The Officially Shameless PBY/Halloween '09 GB

kg4kpg wrote:

Well, a choice has to me made.  I'm into this kit about 45 bucks now.  I'm already going to have to modify the tail a little but the civilian plane has a different nose.  I can try to scratch build it but I don't know if I really have the skill for it.  I have someone who has a spare resin nose but he want's 30 bucks.  Probably not a bad deal, just a lot to me.  What to do???

Here's what I know, and I'm starting with the Academy 1/72 -5A.

RedRoo and Quickboost both sell/sold a nose deck, but the QB has a hatch at the front and the RR I can't find. Mine at 1/72 is kind of small so I'm going to scratch it up.

Engines: big deal. I bought a B-25H-J for not $$ for the cowlings with all the exhaust pipes, plus engine face and prop. Haven't looked into the right props but I've got bags of the things, so let me know if you have more info. Big issue is that the kit cowling measured over the cowl flaps is 48 ", while the replacement  R2600's are 58". If you look at pics it seems that the bottom of the cowl stayed aligned with the nacelle, but the top was raised by 10", meaning that the crankshaft center is about 5" higher. Major reshaping of the nacelles, esp. on top of the wing. Need ideas.

Vertical tail- SLAFCO seems to have come up with a one or two-off. I'll scratchbuild it as I cannot find a part. The horiz tail planes are probably bigger, but I cannot find info that sez so, so I don't care.

Decals are available from Draw in both scales. I plan to use Testors White and Ford Engine Red.

Water pickup I have no idea?

What do you know? I'd like to here any tips.

There's lots of pics on scalefirebombers.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X7wXiTvYzc

Bill

Okay....I'm confused! I've re-read the thread, but.........

Who are building firebombers and who are building Black Cats? I got lost after the B-25 engine purchase!

The fire bomber version was modified internally in order to hold up to 1,100 gallons of water. The water was picked up via a retractable probe located just aft of the hull step. The PBY would taxi on water at 70-75 knots and pick up 800 gallons in about 20 seconds.

Also, wingtip floats were deleted on firebombers

As far as the larger motors.....I have only Don Greer profiles to judge from.....but it appears that with the cowl aligned as you say, the top of the cowl was faired back to about halfway over the wing with exhaust pipe going straight back.

I have no clear pics of the tail section as to tail or stabilizer profiles, but I would go with the post-War look.

The nose.........my pics show the nose covered with a formed asymetrical hexagon bit of metal located from the hull edge back to where the former turret faired into the fuse.

HTH

Hi.....spent my off-time this weekend doing window chores on the PBY....all Futured and looking great. In pics the windows will look great.....to the eye.....very thick.

Again....this PBY is for the Pearl Harbor GB......when I begin the PBY for this GB, I'm going to use clear plastic bits from bubble packages.

The fuse halves fit very well, but the panel lines are VERY delicate (shallow)...so I would recommend trimming and sanding all sprue points prior to joining the fuse. (Some of us don't)

Judicious sanding/filing is the key here!

But check those windows out before gluing!

sfcmac wrote:

Wow Nam? Bubble wrap bubbles? Never used those before.  I can't find anything that is much help for that version Bondo. I'll keep an eye out during my reading. Wow how is that Pearl Harbor PBY coming together? Got any pics? OOOH another hit! Ouch! I am sorry bout that Nammy....

Why must you torment me so? NOT bubble wrap, Dolt! Bubble packaging! You know? That stuff that keeps impulse items in the cardboard?

Okay....get off the benadril.....this PBY IS for the PHGB that I was committed to first.....Hallowe'en is next.....but I haven't completed a build in a year now, so don't hold yer breath!

Camera is in the shop.....AS YOU KNOW!

namrednef wrote:

.....but I haven't completed a build in a year now, so don't hold yer breath!

bondoman wrote:

namrednef wrote: .....but I haven't completed a build in a year now, so don't hold yer breath! Wasn't gonna bring that up...

.....but you did....

bondoman wrote:

Oh just kidding! When do we get to see the yellowwing PBY? It sounds like a great subject. I'll be finishing my PHGB entry on, ummm, December 8th!

Yeah? What year!

I just fused the fuse last night...... goes together well, but I'm cleaning up the seams. Do as I post..... not as I do!

LMAO!....and my tears dripped on the PBY and popped all the windows out! Damned white glue!

ROFLMAO Stop it your killing me!!!! LOL

bondoman wrote:

Here's what I know, and I'm starting with the Academy 1/72 -5A. RedRoo and Quickboost both sell/sold a nose deck, but the QB has a hatch at the front and the RR I can't find. Mine at 1/72 is kind of small so I'm going to scratch it up.

Well, I think I decided I'll buy the nose for mine, too much work to scratch it for me.

Engines: big deal. I bought a B-25H-J for not $$ for the cowlings with all the exhaust pipes, plus engine face and prop. Haven't looked into the right props but I've got bags of the things, so let me know if you have more info. Big issue is that the kit cowling measured over the cowl flaps is 48 ", while the replacement  R2600's are 58". If you look at pics it seems that the bottom of the cowl stayed aligned with the nacelle, but the top was raised by 10", meaning that the crankshaft center is about 5" higher. Major reshaping of the nacelles, esp. on top of the wing. Need ideas.

I'm at a loss here to for now.  I test fitted the B-25 nacells and they are a lot bigger than I had hoped.  Gonna stare at them a while, i'm sure they will fit then.  I'll update with any changes.

Vertical tail- SLAFCO seems to have come up with a one or two-off. I'll scratchbuild it as I cannot find a part. The horiz tail planes are probably bigger, but I cannot find info that sez so, so I don't care.

I'm going to use card to raise the tail, may fill and re-form the rudder depending how it goes.  For the horizontal I'm doing nothing here since I can't find reference shots that show it that well.  Here's a fair shot of the rear end. 

Decals are available from Draw in both scales. I plan to use Testors White and Ford Engine Red.

Got mine from Draw as well, nice set.

Water pickup I have no idea?

If the inlet Nam spoke of is in a door, I'll just scribe the outline.  If it's a retractable tube with an opening I'll scratch something under there.

What do you know? I'd like to here any tips.

I'm sure by Halloween 2009 we'll have this beast figured out.

edit  Ah, found the water inlet.  A probe that drops.  Easy to fab this.

Got mine buttoned up last night, man I needed four more hands. Now I get to tackel those seams.

Thad

namrednef wrote:

Okay....I'm confused! I've re-read the thread, but......... Who are building firebombers and who are building Black Cats? I got lost after the B-25 engine purchase!

I haven't decided between a Black Cat and a blue Dumbo... But it'll be a dio with one of those...  I'm just a skoshi bit intimidated by all that water... Whether it's an air-sea rescue or taxiing up or down the ramp, it'll be a LOT...  I can do it in plaster and Enviro-tex for deep-water, but I like the idea of modeling a bit of beach and seaplane ramp too... But then again, there's more action in a rescue... But the amphibious capability can be shown effectively with the ramp...  On the other hand, the rescue will be immediately understandable... But a dio of "Strawberry Five" at Midway on 4 Jun 42 would rock...   But then, that's a different bird, so we're back to the -5A on a Dumbo... On the other hand....

Man that must be some good AB's Aaron!!!!

simpilot34 wrote:

Man that must be some good AB's Aaron!!!!

AB's....aerial bombs?

Just a few new points about the Revell 1/48 PBY re-issue kit that I'm building for the Pearl Harbor GB:

* Don't get so locked in to the instructions that you neglect your paint priorities vs. assembly. Plan your steps as you should. I almost fell into a trap by wanting to build the entire LG before final paint.....masking would have been a slow nightmare. Install the legs AFTER fuse colors are in place to save much work.

* The wheel wells that glue from the inside don't really match the contour of the hull on the bottom....leaving a gap. You might CA the bottom of the gear well and hold it until it bonds to the hull.....or get it close and lay a strip of scrap behind the gap (interior, fuse apart) and then fill any visible gap with a swash of paint.

* Part 74....'aft bulkhead' inside has an antenna attached that is supposed to fit through a cut-out in the top of fuse.....my antenna would not line up with the fuse hole after many minutes of fitting. I just clipped the antenna off and will attch later from the outside.

* If you are concerned about cockpit looks.....use the control 'yoke lock' (part # 45) as unless you glue it in-place.....the yoke will move.....so for static display.....and through a closed canopy..................

* My instructions are showing the nose window shutters (part # 62) as a clear part, but in this kit.....the part is gray. My refs show that the hinge bar is located at the bottom.

* I washed the entire kit....but the waiste gun ammo belt/box kept coming loose...(after sanding etc) Watch this join!.

I hope some of this has helped!

Thanks for the tips, Nam. I was already wondering about how to handle the LG. Your idea sounds excellent. I spent no small amount of time looking for the clear part with the curtains on it... Good to hear I haven't lost it - yet. I've never built a kit ever, that had all the parts on it when it was finished!

Rich

Yeah, Rich.....I dry-fitted all the LG parts before glueing the fuse....they will go right in. But sometimes you're into the instructions, thinking you're on a roll.....and OOPS!

....and the nose door.....I searched for that for a few minutes before I noted the error.

Personally, I THINK I have lost an LG scissors link to the concrete monster! I can scratch one.....or steal from my other PBY kit and photograph deceptively!

I DID read in another thread (A/C, I think) about hard-to-find PBY decals. True in my case too. All my sources are sold out! I even had a tough time getting canopy masks.

Just keep trying, I guess!

sfcmac wrote:

Ugh Aerial bombs is correct! I have been working on 10 Val's with 3 bombs a piece I am seeing red spots before me eyes! I got so many projects going it's not funny! A pearl Harbor PBY? Hmmmmm sounds like an idea!  Man leaving it up to my imagination is crazy! No pics yet huh? I may need to make a trip up North with my camera! Brrrrr cold up there!

Yes.....COLD.....and WET!

(Aaron....this is my prior commitment to the Pearl Harbor GB!) I have only weeks to get this tribute in on time. Just helping with things I experience with the kit.

This GB PBY starts when I finish THIS one. Read more closely!

sfcmac wrote:

I shall do at least two myself!

You do know we're gonna hold you to that, do you not?

LOL, can't wait to see some pics! 

BVD- PM inbound!

sfcmac wrote:

hOLD ME TO IT fRANK i AM COUNTING ON IT! Anyways Nam told me he was moments away from photos but he was tired. I do hope he has solved his computer woes!

Yes, Thanks Aaron....... I joined the Pearl GB early this year and when Frankie told me of the 'imminent' release of the Rev PBY I settled on that bird. The release date kept getting moved back....and back.....and back.......so now I'm up against it! So much time went by that I forgot whom we had ordered from!.....and also forgotten that I had ordered TWO!

My PC troubles and (I think) camera troubles are fixed. MANY WIP pics are extremely fuzzy.....can't split the fuse for more! I'll ship the best I have tonight.....plus many other decent ones on other subjects.

Anyway, I think I have arrived..................