COMPLETED Trumpeter 1/32 TBF -1C Avenger Torpedo Bomber build with Ezra my grandson

Tanker - Builder

Hi Toshi ! 

 You hit a chord here .I used to build model cars with my son till his passing at age twelve .Your posts have brought a tender and wonderful string of memories up .Thanks , Oh, I will be watching you two !     T.B.

 

Your friend’s, Toshi & Ezra

Greg

 

 

Tosh

How about you Greg, do you get sleepless nights and go to the bench? Let me know as I’m interested in knowing what you’re working on if you don’t mind me inquiring. Thank you in advance.

 

 

I do get sleepless nights, Toshi. Like so many folks I suppose, when I think life is going pretty ok I sleep ok. But when I start overreacting to events out of my control, which is my nature, the nighttime worries set in.

One of the worst feelings in the world is waking up in the middle of the night or just too early in that 'just woke up bliss' feeling-thing, then all of sudden a problem (like your worries about Mrs Toshi) hits like a ton of bricks (or the 500lb bomb Goldhammer alluded to). I hate it, it is awful I can so relate, Toshi.

Laying there makes it worse, so definitely keep going to the bench my friend.

I sometimes do. For the first time ever I have 2 builds going, a Revell VW and a Revell motorbike. You better believe I hit the bench when I can't sleep, Toshi.

 

I sleep between 3:00am-4:00am.  And get up at 6:00am not being able to go back to sleep.  It Definately has been like this for a while.  Luckily, we are blessed with FSM Forum community and models!  Thank you Greg for the reply and following of Ezra and I thread!

Your friend’s, Toshi & Ezra

To my fellow forum members,

          As you can see above, the arresting tail hook has been installed.  It is designed on this kit to be retractable.  On my last Trumpeter 1/32 Avenger build two years ago, it broke off.  When you have too many moving parts as a rule of thumb on anything that’s never a good thing especially when it’s made out of styrene.  

So I intentionally glued it at this time as I painted the tail hook white with black stripes.  I wanted to add a bit of drama when I display the Avenger on my ”Wall of Planes”!  I’ve learned that something as little as a detail such as this can add finesse to a build.

Below, I have a partially assembled fueselauge.  At this point I at least feel after all the hard yet fun work that comes together, this means so much to me, it’s a sense of accomplishment!  Then to close up all the detail in that only you and God know that’s there. 

Unlike the other Avenger I built in which I greatly enjoyed and then donated, this Avenger will stay with me then passed on to none other than Master Ezra.  I’ll never forget his enthusiasm and pure raw excitement in utilizing the Iwata Eclipse and both my NEO and NEO TRN1.  He in some of the photos looks so proud.  His best work was the torpedo.  There’s still so much more of this build for him, we will just have to see where his fortè is.

Your friend’s, Toshi & Ezra

Styrene bench seat with PE supports for radioman/rear gunner.

Movable vertical tail via PE and steel pins.

Assembly of the fueselauge.  Now I’ll be removing the seams and looking into wether or not I want folded wings or not.  

Looking good those wings must be huge what plastic cement are you using on this beast?

crown r n7

Looking good those wings must be huge what plastic cement are you using on this beast?

 

Your Friend, Toshi

We both removed the PE together yet Ezra wanted to AB more than anything else.  I told him that’s next.  Lol!  He wanted to CA the PE but I told him it’s dangerous.  He listens, that’s what makes him a great modeler.  So I’ll cover the CA part, set up the AB system and we will take it from there.  

As for the turret, don’t install it till later.  You’ll never be able to mask and paint it.  Lol!  Even if it’s loosely assembled or glued in, wait to install it.  

Pic of Ezra makes me smile.

Greg

Pic of Ezra makes me smile.

 

Master Ezra in his Paw Patrol hoodie all set up outside ready to AB the bomb bay doors.  Actually we used MM light gray primer #4680 followed by Vallejo Model Air Insignia White 71.279.  He also does a good job cleaning up the AB with the pot.  

He enjoys backwashing as it creates bubbles.  Lol!  I do recomend the Iwata in-line air filter as you can see it fits perfectly in his hands.  It will fit like a trigger AB for those of you interested.  I still have a air filter at the compressor both from Harbor Frieght Tools, works like a charm.

Ezra sure is doing good work on this build. 

Bakster

Ezra sure is doing good work on this build. 

 

 

Tosh

things.  I’d love to get a old ‘66 beat up Mustang and work on it with him.  Lol!  That’ll be his first 1/1.

Now you are talking. I tell ya Toshi... Ezra will have some fantastic memories when he gets older. Take it from one that didn’t get a lot of quality time with adults... it means a lot to a kid. My fondest memories are those few times when the stars aligned and I did fun things with family. You are planting seeds to make a happy Ezra. Good job.

To my fellow forum members,

          For those of you either considering to purchase or have purchased this kit, let me say that at close to five hundred parts, there’s a lot of strategic planning needed moving forward.  Not a difficult kit but not your typical kit.  Somethings are trial and error so be prepared for surprises.  

Each piece, engine, pilots cockpit, turret gunner, fueselage, radio, bomb bay, and that’s all I can comment for now are kits in of itself.  The wings, guns, hrizontal tail, landing gear, etc.  Look like more kits that get ensembled together for a whole Avenger.  Having Master Ezra help is not a hindrance as it makes me plan and plot out each step to accomadate his and my needs to this build.

Of all the Trumpeter 1/32 kits that I’ve built, this by far is the most complex, accurate, and fun build that Trumpeter has designed for us modelers.  I highly, highly, recommend this kit even if you don’t have the room, just fold it’s wings.  That’ll save a great deal of space.  The reason for this current yet simple review is that I feel I’m at a half way mark.  This does not include masking, primer, paint, gloss coate, decals, dull coate.  That my friends, is another kit in itself.  Lol!  Stay tuned for more of Ezra’s and I adventure with this Avenger!

Your friend’s, Toshi and Ezra

I bet the wingspan is as long as Ezra is tall!   

Mopar Madness

I bet the wingspan is as long as Ezra is tall!Indifferent

Ha!

Mopar Madness

I bet the wingspan is as long as Ezra is tall!   

 

Bakster

 

 

Tosh

things.  I’d love to get a old ‘66 beat up Mustang and work on it with him.  Lol!  That’ll be his first 1/1.

 

 

Now you are talking. I tell ya Toshi... Ezra will have some fantastic memories when he gets older. Take it from one that didn’t get a lot of quality time with adults... it means a lot to a kid. My fondest memories are those few times when the stars aligned and I did fun things with family. You are planting seeds to make a happy Ezra. Good job.

 

 

Looks like my good friend Toshi and Ezra are having fun together and this is the point of the hobby.

Toshi, beware of teaching Ezra everything you know while he is at this age as he will become better than we are too quickly and that will never do!

Always keep something back something that amazes them even when they are older so we can still keep the mantle of master and make them strive to improve their padawan status.

It is good that we see someone so young entering our world to keep it going and I am sure that with Toshi to guide him we will, in time, see some fantastic builds From young Ezra.

As Toshi has said, and I agree with him that with kits that are coming onto the market with a high and detailed part count you can't just jump in and start. I always start with how I want the finished thing to look and that is after an initial look through the kit sprues. I then sit with the manual for a very long time and work out just what the kit designers had in mind what works, what might work with a bit of fiddling about, what impact that might have, painting etc and what needs adding.

A plan with flexibility is a must. Will masks be better than decals? Metal barrels available? Eduard cockpit set Etc?

I don't know about Toshi, but I regard myself as having average skills but with the devious plans and visions I have witching those skills elevates the builds. I will always answer questions on my builds and strive to show some of my techniques.

Toshi...

if you and Mrs Toshi can get over here for November for SMW at Telford I will introduce you to the ZM team and others. ZM are hoping for an early release there of their Hs 129 this November and this is going to be a cracking kit.

James

snapdragonxxx

f you and Mrs Toshi can get over here for November for SMW at Telford I will introduce you to the ZM team and others. ZM are hoping for an early release there of their Hs 129 this November and this is going to be a cracking kit.

I got to chat with some of the ZM folks at IMPS Columbus 2015. What nice people they were!

And holy cow, how could that possibly have been over 4 yrs ago???

mawright20

Toshi, I see Blade Tech industries in moving to a new manufacturing sit eon your town. Hopefully helps with the local economy and workforce.

 

Your friend, Toshi

snapdragonxxx

Looks like my good friend Toshi and Ezra are having fun together and this is the point of the hobby.

Toshi, beware of teaching Ezra everything you know while he is at this age as he will become better than we are too quickly and that will never do!

Always keep something back something that amazes them even when they are older so we can still keep the mantle of master and make them strive to improve their padawan status.

It is good that we see someone so young entering our world to keep it going and I am sure that with Toshi to guide him we will, in time, see some fantastic builds From young Ezra.

As Toshi has said, and I agree with him that with kits that are coming onto the market with a high and detailed part count you can't just jump in and start. I always start with how I want the finished thing to look and that is after an initial look through the kit sprues. I then sit with the manual for a very long time and work out just what the kit designers had in mind what works, what might work with a bit of fiddling about, what impact that might have, painting etc and what needs adding.

A plan with flexibility is a must. Will masks be better than decals? Metal barrels available? Eduard cockpit set Etc?

I don't know about Toshi, but I regard myself as having average skills but with the devious plans and visions I have witching those skills elevates the builds. I will always answer questions on my builds and strive to show some of my techniques.

Toshi...

if you and Mrs Toshi can get over here for November for SMW at Telford I will introduce you to the ZM team and others. ZM are hoping for an early release there of their Hs 129 this November and this is going to be a cracking kit.

 

James

 

I would love to meet Members from Zoukei Mura.  That would be great, thank you sir for thinking of us.

Your Friend, Toshi

It is a ride on an aircraft for you two across the pond. No need for hotel bills but just spending money and maybe car hire for convenience.

I think that ZM want my Ki-45 for their stand so it means doing the show both days. I will be confirming with the president.

I won't be staying over as all the hotels have already raised their prices to almost eye watering levels and it is cheaper for me to travel there and back home by train on both days rather than overpay for a room and food plus hiked prices for a beer etc. Rather spend the money on some quality kits!

people come from all over the world for this show and I have met people from Brazil, Sweden and New Zealand.

I usually only go for the first day and it is a very early start with the train at just before 6am. I will leave the show at about 3pm and on my return I am collected at the station and go out for a meal to our favourite Italian which is run by a friend of ours.

A tiring day for this veteran with a dicky ticker but lots of fun!

James

snapdragonxxx

It is a ride on an aircraft for you two across the pond. No need for hotel bills but just spending money and maybe car hire for convenience.

I think that ZM want my Ki-45 for their stand so it means doing the show both days. I will be confirming with the president.

I won't be staying over as all the hotels have already raised their prices to almost eye watering levels and it is cheaper for me to travel there and back home by train on both days rather than overpay for a room and food plus hiked prices for a beer etc. Rather spend the money on some quality kits!

people come from all over the world for this show and I have met people from Brazil, Sweden and New Zealand.

I usually only go for the first day and it is a very early start with the train at just before 6am. I will leave the show at about 3pm and on my return I am collected at the station and go out for a meal to our favourite Italian which is run by a friend of ours.

A tiring day for this veteran with a dicky ticker but lots of fun!

 

James

 

We (The band) instead went by ferry from Zeebrug over the channel.  Your country is so steeped in history and beauty, I’ll never forget my time in Europe as a whole.  I’m sure you’re exhausted at the end of the show but well worth it.  

Your friend‘s, The Toshi’s 

Soft Black Plastic + Hard Styrene = ?

Oh boy, I lost two anchors but found (A miracle) both.  Installing them was a compression technique as styrene and CE will not adhere.  

Folding Wing Assembly