Mighty 8th GB 1-Nov-2010 - 31-Oct-2011

Bish

Just checking to see if anyone is still building for this. I know it has been a bit slow, my fault. I was hopeing my build would have been nearly finished by now.

Sorry i haven't been a good host for this, i think the timing could have been better, what with my Falklands trip and then breaking my wrist. But if your still planning on building for this please let me know, hopefully we can keep this GB alive.

Hey Bish, no worries man. My Weathering GB has sort of fizzled out as well, and I don't even have the Falklands or broken bones to fall back on!

I'm planning on kicking off my P-51D once I finish up the Pup. I was hoping that would be tonight, but the rigging is SLOW going.

Bish-not your fault-life gets in the way....and we are a 'Group'..

I hope to start on my project early July-will either be a P-51D or P-47D Bubbletop-both choices are 1/48 Monogram kits.  I'm going to do a cross over build w/the Monogram Mafia GB-trying to meet some of my obligations....

Just checking to see if anyone is still building for this. I know it has been a bit slow, my fault. I was hopeing my build would have been nearly finished by now.

Sorry i haven't been a good host for this, i think the timing could have been better, what with my Falklands trip and then breaking my wrist. But if your still planning on building for this please let me know, hopefully we can keep this GB alive.

No, problem, Bish.  Glad to hear you're improving.  Keep up the modeling!

check, just added your other build to the front page, sorry for the delay.

Been able to to get a little bit done the last couple of weeks as i had a new caiste that gives me a bit more movement in the fingurs, just enough to use my cutters. Most of the PE has been added to the inside. If i can use the airbrush, i will get that painted this week and get some pics up next weekend.

So all yopur paints and everything else had to be left behind, thats a bummer.

Thatrs one of the things i hate about nbeing in the forces and a model builder, having to moce. Glad i only got one more move left, and that i will do myself.

Still plety of time to go on this one, so will l;eave you up for now in case you are able to make it.

Hey guys, unfortunately I'm going to have to drop out of the build, I just moved back to the states from Germany and my 1/72nd B-24 didn't survive the move, maybe the German movers didn't like the American bomber because my Eduard Bf 109 made it just fine.  I got my 1/48 B-24 in the mail the other day but due to the fact that you can't ship paint or glue, I'm going to have to build my supplies back up. I'll continue to monitor the builds and if I actually get time to work on the 1/48, I'll be sure to post some pictures. Thanks, Dave

Thanks bob. I been told the caste could be on upto 8 weeks, but i could be downgraded and on physio for upto 6 months. Its a tiny bone in the wrist, not going to try and spell it, and its a bugger to heal. But ye, could have been alot worse and its not painful, so thankful so that.

Bish-sorry to hear of your misfortune.  Thankfully it wasn't more severe.  Hopefully the healing process will be quick.

Hasegawa do a couple of 72nd formation B-24's. There 24 kits are very nice, if a bit pricey.

Unfortunatly i just spent 3 months in the Falklands and 3 weeks at home oin leave where i could do nothing but research. I had only been back at work and the bench for 3 days. I had just got started on the kit for this GB, not good for the host. But not much else i can do. And i would rather it takes a while and heals right than i end up with a buggered right hand.

Bish

I am sure you loved it, pity it is no more. There are some great 24 kits out there, you should grab urself one.

I've always wanted to do a 'formation' ship because of the oddball paint schems ... another, would be the PB4-Y variant as a firebomber ... that because I watched them fly from a little airport not too far from my home for years ... of course, that wouldn't fit with this GB, but there is a 'firebomber' GB I'm sure :-) ...

Keep it low and slow with no stress on your break ... research is a good substitute for building right now, I s'pose ... 'mmm. maybe not, but ya gotta do whatcha gotta do !! ...

pepper

I am sure you loved it, pity it is no more. There are some great 24 kits out there, you should grab urself one.

Bish

Thanks pepper. Afraid i have not heard of those kits. How did the B-24 turn out.

Well, the B-24 turned out as well as can be expected being built by a 7 year old with 2 sheets of 180 sandpaper and a tube of Ambroid glue :-) ... I painted it silver using the little, square bottle Testors enamel with some black enamel on the wheels and props ...

My Dad kept it for years on his desk in his office, but it flew away one day, never to be seen again ... and thinking about it, I've never built another -24 in all these years since ...

pepper

Thanks Rick, i am sure making the most of my time. Hopefully will be back at the bench soon. In the meantime, look forward to seeing all the other building taking place.

Bish, sorry to hear about the accident.  Time to catch up on the research.  Get well quick.  Rick

Thanks pepper. Afraid i have not heard of those kits. How did the B-24 turn out.

I got the GF looking after me this weekend, so making the most of that.

manji99

I built my first model with one hand. I was 6 years old and put my arm through a glass door, to keep me quiet my Mom got me a Monogram 1/48 Piper Tri-Pacer to put together.

I had scarlet fever and my Dad got me a Strombecker - anyone here old enough to remember these 'kits' ? - B-24 to build ... lots of blocks of wood, some paltry instructions and 2 sheets of sandpaper ... if you sanded enough on the wooden blocks, a B-24 would come out ... been building ever since ...

Bish, take care, pal - don't over-do and do what the nursey-ladies tell you - be a good boy ... been there - done that - no fun !! ...

pepper

I am sure the extra work on the double will be worth it. And ye, deffo post some pics of that other build when you post the ones of your double.

Good old mum, always knows whats best.

Hope you get well soon, and that therapy goes well. Makes me nostalgic, it does...I built my first model with one hand. I was 6 years old and put my arm through a glass door, to keep me quiet my Mom got me a Monogram 1/48 Piper Tri-Pacer to put together. She had no idea what kind of monster she was creating LOL...

Bish, I could always drop back and punt by building the factory "Doublebolt" conversion, which puts the second cockpit in front of the original. But that wouldn't be the one that the 56th FG had, would it?

Ken, sounds like a bit of work you got. But i am sure its goping to be worth it to see somthing i certaintly have not seen in a model. Look forward to it.

red, no, no surgery. A caiste for upto 8 weeks, thats the hard bit, then lots of pyshio.  I am hopeing it heals fast and the caiste isn't on that long.

Thanks guys.

Hopefully you didnt have surgery, cuz that sets back the healing time a bit.  When I shattered my wrist a few years back the doctors left it to see if it would heal correctly on its own, but it didnt so they had to go put a couple pins in and it took almost 4 months before I got the cast off.....good luck to you sir

Found some great reference material on the Doublebolt field conversions...they did not just cut the turtleback to make room for a second cockpit, they built an entirely new turtleback to extend the canopy all the way back, thus making it wider also to accommodate the second cockpit. Nice way to complicate things for me...

No, thankfully, it was at work. Was hooking up a load on a Chinook yesterday, as i was backing out i lost my footing and fell backwards putting my arm out.

I broke the left one 11 years ago when i was in Bosnia, but i was still able to do stuff as i still had right hand. Well gutted.

That's really bad news, Bish; very sorry to hear this.  I know how it feels.  I tore up my rotator cuff two winters ago (shoveling snow--I hate snow), and couldn't do much building at all for 8-12 weeks. 

Tell us it didn't happen while you were modeling!

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Afraid my 17 is going to be put on hold for a bit, just as i got started. I have broken a bone in my right wrist and now in a cast from my fingurs to elbow. And yep, i am right handed. I might be able to get a little done, but i can't use cutters, knife or much else. And i could be in this for upto 8 weeks

Going to really bugger up my building now.

redraider:

great diorama and great story about the research; sources can't be more impeccable than that!

I did some searching on the web, and find that Kitsworld makes "Little Patches" decals in 1/72 with the proper white lettering.  Of course, since I'd had the Aeromaster sheet for years already, I didn't even consider looking for options.

Thanks again for your comments and insight.  It's what I like about research:  there's always something to learn, even if you learn it too late. 

Check: I don't have a color reference, but do have a credible source.  Much of the inspiration for my current 1/48 B-17 dio came from a guy who did a similar 1/48 dio with "Little Patches" as his subject.  Much of that guys research came from talking and meeting with several members of the crew(s) that flew her during the war.  He also had problems with finding accurate decals and noted that there were some mistakes with his 1/48 version of the Aeromaster sheet, but your plane appears to be accurate except for the letters.

What he had to say about the nose art:

Also “Little Patches” nose art has a very interesting history behind it as well as a lot of incorrect decals made of this also! The correct version of the decal with “little patches” in bubble letters is white letters with black outline (not the yellow letters/never appeared with yellow letters!), also be sure of when you are depicting her during her service, as early on in service little patches displayed a blonde pinup girl (good up to 13 mission markers), she then was in a maintenance fire and sent to sub depot for repairs and upon returning Tony Starcer repainted her as a brunette, which stayed that way the rest of her service!….anyway I started with the decals and finished up with nose art and repainting the pin-up as accurate as possible over the Aeromaster one, which worked very well in this case due to only hair and a few other things that needed attention!

And a link to his build http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Fea1/301-400/Fea395_B-17_Perry/00a.shtm

Thanks check, its coming along nicely, still got a bit of pe to fit before i get the inside painted.

Think i am safe for a while. Only place i will be off to is the falklands again, maybe December.

Bish:

good luck with it!  Even with all the little issues, it builds up into a nice looking aircraft. 

Enjoy your leisure, before the Army sends you somewhere else again!