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

Nah, I'll stick with the kit barrels, they look pretty good as is.  Anyways, I want to keep thi build to a minimum price wise as it already cost me $45.  I don't think I need to spend another 9 bucks on gun barrels

As for the Tamiya bolt engine, all I'm adding is an ignition wire harness.   The engine is beautifully detailed otherwise, but will need some patience while drybrushing or washing the cooling fins on the cylinders since this detail is very very VERY intricate

I took this shot while at the Museum of The United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.  It's the memorial for the Mighty Eighth Air Force near the museum entrance.  Rick.

Great photo, thanks for shareing. I plan on trying to visit all the old bases in Norfolk, US and British, and getting pics on the memorials as most have somthing in place. I know there are pics online, but if any of you guys want pic of memorials for the bases you are doing let me know and i will see what i can do. The North Suffolk and South Norfolk are withing easy reach, but the others are not to far away. I also hope to visit the American Cemetery near Cambridge, so i will post some pics of that as well when i get them.

There is a nice one at bassingbourn similar to the one you have just posted, but unfortunatly its inside the camp gates.

WOW this is getting good!!! So much info and some COOL builds lined up!!!

Does anyone know if anyone makes a B-24 H or J in 1/48? I can find them in 1/72 but I have not seen anything bigger. If not does anyone make a 1/48 H or J model nose turret that can be put onto a 1/48 D? Thanks

Here is a pic of the old girl. Serial number 42-95258 "What A Sack" 93rd Bg 329th Squadron. Shot down by flak over Magdeburg, Germany on Sept 11,1944. This will be the first aircraft I've done in natural metal finish, so I'm going to have to do some homework on that. Can't wait

Hookdriver

Here is a pic of the old girl. Serial number 42-95258 "What A Sack" 93rd Bg 329th Squadron. Shot down by flak over Magdeburg, Germany on Sept 11,1944. This will be the first aircraft I've done in natural metal finish, so I'm going to have to do some homework on that. Can't wait

Love the yellow engine rings! Nice splash of color to liven things up a bit!

As for natural metal finish, I'd highly recommend checking out the NMF II group build, and maybe doing this as a crossover. Either way, lots of good learning and trial and error to be had over there. I'm currently building two yellow wing Wildcats that I'm going to use for a NMF-off between Alclad and Talon.

Monogram (Revell) made a 1/48 B-24J, but the only place you'll find it is on ebay as its been OOP for awhile

There's actually one on ebay right now: http://cgi.ebay.com/Monogram-B-24J-Liberator-1-48-5608-NIB-/160481317488?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item255d6e9270

And since your B-24 is an H model and has the "ford nose" there is a Cutting Edge Ford Nose conversion that would work with a D model, but god knows where you'll find that

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

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

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.

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

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

COOL BEANS!!!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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. 

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"

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.

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. 

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

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

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.