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

These pictures show the windows simply folded up into the fueslage....the instructions for my 1/48 B-24 suggest this configuration if you want the waist open

Pictures of B-24s in action show the waist gun positions with large openings.  I cannot find a photo that shows how the inserts for those openings are stored.  One photo I have located and posted below seems to show the inserts are completely removed for combat.  Can anyone confirm this is the case?

No worries red. I have 3 builds to finish before i start mine and i am off to the Falklands again in Feb. So i don't expect to start until May. I think its nice to have builds start at various points of the GB rather than all get built at the beginging.

I know the start date is right around the bend but I probly won't get to my build till last december because of school and my other 3 year old b-17 project

ww2psycho

I'm considering, not 100% sure, but I might get the Revell Memphis Belle kit depending on how long it takes to build the P-38. It looks like Revell is reissueing it.

http://www.revell.com/germany/aircraft/80-4297.html

Yup, they reissued it earlier this year or late last year

I'm considering, not 100% sure, but I might get the Revell Memphis Belle kit depending on how long it takes to build the P-38. It looks like Revell is reissueing it.

http://www.revell.com/germany/aircraft/80-4297.html

No worries guys. Red, i have taken the P-51 off. Hook, i will leave it as is, i am guessing the unit and and location will be the same any way.

My plans for this build was to build a B-24H S/N 42-95258 which my grandfather was the bombardier on when they were shot down over Magdeburg Germany on Sept 11, 1944. The picture that was found of this aircraft shows the nose art being "What A Sack." I have been in contact with the pilot and he says that his crew used 3 different planes and he did not recall that being one of the planes they used. The only one he remembers is a J model called "Nancy Lee" but this is not the plane they went down in. I assume the crew must have changed the name of the plane after the picture I have was taken. Back to the old drawing board.

I think I'm gonna drop out the P-51.  I havn't bought it yet and I dont think I will.  I'm just realizing that I have too many things I want to get done and one less plane would help a little.

Plus, the fire for my first love of model railroading has just been re lit and I'm following in my fathers footsteps of collecting trains while in college.  However, this is 2010 and locomotives dont cost $20 like they did in 1978.  Saying that I bought one yesterday for $80 and dont really feel like throwing out any more money right now, especially for a tamiya kit

So I'll just be building the B-24 and P-47 for this group build

Count yourself in. Nice to have another P-38, and will deffo look forward to the B-24, thats one i have in the stash for part of my Norfolk Airfields project. Nose art is the Princess if i remember right.

Bish--Count me in on the Mighty 8th GB.  I will build:

Minicraft 1:48 P-38J, 20th FG, Kings Cliffe AF, Northhamptonshire.  I haven't decided which FS as I have decals for all three.

Hasegawa 1:72 B-24D, 44thBG, 506th BS, Shipdham AF, Norfolk.

Ok, i have added that. Only one month to go, ye i know, seems like for ever.

Thanks for the tip Doogs.

It's the Monogram 1/48th P-51B kit with the aforementioned aftermarket decals Shangri-La.  336th FS 4th FG, March 1944

Don Gentile's "Shangri-La" was the first kit I built coming back into modeling. One tip - pay special attention to the depth of the red cowl ring to make sure it lines up with the checkerboards under the manifolds. 

Your fine with that one. The 4th flew from Debdham in Essex. This is from the Mighty 8th site.

http://mighty8thaf.preller.us/php/1Unit.php?Unitkey=4

Wasn't it Airfix who did the Shangri La in 72nd scale.

So can i just confirm you are doing a 1/48th (which brand of kit) P-51B from the 4th FG.

I just recently went a bit overboard on decal purchases, and got a sheet of P-51Bs of the 334th FS and 336th FS, all of the 4th FG.  The decals are by a company called kits-world, sheet KW148008.

I researched a bit and seemed to have confirmed this fighter group/squadron was a  part of the 8th Air Force, so seeing that I've always liked this particular aircraft

http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/gallery.php?Group=4&Style=item&origStyle=list&Item=53&Temp=1064&searchString=

and the decal sheet includes this warbird's markings, I'm going to build this one.  Unless I've mis-identified this P-51B as belonging to the 8th AF, please put me down for that build.

The sheet includes markings for "Ill Wind", "Miss Dallas", "Shangri La" and "Salem Representative"

Bish

Now all you have to do is find some decals, assuming you don't have the correct ones. The only ones in 48th i know of are the Eagle strike ones for the 352nd FG. DooGATX managed to get hold of some, so he might be able to help. Pity you didn't have a 72nd 51B, i would have been able to help out there.

I was actually tracking down the 352nd decals for my P-51D, but I think the set includes a -B model, too.

I've also got a separate Eagle Strike sheet for the P-51B I'm doing for this GB. Think it's called "Early Birdcages" or something like that. 

Don't have the full sheet in front of me, but I'm doing this RAF Dark Green over natural metal number. And if you look toward the bottom, there's an early 352nd bird in there, too, before they dropped the olive drab.

If you do a search on Squadron, you get something like 35 results for 1/48th sheets featuring the B. And that's just Aeromaster and Eagle Strike. 

ww2spycho.....although I've never used one, a" pounce wheel" is the tool for making rivets.  you can either buy one or probly make one yourself using gears from an old watch

Now all you have to do is find some decals, assuming you don't have the correct ones. The only ones in 48th i know of are the Eagle strike ones for the 352nd FG. DooGATX managed to get hold of some, so he might be able to help. Pity you didn't have a 72nd 51B, i would have been able to help out there.

Doogs and Bish, thanks for the confirmation.  My wife says thank you also for helping to keep me from spending yet more money on this hobby ...

I will probably go with one of the P-51B's that I have in the stash.  They are both 48 scale, one is an original Blue Box Monogram release and the other is a re-release of that same mold with the CAF markings.  I also have a 32nd scale P-51B that is the old Revell release from the '60s.

So I've been thinking and Ive decided I'm going to try to make a base for the P-38 based on the photo found. Its only grass really but I may add some things to make it more amusing, not exactly sure what yet.

Also I've found out I'm going to need to replase some rivets on the booms when they are attached to the wings. Whats the best way to engrave them? I was thinking a drill bit but idk I haven checked how small of one can be found.

The P-51B was used extensively by the 8th AAF starting in early '44, though it was also pretty quickly phased out when the D models started coming on line. Most of the famous fighter groups (like the blue-nosed 352nd) moved from P-47s to P-51Bs to P-51Ds, all in the course of 1944. One of the few exceptions was the 54th - Zemke's Wolfpack - which kept the Jug throughout the war.

Decals for 8th AAF B's are plentiful, and I've found that a lot of the P-51 decal sheets typically throw a B or two in with the D's.

They did use the P-51B, not sure what scale your kit is, but tehre are decals from eagle strike for P-51's from the 352nd FG. I have the 72nd ones but it seems you can get them in 24th, 32nd and 48th, though the 48th seem harder to get hold of, DoogsATX finally managed to locate a set. They also used the P-38, we alreday have one in the build.

I'm having trouble determining what I want to build for this.  I do know I don't want to build any heavies, as I have built back to back heavies in a B-1B and am approaching the finish line on an equally massive B-36.

In my stash I have a couple of Tamiya P-47Ds, a Monogram P-47D, a couple of Monogram P-51Bs (not sure if that bird flew in the 8th), a couple of Monogram P-38s (again, not sure if that one flew in the 8th), and Revell 1/32 kits of the P-51B and P-47D.  There's a lot of time to make a decision, and maybe I'll acquire a P-51D by the time I'm ready to start this build.

COOL BEANS!!!

Yes Sir, I'm with the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade out of Ansbach, Germany, currently in Eastern Afghanistan for a few more months.

aboard Hookdriver!!!! I take it you fly the Chinook? 2 burnin' and 6 turnin'?

For those who haven't seen hookdrivers thread on the aircraft forum, theres something special about his build. His grandfather was the bombadier on the aircraft he is building. So i am really glad i could entice him into the build. Glad to have you on board, and come home safe.

wingspan on the B-24 is 27 inches...

I may have to rethink this 1/48 scale, 37"in wingspan is no joke. I think I may go with the 1/72 Hasegawa kit. I've been doing alot of research on the nose and tail turrets and I have pretty much come to the conclusion that it's a crap shoot. The turret  is different depending on the model, manufacturer, even the unit made different mods....what a pain