Dive Bomber Group Build (May 1 - Dec 31 2009)

Ok, I'm going to call this one complete at the deadline. 

While trying to finish this one up, everything seemed like it was acting against me.  The weathering didn't go as I had planned.  Apparently a tube of white acrylic got mixed in with my oils and I started doing a pinwash with it.  Then I wondered why the mineral spirits wouldn't work on the white..  That was fun.  Then as I was getting everything all ready and applying the dull coat, I accidentally oversprayed the canopy.  After that I decided I was going to open it up so you could at least see inside.  Anyway, here's the A-36 that was fun to build, and a bit different.  Don't worry, the HS decals have been applied to the prop, I just don't have a photo of it yet...

Steven,

A change in kits is in order if I'm to bang this one out before the deadline, the new kit is the Revell Germany Vultee Vengeance Mk. II.  Having trouble deciphering the paint call outs, but it looks like Dk Earth, Dk Green over Sky.  Would this be correct for an aircraft serving in India 1943?  Any help mucho appreciated.

Merry Christmas to all. Finally finished my SBD-3 last week, that's the good news. The bad news is that I'm having problems loading the pics into Photobucket. I've noticed other members saying that they have had problems also. Hopefully I'll be able to get this resolved in the next few days. The Apache looks great and the Hs-123is no slouch either.

I installed a scope/sight taken from an old Monogram TBD kit and also installed the instrument panel I made. I also dipped the canopy pieces in future during the week. Almost ready for main painting.

I finished Accurate Miniatures SBD-3 Dauntless a few weeks ago, but hadn't gotten around to taking some photos...until today.  This is a beautifully detailed kit.  The cockpit required alot of care & patience.  I liked the kit so much that I picked up AM's TBM Avenger on eBay.

This kit represents the plane flown on 8 May 1942 by Ensign John Leppla and ARM3c John Liska during the Battle of the Coral Sea. Leppla was credited with four kills over a two-day period, while Liska claimed three. It is perhaps the best known and documented of all Dauntlesses to be flown during The Coral Sea action - 2-S-12 (BuNo 4547) of VS-2, USS Lexington (CV-2) during the Spring of 1942.

This weekend I borrowed a twin .30 flex mount from a Hasegawa A-24 (gonna put in a single    .30 instead) and built it up. I then installed several other "borrowed" interior details- radios, top decking between pilot/gunner, DF homing loop on top of top decking. Here is how the cockpit is coming along to this point.

The Apache is now waiting for some weathering.  She's armed and sits on her own landing gear now..

Just a little bit of paint to shoot on the canopy and windscreen, and a bit of weathering.  I'm particularly worried about that part as I don't think that I've weathered an aircraft before.  In fact, this is the first build that I'll complete in probably 18 years or so.  And back then, I was just helping my dad.  I guess we'll see what happens.  

Mike

Well calling this one a wrap, SWMBO says not to bother with the weathering, she doesnt want the nice paint job looking dirty. On the plus side shes donated a large bottle of gloss laquer to me as long as I get some and thinner and seal it for her.

Did have one small problem at the end, one of the decals tore and disintegrated.

So here's the pics

Well first of December here, one month to go and about 90% done on painting.

I have to touch up a few parts where the oaint came off with the masking tape, where it wasnt a 100% perfect job with the eastern front strip and the inside of the engine cowling/engine highlights. After that its just adding the final bits and decals. May or may not weather it as SWMBO has lay'd claim to it(shes wanted a biplane for a while), LOL. Not to worried about the time limit

Time for a bump.....with pictures!

I haven't forgotten about this GB, just have some family stuffs going on.  Anyway, without further adieu, here's where I sit with my A-36..  Just some fiddly parts and some weathering and I may just call it complete.

Hope you enjoy.

Mike

Hs-123 update, What a truly borked build...

But I'm still going

Well, I must say for my first resin experience, it was, I think somewhat successful. I only broke the control stick at both ends, bottom end while trying to trim the control handle, the control hand while trying to glue the stick to the floor, very fragile isnt it?

Aftergetting the fusaluge together I have to fill and sand a few small seam problems, and end up taking off some of the raised panel lines. So time to try panel engraving (for the first time). I must agree with most of what I read, should be done BEFORE joining aircraft parts together, didnt do a great job there, but no doubt could of been worse.

 Then I decided to build the unspated version, shave off the bulges for attaching the spats and then find the unspated leg frame has gone west. So build up the spats, all together and milliputted the shaved bulges back in, along with a few other gaps on the wings and struts

Pics below are before the milliputing of spats and wheels, lets just say been a learning curve. (also engine cowling is no fixed on yet...

I must say, since getting back in modeling with real intent, it has been a huge learning curve since building kits as a kid and older teen OOB and brush only

Andrew

Dirk,

Excellent job on your Dauntless, I love the battle damage!  You definitely got your money's worth, display her with pride!

Swede was indeed a true hero, I saw a bio of him on the Military Channel.  In one hop, he took on 3 Zeros in his Dauntless. 

Alright.  I guess I have to prove that I'm actually working on the A-36.  It's coming along, slowly, but surely.  I installed the pit and closed her up.  Wings have been installed.  Then I got the idea to cut out the molded in dive flaps and install some PE ones.  Lucky me.  Figured I'd challenge myself. 

As you can see, things have also been painted.  I filled some gaps, sanded said gaps, primed it all up, and started the painting process.  I'm still doing some work on the landing gear, but here is how she sits right now, waiting for some touching up.  The yellow ID bands are painted on.  I figured I needed another challenge.

Hopefully by the end of the day I'll have a coat of future on it waiting for decals.

Enjoy

Mike

Well got some time to work on my Hs-123 today and gotta say, what a failure .

 My first go with resins and it was messy to say the least, but it was a good learning curve, so thast at least one positive.

See pics

well cockpits about 90% painted, Have put the fuselage together,will do the rest of the cockpit, and clean up as much error from out side, as its pretty roomy in the areas I need access to. 

Well long time, no post. I got my Hs-123 cockpit painted, ready to start getting really serious, when things had to be packed up ready for a big move, 4-5 months later, its not going to happen . So have unpacked all my stuff again, heres where I'm up to. Have to pick up a couple of replacement airbrush tips next week then shall be off and racing again, till then I have the cockpit finish off etc.

Andrew

Fellow Dive Bombers,

I've been making progress here & there.  Whenever I walk past the workbench, I try to get something glued or painted or sanded.  Almost ready for the clearcote & some weathering.

Still plugging away on the A-36.  Not too much progress to report on.  The pit is installed, the fuselage is together.  It looks like an early mustang.  Doing some filling and sanding on it and that's about it.  Will put some pics up soon.

Max, if I need some help I'll be sure to give you a shout.  I remembered that you like the Allison Mustangs.  The Wildcat is next up!

Mike

I have finally gotten some bench time.  Haven't finished my "man cave" yet but decided I needed to do some modelling.  I ended up choosing the A-36 over the A-24.  I'm just about to close up the fuselage and snapped a couple of photos. 

This is the Accurate Miniatures kit.  I picked it up at a show and it came with some PE that I'm attempting to use (first for me).  There are also some white metal parts too that may or may not be used.  We'll see.  Anyhow, how bout a couple of pics?

In the second pic you can see that I decided to add some wire to liven that area up a bit.  Enjoy.

Mike

Just wanted to drop in and say I have not forgotten this GB.  I have started the Val and already have the fuselage buttoned up (I forgot to take pics of the cockpit building.....you'll just have to take my word it looks decent ).  I will try and get some pics of current build status if I remember (an iffy proposition with my memory

Brian