Monogram Mafia Group Build

Well.  I found sort of a happy bonus last night.  I was looking for my parts kit for my P39, and I found an old P-39 Kit I had started and lost about 2 years back.  It was at about the same stage as my other kit so I am now doing them concurrently.  So I will have 2 P-39 AiroCobras when I am done.  One will be decked out in USAAC markings and the other in Red Air Force markings.  Does anyone happen to know what basic color the uniform of one of the Russian pilots of the era  would be?  I am guessing dark brown or tan, but I am not sure.  The American Pilot will be the normal OD.  The only thing missing from the second kit is the ammo tub on top of and between the twin high machine guns in the nose.  If I can't find it, no big deal since it won't be visible with the nose all sealed up anyways.  Here are a couple of images of progress so far.  Keep in mind that the digital camera I am using has a habit of exxagerating any minor flaws.  It looks a lot better in person than in the images.

Well that's it for tonight.  If I am lucky, I can get the pilots done and the last of the touch up out of the way.  I hope to be sealing up the fuselages tomorrow.  The wings will probably go together tonight.  Tomorrow I will be out most of the day house hunting, but the weekend is supposed to be warmer so I may be able to get the airbrush out and get some done with it.

Rich

The wings have been attached! Due to fit issues, the resulting sanding of the wing roots and fuselage removed much of the raised detail....so I did a complete re-scribe of the plane!

I have the engine-pod assembly drying right now, but dang. The engine pods were a really fiddly assembly. I had to join three pieces with only butt-joins in a circle with no bracing. It kept falling apart on me and getting knocked out of alignment....and have weird gaps that will require filling. I hope it doesn't break while I am sanding it. On a good note, it seems it will fit the fuselage pretty well!

Here is where she sits now after the re-scrible:

OWL

Ju 87D now at 90%:

A couple quick passes with the razor saw solved the problem of the two MG81s barrels looking like one piece.. I'll straighten that errant out after the rear canopy section is in place...

The racks for the '81s drum mags was taken from some old armr kit...

Gotta do some touch-up on the bottom here & there, but not much, as this bird will sit secured forever on a diorama... That's why I don't get too hung up on fixing stuff that won't be seen by judges...

Weathering has been started, still need quite a bit of detail painting, especially the exhaust stackes, then it's on to shading some panels, and geberally distreeing the over-white camo, although not too much...

 I want this Stuka at the start of the winter of '42/43... At this time, the Luftwaffe was still moving forward, base to base across the Steppes,  towards the Wehrmacht's main target.. And it's ultimate downfall... Stalingrad.. *DAH-duh-DAHHH---Dah-dah-dah!* (That was "Ominous Music"...) ...

Sweet! I scored a long-oop sheet of Albatros decals for the A-37 Dragonfly yesterday (for a VERY reasonable price)...may have to find a way to get one of them into this GB rather than the F-5. No official change yet, I'll let you know Hans.

Albatros A-37's

Hans, does the Hellcat and the SB2C count?  Kit #s 5211 and 6831 respectively. 

Hans von Hammer

Sound off if I screw the pooch on any though..

 A-4 Blue Angels

AC-47 (unless you build it into the WW2 version. The parts are in that kit to do so.. Main thing is the props, and it has the old props in the box.

The Current issue A-4 Blue Angels is a rebox of their pre merger A-4E/F kit. It is not to be confused with the Pro Modeler A-4 Blue Angels which was a rebox of a Hasegawa A-4.

I am curious about the AC-47- it basicly the same kit as the original C-47 except for another sprue added for more parts/options as they did with the current issue B-17/B-24/B-29. No real change to the basic kit itself, just more finishing choice.

the Baron

troublemaker66:

...and the jockey...not quite finished with him yet...

...any tips/comments are welcome.

Thanks for looking,

Len

 

I recognize him!  He flew with the AVG!  I never built the Hurricane, so I never knew he flew for the RAF, too!  Also pilots Lightnings.

 

troublemaker66

...and the jockey...not quite finished with him yet...

...any tips/comments are welcome.

Thanks for looking,

Len

I recognize him!  He flew with the AVG!  I never built the Hurricane, so I never knew he flew for the RAF, too!  Also pilots Lightnings.

Aaronw

There is a list on page 4, but I think it is just 1/48 kits and is not exhaustive (B-26, A-26, P-61 stand out)

/forums/t/135482.aspx?PageIndex=4

 ....

SB2C, -NO GO

...

Hey, Hammer, that one'll need an asterisk.  The old original SB2C kit should definitely be a go, that's Monogram all the way, but the later Pro Modeler kit (such as Chuck W built in that excellent build blog a couple of years ago) should not.

For 1/72, may I add the BUFF (anyone have the old boxing with the engine sounds?) and the giant B-36, if anyone has room to display it

kermit

Hans,

Watering can you say?... You got to admire those germans for thinking up cool and effective names and abbreviations for their stuff.

Yeah, "Watering Can".. The official name, "Waffenbehalter" simply means "Weapons Container"..

"Watering Can" belies it's more sinister purpose...

CallSignOWL

 

and proof of its heratage:

 

"Made in USA"   Must be an old mold, I didn't know we still made anything... except debt. 

Hans von Hammer

p38jl:

Hans, your new pic,, looks like a "glamour" shot !!

 

Kinda does, don't it...

Wait'll you see my REAL Glamor Shot... Bearskin rug an' a speedo...

Nah, not really...

Wouldn't wear no friggin' speedo...

lol.. speedo would show off your new scar.. ! the chicks would dig it  !

Outstanding work on that F-80, BTW... (Can't call it a P-80, you got a USAF serial and the red bar insignias...)

[/quote]Ooops...I knew that...must`ve had a brain fart...

p38jl

Hans, your new pic,, looks like a "glamour" shot !!

 

Kinda does, don't it...

Wait'll you see my REAL Glamor Shot... Bearskin rug an' a speedo...

Nah, not really...

Wouldn't wear no friggin' speedo...

CallSignOWL

Thanks Hammer! I am getting addicted to this scratch-building thing! 

And I almost didn't recognize you. You changed your picture.

It's a good addiction, trust me... 

Yeah, I did change it.. Gotta do that once in a while, just to keep folks on their toes..

troublemaker66

OK....just for the record...I was done my P-80 last Wednesday but had no time to post pics....SO,  I shoulda been the 1st one done and won the prize of nothing! Just kiddin`....but I was done last week. Here`s some pics....

Started work on my 2nd half kit...Hurricane...will post some WIP`s later today.

Thanks,

Len

Ok, I'll give you the same thing I gave him...

Outstanding work on that F-80, BTW... (Can't call it a P-80, you got a USAF serial and the red bar insignias...)

Yeh..  But will you still have any eyesight left after finishing it?

Hans von Hammer

BTW... If you build THIS Monogram kit, you win..

http://www.oldmodelkits.com/index.php?detail=19562&page=5&cat=Military%20Aircraft&manu=Monogram

 

Looking Good Guys an Gal... !

Hans, your new pic,, looks like a "glamour" shot !!

I did get some work done on the Groovy Grader,, pics soon.. painting her in Boyds Aluma Yellow poly, scratched a starter,...

Here`s a few WIP`s of my Hurricane....

Made gun barrels from brass tubing...

...scratched wheel well...

...and the jockey...not quite finished with him yet...

...any tips/comments are welcome.

Thanks for looking,

Len

OK....just for the record...I was done my P-80 last Wednesday but had no time to post pics....SO,  I shoulda been the 1st one done and won the prize of nothing! Just kiddin`....but I was done last week. Here`s some pics....

....A couple shots with the morning sunlight...

I used MM Metalizers...buffing aluminum plate overall with non-buffing magnesium on the control surfaces. Hope you like it. Any comments are welcome.

Started work on my 2nd half kit...Hurricane...will post some WIP`s later today.

Thanks,

Len

Thanks Hammer! I am getting addicted to this scratch-building thing! 

And I almost didn't recognize you. You changed your picture.

Current Revell issues of the 1/48th Classics are here:

http://www.revell.com/model-kits/aircraft/historic.html

NO GO:

He 111H

P-51B/C

Ju 52

Bf 109G

Do 217E

B-26B

***SB2C Helldiver:

***This one has to be a "White-box" kit from the 70's, repro Blue Box (not sure if it came out that way in the early 80's or not, but Mongram released a number of old kits with their original box art from that era..) or any earlier "Blue-box" versions.. Also, the 80'sor90's "Box Art" kit... That's a GO as well..

The current Revell and ProModeler "EssBeeDueceSee" kits are NO GOs... They aren't the original kit released by Monogram, they're an entirely new molding... Yours has to have "Dropping Bombs", "working bomb bay doors and dive flaps" and "Retractable Landing Gear" (IIRC all the operating features of the "Beast", lol)...

Jets:

http://www.revell.com/model-kits/aircraft/jet.html

I'm not sure about all of them, not being a Jet Guy, but I have built a few of them so I have a fair idea.

Sound off if I screw the pooch on any though..

NO GO:

A-6E

EA-6A

F-84G

F-1B

F-14D

 A-4 Blue Angels

Helicopters:

NO GO:

HH-53C

Big Scale:

http://www.revell.com/model-kits/aircraft/big-scale.html

NO GO:

F-15D/E

PBY/OA-10

AC-47 (unless you build it into the WW2 version. The parts are in that kit to do so.. Main thing is the props, and it has the old props in the box.

1/32 Piper Siper Cub

CallSignOWL

This is one busy GB!

 

I continued with the construction, adding detail to the front landing gear bay. Just a bit of plastic strips and wires. 

While matching up the two fuselage sides to check fit, I noticed a bit of a warping towards the tail end of the plane. It should be easily remedied with a bit of clamping.

That's how it's done, OWL.. You'll get your degree in Creative Gizmology in no time thataway..Good work!

BTW... If you build THIS Monogram kit, you win..

http://www.oldmodelkits.com/index.php?detail=19562&page=5&cat=Military%20Aircraft&manu=Monogram

While not a complete list, check here:

http://www.oldmodelkits.com/index.php

This will tell you if you have a Monogram kit... If the type isn't listed here, the model from Monogram or Revell/Monogram isn't a "GO".  If it's a "grey area" kit, call it out and we'll figure out where to go from there.. (Althought they're listed, the ProModeler F-84G Thunderstreak and Me 410 are NO-GOs) Also, the current Revell catalog contains a number of 1/48 aircraft GO-kits for the build... Check here to make sure before you buy though...

Well Done, Kermit! First guy finished, means you get... Well, to be First Guy Finished..

This is one busy GB!

I continued with the construction, adding detail to the front landing gear bay. Just a bit of plastic strips and wires. 

While matching up the two fuselage sides to check fit, I noticed a bit of a warping towards the tail end of the plane. It should be easily remedied with a bit of clamping.

and once I got sufficient weight in the nose (hopefully!) I buttoned it up and added the wings. Which are of sub-par fit. One side lined up well enough, but the other side will have a rather unfortunate gap at the wing root. Nothing a bit of putty can't fix! The A-10 has a slight bend in the wings, so creative clamping was also needed to achieve the correct angle.

OWL

Well.  The F14 is having more issues than I expected and I honestly don't think I can have it presentable before the end date.  As such..  Hans, could you change it to a P-39 Aerocobra.  I found another 1/48 kit.  I just started it, so here's the first WIP images.

If I finish these two in time, I might stick in a simple Monogram 1/48 A6M WWII Zero Fighter.

Nice looking Twin Mustang , wish my P40 were that far along.  I'm telling you one thing, I have never seen wing roots so miss matched in my life.  I'd  post a pic but I don't have a wide angle lens to capture the true horror.

that's a nice looking twin-mustang, kermit! You finished it quickly too. Thumbs up!  

OWL