philo426

Ok Toshi!I guess you will have to soldier on until the new landing gear arrives.

 

Toshi

Toshi, here is an example of an early OD-41 P-61 of the 422nd NFS with invasion stripes from the 422 NFS Wiki entry if you wanted to try to paint them:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/422d_Test_and_Evaluation_Squadron#/media/File:422d_Night_Fighter_Squadron_-_P-61_Black_Widows.jpg

Ok Toshi!I guess you will have to soldier on until the new landing gear arrives.

No, I'm not going to do any type of stripes.

Toshi

philo426

Toshi,did you mount up the landing gear and as soon as you flipped it over they immediately collasped?Man that is a serious design flaw and not mentoned in any review that I have read.The paint job looks pretty good.Do plan to add invasion stripes?

 

Toshi

To my fellow forum members,

Here is my update for Thurdsday.  

Toshi,did you mount up the landing gear and as soon as you flipped it over they immediately collasped?Man that is a serious design flaw and not mentoned in any review that I have read.The paint job looks pretty good.Do plan to add invasion stripes?

After the disaster of all three landing gears broken, I checked into eBay and purchased a set of metal landing gears.  It should arrive this Saturday.  Until then, as you can see below, I've started with the AB on the underside of the Widow.  

I sprayed the underside with Model Master 4757 Neutral Gray.  The top half will be sprayed with Model Master 4728 OD.  This should make this build an interesting one as most, if not all Widows made, they are sprayed with black.  Wish me luck.

Toshi

To my fellow forum members,

No real milestone here.  Just a simple progression, albeit in PE.  This juncture took allittle longer than anticipated.  It was a lot more difficult in it's progression, more finesse Was needed.  But as always the case, once completed, a sense of accomplishment proceeded.  Now on to my next step...

Toshi 

Gamera

Those engines do look good! 

 

And thanks everyone, lots of stuff here I didn't know about the radar system. 

 

I'm glad other members as well as you, took notice to the engines before it gets covered by the cowling.  You know too well that most of the details won't show after assembly.

As for members that chimed in, in regards to the radome, I was so excited that everyone had their views looked over and discussed on this thread.  Like you, I'm grateful to those members input.  Thank you Gamera for the read and reply.

Toshi

Those engines do look good! 

And thanks everyone, lots of stuff here I didn't know about the radar system. 

silentbob33

Very nice engines!

 

richs26

Toshi, the nose is fiberglass as GM stated.  It is translucent.  There are some nice color and BW photos on the early P-61's on the Wiki entry for P-61's.

 

Toshi

philo426

The engines look great!

 

Toshi

Toshi, the nose is fiberglass as GM stated.  It is translucent.  There are some nice color and BW photos on the early P-61's on the Wiki entry for P-61's.

This is the engines weathered.

Toshi

On this sunny and beautiful Mothers Day I had some time to work on the P-61 engines.  The engines were built with some OOB items and a AM resin set.  Thank you in advance.

Toshi

ikar01

I do have a question about the P-61.  The kit's box shows a clear radome and I've heard a couple people talking about doing the clear nose version. 

Did they ever come out with a clear nose like that or is it just a gimick to show off the kit's radar detail?

 

My conclusion is thus far, I will depict the radome fogged over, at the very least the front half.  I hope this answers your question.  As for a gimick, I can't answer that question, I assume the staff at GWH can answer that.

I'm extremely pleased that this radome has become a topic.  This is what makes this forum such an interesting and fun place to be in.  Ultimately, as GMorrison clearly stated in that it's my model and I can model the kit anyway I want to.  I know I've stated this time and time again, I'm just having fun and enjoying this hobby!

What do you think Mr. ikar01?  Do you feel the radome should be clear or frosted?  Please let me know.  I'm quite anxious to know your statement.  Thank you in advance for the read and reply.

Toshi

I do have a question about the P-61.  The kit's box shows a clear radome and I've heard a couple people talking about doing the clear nose version. 

Did they ever come out with a clear nose like that or is it just a gimick to show off the kit's radar detail?

philo426

Looking good Tosh!Looks like your canopy pieces fit properly!

 

Toshi

Looking good Tosh!Looks like your canopy pieces fit properly!

silentbob33

That's looking really Toshi! I love the P-61 and it's a treat to watch it come together.

 

Toshi

Here is my progress for this Saturday afternoon.  I'm getting ready to go to Walmart to get some fishing sinkers (Led).  These will be strategicly placed in the front of the P-61.  I'm possibly will be adding anywhere from 2-3oz. of weights.

Below, the first photo is of the radar.  I then painted and added a very light weathering utilizing the Tamiya Weatherine set, A, C, and F.  The last two photos is of the Widows fuselage.  Thank you in advance fellow forum members.

Toshi

GMorrison

A cute story. If you dig into it, the dome itself leaked and the motor that rotated  the dish shorted out.

Painting the nose was a must. Dirt and debris wore these out and made holes in them. The thing that would actually degrade radar performance was patching the fiberglass with more cloth or resin.

Paint protected the fiberglass. Easier to keep adding paint, which didn't inhibit radar performance.

 

F-8fanatic

Toshi, Just wanted to stop in and say that I really enjoy your builds. You, sir, show the patience of a gentleman, as my grandfather used to say to me when I was a kid. And I'll be watching this one with much interest, this kit is very high up on my wish list. Another note about the P-61, one of my favorite planes of all time. The nose cones were designed, if I'm not mistaken, to not be painted because the paint could degrade the radar set's ability to work properly. You have to remember, this was all new technology back then. I remember reading pilot's accounts of flying the -61 in combat, where they would say, "weapon bent"--when it was raining and the nose got wet, it could be enough to make the radar not work at all! Here's an older article from a magazine about a Black Widow that ended up shooting down a B-29--intentionally. Crew bailed out and they got to splash it.  Cant wait to see how your bird finishes up, that cockpit and the IP are awesome!

 

 

 

 

http://www.flightjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/splash1.pdf

 

This is what drives me at the forums!  Being able to share each other's thoughts with a positive attitude.  I've always had a place in my mind for the P-61.  It's such a formidable aircraft.  I want to thank you for your time and the read and reply.

Toshi

A cute story. If you dig into it, the dome itself leaked and the motor that rotated  the dish shorted out.

Painting the nose was a must. Dirt and debris wore these out and made holes in them. The thing that would actually degrade radar performance was patching the fiberglass with more cloth or resin.

Paint protected the fiberglass. Easier to keep adding paint, which didn't inhibit radar performance.

Toshi, Just wanted to stop in and say that I really enjoy your builds. You, sir, show the patience of a gentleman, as my grandfather used to say to me when I was a kid. And I'll be watching this one with much interest, this kit is very high up on my wish list. Another note about the P-61, one of my favorite planes of all time. The nose cones were designed, if I'm not mistaken, to not be painted because the paint could degrade the radar set's ability to work properly. You have to remember, this was all new technology back then. I remember reading pilot's accounts of flying the -61 in combat, where they would say, "weapon bent"--when it was raining and the nose got wet, it could be enough to make the radar not work at all! Here's an older article from a magazine about a Black Widow that ended up shooting down a B-29--intentionally. Crew bailed out and they got to splash it.  Cant wait to see how your bird finishes up, that cockpit and the IP are awesome!

http://www.flightjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/splash1.pdf