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

Bish

Would love to see what you you think of that E-4Trop, i am really thinking about that one myself.

You'll probably see soon - think I'll be cracking into it once I wrap up the Jug. Kinda itching to shake things up, and I think a 1/32 build might be just the thing. That...and I want to save my Corsair for my planned Weathering GB...

Doogs Thanks, i will check that out. I'm not planning on building the kit that needs it to some time, so got a while to sort it. Being forced to build 4 more jugs, isn't life a ***. Would love to see what you you think of that E-4Trop, i am really thinking about that one myself.

Work kicked my butt yesterday - and between that and various other obstacles life decided to hurl up - I almost didn't make it out to the bench last night. But I tend to be (even more) grumpy the next morning if I don't at least go putt around out there, so out I went, and ended up making some good progress.

First - I got the Ultracast wheels painted. My one cave to AM on this build, but they're totally worth it.

Next - I've got the big ol' paddle prop about 90% painted. Still have to do some detail painting around the prop hub. Colors are Tamiya Flat Yellow, X-1 Black, and Alclad II Airframe Aluminum.

Also painted the blast tubes. They look all curved and whatnot, but it's an optical illusion from the NMF. These are also finished in Airframe Aluminum. 

Finally - I laid down the base coat of MM RAF Ocean Gray enamel. Tonight I'll be going back to fade and blend. Hoping to be spraying the RAF Dark Green probably on Thanksgiving.

Bish - fermis' P-40 build has an example of thermoforming a canopy...I can see where it would be really useful for doing a flat pane like a waist window, too.

redraider - I've got an excellent P-47 book that definitely has shots of the Razorback cockpit. Sadly, it's in the garage. I'll see if I can't snag a shot from it tonight. Also, FYI on the Ultracast seats, they come in pairs, so you're really getting two seats for $10. Didn't realize this when I ordered my P-47 seats, and didn't realize the Monogram's cockpit was a one-piece tub with the seat already molded in. So now I've got four seats...guess I'll just have to built four more Jugs!

Scorpiomikey - 1/32! Nice! The big scale's been calling out to me lately, too. Broke down and ordered Eduard's Bf-109E-4 Trop, and I've got Hasegawa's P-47, Wing-Scale's B-25, and a Wingnut Wings Sopwith Pup on the Christmas list. Looking forward to seeing the big 'Stang!

Scorpiomikey O, nice, a 1/32nd kit. I have added you but left out the unit and location for now. And welcome to the GB and thanks for joining.

check Thanks, ye on Hannants its says 9176 is for Minicraft. I will have a look at those B-24 waiste windows when i get back, see if they measure up.

Ok i cant resist. Im going to enter with my Dragon 1:32 P-51D 5-NA

Not sure who im doing it up as yet, im thinking of "Frenesi" from the 357th, ill have to do a little more research as the 5-NA didnt last very long, altho i could modify it and put the fillet in on the fin.

Anyone know of any shots of the cockpit of a Razorback that shows the seat?  I picked up the True Details a while back but it looks like the length from back front to back is a little short and it doesn't contain the small brace or whatever that is on the inside where the bottom meets the back.  The Ultracast seat would have probably been better to get I'm not sure its worth the 10+ dollars if the True Details is close enough.

Doogs:  that is a nice looking metal finish, and they are not very easy to accomplish.

Bish:  yes, 9138 looks like the right set from Hannants.  The number matches what Squadron themselves sell for the Hasegawa "G."  (Squadron's item number 9176 seems to be the set intended for Academy).

Accents and regional expressions are great.  I remember when I taught school in North Carolina, and in the secretary's office, she asked me to "mash the button."  She meant:  "turn on the light."

DoogsATX  I have thought about making my own, maybe with clear styrene sheet and sheet styrene for the framing, guess it shouldn't be to hard. But i have never heard of thermo forming.

Looking very good. The seam doewsn't look to bad,  thats the joys of an NMF finish, it shows up everything. Its all a big learning process thsi hobby. I used to use SnJ years ago but its become hard to get hold of over here, hence my switch to Alclad.

http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/SQS9138

Is this the set you mean. I am referring to the middle one, 9138. Not sure which kit this is meant for, Hannants. If so, i will measure up my B-24 windows, they look exactly the same. I have got some of those sets for other kits, i rather like these window sets.

Lester looks about right but Worcester is usually pronounced Worster. While i am from Norfolk, a rural area often associated with farming and inbreeding, my Mrs is a northern lass from Manchester, so we are often and we are always picking each other up about how you say this or that. Even in a country this small theres alot of variation.

One thought for the waist windows - what about thermoforming them? 

Finally made some picture-worthy progress on the Jug tonight. SnJ spray enamel on the underside.

Here's the starting point:

The enamel sprayed on:

And...after polishing:

All in all, it's looking pretty decent - I obviously could've done a better job on seam duty, though. 

I'd originally intended to use Talon acrylic, but (again) had a hell of a time getting it to spray out of the airbrush. Seems to require at least 3/4 throttle to flow consistently, and at that rate it's almost impossible to go with the light, misting coats.

Ah, the rules of phonics; and every one of them has exceptions!  Bernard Shaw, I understand, once proposed spelling "fish" as "ghoti" (enough  women nation).

And "Wister" and "Lester"--who would have thought?

About the waist windows, I think I saw that Hannants carries them.  I don't know if Squadron makes a set specifically for B-24's, but the B-17 windows measure 15mm long X 10mm width (top to bottom) once they are removed from their "frame."  They are vacu-formed.  This is for the Hasegawa-type set.  The Airfix/Academy set doesn't even include enough material for the frame, and they are peculiarly formed below the surrounding plastic so they can't be cut any bigger.  On the Airfix/Academy kit, as you know, the starboard waist window has to be cut out by the modeler, so the opening could be cut to fit the window, I suppose; but the port side window is already open, and would have to be closed in somehow around the window.  Both sets come with additional windows for other places in the fuselage.  The nose cones are handy.

Try Worcester and Leicester pronounced Wister and Lester.

Its interesting you mention those waiste windows. I have two more B-24J's in the stash both to be built as H models. One of those has waiste windows similar to those. I wounder if those ones will fit a B-24. Could you give me the details of those windows, i will see if i can find them over here.

Apparently, you guys speake real English, it's us who has corrupted it. You guys seem to stick to the rules of phonics, where as we just threw them out the window.

jbrady:  I think using a darkened base color would probably work--or maybe a very thin black wash.  I don't remember where I read it but somehow it's in my mind 1 part color to 9 parts thinner (with a "couple" of drops of detergent).  You might be able to get some of the overage off with a moistened  q-tip/cotton swab.  For myself, I have never had much good results with washes.  Either they come out too light to see or they look like sludge.  I admire your efforts.

Bish:  Thanks for the pronunciation clues.  I used to be certified to teach reading (corrective and developmental) by our state's Department of Public Instruction--and I must say "deepum" defies every rule of phonics they taught us back in the day.  I would never have guessed!

As for my Fortress, I am now playing around with installing Squadron waist windows of the three piece "canted" variety.  According to photos, they were attached from the outside, which means my earlier installations in other models is WRONG, when I installed them from the inside.

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Unfortunately, the Squadron pieces are almost too small to cover the openings.  They make a set specifically for the Airfix/Academy kits--but they are way too small.  So I'm using the Hasegawa-specific type, and they are a bit better, but it is still fiddly work to try to line them up, cover the opening, and get them glued in without messing superglue all over the place.  The 8th Air Force wouldn't have had many planes if I'd been on the assembly line back then.

Deepum looks about right. In any word that ends with HAM, we don't pronounce the H. Though to be fair that applies to anywhere in England, not just Norfolk or East Anglia. And theres alot of examples of that over here. The most famous one i guess would be Buckingham Palace. It can be rather odd hearing you guys, especially as you stress the HAM, were as we would pronounce it Buckinam

 I will have to check that site out, thanks.

Your right about the 45th, i do have a set of decals for the 96th BG, thats what i am useing for this GB, but those are the only ones i could find. Thanks for the info. I will keep a look out for anything with that tail marking.

checkmateking02: I refined the acryl wash I had trouble with and I got this result.

That's over bare plastic. When I try it again I think I'll use a darkened base color instead of black. The mix was 6 parts water 2 parts paint and 4 drops of dish detergent.

According to a site called "Friends of the Norfolk Dialect" (not kidding) it's pronounced deepum. I'd wait for Bish on this one.

jbrady:  Thanks for the photos of the monuments.  They are impressive.  I didn't know about them until now.

Bish:  I checked the B-17's I've built over the years.  Hasegawa has released and re-released their "F" and "G" over and over again with varying markings, and I thought they might have included decals for the 452nd BG at some point.  The group designator was a letter "L" in a square?  Unfortunately, no luck.  There doesn't seem to be too much of anything done for planes of the 45th Combat Bomb Wing, 3rd Air Division.

And, by the way, how is "Deopham" pronounced?

Slightly larger

Here's three from around Halesworth.

On that note, as i am now on two weeks leave, i am planning to get around my local area to get some photos of some of the memorials around here. I am also planning on visiting the American cemetry near Cambridge, where almost 3,000 crew from the 8th are buried.

checkmateking02: A little more perspective, the 8th suffered 26 thousand battle deaths... that's more than the US Marines from 1942 to 1945. I tend to forget that sometimes and I shouldn't.

Just found those decals and bummer, no they dont have then ones i want. I will find some markings for a 452nd B-17 if its the last thing i do. But i have just seen that the pther markings from the set you have atre for a Bury St Edmunds based aircraft. I might have to get a set of those.

Alot of the Eduard stuff for B-17 F's and G's covers both types, i think the only set that is different is the front interior. I am pretty sure i have the mask for the F with the big Ed set i got. I think for my G kit i had to get seperate sets so haven't got a mask for that one yet.

I don't suppose those decal sets include a set for a B-17 from the 452nd BG from Deopham Green. 

The interiour on the B-24 is very nice, even OOB.  The Eduard set really sets it off, though you can't see alot of it.

redraider:  Thanks.  The lack of consistent practices makes for more interesting models, I think.  It keeps the same kit from looking like the last one or the next one.

Little J:  Thanks for the link.  I will take a look at it.  The Legends crew looks very fine.  I think a model with a full crew at their stations would be sharp, maybe built wheels-up in flight configuration.

Bish:  Yes, the second Fort is also Airfix 1/72.  Decals will come from PYN-up Decals "Fortress Chicks Part 3" and represent "Our Gal Sal" from the 351st Bomb Squadron of the 100th BG (B-17G-30-BO).  The group was stationed at Thorpe Abbots (Station 139).  Your B-24 looks outstanding; very impressive.  It obviously has a well done interior.

I used to get B-17 masks from a company called "Black Magic."  They are defunct now.  They normally worked well, but they were made from something that reminded me of black electrical tape, and wouldn't always conform well to curves--sometimes pulling up and leaving an underspray.  Still, they made the process go faster than the "strip of tape and fill in with liquid mask" method.

I saved a couple of sheets, thinking I might be able to use them to make photocopies, then use the photocopies to cut masks from tape.  I haven't tried it yet, so I don't know if it would work.

Based on this discussion, I took a look for some alternatives and I see Eduard makes masks for both Academy and Hasegawa kits B-17G, available in the USA from Squadron (nothing it seems for the "F" model).  On closer inspection, it appears that the Eduards mask set contains parts for both the F and the G models.

jbrady:  I also appreciate seeing the map.  It puts things into perspective.

O, thats a nice map, thanks for posting that. Yes, it is a bit packed in this area with old bases. There are 3 former B-17 bases with 20 mins drive of where i live. And when i drive upto Norwich to visit family, i pass several more, including Bodney and Snetterton. You can see why the Lead ships were so useful.

Yep, Eduard makes masks for pretty much all the Tamiya and Hasegawa Jugs. I've got a mask for one of my Razorbacks and have every intention of using it. 

One thing I've found, though - the masks are good, but they aren't always perfect. I think it's a combination of impossible-to-attain tolerances between the masks and canopies, and my own butterfingers in applying them. But on my Dauntless I came up against one mask that was just too small for its window, and another that was just too big.

But the convenience, especially around curvy bits and sharp, triangular angles, is great.

Thanks for the info. I'll see if squadron carries them. Thought you might like this map. Traffic control must have been a *** when a maximum effort raid was on.

I have just checked hannants and yes they do. They have a few in 48th scale, for dfferent makes and aircrfat types.

This is the one for the tamiya D-20

. http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/EDEX008

They also do one for a D-25. Not sure what you best source would be in the USA. I was not planning on buying any of these, i just got s few sets with soem Big Ed sets i bought. But after useing one i will deffinatly be getting some more, especially for the bomber kits i have, and i may try one of the fighter masks.

This is my B-24 kit with the masks in place

And this is it after the masks were removed, no leakage at all

So i would deffinatly recomend them.

And i was going to post a few pics of this anyway, as it is related. This is the B-24H i have just finished for the IMS IV GB. It is a hasegawa J kit i convernverted. The markings are from extradecal and show a plan from the 466th BG based at Attelbridge (Station 120) in orfolk, and is the first in my plan to build aircraft from all 37 military airfields in the county.