across the water into a ship's side.  They also carried "para-frags" when tearing up inland targets.  A fellow named Paul "Pappy" Gunn was the start of it all...

All the best

Ray

Since your B-25 will be hanging with the bomb bay doors open, you could suspend the bombs from the bomb racks with lengths of invisible thread so they appear to have just been dropped.  Then you could see all the detail and have added visual interest.

All the best,

Ray

Great build so far! But, would the "gunship" version actually carry any bombs at all? I'm sure they were overloaded all the time. Not a criticism, an honest question. Bob

Great build thus far. Read the who thread..too bad you didn't make your deadline, but, the result will be worth the extra time, eh?

Hey all,

Back building at a more regular pace and here are the latest updates.  I have some seam work to do but all the most of the major components are done. Need to finish up some detail painting on the engines and the fairings for the engines.

Enjoy

Pilot - Not bad for my first attempt 

[URL=http://s141.photobucket.com/user/john0087/media/B25/Update%202/IMG_0594.jpg.html]

Brass Barrels are beautiful

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Closing up the fuse....

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Almost ready to prime

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Hope you all had a great 4th of July.

Thanks

John

Goodness...and this is going to hang in a child's room?

Awesome.  Just awesome.

Dude....just....go hard.....and have FUN!  Take as many pics as you can....we love watching the progress.

You've got some darned good work going on thus far.

I can't wait to see how this build ends up!

Thanks for the great journey....it's a bit voyeuristic...but I love watching the progress pics.

Sorry to hear about the missed deadline, hopefully you won't catch to much 'flak' for it. Looking forward to seeing how its going.

Hey all,

Due to a last minute but great fathers day trip out of town, I for sure will not finish this kit by this weekend.  Oh well, at least I can start to get some sleep.  I'll post update pics later but the interior looks great.

It was fun while it lasted.   I'll finish her up at a more regular pace.

Thanks!

I actually think that is a very cool idea.  I will most definitely consider it.

No pics today, but the fuse is just about ready to be sealed up, I should be doing that tonight.  Both wings and engine nacelles are assembled. I need to seal her up, complete the nose assembly and tail assembly and then priming can start. I hope to have her all primed by Sunday night.

This may sound a bit mushy but if you haven't sealed her up yet write the little guy a note and hide it in the fuselage. He might never find it but imagine his surprise 40 years from now when your grandkid breaks it and that note falls out.  ; )

Josiah,

Thanks, but I decided to go with bare alum on the bomb bay.  I am optimistic that I will complete on time.  The interior bits are taking a bit longer to complete than planned but the engines are also half done and I am pretty much done with all the detail painting, just need to finish up the pilot figure and ammo belts to seal her up.

I used oil paints to try to get some texture on the gunners seats.

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The pit is just about finished.  Just painting the pilot.

[URL=http://s141.photobucket.com/user/john0087/media/B25/Update%201/8.jpg.html]

Lots of guns on a gun ship and the brass barrels look sweet.  I cant wait to get them painted up.  I used ALCLAD steel for the guns themselves and will probably do the same for the barrels.

[URL=http://s141.photobucket.com/user/john0087/media/B25/Update%201/9.jpg.html]

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Bomb bay took forever.  I decided to only install I rack of bombs just so you could see the detail on the other side of the bay.  I thought it was a shame to do all that work and have it hidden.

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Thanks for checking in.  This thing is heating up now. Half way though the timeframe!

John

I have an AM 1/48 B-25 C/D as a 345th Air Apaches plane that I'm going to building in the near future. I found one of Squadron's "In Action" books online in a PDF somewhere. It might have the answer to your question on the interior colors and any future questions that might come up. I'll try to find it by the morning and give you a link.

Hey all,

Good progress made this weekend.  I build up the bomb bays and did a lot of interior painting.  I was hoping to close up the fuge this weekend.  I didn't get there but I am pretty close.  Need to paint some of the odd bits and ends like the control yoke, .50cal guns and ammo belts and I can seal her up.  More pics to come tonight.