Before They Were Aces-The First Aircraft of the Aces

I finished my entry for this build, Albert Lewis's Hurricane Mk. I, VY E which he was flying for two kills before he became an ace.  It is the Classic Airframes kit.  I built two, the other as Sir John Gillan's Turnhouse to Northolt airplane.  It is a pretty good kit, with just a few frustrations due to very thin vac form canopies and approximate propeller and exhaust fits, and some of the usual small parts cleanup because of low pressure moldings.  The markings for the Lewis airplane are ALPS, the Gillan airplane is from the kit.  Some silvering due to slipshod application and general ineptitude that I should work on further.  I am simply not patient enough.  More build details at my web site,

http://yolo.net/~jeaton/mymodels/hurricane/1hurricane/1hurricane.html

Thanks Bondo.  The interior is very detailed but like most kits, most of the detail is hidden when everything is buttoned up.  Also, I overlooked a couple of areas that needed some putty & sanding, but again, it's not noticeable when the fuselage is together.  And the camera is good for pointing out errors that the human eye (especially a 54 yr old eye) would never notice......

Looking forward to seeing more progress pics of your P-38-one of my favorites.

Wow Bob looks great. It's good to see you modeling, your tech on the wash is making me think. That's a nice kit, compares IMHO to the 1/32 Tamiya Spit.

Hey all!  After giving it some thought, I decided to start Lt. Fred Ohr's Spitfire Mk. IX.  This is the 1/48 Hasegawa kit.  Great interior detail.  Downside is that the same kit can be used to make a Mk. VII, so there are numerous plugs to insert and holes to fill.  Fit is good to fair.  After priming I see that I could still use some work on the upper engine cowling.  Also, the instructions call out "filling" the four 50mm machine gun openings, the outer two on each wing and also the shell ejection chutes underneath.  That I did and then checked some resources, both print & web-the openings were intact.....  I went ahead and 'unplugged' them...oh well.

Here are pics of my progress-started yesterday evening (I had painted the interior bits awhile back)

Dunno if I'll have this one completed by the GB end date (other commitments & vacation coming up) but I should be close.

Cheers

She's primed and the white striped areas painted. So, are the stripes 18" (single engine); or 24"(multi)?

Blow up and put to scale based on a 52 foot span, they are...24"! But not spaced out 24" from the nacelles.

Also, I love this photo because the stripes are flared. That's the scheme for me.

Olds described them as "ugly".

Yes, he was a great pilot and a great tactician, as was another great pilot and tactician with some famous words that has been recounted many times over many many careers. Gregory 'Pappy' Boyington said, "Just name a hero, I'll prove he's a bum." He was referring to himself when he said it.

Would love to have a read of that one!!!!!

Bill Scat II is looking good so far!!!!

bondoman

I'm having a good time with this, thank you Hans.

Update for page 1: Academy 1/72 P-38J

This GB was really a good idea.

I'm not sure how I picked Olds as a subject, and I had no clue to his personal history.

All of his press coverage during Vietnam made me assume he was a real ***.

Then I joined this GB and bought the book.

Sure enough, he was a real ***. Immensely likable personality though, and his story has a lot of overlap with some folks I know.

So here's where I got in three days. Everything is painted innards-wise and I'm gluing the airframe together.

On D-day Normandy he was something like fifty missions in and had zero victories, flying Scat II. Scat I was his roomate at the Point. He became an Ace in Scat III, another P-38, but that's beyond our scope here.

Hans you'll have to tell us if you ever met this dude when he was running around with your Pop.

 

I'm having a good time with this, thank you Hans.

Update for page 1: Academy 1/72 P-38J

This GB was really a good idea.

I'm not sure how I picked Olds as a subject, and I had no clue to his personal history.

All of his press coverage during Vietnam made me assume he was a real ***.

Then I joined this GB and bought the book.

Sure enough, he was a real ***. Immensely likable personality though, and his story has a lot of overlap with some folks I know.

So here's where I got in three days. Everything is painted innards-wise and I'm gluing the airframe together.

On D-day Normandy he was something like fifty missions in and had zero victories, flying Scat II. Scat I was his roomate at the Point. He became an Ace in Scat III, another P-38, but that's beyond our scope here.

Hans you'll have to tell us if you ever met this dude when he was running around with your Pop.

vetteman42

First off I wish to thank all who have served and those who are serving this great country and us as a people.

and you're very welcome. USAF '88-92

The Mustang is coming along quickly and brilliantly!!!! Love the IP!! Looks like Revell has done there homework for a great improvement.

First off I wish to thank all who have served and those who are serving this great country and us as a people. I live near the Ronald Reagan Library and the fly overs are fantastic and great reminder of those who have served and sacrificed so much. So far today the Condor Squadron from Van Nuys Airport and their T-6's have been over, all 10 of them,  a Super C130, B-25 from the CAF in Camerillo, and an F-16 I think it sounded like, couldnt get out the door fast enough to see it.

Jeaton for me being the straight guy has its advantages I open the door and they just run in LOL !!! Thanks for taking the time to do some searching to answer my bonehead question. I have been looking for the answer for 3 days now, on line and at a couple of book stores. I will check the public library tomorrow. I did check my other kits the Tamiya and Accu-mini P-51A and they do have those ports, now I just have to find out what they are geeze. Seems the little details can just drive one crazy huh, or crazier ???

Time for some WIP pictures

This is the retooled Revell kit I am building it OOB with the exception of the decal sheet for correct markings for Passion Wagon.

My first attempt at hand painting the IP came out pretty well, with more practice I should be able to do much better.

The cockpit detail in this kit is much better than the older kit I built some is a bit clunky though. I was really impressed with the control stick detail, sadly you cant see it once installed.

Oh what a bummer the IP will be hidden once the fuse is closed up

So far for 12 bucks for this kit you just cant go wrong I dont think, with ressesed panel lines and rivets and the added detail. Some of the fit issues of the older kit seems to have been taken care of too.

bondoman

I know what those are. It's where the groundcrew refills the airfoil roll and rewinds the wing chord.

I hate having to be the straight man.......

bondoman

Hans von Hammer:

... You guys did great work, and as the last of the sand falls through to the bottom of the glass, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you guys...

 

Wait a minute, hairboy....

We have till 6/30, right?

All the time in the world, just had to clear away a couple of earlier GB's, but plenty of time for Scat 2.

Gonna be a fun weekend.

Ya, you're still Golden, Gateboy... (get it? Golden Gate?)

vetteman42

Hans can I please change my build to the new 1/48 Revell P-51B ?

Done...

Holy Crap, this is almost over and I have not done anything yet... OKay, I better get cracking and get ole Half Pint rolling...

Well knowing how things are done it was more than likely both ? Depending of course on what cartridge was inserted in the port. I know rewinding the wing cord and refilling the airfoil can only be done one way, but I gotta ask, is that flightline solid or dashed.

Could also be a flightline dispenser.

I know what those are. It's where the groundcrew refills the airfoil roll and rewinds the wing chord.

I believe that is a panel that should be open, but I don't know for what purpose.  It is not on the P-51D.  I looked in the Tamiya P-51B and Accurate Miniatures P-51C and they both have that open panel with no provision to fill it with anything.  I looked in the P-51A, B, and C maintenance manual and there is no removable access panel noted there, nor is it mentioned anywhere in the armament section of the manual, but neither are the shell ejection ports noted, except the part in the gun bay.  There is a photo of the wing in the packing crate that shows that area and the open port is there, so I'd say it is an open hole on the real thing.  I have photos of the Collings Foundation P-51B and they have removed the shell ejection ports and the guns, and these holes are also not present, so it is no help.

Randy I have looked throught the few referances on mustangs and other books with Mustangs in them and canno see why thos square holes are there in the first place. No 3 views I have show a square panel in that position. The 3 views in P-51 in action show a square panel just forward of the inboard edge of the ailerons which would be a linkage inspection panel. I would have to say it's inconclusive as to why they are there. Hopefully someone can shed a bit more light on the subject. HTH some

Got the black on, got the white on, got the silver on...what?  And I'm still on the bottom of these things.  CA says the gear bays should be silver, but I'm doing them in the British interior green, my refs seem to say that.

Hans von Hammer

... You guys did great work, and as the last of the sand falls through to the bottom of the glass, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you guys...

We have till 6/30, right?

All the time in the world, just had to clear away a couple of earlier GB's, but plenty of time for Scat 2.

Gonna be a fun weekend.

Hey guys I dont have any WIP pictures yet, the cockpit is all painted and stuff and I will post pictures when it starts going together. Hopefully tomorrow. Anyway its BONEHEAD question time. There are some ports behind the ejection ports on my model I haven't seen them on any of the others I have built, this is a P-51B btw. Are they for fuel lines for drop tanks ?

I would think if they are that they would have a plate over them when not in use. I dont have any pictures of Lt. Roberson's P-51B with the drop tanks on it so I didnt wish to add the tanks. Looks like I will be painting invasion stripes for the first time too

Hans can I please change my build to the new 1/48 Revell P-51B ? Looks a bunch better than the old kit I built a year or so ago, but still has the wing root fit issue it looks like after dry fitting. Will Hopefully have some WIP pictures tomorrow sometime.

And I better get my two Hurricanes painted too!

I'd like to take this time to mention that I'm VERY pleased with the participation here... You guys did great work, and as the last of the sand falls through to the bottom of the glass, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you guys... So...

Thank youThank youThank youThank youThank youThank youThank youThank youThank youThank youThank youThank youThank you...

Zoom, Zoom...

Oh man I got my end dates all messed up I gotta get started on my P-51 for this group in the morning and pull a few all nighters !!!!!!!!!!!

Cool, thank you very much for the info.

I have a couple of their kits but this is the first I've built so I don't know if this is typical.

I just closed up the fuselage and put the lower wings on so I have some way to go, but first impressions I'd compare it to an Airfix or Matchbox kit with a resin and PE cockpit set added. 

It takes a bit of work to match things up but the fit isn't terrible. It has fine recessed panel lines, not the heavy panels lines you find on some Matchbox kits. Like most East European kits there are no locating pins. It does not have the huge sprues to clean up like many limited run kits.

The one complaint so far is the wheel wells were a real pain (the block in front of the cockpit). It was a real bear to get it set up right and I don't see why they chose to make this a seperate part instead of cast as part of the fuselage as most kits do.

Aaron, I'm looking forward to seeing more of that lil barrel!!!! Looking good so far!!!! Looking at possibly picking up a Special Hobby kit of something soon. Being limited run kits, how would you rate the fit?