GROUP BUILD - Pacific 60th Annivesary [from Nov 1 2004 to Nov 1 2005]

Having some time to finally get to attempt too finish a few of my many models in the past week or so has cleared a small section of the shelf, along with a couple of boxes from the continuing pile. Here are a few of what I've been trying to complete, as for the WC 54 Radio Truck that is a kit bash started about 2 years ago, by marrying up an Italeri Ambulance body to the Skybow 4x4 Weapons carrier, in general a Skybaleri WC 54, the ladder is a scratch build using evergreen and copper wire, the canvas tarpoline is made from lead foil from a wine bottle. The M 8 is OOB, the P-40m is the old Mauve 48 kit, the Klublewagon and BMW are both Tamiya and replicate captured and used Axis Equipment.

Lobbie,all the kit look great,im just about done on my lvt-4 so i will take some pics soon and post them to the group build site,have a good modelind day all.

Having reached the 55 mark just recently and deciding to retire from working in a hobby shop, after all these years [almost 14 too be exact], to concentrate on Scale Magic's projects and the many contract and customer builds that are never ending, it seems that early retirement is not to be for me for sometime to come.

Firstly:
I've been approached by a local decal manufacturer [here in Oz], with the planed addition of RAAF W.W. II decal production to enhance their catalogue, with the inclusion of our resin conversions and or components to some of these planned decal releases, so it looks like 12 months or more before this is completed.

Secondly:
I've been approached by a certain museum here with an idea they have presented to me, of loaning my Beaufighter and other RAAF models to them as a propossed plan they have too display model significant to the History of the RAAF. Seeing as this museum was the sponsor of the trophey I won for my model they would need to make several changes before any of my models appear their.

Thirdly:
The RAAF OTS have asked if we [Scale Magic], would start a school for their model builders, this has created a slight problem as both the other founding members still work on weekends, leaving the teaching part to one person is not a good idea, as assistance to this I'd have to look for members of the club willing to help out.

Now with all that said I hope to be laying paint to the P 40 today [sunday 07/10], as the WC 54 is painted and decaled in it's Oz scheme, the BMW R 75 is completed with the dust wash along with the Greyhound and the Klublewagon.
The P 40 will become A29-356, as the earlier P 40b has been modeled as LD-C of 112 Sqn RAF Nth Africa as flown by P.O. Clive Caldwell.

Lobbie, sounds like you have quite a lot going on. Good luck with it all!

Your builds are very impressive.

While slowly trudging along on the Chia-Ha Diorama, waiting for some figures, I am throwing in a Japanese 75mm SPG gun into the build. Here are a few starters.

Rob, The builds look great. Good luck with all u have going on.
Geoff, nice start on th 75mm
I've gotten the decals on my ki-84 and hope to get some pics up soon.
Jason

here are the pics of frank



Jason

jason, very nice! great progress!

tonight i attached the upper and lower hulls on the SPG and built the 75mm...... not too many problems except for the hull fit, leaving me with a slight seam to fill. The shield goes up tomorrow and I hope to have her done by week's end.

anyways, here are some pics!
comments please

slow moving thread! hahaha. The SPG is done, here are some pics

tanker,your spg looks realy good,nice work.

Thanks to all for the kind words regarding the [so called] retirement, as well as with the builds away from this GB. The P 40m is for the Warhawk GB, I have also done a [F4f Wildcat] as a Martlet V the RNFAA version, which can be found in the A/C forum, I hope to have decals on both these birds in the next few days, the WC-54 has a few little bits to add before it's completed, as for the other 3 they have been finished.

Geoff,

The SPG is excellent, [l built the Chi Ha type 97 some time ago for a museum].

Jason,

Your Ki-84 'Frank' is excellent, which kit did you use.

Here are a few pic's of the P40m - so far







This bird is strickly OOB.

Rob, Thanks I'm very pleased with the way its coming along. It is 48th Hasagewa kit of the pre production version. The p-40 looks great also.
Geoff, the spg looks great.
Jason

Lobbie, the P40 is looking sweet!

Thanks to all for the kind words on the P 40m.

Here is the old ProModeller 48 kit of the A-26 Invader, built OOB, this model was on loan to a shot and was returned too me in 6 pieces, the shop replaced the broken model with a Monogram 48 A/B 26c Invader [the Korean War glass nose version] with words from me to the shop owner:- "Never ask for anything of mine as a loan ever again". This subject has been re-assembled to sit as a model plane should, it's in the markings of the 89 B.S 3 B.G. Pacific Theatre 1945. - I'll strip the paint scheme from this subject and finish the rebuild with a repaint of a Pacific region aircraft.
- I have requested to all the various hobby shops, who have my models on loan, that I am no longer allowing my models to be displayed and if any are broken damaged or lost apart from the replacement kit for my model I'll also be looking for blood -
The pix are not the best under artifical light, but it gives an idea of the model from both inside and out.



The cockpit deatail of this kit.

Lobbie,you have done a great job of rebuilding this bird,too bad people cant return things the same way they got them.very nice work.

Rob thats to bad what happened, but u did do great job on fixing it.
The instrument panel looks great.
Jason

Well I finally have at least a little progress to show. Tamiya's Buffallo will be pretty much out of the box. I did try my hand at scratch building some seatbelts. Right now I am actually working on the wings and hopefully will soon have it to where it looks like a plane . Hope all is well with every one.
Leon

leon the cockpit looks good, I like the seatbelts.
Jason

Leon,

Excellent progress so far with the Buffalo 'pit, are you building the Pacific theatre boxing of the kit ?, I've built the Pacific boxing kit as the RNZAF [has the dragon under the cockpit]. Having converted the prievious boxing F2 into a 339e of 25 Sqn RAAF.

Anyway here are a couple of pix of a "KITBASHED WC 54" the remainder and the post are in the Armour Forum. This model is made up from the Skybow WC 51 Weapons Carrier and the Bodyshell of the Italeri WC 54 Ambulance, resulting in a WC 54 Radio Truck.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Lobbie Leon, Excellent progress so far with the Buffalo 'pit, are you building the Pacific theatre boxing of the kit ?, I've built the Pacific boxing kit as the RNZAF [has the dragon under the cockpit]. Having converted the prievious boxing F2 into a 339e of 25 Sqn RAAF.

Thanks guys. I appreciate the encouragement.
Yes, I am building the pacific boxing. As of yet, I am not 100% sure what scheme I will do. I am leaning towards the dragon, but also really like the boar (but I have no interest in doing the lower half in bare metal). I have to admit a small part of me is tempted to do a mix and match and just end up with what I like (afterall the finished product will probably only ever be seen here and on my shelf), but I don't know how comfortable I am with completely throwing accuracy out the door. Would you guys ever do that?? Thanks again, and thanks for any opinions you can give me.
Leon

Oh and Lobbie,
Is it just me or is this kit nowhere near the usual incredibly engineered Tamiya standard? Not that it is bad, just different. I am actually enjoying trying to make it look at least presentable.

hi your bird is looking good,well done.Lobbie your kit is comming along great,i have finished my lvt-4 just havent taken any pics yet,when i do i will send them to you for posting ok? have a good day all

Leon,

The Tamiya Buffalo 48 kit is a rebox of a re-issue of the original early '70's kit of the F2 version, sadly this kit gets re-issued every so often, but it's tooling has not been changed, [the parts for a 339 {Land verson} are not included sometimes when the kit is re-issued].

To make a 339 verson is a little disheartning as the model is not 100% accurate too do so, even though they supply the tailcone and tail wheel for this the cowling extension is not included, having built 2 of these in different Service Arms, I've only done 1 as a true 339, the other is just OOB.

This is the stage my 'Pacific Theatre' boxing has progressed too:


This is in the markings of 448 RNZAF as per the box art, with the Sky/Black split undersurfaces.

This is the extensively converted F2 Buffalo [U.S. Navy version], to a true 339e this is the land verson as flown by 25 Sqn RAAF during '43, having used the Eduard PE and a resin conversion to bring this accurately upto spec.



These pix show the conversion used prior to painting.

The painted bird in the markings of 25 Sqn RAAF.

I hope this helps a little with answering your questions.

Thanks Lobbie, Did you use the provided masks? I am tempted to try them but worry about their quality.
Leon

Leon,

For the RNZAF Buffalo [Tamiya 'Pacific Theatre' box art], I used the kit masks, on the canopy only, as in some cases the under floor windows were painted over on land based birds. The Tamiya masks are just like their masking tape and are easy too use but a tip on there use:

The outline of the masks is not suited to be cut with a scalpel and they need to be applied individualy from cutting off the main sheet. What ever paint you use will not bleed, under the masking tape.

On any of my model canopies I use Tamiya 10mm [3/8"] masking tape, I've only used the AM Masks on a couple of model kits, but they are expensive for a "One Off" model situation.

I hope this helps a little.

Having finished the P 40 and this 448 Sqn RNZAF Buffalo as based in Malaya, it is made 98% OOB, I used the kit supplied masks for the canopy only, [some land based B.Buffalo's had the under floor windows painted over] as well as the kit decals for the cockpit and external appearence. The Sky colour on the lower surface is AeroMaster "Warbird" RAF Sky, the remainder of the enamels is from the Humbrol Range of paints.

My 2% alterations are :
A/ Hollow tube exhausts - made from the tube of a Q-Tip / Cotton Bud.
B/ BMF for the reflector of the Landing Light - glued to the inside upper wing half.

Here are a lot of pix of this bird:-







Cockpit detail {as per kit instructions} aslo. Canopy framing {using kit supplied masks:





Leon,
I included the other 2 canopy pix as I used the kit supplied Masks on this and your building the same kit so feel free to use the pix as a reference, if you have any other questions just ask and I'll help out.


This bird is also in the A/C Forum:

Thanks Lobbie, It looks great! I hope that someday soon I will be approaching the painting stage, and I hope it turns out looking as nice as your's. I, too, am definately glad you posted the cockpit pictures, because it made me realize I forgot to install something, and it is good to see how well the supplied masks do. Thanks again and well done!
Leon

Thanks Leon,

For the kind words on the Buffalo, even though I made a couple of mistakes with it, I have a couple of other buffalo's that are on the "One Day I'll Build Those", as another RAAF and Dutch E.I. are planned.

I struck a problem with the B 24 for the RAAF OTS and hopfully it will resolve shortly as the earmarked decals for this bird misteryiously disappeared, it is made as that of 25 Sqn RAAF with the Black Swan on the rudder posts or it goes back in the box.

In the mean time I've been doing a few extra birds, that have been sitting waiting for too long for me too finish them, they are:-

TBF1c Avenger - RNFAA
P40b Tommahawk - RAF
P47d Razorback - ?
P47d Bubbletop - ?
P47d Bubbletop - 'Eileen'
P38e Lightning - RAAF as an F4-1 [Pacific]
P38l Lightning - 9th A.F ?
P38j Lightning - ?
FW 190a3 - OOB
Spitfire Mk IXc - RAAF [Europe]
FB VI Mosquito -
SDB 3 Dauntless - RNZAF
B.Beaufighter Mk If - RAF Malta [Horizontal Tailplanes]
B.Beaufighter Mk Inf - "Bambi" [Horizontal Tailplanes]
Do 335 -repaint
P51b Mustang - OOB
P51c Mustang - RAAF
P51d Mustang - USAAC
P51d Mustang - RAAF [modified]
B26b Marauder - RAF [Nth Africa]
A20c Bostron - RAF [Nth Africa]
H.Typhoon Mk Ib - RAF
H.Hurricane Mk IIb - RAF Malta [modified]
Il 2 Stormavik - OOB

So much for the retired life:- retired to the workshop on a fulltime basis, is more likely.

Great work everyone! If I may add:

[

G'day,

I had spent the day painting some models, well 6 to be exact and they had been sitting waiting for sometime to be given a coat of paint, the models are not for this GB, they just happened to be some of mine that over time other people's and contract builds got priorety, there is one pic of each bird that also lists which kit they are, they are all 48 Scale.


Accurate Miniatures TBF 1c Avenger [Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm] scheme is Dark Sea Grey / Slate Grey over Sky. A Verlindon resin enhancement set which includes the engine is to be added to this model subject [this is basicly the remains of the unassembled kit

Academy P 47d [USAAC European theatre] scheme is U.S Dark Green 42 over Neutral Grey

Hasegawa P 38 j [USAAC Pacific Theatre] scheme is OD over NG

Tamiya FB VI Mosquito [RAF Coastal Comand] - this is a repaint scheme is Sea Grey over Sky

Monogram [1968] P47d [RAF OTU Egypt 1944] this scheme is Light sea Grey / Olive Drab over Neutral Grey

Hasegawa H.Typhoon Ib [This will be a 198 Sqn bird as TP-F adapting the Monogram Classic kit decals to the Hasegawa kit scheme is Dark Sea Grey / Dark Green over Light Aircraft Grey

Sorry for the pix being darker than nornal.

Very nice work Lobbie. That's about two years of building for me!

Ultracast resin seat and decals are on order for the F4F Wildcat. Hope to finish the North Africa GB F-6A by mid month and start on the Wildcat.

Started work on the Wildcat this weekend-interior painted (still needs some detail work)-waiting for the resin seat to arrive. Might be able to get the interior assembled and buttoned up by next weekend and get the exterior painted next weekend....maybe. Still waiting for the canopy mask for the F-6A so I can finish that build.

Based on the quality of the Tamiya kit (this is my first Tamiya aircraft, I hope to add a couple more Wildcats (maybe an Atlantic scheme) to the collection....after all, I'll have an extra resin seat.....