The Officially Shameless PBY/Halloween '09 GB

Nam, Nick and Alex,  thanks I just wanted to make sure everyone got a chance to use the information and spread my AMS (Advance Modelers Syndrom).

Nick: The interior pics look great, thanks for sharing them.

Cheers,

Thom

Nam,

Picked up my kit today.  She is the Revell Germany PBY-5 Catalina IIA #VA708 from RAF Coastal Command 209 Sqn.  She's the plane that spotted the Bismarck.

Fabulous beginning Nick!

Yes, it is a handicap having a closed canopy on the PBY.....that is why your photos justify your work! You will always have a record.

Nice work! The AM parts are well done, (though I judge only by eye and not IPMS!)

As you move along, be sure to keep us updated. And thanks for being helpful to the others here!

BVD

Alex,

Have a look at this for inspiration:

www.hyperscale.com/2008/features/pb2b232bm_1.htm

It's a P2B2 but wears the standard RAAF black cat scheme. More often than not these birds were very heavily worn and chipped. A note on RAAF black cats - I cant find any evidence of 5As in the all-over black. Only 5s and P2B2s. There only black 5As were birds with the undercarriage removed and the wheel wells blanked over. These look the same as 5s but without the window where the wheel well would be. I know this doesnt necessarily relate to you but someone might find it relevant... maybe...!

References. Hmmm. The RAAF camo/markings book is available from Hylands Books in Melbourne:

http://www.hylandsbookshop.com.au/

But it is expensive, around $100AUD from memory (although you'll have a pretty good exchange rate against the USD, it must be said!)

Another great reference is Stewart Wilson's Catalina in Australian Service:

http://www.notebookpub.com/books/bookcatalina.html

...which at $18.50AUD is very reasonable.

Good luck, and let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

Thanks Nam and Aaron for the welcome. And Thom for the pics link - fantastic!

So here are my first WIP shots. A bit heavy on the dry-brushing Sunnas, I hear you say. You're right to bring that up, and let that be a lesson regarding modelling in low light conditions to you all! 

The True Details pit, just quietly, is probably a bit of a waste of time. The side panels are nice but not visible when the fuselage is put together. I used the seats and fitted them with Eduard belts. The instrument panel is eduard over the kit part and the bits in the nose are Eduard also. As for accuracy of these parts (to my intended RAAF ASR bird) I have no idea, but they probably wont be visible anyway!

I have since fitted the resin TD gun ring into the front turret and started to pile in the nose weight. Whoa - what they said was true - this crate needs A LOT of nose weight! I have put bits of roofing lead under the pilots seats and under the bomb amier's position, but still dont have enough. I was eyeing off the large area behind the cockpit bulkhead, but think it would be visible through the canopy. So today I will be finding new and creative ways to fit big mobs of lead into my model!

And one other thing while I think of it - when assembling the main gear wells; the bottom of the retraction strut connects to the tab on the upper A arm. This bit in the instructions was a bit ambiguous and I mistakenly glued the bottom of the retraction strut in a slightly different spot. Hope that makes sense.

Oh - and Nam - my name for the front page is Sunnas, not Summa, cheers mate!

Hi Nick,

Thanks for your help.  I figured it would be a factory job unless the RAAF had something else as a standard interior paint.

No kidding about the lack of colour pics of RAAF birds.  I really don't have ANY good references for RAAF Catalinas.  Can you recommend any books or websites or anything?

I've got an OLD Kookaburra book that shows 3 B&W pictures of 'The Dabster' code OX-D of No.43 Squadron in a very bizarre paint job.  Night overall with Dark Ocean Blue and Extra Dark Sea Grey camouflage on the wing uppers.  EVERYTHING on this bird is faded and chipped.  The book references page 122 of RAAF Camouflage & Markings, Volume I for a camouflage scheme, but I've never been able to track it down.  As for wheel wells, this one is a -5, not a -5A, so that's one less thing to worry about.  All in all, this should be a very cool build. 

Cheers,
Alex

Those are some great pictures, Thom.  What an awesome reference.  Thanks! Does anyone have any idea what color the interior of an RAAF Catalina is?  ZC?  Interior Green? RAF Interior Green?  Something else?    I've been looking, but I can't find anything definitive.

Alex,

I'm afraid I cant give you any definitive answer on the interior colour question. Most likely the interior was the same zinc chromate that was applied at the factory. As to the actual shade of this colour, that's something of an unknown, see:

www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2004/01/stuff_eng_interior_colours_us.htm

I mixed up a greeny-yellow that I thought looked ok. That's about all you can do. While we're on the subject of colours - your next question will be about the main wheel well colours. Same thing applies. From the info I can gather, the colour was usually a dark grey or black on US aircraft, but that it seems that RAAF aircraft were zinc chromate in the wheel wells.

I have to qualify the comments above. They are not definitive! The problem is a destinct lack of colour pics of RAAF aircraft. So, you'll just haave to apply an educated guess and not get to stressed about it!

What colour scheme are you considering for your machine?

Let me know if i can be any further help, I have a few references for RAAF PBYs, and stay tuned for some in-progress pics...

Nick

That was the kit Daywalker and me pre-ordered last spring! I believe our price was the same on pre-order.....at least I hope it was!

Look what showed up in the mail today... Only $22.99 at Tower Hobbie , they are listed under Monogram for the manufacture... I almost committed model suicide by waiting so late to check the mail. It is almost time for the Wife to be home.

Lets see some building going on here to motivate me to crack the seal on this kit.

Welcome to the GB Nick! The first page has been updated and you are listed! Very ambitious build you have ready to go! Can't wait to see some WIP photos! Great bunch included here!

Thom! Sorry if I missed those pics first time around! Apologies! Great pics! Thank You!

For your additional help your flight rank has been suitably adjusted....(see the front page)

Alex.....I'll look around about the RAAF colors, but Nick may be able to help!

As some may know.....I have photo hosting troubles. Aaron can access my account and do what I'm not able to. Trying to iron it out. Thanks Aaron!

We now have 27 Members of this GB!

Thank You!

tlivancso wrote:

Hello all, I posted this earlier in the thread but I am not sure anyone saw it but Frank and John. I put a site together that has over a 1,000 photos of PBYs that were sent to me by a friend of mine who is a research librarian at the Pensacola Naval Air Museum. The site URL is: http://www.mechanicalrenaissance.com/Albums/catalina_pby_album_2/index.htm hth Mike: Great photos I was there last xmas on vacation. Cheers, Thom

bondoman wrote:

Aaron get yer hand out of yer pants and point the rke straight an' true. BVD must be obeyed, er, p*ssed on!

? How do you do that without your hand in yer pants?

Nick Your gonna have them fighting over that hat! Another worthy recruit to get twisted over I say!

bondoman wrote:

Aaron get yer hand out of yer pants and point the rke straight an' true. BVD must be obeyed, er, p*ssed on!

? How do you do that without your hand in yer pants?

Nick

Nam ye lubber, reminds me where the Turklike ship had a 50 inch granite ball, aimed at the wheelhouse. Fr... to hold up for here come the lot 'o them. Successful GB me twitish friend.

Millions of the miserable mice acomin over the rail.

Aaron get yer hand out of yer pants and point the rke straight an' true.

BVD must be obeyed, er, p*ssed on!

Howdy all.

I'd like to throw my hat into the ring for this group build.

I have the Pro Modeller PBY-5A with Quickboost engines, True Details wheels and cockpit and Eduard etch. I'll be building a RAAF Air-Sea Rescue machine, squadron and serial undecided at this point.

Cheers, 

Nick

Hello all,

I posted this earlier in the thread but I am not sure anyone saw it but Frank and John. I put a site together that has over a 1,000 photos of PBYs that were sent to me by a friend of mine who is a research librarian at the Pensacola Naval Air Museum.

The site URL is:

http://www.mechanicalrenaissance.com/Albums/catalina_pby_album_2/index.htm

hth

Mike: Great photos I was there last xmas on vacation.

Cheers,

Thom

Great photo refs Mike! Thank You!

Just reading through the thread and thought that I might be able to help some of you out as far as references go.  Quality isn't great, but you can get the idea!

Feel free to use these.  They are of one of the PBYs on display at NAS Pensacola at the Naval Aviation Museum.  Enjoy.

Mike

bondoman wrote:

sfcmac wrote: My wife has been hijacking my mail orders and calling them Christmas Presents.  I just stare at her and play Don't fear the Reaper really loud...... I wonder why she keeps telling people I am scary? Because you need.... MORE COWBELL!!!

I am just not feeling it. I gotta have more! Classic ! I even se kids with that on a T-shirt now. Hot Topic! Very Vamp and Gothy store but a fun place to take my 14 year old wife.

sfcmac wrote:

My wife has been hijacking my mail orders and calling them Christmas Presents.  I just stare at her and play Don't fear the Reaper really loud...... I wonder why she keeps telling people I am scary?

I do not know how a joke from another poster has resolved into me needing a butt-donut!

I've never had a hemorrhoid in my life (except for Aaron and Bondoman)

My P'Bucket account acts strange when I log in. The page of photos loads right up, but there are no little charts beneath each pic offering options. If I drag the cursor across.....a chart will show beneath a picture......I can click and copy......but Mozilla will not let me post it at FSM!

It may be my new anti-virus program.

I'm going to try e-mailing a pic to Aaron in a bit.

Sorry guys!

sfcmac wrote:

Anybody got one of those inflatable donuts he can borrow?

I dont have any donuts but I know where there are a bunch of old tires, one of these big enough......

namrednef wrote:

Sean....I have just been trying to load some pics for you. P'bucket is looking weird. Not unusual in my PC. My aching BUTT!

I do not know how I missed this? Jeeze! Nam try working your electronical equipment. IE Camera , and computer with some other appendage other than your hiney. No wonder it doesn't work. The Pics not your butt of course. Anybody got one of those inflatable donuts he can borrow? 

My wife has been hijacking my mail orders and calling them Christmas Presents.  I just stare at her and play Don't fear the Reaper really loud......

I wonder why she keeps telling people I am scary?

Sean....I have just been trying to load some pics for you. P'bucket is looking weird. Not unusual in my PC. My aching BUTT!

sfcmac wrote:

Vey cool thanks to ye both! Did you check your PM NAM? Oh Man Sean has got the bug !

Rec'd and replied.....sorry I lagged behind Mr. Daywalker on your ref.

 Vey cool thanks to ye both! Did you check your PM NAM?

Oh Man Sean has got the bug !